Church at the Seraphim Cemetery. Underground Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov

Seraphim of Sarov

The veneration of St. Seraphim of Sarov is wider than the nationwide. Icons of the Russian saint can be found all over the world, even in Catholic churches(by the way, Catholics often compare him with their saint - Francis of Assisi). Many legends have developed around the name of the elder, countless miracles have been described. And many strive to visit the reverend on the day of remembrance - Holy Trinity Seraphim-Diveevsky convent in the Nizhny Novgorod diocese, lovingly called by the people "The Fourth Destiny Mother of God”, where the relics and personal belongings of the Monk Seraphim, who was the confessor of the monastery, are buried.

Many come to Diveevo in advance - on the night of January 13-14, after the procession along the groove of the Queen of Heaven (embankment along the groove dug with the blessing of the elder, along which sisters and pilgrims go, reading Mother of God Rule- 150 prayers "Our Lady of the Virgin, rejoice!") a festive New Year's liturgy is performed. According to the stories of experienced pilgrims, this service already creates an extraordinary festive mood that remains in the soul for a long time: “Another year has passed, thank God! And tomorrow Father Seraphim and New Year bless!"

Not everyone manages to make a holiday pilgrimage. First, it can be difficult to take a few more days off from work after a long national holiday. Secondly, the road to Diveevo itself is difficult - either a long bus ride, or a night on the train to Arzamas and even more than an hour's journey by regular bus or taxi. Thirdly, not everyone succeeds in concentrating on prayer with a large crowd of people.

The Diveevo Monastery receives pilgrims constantly. And at any time, you can bow to a particle of the relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov in several churches of the capital.

On Prospekt Mira, 22-24 is located courtyard of the Serafimo-Diveevsky monastery. There is a particle of the elder's relics here.

Two icons with particles of the relics of the saint are also in . One is an exact copy of the cell icon, the organizer of the Seraphim-Znamensky Skete, kept in the monastery from 1988 to 2000, and also contains a rosary and part of the saint’s mantle, and in addition, part of the stone on which he prayed for a thousand days. This image is in Seraphim Church, arranged in the wall of the monastery. Another icon with a particle of relics is in Trinity Cathedral monastery, on the central southwestern pillar.

There are fragments of the elder's relics in other monasteries of the capital: and Sretensky, as well as on Compound of the Solovetsky Monastery in the Church of St. vmch. George the Victorious (Nativity of the Virgin) in Endov.

AT Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov on Krasnopresnenskaya Embankment on the territory of the exhibition center "Expocentre" there is an icon with a particle of the relics of the saint, handed over to the parishioners and clergy of the temple with the blessing of Archbishop George of Nizhny Novgorod a year ago.

AT Church of the Resurrection in Filippovsky Lane (Jerusalem courtyard) in the central chapel there is an icon of St. Seraphim with a particle of relics.

Also, the image of the Monk Seraphim with a particle of his relics is located nearby - in Church of the Prophet Elijah in Obydensky Lane.

Church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow” at the MONIKI hospital

The Monk Seraphim of Sarov is often addressed with prayers for the healing of diseases. AT church in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow" at the MONIKI hospital(St. Shchepkina, 61/2), apart from other shrines, there is also an icon with a particle of the relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov.

Temple of the Iberian Icon of the Mother of God on Vspolye(Bolshaya Ordynka, 39) - the icon of St. Sergius of Radonezh and Seraphim of Sarov with a particle of the relics of the latter constantly resides here.

AT Yelokhov Epiphany Cathedral the image of the Monk Seraphim is kept with particles of the stone on which he prayed, and a particle of clothes.

AT baptismal church schmch. Alexander Khotovitsky at Church in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God "The Sign" in Pereyaslavskaya Sloboda there is an icon of the saint with a particle of his coffin.

We will be grateful to readers who are ready to help us in expanding the list of Moscow churches and monasteries, where there are shrines associated with St. Seraphim, Sarov and the wonderworker of all Russia!

