The Ascension of David. Deserts. Monastery of David deserts: how to get there

Not far from the city of Chekhov, eighty kilometers from Moscow, lies the Holy Ascension of David. The monastery is located on the banks of Lopasni, which flows into the Oka, on a high and picturesque white stone mountain. It was founded in May 1515 by the Monk David. Near the monastery (village of Talezh) is its farmstead.

A bit of history

According to historians, the Monk David belonged to the princely family Vyazemsky. His real name is Daniel. At the age of twenty he decided to go to the Pafnutievo-Borovsk monastery, where he lived more than twenty years.

In 1515, David founded the monastery, now known as the Ascension of David's Deserts.

During the reign of Ivan the Terrible, the construction of a large stone church of the Ascension of the Lord began. But he was not destined to be completed. There are objective reasons for this. Initially, the monastery and its territory were attacked by Lithuanians and Circassians, who burned and destroyed many values, destroyed existing buildings and plundered all supplies. At the behest of Patriarch Joachim, the temple was completely dismantled. Joachim ordered in his place to erect a new temple. The stone church grew over the tomb of David. Before, there was a wooden chapel on this place. Its dimensions were not too large.

At the very end of the 17th century another chapel was built on the territory of the monastery, next to the Arbat Gate. It existed a little more than a century. Then, in its place, the monastery's courtyard was stretched.

The Holy Ascension of David deserts until the middle of the XVIII century belonged to different monasteries. The main reason for this situation is low incomes. Deserts owned several poor estates, which brought very little money. There was not enough money - even to keep temples and monastic brethren. In 1765 a chapel was annexed to the desert, located at the Moskvoretsky Gates. Before, it belonged to the Morschug desert that had ceased to exist. In this chapel there was an icon of the All-Merciful Savior.

At the same time, the deserts of David received another chapel, which was located at the Kaluga Gate. At the end of the XVIII century, the monastery was built housing for a significantly enlarged brotherhood. By the beginning of the XX century there lived about a hundred monks. Among them was Alexis, who at one time predicted the end of the Sevastopol war.

David's deserts in the XIX century

The beginning of the XIX century marked a noticeable improvement in the state of the monastery. The church of St. Nicholas, which was in terrible condition, was completely dismantled and rebuilt again. Many new small farm buildings have appeared.

In the church of the Ascension of the Lord the iconostasis was completely renewed. By the middle of the century the Znamensky temple was rebuilt, and the old bell tower was restored. For her, a bell was cast, the weight of which exceeded 205 poods.

The end of the XIX century was marked by the opening of the male parochial school. By the beginning of 1900, the construction of the Cathedral of the All-Merciful Savior was considered.

Monastery in the Soviet years

Like dozens of monasteries of the Moscow region, the Ascension Monastery of David's Desert was closed in 1929. Here there was an agricultural technical school, and in the premises where monks used to live, they organized hostels for students.

Ancient temples have been turned into new garages and warehouses. The St. Nicholas Church became the site of collections of atheistic societies. Here, anti-religious disputes began to be held and discos organized.

The Assumption Cathedral turned into a sports hall. A red banner was hoisted to the bell tower. The holy graves were excavated, and tombstones were used as a foundation for a new hostel. The fence of the monastery was completely destroyed, as were the domes on the temples.

The Holy Ascension Monastery: Contemporary History

The desert of David was in utter desolation until 1992. At this time, they began to raise funds for the restoration of the holy place. In 1995 the rector appeared at the monastery. Hieromonk Herman took this place. Before that, he served as rector of the Intercession Church.

First of all, he began to prepare the cathedrals for a full day's circle of worship, since at that time the Liturgy was not performed. With two novices, the abbot began to prepare one temple.

In 1995, the monastery hosted the first Liturgy. Soon there was a long-awaited event - on June 1 of the same year, the decision of the Holy Synod was announced that the monastic life was resumed in the desert, and Herman received the hegumen's rank and was given the hegumen's baton.

In 1996, the spouses of Istomin presented the monastery with a belfry of seven bells. It was consecrated by Vladyka Yuvenaly.

In the winter of 1997, restoration work began in the desert. In 1998, the monastery was donated by the bell, which weighs a ton. It was installed on June 5.

In 1999, completely restored domes of cathedrals and churches, the Church of the Signs was consecrated. In 2003, the Ascension Cathedral was consecrated. It completely restored the iconostasis.

In the Znamensky temple the relics of the Monk David were transferred, and then restoration work began.

At the same time, more than two hundred fragments of the relics of God's saints were gathered in the monastery. In the desert are kept the particles of the Robe of the Virgin and the nail from Christ's crucifixion. By the end of 1999, interior decoration, cathedral domes, pond and fence of the monastery were restored.

Cloister today

At the entrance to the village of New Byt, behind one of the turns, you will see a magnificent view. From this place is perfectly seen the Ascension of David's Deserts - the entire architectural ensemble and its residential buildings.

After 63 years of desolation the abode revived. The Orthodox community, organized in the village of Novy Byt, was given the Cathedral of the All-Merciful Savior.

The monastery of David's deserts was not easy to recover. The abbot of the monastery faced a lot of problems, but did not retreat from its goal. In 1995, Herman's father was brutally murdered. According to the official version, the crime was committed for the sake of profit - a monastery safe was robbed.

