What is interesting about the Timashevsk Monastery of the Holy Spirit? Hysterical Local History Holy Spirit Monastery.

Holy Spirits monastery(Vilnius)

The Vilna Holy Spirit Monastery was formed at the turn of the 16th-17th centuries. After the conclusion of the Union of Brest in 1596, the previously existing Orthodox Vilna Holy Trinity Monastery came under the rule of the Basilian Uniates. The brethren began to be expelled from the monastery, which by 1609 gradually formed new monastery at the Holy Spirit Church built in 1597. A printing house, a school and an almshouse were also moved here from the monastery taken away by the Uniates. Among the inhabitants of the new Holy Spirit monastery there were monks from other Orthodox monasteries captured by the Uniates. The first rector of the monastery was Archimandrite Leonty (Karpovich), known for his confessional feat: in 1610 he was imprisoned. The monastery was originally subordinate to the Patriarch of Constantinople. But since 1686 - in the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarch. High altar monastery cathedral was consecrated in honor of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles. The cathedral has two limits: the right one is in the name of the apostle and evangelist John the Theologian, the left one is in the name of the saints Equal-to-the-Apostles kings Constantine and Elena. Below, under the main altar of the cathedral, there is a cave temple in the name of the holy Vilna martyrs Anthony, John and Eustathius, canonized at the end of the 14th century. AT cave temple buried Metropolitan of Vilna and Lithuania Joseph (Semashko) († November 23, 1868).
Currently, ten inhabitants live in the monastery:
1. Archimandrite Ephraim (Jodo)
2. Archimandrite Hermogenes (Klimov) - steward of the monastery
3. Hegumen Anthony (Gurinovich) - dean of the monastery
4. Hieromonk John (Kovalev)
5. Hierodeacon Meletius (Grushchenko)
6. Hierodeacon Tikhon (Fokine)
7. Hierodeacon Nikita (Vasiliev)
8. Monk Bogdan (Kalashnik)
9. Monk Evstafiy (Nikulin)
The monastery is run by Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Vilna and Lithuania.
Monastery address:
Vilnius, Aushros Vartu st., 10
Tel. monastery: +370-5-212-78-81
Source: http://www.orthodoxy.lt