The Orthodoxy and Ymir portal thanks everyone who responds to our request to complete the list of churches where you can venerate the relics of St. Seraphim:

In the village Gorki-10, Odintsovo district, M.O.(about 25 km along Rublevo-Uspenskoe highway) a temple is being built(founded in 2010 as the first church temple complex), consecrated in honor of Father Seraphim. It has temple icon with a reliquary. Services are held on Sundays and holidays.

You can also pray to St. Seraphim of Sarov in the temple in his honor in Kuntsevo(Bagritskogo street, 10, building 3). In 2006, the temple was given the status of the Patriarchal Metochion.

AT Novospassky Monastery in one of the shrines there are particles of the Robe of the Lord and the Robe of the Mother of God, particles of the relics of many saints, including St. Seraphim of Sarov.

The Serafimovskaya women's community originates from the Poluninskaya Krestovozdvizhenskaya women's community, which was located in the current Sapozhkovsky district of the Ryazan region. In 1860, at the invitation of the rich Sapozhkov merchant Vasily Ivanovich Polunin, the God-loving elder Pavel settled in this deserted and beautiful area. Elder Pavel lived here for fifteen years. In 1875, he died, shortly before his death, taking tonsure with the name Platon. After some time, V.I. Polunin himself settled in the cell of the elder, imitating the life of Plato. Here he opened a women's almshouse and built a stone chapel. In 1886 a stone church was built in honor of the Honest Life-Giving Cross. In 1890, his sons filed a petition to convert the almshouse to the Poluninskaya Krestovozdvizhenskaya women's community. The first abbess of the community was the nun Palladia.

In 1906, by decree of the emperor, a plot of land in Novo-Kuntsevo, donated by the peasants of the village of Krylatskoye, was assigned to the monastery equal to 1.5 acres (approx. 3600 sq. M). On it began to build a monastery and a temple. The construction was headed by the nun Seraphim and the novice Ekaterina Ilyeva. The design of the temple was prepared by V.F. Zhigardlovich in 1907

After the construction was completed in 1909, it was consecrated by the dean of the monasteries, Archimandrite Daniel, in honor of St. Seraphim of Sarov. The priest Alexander Vladimirovich Rusinov became the rector of the church. The community developed - five houses for nuns and a clergy were built on the territory of the temple, the fence was replaced, the temple itself was plastered outside and inside, three wall paintings appeared in it: images of two angels and the death of St. Seraphim of Sarov. In 1915, permission was received from the Construction Department of the Moscow Provincial Administration for the construction of a chapel with a belfry, holy gates and premises for gatekeepers.

On September 28-29, 1917, the Holy Synod decided to make the Kuntsevsky Compound of the Poluninskaya Holy Cross Community an independent community. The nun Seraphim from the Poluninsky community was placed in charge of the Kuntsevsky monastery. That was hard for orthodox time. It did not pass without a trace for the Seraphim community. In 1918, property and the temple were taken away from the community. In order to perform divine services, it was necessary to conclude an agreement with representatives local authorities and make an inventory of the property, which was all done in the same 1918.

At the end of 1922, the community was abolished. Only the temple remained, which was made a parish. At first, he successfully experienced the "originality" of power, not counting the fact that in 1922 44 silver objects were confiscated from him - allegedly "in favor of the starving" - and a large bell was taken away.

A tragic fate befell the clergy and some parishioners of St. Seraphim of Sarovsky in Kuntsevo. The first rector of the temple is Archpriest Alexander Vladimirovich Rusinov. He was born in 1878. He was the rector of the temple from 1907 to 1922. Work on the construction of the temple fell to his share, and the difficult years of revolutionary power. In 1938, he was shot at the Butovo training ground. Now he is glorified in the guise of the holy new martyrs and confessors of Russia.