The magnificent restoration of the monastery is overshadowed by various rumors that envelop this process. Clergymen are accused of taking large donations to restore the monastery from people of dubious reputation. This is Gennady Nedoseka and Anton Malevsky. Today in the cemetery of the monastery you can see their graves, which differ from other burials by their luxury. Malevsky - the former Russian "aluminum king" and leader of the criminal group Izmaylovo, Nedosek - an employee of the administration of the city of Chekhov, with a very dubious reputation. Despite everything, thanks to the help of these and not the most righteous people of David, the deserts have been restored.

Excursion in the desert

You can enter the monastery through the Holy Gates. Above the entrance there is a gate bell tower. Its height is more than 70 m.

Your look will appear unusually well-groomed, clean territory. Here is a small, but very picturesque pond. On its mirror surface, glittering church domes are reflected. This place is very different from other monasteries. Look at the photo. Ascension David's deserts are built up with buildings that are painted in warm, but at the same time saturated colors (orange, yellow, pink).

The main structures of the desert:

• Assumption Gate Church.
• The Church of the Sign.
• All-Saints refectory temple.
• Cathedral of the All-Merciful Savior.
• The Church of the Sign.
• Church of St. Nicholas.
• Ascension five-domed temple.

The walls of the Znamenskaya church are colored orange, Nikolskaya is yellow. Ascension Cathedral wins its whiteness, the Assumption Church attracts a tender pink-beige shade.

They are built at different times, but in an amazing way very harmoniously combined. In addition, there is a monastery cemetery in the desert. Not only monks are buried here. For example, Dmitry Dokhturov, the hero of the Russian-French war (1812), rests on the graveyard.

Today there are 12 people in the monastery. His abbot is hegumen Sergius (Kuksov). Every day, the Liturgy is held in the monastery.

The Church of the Sign

In this temple before the October Revolution was a coffin with the relics of Moses Ugrin. He was brought to the monastery by Metropolitan of Moscow - Platon. Unfortunately, to this day it has not survived. The main attraction of the church is the ancient icon of the Blessed Virgin. With her in the desert came the Monk David, here he found his rest.

In addition to the miraculous icon, many sacred objects are kept here. To the left of the altar is a carved canon with the relics of David. According to the inhabitants of the desert, after the death of the monk, he began to come to people in dreams, to heal them.

To the left of the entrance is the head of a baby from Bethlehem (one of the 14 thousand killed by the decree of King Herod), a fragment of the relics of Sergius of Radonezh.

Cathedral of the Ascension (1682)

Two-post, five-headed brick church with bypass galleries. Constructed with the help of Patriarch Joachim. The basis for it was the unfinished cathedral of the late 16th century. In the southern gallery is the Assumption aisle. It was restored at the end of the last century. Re-consecrated in 2003.

The Holy Grove

The inhabitants of the monastery of the Ascension of David's Desert are especially proud of the lime grove. It was planted by the Reverend David himself. But not only that's why it is Orthodox. As the legend says, David planted all the trees up roots, and they all took root. So the Saint tried to show everyone the power of God.

Holy spring

Not far from the holy monastery, in the small village of Talezh, is its courtyard. This place was glorified by a unique source. David's deserts, according to the faithful, is truly a unique place. This spring is consecrated in the name of the Monk David. For hundreds of years he has satisfied the pilgrims' thirst. From all corners of the Russian land here came the Orthodox, in order to drink the life-giving moisture. She was consecrated with the prayers of David, who went to this spring on foot from the desert. On the courtyard stands the temple of the monk, there are bathhouses. Everyone who has visited this place, leave here with peace, with a part of God's grace in the soul.

Therapeutic properties of water

The source (David's deserts), according to clergymen, is famous for the numerous miraculous healings of seriously ill people. As they say, ablution in its waters can cure very terrible ailments.

David's deserts: how to get there

To visit this holy place, you can use your personal car or public transport. Many pilgrims dream to come to these places and see for their own eyes what the Davidic monastery is like. How to get here, we'll tell you. To do this, you need to take a train from Kursk railway station and drive to Chekhov station. Then you need to take the bus number 36 and drive to the village of Novy Byt.

This way can be overcome and on the intercity bus, which follows the route "Moscow-Nerastannoe". In addition, the village can be reached from the metro station "Yuzhnaya".

If you are going on the road by car, then you will need to go along the Simferopol highway, before crossing it with the A-108, turn left (to Kashira), then follow the signs.

If you are going to visit the David's deserts, then you need to know that you should be dressed appropriately: the head of a woman should be covered with a handkerchief. Men in the "beach form" in the monastery will not be allowed.

Reviews of the guests of the monastery

The restored and restored St. David's Ascension of the deserts is one of those who visited it does not leave indifferent. Most of the guests of the monastery are delighted with how carefully and anxiously in the desert they relate to ancient church relics, as the monastic Charter is revered. Many emphasize the benevolence of the clergy, who speak with love about the monastery and its history.

However, there are also negative reviews. As a rule, they are associated with the use of "unjust" money for the restoration of the monastery and for the burial of people in its territory who in due time had problems with the law. It is necessary to say that ordinary parishioners, pilgrims, and residents of nearby settlements took part in the restoration of the desert (in addition to these individuals).

Whatever it was, David's deserts (reviews of visitors confirm these words) - a unique monument of history, architecture of our country. Therefore, we recommend that you visit this monastery.