Of. website of the Lithuanian diocese.
Vilnius Holy Spirit Monastery.
Vilnius city, Aushros-Vartu street, 10-3. With a common spiritual orientation, each monastery has its own traditions associated with its history. The Vilna Holy Spirit Monastery has been serving in Lithuania for almost 400 years among Lithuanians and Poles, the vast majority of whom are Catholics. The monastery walls closely adjoin the church of St. Teresa, and this is seen as a symbol of the difficult past of the monastery, associated with the dramatic history of Orthodoxy in the Western Territory. The Holy Spirit Monastery continues to bear witness to the truth of Orthodoxy to the world and to pray for it.
With a general spiritual orientation, each monastery has its own traditions associated with its history. The Vilna Holy Spirit Monastery has been serving in Lithuania for almost 400 years among Lithuanians and Poles, the vast majority of whom are Catholics. The monastery walls closely adjoin the church of St. Teresa, and this is seen as a symbol of the difficult past of the monastery, associated with the dramatic history of Orthodoxy in the Western Territory. The Holy Spirit Monastery continues to bear witness to the truth of Orthodoxy to the world and to pray for it. Vilna was founded at the beginning of the 14th century by the Grand Duke of Lithuania Gediminas (1315 - 1340), who made Lithuania a powerful principality.
The son of Gediminas Olgerd, according to some sources - baptized, according to others - a pagan, was married to the Vitebsk princess Maria Yaroslavna, and after her death - to Juliana, the daughter of the Tver prince. Apparently, not without the influence of the princesses, Orthodoxy continued to spread in Lithuania. And, as it was in the Ancient Church, the true faith was affirmed by the blood of the martyrs.
The confessor of Princess Maria Yaroslavna, Presbyter Nestor, secretly baptized three of the close princes, giving them the names John, Anthony and Eustathius. Upon learning of this, the pagan priests demanded their punishment. Olgerd, even if he wanted to, could not protect the courageous confessors - he had to reckon with popular beliefs. On April 14, 1347, Antony was hanged on a place of execution on the outskirts of the city, in an oak grove, where criminals were executed. Nine days later, John, the brother of Anthony, was also put to death. Soon the same fate befell their relative Eustathius. Local Christians buried the bodies of the martyrs in the Church of St. Nicholas in Vilna, one of the first Orthodox churches in the city. Two years later, Christians, taking advantage of the patronage of Olgerd's second wife, Juliana, begged for a hill for prayer - the place of execution of the saints. A wooden church was built here in the name of the Holy Trinity. Her throne, according to legend, was located in the place of the oak, on which the martyrs suffered for the confession of the Holy Trinity. Their bodies were also transferred to this church. 27 years after their death, the Vilna martyrs, on the initiative of Patriarch Philotheos of Constantinople (1354-1355, 1364-1376), were canonized as saints. In 1374, particles of their relics were solemnly transferred to the church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. They compiled a service and life on Greek. The news of the martyrs was apparently brought to Constantinople by Hieromonk Cyprian (the future Metropolitan of Kyiv), who visited Lithuania in the 70s of the 14th century.
Between 1354 and 1374 the Vilna martyrs were also glorified in the Russian Church on the initiative of Metropolitan Alexy, apparently not without the participation of Patriarch Philotheus, who confirmed Saint Alexy on the metropolitan see. However, Metropolitan Alexy himself visited Lithuania, albeit under tragic circumstances: Olgerd kept the hierarch in captivity for almost two years because of a dispute about the Kyiv cathedra, to which the Lithuanian prince placed his supporter. It was then that the Hierarch could learn about the exploits of the holy martyrs. A noteworthy evidence of the early veneration of the Vilna martyrs in Russia and in Byzantium is their image on the so-called "large sakkos" of Metropolitan Photius of Moscow (1410 - 1431), which is now kept in the Armory of the Moscow Kremlin.
The all-Russian veneration of saints was established at the Council of 1549, under Metropolitan Macarius of Moscow. In the 16th century, their relics were transferred to the Holy Spirit Monastery and placed in the pre-altar cave; in 1826 they were opened for worship. During the First World War, in view of the threat of the capture of Vilna by the Germans, the relics of the Vilna martyrs were transported to Moscow, to the Donskoy Monastery. They were returned to the Holy Spirit Monastery on July 26, 1946.
In 1387, under Olgerd's son Jagiello, Catholicism was declared the dominant religion in Lithuania. Since that time, the struggle of Orthodoxy for existence begins. Those who refused to accept Catholicism were tortured, deprived of their property, they were threatened with death. For more successful catholicization of the population in Lithuania, as in the entire Western region, a union began to be introduced. Since 1569, when Lithuania and Poland united to form the Commonwealth, the influence of Catholicism became predominant due to the influence of the Jesuits on Orthodox youth and, above all, through attracting them to their "collegiums", which were distinguished by a high level of teaching. In the cities that had self-government, to which Vilna belonged, in accordance with the Magdeburg Law, guild fraternities of artisans and other societies were created that united people according to their interests. In 1585 in Vilna at the Holy Trinity Monastery arose and by 1588 the Orthodox Brotherhood was finally formed, whose task, in addition to religious and educational goals, included the defense of Orthodoxy. The brotherhood consisted of several hundred people, among whom were representatives of the aristocracy, and artisans - shoemakers, tailors, furriers.
A significant event in the life of the brotherhood was the arrival in Vilna in July 1588 of Patriarch Jeremiah of Constantinople, who established "this brotherhood pleasing to God." At the same time, the Patriarch issued to the brotherhood Life-Giving Trinity a letter in which he ordered him to have a school in the fraternal house for teaching Greek, Latin and Russian, as well as a printing house for printing books Holy Scripture. Many wealthy members of the brotherhood gave him houses and lands, which made it possible to invite the best teachers in the Western Territory to the school and build his own temple. By the end of 1594, disturbing rumors began to appear about the preparation of a union with the Catholics and sad news about the betrayal of some Orthodox hierarchs. When the rumors were confirmed, it was members of the Trinity Brotherhood who began to express concern. The school preacher Stefan Zizaniy was especially zealous, revealing all the secret plans of the initiators of the union. In 1596, Zizanius was excommunicated from the Church by bishops who planned a union. The king also confirmed the condemnation. War has been declared. A number of oppressions followed Orthodox priests and the seizure of land from some temples and brotherhoods. At a council held in Brest in 1596, all eight representatives of the Vilna Orthodox Brotherhood spoke out against the union. In turn, the Uniate bishops issued a decree on defrocking and cursing the bishops who rejected the union: Gideon of Lvov (Balaban) and Przemysl Michael (Kopystensky). This is how the division of the Western Russian Church into Orthodox and Uniate took place.
The Orthodox found themselves in a difficult situation. After the death of Metropolitan Mikhail (Rogoza), Metropolitan Ipatiy Potsei, the most active supporter of the union, became his successor. In Vilna, they expected that he would begin to introduce Catholicism, and decided to take a desperate step: they accepted Stefan Zizania, who had been hiding hitherto, to the Trinity Monastery, who was not slow to deliver a sermon that did not differ in content from his previous bold anti-Uniate speeches. The enraged Pocey ordered the temple to be sealed and the Orthodox to be brought to reason. The suggestion to the Orthodox was made so decisively that Zizanius had to escape through the chimney.
Played a huge role in the defense of Orthodoxy publishing activity Vilna Brotherhood. Many books and pamphlets were published outlining the Orthodox dogma. The Uniates also knew the power of the printed word. Pocey published the book "Harmony" slandering Orthodoxy. In response, the famous member of the Brotherhood Melety Smotrytsky, according to grammar Slavic language who subsequently studied many generations of seminarians and high school students, published the essay "Antigraphs". At this time, one of the Orthodox tried to make an attempt on the life of Metropolitan Hypatius (Potsej), but the Uniate Patriarch remained unharmed. The attempt only complicated the position of the Orthodox, and in the end, in 1609, the Trinity Monastery and the churches in Vilna were taken from them. The Vilna brotherhood lost many of its members, who moved into the union. The brotherhood moved to the Church of the Holy Spirit, built in 1595, transferred the remains of their property and printing house. But the publication of another polemical book by Meletiy Smotrytsky "Frinos" was the reason for the closure of the printing house, and its employees were imprisoned. Among them was the proofreader Longin (monastic Leonty) Karpovich, who later became the first rector of the Holy Spirit Monastery.
The Holy Spirit Monastery, apparently, arose immediately after these sad events - around 1609, the brotherhood at the monastery also began to be called the Holy Spirit. Archimandrite Leonty (Karpovich) introduced a cenobitic rule in the monastery and regulated the life of the brethren. Meletiy Smotrytsky became his successor. In 1633, the famous Peter Mogila became the Metropolitan of Kyiv, and it became easier for the Orthodox to breathe throughout the Western Territory.
At this time, the monastery and the brotherhood were helped by his permanent patrons Lavrenty Drevinsky, Prince Bogdan Oginsky, the tradesman Semyon Azarich and many others. In the end, in the middle of the 17th century, 17 male and 2 female (Vilna and Minsk) monasteries turned out to be subordinate to the Holy Spirit Monastery. Holy Spirit monks were often elected abbots of other monasteries. Thus, the importance of the monastery in the Lithuanian part of the Kyiv Metropolia increases significantly.
Immediately after the voluntary annexation of Little Russia to Russia in 1654, the war between Russia and Poland began, and the Western Territory found itself between two fires. Even greater ruin was brought by the war with the Swedes. And when Russian troops entered Vilna in 1655, they saw an almost empty city. Since that time, Vilna has been losing its significance as the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
After the Poles reoccupied Vilna in 1661, breaking the eight-month siege of the Russian garrison under the command of Prince Myshetsky, who preferred death to captivity and was buried after execution in the Holy Spirit Monastery, the position of the Orthodox in the city worsened again. The Holy Spirit Monastery was accused of treason, of complicity with Moscow, and so on. The monastery was impoverished by the brethren. But under her, however, the school continued to exist. Among the significant events of the second half of the 17th century, one should note the arrival in the monastery in 1677 of a Chernigov preacher, later St. Dmitry of Rostov. Here, in the Holy Spirit Monastery, he delivered two sermons.
From 1702 to 1708 inclusive, Vilna was occupied four times by Swedish and twice by Russian troops. From 1708 to 1710, a famine raged in the city, which claimed the lives of almost 30 thousand people, then almost the same number died from pestilence.
The monastery was supported by Peter I, who gave the monastery grants and privileges. During a terrible fire in 1749, the Holy Spirit Monastery burned down completely. Only a small maiden church remained. The Russian government released 6,000 rubles for the restoration of the church. It is interesting to note that according to the list of 1765, 40 Orthodox men and 27 women remained in Vilna. After 30 years, this number has almost halved. All the more important in such conditions is the activity of the monastery. The Poles committed the last cruel desecration of the monastery in 1794, by robbing it, committing violence against the abbot, the eighty-year-old elder Georgy, almost the only monk left in the monastery. The revival of the monastery begins on August 11, 1794, when Vilna became a Russian provincial city. The Holy Spirit Monastery was defined as a full-time second-class monastery with a corresponding salary. In 1797, the monastery was transferred to the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Minsk and Volyn Job. By this time, there were 13 monks in the monastery, and four of them lived and served in the monasteries subordinate to the Holy Spirit. In 1833, at the request of Archimandrite Platon (Rudinsky) of the Holy Spirit Monastery and at the request of the Governor-General of Vilna, Prince Dolgorukov, the monastery was transferred to the first class, which entailed its improvement. financial condition. The Synod allocated the necessary funds, and in 1896, with the blessing of the Archbishop of Minsk Smaragd, the Holy Spirit Church was rebuilt according to the model Orthodox church, as it used to look like a church.
In 1839, a significant event took place in the religious life of Lithuania: 700,000 Uniates returned to Orthodoxy. This happened thanks to the efforts of the Archbishop of Vilna and Lithuania Joseph (Semashko), a great admirer of the Vilna monastery and a prayer book for the Lithuanian region.
In 1850, the Right Reverend began the intense glorification of the holy martyrs Anthony, John and Eustathius. At his own expense, he arranged a convenient, sloping, existing to this day, descent into the cave, where the relics of the martyrs rested. He built a church in the cave. The icons for the altar were painted by Academician Khrutsky. The cave church was consecrated on April 14, 1851 in the name of the holy Vilna martyrs. Through the efforts of the Right Reverend and on the donations of the parishioners, a bronze, chased, gilded shrine was built, in which on April 14, 1852 the relics of the martyrs were placed. During the construction of the church, Archbishop Joseph prepared a stone coffin for himself in a cave and covered it with a cast-iron board with the inscription: "Remember, Lord, Thy servant Saint Joseph. Holy martyrs Anthony, John and Eustathius, pray to the Lord for me, a sinner, 1850." There he was buried in 1868.
The activity of Archimandrite Platon (Gorodetsky) belongs to the same period. He carried out huge restoration work in the monastery. In 1844, the Church of the Annunciation was turned into a monastery refectory and the holy gates were built. On June 4, 1845, Archbishop Joseph consecrated the main chapel in the reconstructed Church of the Holy Spirit. The monastery acquired a modern look.
On August 6, 1865, upon the approval of the charter by Metropolitan Joseph, after the liturgy, the Vilna Holy Spirit Brotherhood, which had ceased to exist in 1796, was solemnly reopened. Now his goals are charity and the promotion of public education.
After the death of Metropolitan Joseph, Archbishop Macarius (Bulgakov), later Metropolitan of Moscow, author of the multi-volume History of the Russian Church, became the holy archimandrite of the monastery. Since 1945, the Holy Spirit Monastery, which from 1922 to 1939 was located on the territory of Poland, was again part of the Vilna diocese. He, as in previous years, carries out his main work - prayer, which is the basis of a monk's life. In Russia, it has always been believed that the prayer of a monk keeps the world and that the native land is protected by its power.
During the years of militant atheism, the monastery survived. She even improved noticeably. In 1959 - 1960, steam heating was installed in the Church of the Holy Spirit, in 1976 the entire monastery complex was connected to the city's heating system. In 1982, under Archbishop Viktorin (Belyaev), the chapel of John the Evangelist in the main church was restored and consecrated, at the same time an elevator was equipped in the bell tower, and the fraternal building was also landscaped. Under Metropolitan Chrysostom of Vilna and Lithuania, the Church of the Holy Spirit was thoroughly renovated. In 1996 - 1997, the floor coverings of the main temple were overhauled, the wooden beams were replaced with metal ones, and the floor itself was laid with ceramic tiles. At the same time, the cave church was expanded and two entrances and exits were made to it. Inside and outside the church building carried out cosmetic repairs. In July 1997, the 400th anniversary of the monastery in honor of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles and the 650th anniversary of the death of the holy Vilna martyrs were widely celebrated. On the anniversary days, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II visited the diocese. In the Holy Spirit Church, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church committed all-night vigil concelebrated by nine heads of the dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church and local clergy, and the next day - the liturgy. As a prayerful memory of visiting the Holy Spirit Monastery, His Holiness donated Eucharistic vessels as a gift to the monastery. On behalf of the brethren of the monastery and the entire Orthodox community of Lithuania, Metropolitan Chrysostom of Vilna and Lithuania presented an icon of the Holy Martyrs Anthony, John and Eustathius as a gift to His Holiness.
In 1993, a public library of spiritual literature was opened in the Holy Spirit Monastery. Now it has about 13 thousand volumes. On Sundays, the monastery hosts meetings of clergy with laity, conversations on issues of faith, and viewing of audio and video materials. During recent years The monastery provides free meals daily to about 30 people in need. The monastery also has a small hotel for receiving pilgrims.
On the territory of the monastery, in a newly rebuilt building, there are management structures of the Vilna diocese: "Archdiocese" - the office of the diocese and "Orthodox Household", which is in charge of property matters, including the return of property owned by the diocese until 1940. Here is the residence of the ruling bishop -; Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Vilna and Lithuania, Archimandrite of the Holy Spirit Monastery.
As of February 15, 2004, the brethren of the monastery included: 3 archimandrites, 1 abbot, 1 hieromonk, 1 hierodeacon. Divine services are performed daily in the Cathedral Church of the Holy Spirit. Every Saturday, a liturgy is served in the cave church, after which - a litany in memory of St. Joseph Semashko. And on Sundays, an akathist to the holy Vilna martyrs is read in the main church of the Holy Spirit. All holidays and Sunday liturgies in the temple are held with the participation of the festive cathedral choir under the direction of a long-term leader, Honored Art Worker of the Republic Leonid Adamovich Murashko. Two kliros choirs participate in divine services - monastics and laity.

The exact date of foundation of the monastery has not been established, because. The monastery archives were destroyed in a fire in 1732. The only thing that is certain is that the Holy Spirit Monastery is one of the most ancient Russian monasteries. It was founded at the beginning of the XIV century, during the reign of the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan Kalita. On the ancient shrine of St. James, an inscription was preserved, from which it followed that the Holy Spirit Monastery was founded in 1327, and the cathedral church was built in 1345. The monastery gained great fame in the second half of the 15th century, in connection with the transfer of the relics of St. James (1545). Tsar Ivan the Terrible, having big love to newly-appeared saints and miraculous icons, endowed the monastery with arable land and lands. In 1613, during the Time of Troubles, the Holy Spirit Monastery was plundered by gangs of Swedes and Poles.

In 1654, Patriarch Nikon, having founded the Iversky Monastery in Valdai - "Russian Athos", ordered the Borovichi shrine to be transferred to a new monastery. Holy Spirit Monastery, in which a particle of the relics of St. Jacob, was assigned to the Iversky-Valdai. In 1724 the relics of St. blg. Volk. book. Alexander Nevsky during their solemn transfer, at the direction of Peter I, from Vladimir to St. Petersburg. Since 1741, the Borovichi Holy Spirit Monastery was attached to the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. During the First World War, part of the buildings of the monastery was used as an infirmary.

In February 1918, the county commission of the city of Borovichi adopted a resolution on the closure of the Holy Spirit Monastery, and on April 17 of the same year, the liquidation commission began its work. The monastery was closed, its churches were turned into parishes, which did not last long. In 1920, silver church valuables weighing more than 16 kg were seized from the churches of the former Holy Spirit Monastery. Soon the temples were closed, almost all signs reminiscent of their cult purpose were destroyed, the bell tower was dismantled, and the ancient monastery cemetery was destroyed. During the Great Patriotic War, on the territory of the former Holy Spirit Monastery there was a hospital No. 3810 for prisoners of war. Later, a military unit was located on the territory of the monastery for a long time.

On September 14, 2000, the Holy Spirit Monastery was returned to the Orthodox Church; in 2002, a golden dome and a cross were again erected on the Church of the Holy Spirit.

The stone cathedral church in honor of the Holy Spirit was built in 1676, on the site of two ancient wooden churches. It is the first stone building in Borovichi that has survived to this day. This temple, in addition to the main throne, had two more aisles: on the north side of the Intercession Holy Mother of God, in memory of the ancient church that stood on this site, from the south - in honor of the prophet of God Elijah, in memory of the hermit monks who founded the monastery. After a fire in the 18th century, repairs were carried out in the cathedral, narrow aisles were expanded. There were other renovations of the temple. As a result, the cathedral has lost its original appearance. Now the temple retains elements of classicism architecture. The light drum of the temple, decorated with arches resting on semi-columns with intercepts, the dome and the cross remained from the original appearance of the temple of the 17th century.

The temple in honor of St. James the Wonderworker of Borovichi, built in 1872 of red brick, was warm, two-story. It was decorated with five chapters. The central dome with a large cross was placed on a beautiful octagonal lantern drum with a tent top. On one side, the church faced the street, which was also called in honor of the Borovichi miracle worker Yakovlevskaya (Alexander Nevsky Street). The temple had thrones: the main one - in the name of St. ave. Jacob, with south side- in the name of St. blg. Volk. book. Alexander Nevsky. At the moment, the chapters are lost, restoration work is underway.

http://www.borovishi.narod.ru/monastir.html; http://novodev.narod.ru/borovichi.html

The Holy Spirit Monastery, provincial, cenobitic, on the Msta River, near the town of Borovichi. Founded in 1327. Part of the relics of St. James of Borovitsky is kept here (see October 23). On the day of Pentecost and the Entrance into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos, procession from the monastery to the city cathedral, on the day of the Descent of the Holy Spirit and on October 23 - from the cathedral to the monastery.

From the book by S.V. Bulgakov "Russian monasteries in 1913"

The Holy Spirit Monastery was founded in 1327 on the right bank of the Msta, between two Borovichi churchyards. In 1452, after Jacob Borovichsky was canonized, his relics, buried near the monastery, were transferred to the Holy Spirit Monastery. The imperishable relics openly rested in the monastery, attracting pilgrims from all over Russia. This brought great fame to the monastery. In 1654, Patriarch Nikon ordered that the relics of the righteous Jacob be transferred to the Iberian Monastery under construction. Only the reliquary with a particle of relics (rib) was left in Holy Spirit monastery. Somewhat later, Patriarch Nikon started the construction of the Novo-Dukhov Monastery on the left bank of the Msta, opposite the Holy Spirit Monastery. In 1664, a stone church was laid in it, the bricks for which began to be made here, on the territory of the monastery. After Nikon fell into disgrace, the unfinished stone church was dismantled, and the wooden buildings were transferred to the Holy Spirit Monastery. The gate church of Iakov Borovichiy was returned to its old place - this happened in 1673. From the "Nikon" brick in 1676 a cathedral church was erected, which has survived to this day.

In 1809 in Borovichi was founded Theological school. Until 1859, when a building was built for it in the city center, it was located in the Holy Spirit Monastery. During the First World War, part of the buildings of the monastery was used as an infirmary - the monks looked after the wounded. After the revolution, the monastery was closed. During the Great Patriotic War there was a hospital for prisoners of war in the monastery, and after the war a military unit was located.

Currently, the Bishop's Metochion is located on the territory of the monastery. Opposite the Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, the holy well of Abbess Taisia ​​(Solopova), abbess of the Leushinsky Monastery, was restored, who here in 1861 received a blessing for monasticism and began her spiritual path- this is reported by a memorial plaque on the building of the rector's building. Taisin readings are held annually.

Information: Legend about Jacob Borovichsky. Holy Spirit Monastery. Borovichi 2008; Polevikov A.P. Borovichi is a beautiful city on Msta. - Borovichi, 2006

The spiritual and historical monument of the Borovichi region is the Holy Spirit Monastery. It is believed that it was founded in very ancient times by pious hermit monks who chose a quiet and beautiful place for prayers and the salvation of their souls. On three sides, a small low-lying plain was covered with hills overgrown with coniferous and mixed forests, which sheltered it from strong winds. From the southwestern side, the Msta River carried its waters in a clean and quiet stream, changing its violent temper here. Nature itself in this place, as it were, humbled and fell silent.

It was not possible to establish the exact date of the founding of the monastery, since the monastery archives were destroyed during a fire in 1732. An inscription was preserved on the ancient shrine of the righteous Jacob, from which it followed that the Holy Spirit Monastery was founded in 1327, and the cathedral church was built in 1345

The monastery gained wide popularity in the second half of the 15th century. in connection with the transfer of the relics of the righteous Jacob of Borovichi to it.
Ivan the Terrible, having a penchant for newly-appeared saints and miraculous icons, endowed the monastery with arable land and lands. This enabled the monastery to build a new cathedral church in honor of the Holy Spirit. The day after the Trinity is called Spiritual and is dedicated to the glorification of the Holy Spirit, which gives a person reason and wisdom, helps his heart to love and understand Jesus Christ, opens the world of spiritual life.

The temple was wooden, hipped architecture. In the XVI century. it had a very rich four-tiered iconostasis. His deesis row, in addition to the large image of the Savior, included nineteen more icons. In the first tier there were icons painted on gold, which was a rarity for that time. Written on gold temple icon, two icons of the Mother of God, the righteous Jacob in his life. Near the cathedral church, a small warm winter church was built in honor of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos. This temple was famous for the miraculous icon of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, the icons of St. John the Baptist and St. Nicholas. Shortly after the transfer to the monastery of the relics of St. Righteous Jacob, with funds donated by the residents of Borovichi, a gate wooden church was built in the name of the saint. The Holy Gate (the main entrance to the monastery), located in the western part of the monastery, went to the river. Mste. Later they were moved to another place, because the water strongly washed away the coast in this place. The main entrance began to be located in the eastern part of the monastery, from where the Borovichi cathedrals were visible. The monastic ensemble was complemented by a bell tower with four bells.

For the few inhabitants of the monastery, a wooden building was built, in which there were monastic cells, a kitchen and a refectory.
In 1613, during the Time of Troubles, the Holy Spirit Monastery was plundered. The monastic architectural ensemble that has survived to our time is a monument of Russian architecture of the 17th-19th centuries.

There were five monastic churches: the cathedral - in honor of the Holy Spirit, the second - in honor of the icon Mother of God Iverskaya, the third - in the name of the righteous Jacob, and behind the monastery fence - a temple in honor of the icon of the Mother of God of Tenderness and a temple in the name of the Holy Great Martyr Paraskeva.

The stone cathedral church in honor of the Holy Spirit was built in 1676. on the site of two ancient wooden churches. It was probably the first stone building in Borovichi that has survived to this day. This temple, in addition to the main throne, had two more chapels: on the north side - the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, in memory of the ancient church that stood on this site, on the south - in honor of the prophet of God Elijah, in memory of the hermit monks who founded the monastery. After a fire in the 18th century repairs were carried out in the cathedral, narrow aisles were expanded. There were other renovations of the temple. As a result, the cathedral in honor of the Holy Spirit has lost its original appearance. The light drum of the temple, decorated with arches resting on semi-columns with interceptions, a dome and a cross, now lost, conveyed the features of architecture of the 17th century.

As a result of the fire, the holy gates and the church of the righteous Jacob were completely destroyed. In 1792, new monastic holy gates were built in the same place, already made of brick, and above them the stone church of the righteous Jacob. This temple, built in an oblong quadrangle, was painted inside and out. Its architecture was completed by a stone quadrangular single-tier bell tower with a beautiful metal cross. On it at the beginning of the 20th century. there were 10 bells, some of them very ancient.

In 1872, the Church of the Righteous Jacob was re-consecrated in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God of Iberia, because the construction of a new one was completed. majestic temple in the name of St. righteous Jacob in the northeastern part of the monastery. The icon of the Mother of God of Iver was very revered in Borovichi, because the appearance of the relics of the miracle worker of Borovichi took place on the feast of this icon.

Since 1654, the Holy Spirit Monastery was attached to the Valdai Monastery, built in honor of the Iberian Icon by Patriarch Nikon.
new temple in the name of St. St. Jacob of Borovichi the miracle worker, two-storey, warm, was built of red brick in 1872. The church had a rectangular shape. It was decorated with five chapters. The central dome with a large cross was placed on a beautiful octagonal lantern drum with a tent top. One side of the church overlooked Yakovlevskaya Street (now A. Nevsky Street). The temple had thrones: the main one was in the name of St. righteous Jacob, on the south side - in the name of St. blg. ow. book. Alexander Nevsky. On the ground floor of the church, an altar was consecrated in the name of St. Nicholas.

At this time, a stone fraternal building was built, which was located on both sides of the holy gates. A two-story rectory was erected on the monastery's cathedral square. stone house. It housed bishops', abbot's and fraternal cells, a kitchen, a refectory, and a bakery. Not far from it was a stone building with services. There were several fraternal cells, a bathhouse, a kvass factory, a pantry, cellars and cellars. Next were a stone barnyard, a stable, a barn and living quarters for workers.
The monastery was surrounded by a brick wall with six towers. Four of them were at the corners of the fence, and two were in the middle of the northeast and southwest walls. The southwestern tower overlooked Meta, was especially decorated with wall paintings in memory of the fact that the main entrance to the monastery used to be here and there was a wooden church in honor of St. Rights. Jacob. Only the corner towers have survived to this day.

In front of the monastery there was a large square and a birch grove. Fairs were held here on the feast of St. Righteous Jacob of Borovichi. The peasants came on horseback and brought piglets, chickens, geese, apples, soaked lingonberries, mushrooms in all forms and other products for sale. Merchants brought their goods. There was a brisk trade.

From 1830 to 1845, large construction work was carried out in the monastery. financial assistance The Borovichi Monastery was provided by Metropolitan Seraphim (Glagolevsky) of Novgorod and St. Petersburg and Archimandrite Photius, abbot of the Novgorod Yuriev Monastery.

During the First World War, part of the buildings of the Holy Spirit Monastery were used as an infirmary. The inhabitants of the monastery took care of the wounded soldiers.

In February 1918, the district commission of the city adopted a resolution to close the Holy Spirit Monastery and other monasteries in the Borovichi district. This was motivated by the lack of buildings in the city for shelter, almshouses and schools. It was considered possible to leave the elderly clergymen and monks at the monastery in the almshouse. The younger and healthier ones were offered to find another place within a two-week period. On April 17 of the same year, the liquidation commission began its work. She was accompanied by soldiers armed with rifles and bayonets. The monastery was previously surrounded on all sides, and then the liquidation commission began to check the monastery inventory, interest-bearing papers and cash. Such measures were not accidental. As early as January 19, when the commissars came to the Holy Spirit Monastery to describe the property, the believers, having decided that the monastery was being closed, beat these commissars. Two hieromonks, a monk and several parishioners were sent to prison. For the remaining monks, they provided an iron bed, a stool and a table. Only Hieromonk Misail and Archimandrite Vladimir were left a little more things.

The Holy Spirit Monastery was abolished, its churches were turned into parishes, which did not last long. In 1920, silver church valuables weighing more than 16 kg were confiscated from these churches. Soon the temples were closed, almost all the signs that reminded them of their cult purpose were destroyed, the bell tower was dismantled, and the ancient monastery cemetery was devastated. During the Great Patriotic War, a hospital was again located on the territory of the former Holy Spirit Monastery. Hospital No. 3810 occupied all the premises of the monastery. Russians, Germans, Hungarians, Italians, Poles were treated here... Later, for a long time, a military unit was located on part of the territory of the monastery, thanks to which this part of the monastery was preserved.

An event of particular importance in the spiritual life of Borovichi was the return of the Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit Monastery. Despite numerous reconstructions, the ensemble of the Holy Spirit Monastery is still distinguished by the proportionality of its structures and a special architectural appearance. On September 14, 2000, after a 70-year break, believers again entered the ancient shrine, and in the church of St. righteous Jacob served as a moleben by the cathedral of Borovichi priests.

Priest ALEXANDER DUMCHEV, Pokrovsky Cathedral, Veliky Novgorod, Sofia magazine No. 4 2010

The formation of the Holy Spirit Monastery dates back to the first quarter of the 12th century. It was founded by the disciples of the educator of the Vyatichi - the Monk Hieromartyr John Kuksha.

Initially, the monastery was located near the current village of Crosses, Novosilsky District, Oryol Region, and consisted of about 600 brethren, who knew how not only to fulfill church requirements, but also, if necessary, to stand up with weapons in their hands. Orthodox faith and the Fatherland... For example, in 1380 a group of monks from the Holy Spirit Monastery as part of an ambush regiment, which included the Novosilskaya squad, participated in the Battle of Kulikovo.

In 1495 the monastery was transferred from the big Yelets to the Lithuanian road and was located near Novosil. Over time, three magnificent temples, residential and outbuildings, surrounded by a stone monastery fence, were erected here. The outpost of Orthodoxy had a strong subsidiary farm. But, as before, in a difficult time he always put up his warriors to defend the Fatherland. In particular, there is a direct relationship between the Holy Spirit Monastery and the results of the famous Battle of Judgment (1555).

According to the petition of Abbot of the Holy Spirit Monastery Simon about the need to strengthen the Novosilskaya fortress and, in general, the defensive line from Crimean Tatars and Nagais (this is also a genuine historical fact!) In 1644, the first sovereign of the Romanov dynasty, Mikhail Fedorovich, visited the monastery. He stayed with the abbot for several days, then carefully examined the city fortress, talked with the military leaders. Having drawn the necessary conclusions, the sovereign immediately ordered to significantly strengthen the garrison of the fortress. Novosilsk gunners, archers and Cossacks were issued a certificate for land ownership. Then this sovereign's decision was extended to all the marked borders of Russia the Great.

Repeatedly visited the Holy Spirit Monastery and Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov, the quietest and wisest ruler of the Russian state, who, as you know, managed to significantly streamline domestic legislation (Code of Laws). There is no doubt that the spiritual instructions of Alexei Mikhailovich in the monastery also had a beneficial effect on his activities.

Without exaggeration, we can say that the Holy Spirit Monastery from time immemorial has been a place especially revered by Orthodox Christians. Not only emperors and influential statesmen came here for spiritual advice. Strings of pilgrims from all over the Russian land stretched here. Here was one of the greatest Russian shrines - the miraculous icon of St. Nicholas, brought to Novosil in 1153 by the second wife of Yuri Dolgoruky Olga, who was also the sister of the Byzantine emperor Manuel. This icon was so revered in Russia that in the favorable summer time it was regularly taken around the cities and towns of Russia (until 1917). After the Bolsheviks, possessed by the satanic idea, came to power, the trace of the miraculous icon is lost. What her future fate is unknown.

The Holy Spirit Monastery was closed in 1918. The communists destroyed it in 1934: two churches were blown up - St. Nicholas with the Exaltation of the Cross and in the name of the Image of Christ the Savior Not Made by Hands. Miraculously, only the Church of the Holy Life-Giving Trinity survived, since it was decided to use it as a warehouse for storing grain and spare parts for agricultural machinery. The residential and outbuildings of the monastery, as well as the monastery fence, were completely destroyed.

During the Great Patriotic War, the Church of the Holy Life-Giving Trinity was badly damaged. Only the central part with a dilapidated dome, the altar and some supporting structures of the refectory remained from it.

After the war, the Church of the Holy Life-Giving Trinity was also used as a warehouse. On the territory of the monastery, the leaders of the local collective farm arranged an engine yard, put containers with fuel and lubricants. And this bacchanalia continued for decades ...

By the time of the resumption of monastic life, most of the buildings were partially or completely destroyed. Originally had the status of a parish.

The revival of the Holy Spirit Monastery was started in 2004 with the blessing of the shiigumen and confessor of Optina Hermitage, and now the confessor His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia Schema-Archimandrite Elijah.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of December 27, 2005 (Journal No. 117), the parish was transformed into a diocesan monastery of the Holy Spirit.

In 2010, the laying of the western and southern parts of the monastery fence with watchtowers and a chapel continued, and the construction of the southern part of the monastery fence with a platform began. Restoration of the monastery church of the Holy Life-Giving Trinity continued. Active work was underway to build temple complex, distributing the gas pipeline and heating networks. The landscaping of the monastery territory continued. To date, the narthex and the refectory part of the Church of the Holy Life-Giving Trinity have been restored, work is underway to restore the central part and the altar of this temple. The northern part of the monastery fence with entrance gates and two watchtowers has been built, the brickwork of the eastern and western parts of the fence has been completed by 70 percent, and the construction of the southern part has begun. A gatehouse, an almshouse, a refectory with a kitchen for monks and novices have been built, the construction of a two-story fraternal building and a warm garage is being completed. An artesian well was drilled and a water supply and sewerage system was installed in the almshouse. An underground gas pipeline has been laid to the main monastic facilities.

The restoration of the Holy Spirit Monastery is being carried out in accordance with a long-term development plan based on the preserved historical and architectural information and photographs of the monastery from the beginning of the 20th century. Everything is done in order to recreate the ancient Orthodox shrine in its former glory and grandeur.

We feel constant patronage and support in the difficult and difficult task of reviving the monastery from our confessor, Fr. Or me. God bless him for many years to come. He patiently and persistently works to form a friendly and close-knit team of the brethren of the monastery. Newly arriving novices we receive with the blessing of Father Elijah. He always comes to us for tonsure with great joy. Brothers in the Holy Spirit Monastery, thank God, every year everything is added. To date, there are already nine monks (including three hieromonks and two hierodeacons) and seven novices. In good faith, for the glory of God, fifteen laborers carry out the work on the restoration and construction of monastic objects.

Hegumen Alexander (Maslov)

While we are covered with snow, I am trying to embrace the immensity and clear out gigabytes of photos for several years. Well, at least for the past year. I realized that I did not show some pictures here. Here, I'm fixing it.

She lived in Borovichi for quite a long time, but she was honored to go to the monastery only last summer. It is located on the bend of Msta, on Alexander Nevsky Street, 6. Various online sources tell us this.

Holy Spirit Iakovlev Borovichi Monastery on the banks of the Msta River. Who was the founder of this monastery and what was its original fate, this is not known: because the written monuments, from which one could borrow reliable information about its original existence, were destroyed by a fire in 1732. It is only certain that it belonged to the number of ancient Russian monasteries that got their start in the first half of the 14th century, probably during the reign of the Grand Duke of Moscow, John Danilovich Kalita. The Holy Spirit Monastery became famous when the incorrupt relics of St. James, who openly rested in it for 109 years and gathered pilgrims from all over Russia. In 1654, Patriarch Nikon, having founded the Iversky Monastery in Valdai - "Russian Athos", ordered the Borovichi shrine to be transferred to a new monastery. Holy Spirit Monastery, in which a particle of the relics of St. Jacob, was assigned to the Iversky-Valdai. The Church of the Icon of the Mother of God "Tenderness" was built in 1881 at the place where the relics of the holy righteous Jacob of Borovichi were found. In the basement of the church there is a holy spring, which opened at the moment of finding the relics of the holy righteous Jacob. End of quote.

In my opinion, the location is extremely unfortunate. Maybe many years ago the monastic complex of buildings stood on the outskirts, but now it is built up on all sides, fenced off, hung with wires, fenced off with poles. It is almost impossible to find a good shooting point outside. Here, maybe, from above if. More visible from the side of the river, but still flat and does not reflect the scale.

If you stand with your back to Mste


Teddy bear for comparison

windows closer

The same building with reverse side. Repairs are in full swing. Workers lay tiles, carry sand, rush back and forth. We did not come closer so as not to interfere.

Inside, in the courtyard, flower beds with a variety of flowers. Everything is well-groomed, people are scurrying around, obviously busy with business. And we came with Maya. She refused to go to the temple, but tried to take away a wheelbarrow with roses standing at the entrance. They didn't. I was offended.

Gate church, I guess. Although I could be wrong, because my daughter climbed to help the builders.

Temple of the Descent of the Holy Spirit. In the foreground you can see the same holy spring with a mug. Somehow I was embarrassed to approach.

On the website of the Borovichi diocese we read:

The stone cathedral church in honor of the Holy Spirit was built in 1676 on the site of two ancient wooden churches. It is the first stone building in Borovichi that has survived to this day. This temple, in addition to the main throne, had two more chapels: on the north side of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, in memory of the ancient church that stood on this site, on the south - in honor of the prophet Elijah, in memory of the hermit monks who founded the monastery.
After a fire in the 18th century, repairs were carried out in the cathedral, narrow aisles were expanded. There were other renovations of the temple. As a result, the cathedral has lost its original appearance. Now the temple retains elements of classicism architecture. The light drum of the temple, decorated with arches resting on semi-columns with intercepts, the dome and the cross remained from the original appearance of the temple of the 17th century.

Temple doors:

As it turned out, this building also belongs to the monastery. I thought they were garages.

Unfortunately, no useful information on the spot we did not get because of an uncomfortable fellow traveler. However, after I found something interesting about this place.

Shrines located on the territory of the monastery

Cancer with a particle of the relics of the holy righteous Jacob of Borovichi. It has been located in the central aisle of the Cathedral of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles since 2001.

Cancer with particles of the holy relics of the venerable fathers of the Kiev Caves and other holy miracle workers.It has been located in the central aisle of the Cathedral of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles since 2012.It contains particles of the relics of the venerable fathers of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavrain the Near Caves (St. Anthony) resting:

1. Rev. Pimen the Painful (†1110)

2. Rev. Nestor the Chronicler (†c. 1114)

3. Rev. Erasmus, monk (†c. 1160)

4. Rev. Mark the Gravedigger (†c. 1102)

5. Rev. John, youth, Kievan, first martyr of Russia († 983)

6. Rev. Titus, presbyter (†1190)

7. Rev. Nikon, 4th hegumen (†1088)

8. Prmch. Eustratius, monk (†1097)

9. Rev. Lawrence, recluse, bishop. Turovsky (†1194)

10. Prmch. Theodore, monk (†1098)

11. Rev. Savva, miracle worker (†XIII)

12. Rev. Damian, presbyter, healer (†1071)

13. Shmch. Anastassy, ​​deacon (†XII)

14. Rev. Nicodemus, prosphora (†XII)

15. Rev. Pimen, postnik († after 1114)

16. Rev. Paul the Obedient (†XIII-XIV)

17. Rev. Sisoy, recluse (†XIII)

in the Far Caves (St. Theodosius) resting:

18. Rev. Zechariah, fasting (†XIII-XIV)

19. Rev. Theodore the Silent (†XIII)

20. Rev. Nestor Neknizhny (†XIV)

21. Rev. Achila, deacon (†XIV)

22. Rev. Joseph the Painful (†XIV)

23. Shmch. Lucian, presbyter (†1243)

24. Rev. Arseny the Hardworking (†XIV)

25. Rev. Gerontius, canonarch (†XIV)

26. Rev. Agathon, miracle worker (†XIII-XIV)

27. Rev. Silouan, schemnik (†XIII-XIV)

28. Rev. Pimen, postnik, hegumen (†XII)

29. Rev. Benjamin, recluse (†XIV)

30. Rev. Zinon, postnik (†XIV)

31. Rev. Martyrios, deacon (†XIV)

32. Rev. Ignatius, archimandrite (†1435)

33. St. Philaret (in the schema Theodosius), Met. Kyiv (†1857)

34. Rev. Euthymius, hieroschemamonk (†XIV)

35. Rev. Paisios, monk (†XIV)

36. Rev. Longin Hardworking, goalkeeper (†XIII-XIV)

37. Rev. Theophilus, archbishop Novgorod (†1482)

38. Rev. Titus, former warrior (†XIV)

and particles of the relics of other saints and other shrines:

39. Rev. Kuksha Odessa, confessor († 1964)

40. Right. Jacob Borovichi (adj. 1452)

41. Particle of the coffin of St. Ambrose of Optina (†1891)

42. Rev. Amphilochius Pochaevsky (†1970)

43. Shmch. Thaddeus (Uspensky), archbishop. Tverskoy (†1937)

44. Shmch. Konstantin Bogoslovsky, archpriest († 1937)

45. Shmch. Vladimir (Bogoyavlensky), Metropolitan Kyiv (†1918)

46. ​​Shmch. Clement, Pope of Rome, disciple of St. Petra (†101)

47. Mch. Theodore, psalmist, Ostrovsky

Temples of the monastery:

Cathedral of the Descent of the Holy Spirit

Church of Iakov Borovichsky

Gate Church of the Iberian Icon of the Mother of God

Chapel of Taisiya (Solopova)

The exact date of foundation of the monastery has not been established, because. The monastery archives were destroyed in a fire in 1732. The only thing that is certain is that the Holy Spirit Monastery is one of the most ancient Russian monasteries. It was founded at the beginning of the XIV century, during the reign of the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan Kalita. On the ancient shrine of St. James, an inscription was preserved, from which it followed that the Holy Spirit Monastery was founded in 1327, and the cathedral church was built in 1345.

The monastery gained great fame in the second half of the 15th century, in connection with the transfer of the relics of St. James (1545).

Tsar Ivan the Terrible, having a great love for the newly-appeared saints and miraculous icons, endowed the monastery with arable land and lands. In 1613, during the Time of Troubles, the Holy Spirit Monastery was plundered by gangs of Swedes and Poles.

In 1654, Patriarch Nikon, having founded the Iversky Monastery in Valdai - “Russian Athos”, ordered the Borovichi shrine to be transferred to a new monastery. Holy Spirit Monastery, in which a particle of the relics of St. Jacob, was assigned to the Iversky-Valdai.

In 1724 the relics of St. blg. Volk. book. Alexander Nevsky during their solemn transfer, at the direction of Peter I, from Vladimir to St. Petersburg.

Since 1741, the Borovichi Holy Spirit Monastery was attached to the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

During the First World War, part of the buildings of the monastery was used as an infirmary.

In February 1918, the county commission of the city of Borovichi adopted a resolution on the closure of the Holy Spirit Monastery, and on April 17 of the same year, the liquidation commission began its work. The monastery was closed, its churches were turned into parishes, which did not last long. In 1920, silver church valuables weighing more than 16 kg were seized from the churches of the former Holy Spirit Monastery. Soon the temples were closed, almost all signs reminiscent of their cult purpose were destroyed, the bell tower was dismantled, and the ancient monastery cemetery was destroyed.

The exact date of the founding of the monastery has not been established, since the monastery archives were destroyed during a fire in 1732. The only thing that is certain is that the Holy Spirit Monastery is one of the oldest Russian monasteries. It was founded at the beginning of the XIV century, during the reign of the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan Kalita. On the ancient shrine of St. James, an inscription was preserved, from which it followed that the Holy Spirit Monastery was founded in 1327, and the cathedral church was built in 1345.

Tsar Ivan the Terrible, having a great love for the newly-appeared saints and miraculous icons, endowed the monastery with arable land and lands. In 1613, during the Time of Troubles, the Holy Spirit Monastery was plundered by gangs of Swedes and Poles.

In 1654, Patriarch Nikon, having founded the Iversky Monastery in Valdai “Russian Athos”, ordered that the Borovichi shrine be transferred to a new monastery. Holy Spirit Monastery, in which a particle of the relics of St. Jacob, was assigned to the Iversky-Valdai.

In 1724 the relics of St. blg. Volk. book. Alexander Nevsky during their solemn transfer, at the direction of Peter I, from Vladimir to St. Petersburg.

Since 1741, the Borovichi Holy Spirit Monastery was attached to the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

In April 1918, by the decree of the county commission of the city of Borovichi, the monastery was closed, its churches were turned into parish ones, which did not last long. Soon the temples were closed, almost all signs reminiscent of their cult purpose were destroyed, the bell tower was dismantled, and the ancient monastery cemetery was destroyed.

During the Great Patriotic War, there was a hospital for prisoners of war on the territory of the former Holy Spirit Monastery. Later, a military unit was located on the territory of the monastery for a long time.

On September 14, 2000, the Holy Spirit Monastery was returned to the Orthodox Church; in 2002, a golden dome and a cross were again erected on the Church of the Holy Spirit.

The stone cathedral church in honor of the Holy Spirit was built in 1676 on the site of two ancient wooden churches. It is the first stone building in Borovichi that has survived to this day. This temple, in addition to the main throne, had two more chapels: on the north side of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, in memory of the ancient church that stood on this site, on the south - in honor of the prophet of God Elijah, in memory of the hermit monks who founded the monastery.

After a fire in the 18th century, repairs were carried out in the cathedral, narrow aisles were expanded. There were other renovations of the temple. As a result, the cathedral has lost its original appearance. Now the temple retains elements of classicism architecture. The light drum of the temple, decorated with arches resting on semi-columns with intercepts, the dome and the cross remained from the original appearance of the temple of the 17th century.

The temple in honor of St. James the Wonderworker of Borovichi, built in 1872 of red brick, was warm, two-story. It was decorated with five chapters.

The temple had thrones: the main one was in the name of St. Ave. Jacob, on the south side - in the name of St. blg. Volk. book. Alexander Nevsky. At the moment, the chapters are lost, restoration work is underway.