The second rector is Priest Sergiy Felitsyn. The church was headed by Rev. Seraphim of Sarovsky in 1926. Sergei Nikolaevich Felitsyn was born in 1895 in the village of Trinity Pogost - Chizhi, Noginsk District, Moscow Region. His father was a priest. Sergei Nikolaevich had two sisters and a brother. In 1916 he graduated from the Moscow Theological Seminary. He then graduated from the Moscow Theological Academy with a Ph.D. in theology. At that time, the most difficult trials during its existence fell on the share of the temple. The rector and parishioners fought for the preservation of the church.

In 1937, he was arrested in the Church of the Savior Not Made by Hands on Setun and shot along with deacon V.I. Krasnokutsky and another clergyman, whose name is not yet known. S.N. Felitsyn together with Krasnokutsky were glorified as new martyrs and confessors of Russia.

After the temple was closed, the owners of the building often changed. At first, various children's institutions were placed in it, then industrial enterprises: Mechano-transport plant; Factory of furniture fittings; Kuntsevsky plant of plastic products and, finally, Kuntsevsky plant of automatic pens, which around 1970 became a branch of the plant named after. Sacco and Vanzetti. Next to the temple, a brick bell tower has been preserved, overlooking the former Hospital Lane. After the closure of the Seraphim-Nikolaev Church, apartments were arranged in it, and then a forge was located here. During this time, the bell tower lost its second tier, the holy gates were broken. The wooden bell tower and residential buildings on the territory of the abolished community have long been demolished. In addition to the church and the stone bell tower, all other buildings appeared in the Soviet period.

In 1999, the temple was visited by His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II. On May 31, 2000, the church became the courtyard of the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery. In 2006, the temple was given the status of the Patriarchal Metochion.

In 2004, part of the buildings "strangely caught fire at night", which gave reason to withdraw part of the territory from the law on the protection of cultural and historical heritage, at the same time the territory urgently "sold to a certain LLC." Currently, after the change of several owners, the latter is building a residential building.

Compiled by: Deacon Alexander Bertash. Publishing house "Agat". St. Petersburg

CHURCH IN

NAME REVEREND

SERAPHIM OF SAROVSKY

Compiled by: Deacon Alexander Bertash

The Church in the name of St. Seraphim of Sarov at the Seraphim Cemetery near the Staraya Derevnya metro station is now one of the most famous and revered churches in the northern capital, although it has not yet celebrated its centennial anniversary. The device of the temple is associated with the foundation of a new necropolis on the northwestern outskirts of the northern capital, in the area "Staraya Derevnya", where the only parish church for a long time was the Church of the Annunciation (1765, completely rebuilt in stone in 1803-1809). It was erected by Chancellor A.P. Bestuzhev-Ryumin, the owner of the local lands in the middle. XVIII century, for their peasants, who laid the foundation for the settlements of Staraya and Novaya Derevnya. Then it was a distant outskirts of St. Petersburg. By the 30s of the 19th century, the area turned into one of the fashionable suburban suburbs of St. Petersburg. Many representatives of the metropolitan aristocracy, artists, writers, poets lived here. These places were well known to A.S. Pushkin - in 1833 and 1835 his family rented a dacha near the Black River in the summer. The graveyard at the Church of the Annunciation is described in the poem "When outside the city, thoughtful, I wander ...".

At the beginning of the 20th century, this area became part of the city. The Church of the Annunciation no longer contained the overgrown parish, and the Annunciation Cemetery by the beginning of the 20th century. became cramped for new burials. In 1903, at the request of the clergy and local residents, a plot of church land was allocated in 27 des. 551 sq. soot under the cemetery wooden church. On June 23, 1903, the Synod gave the appropriate permission, but the parish did not immediately take advantage of it.

Only on January 2, 1905, the construction commission again appealed to the Metropolitan of St. Petersburg and Ladoga Anthony (Vadkovsky) with a request to build a church, stipulating its consecration in the name of St. Seraphim of Sarov, as well as the name of the cemetery itself Serafimovsky. The idea of ​​consecrating a temple in the name of St. Seraphim (1760-1833), whom Archbishop Philaret (Gumilevsky) of Chernigov called "the greatest ascetic of piety in recent times", obviously arose under the influence of the recent glorification of the saint. Canonization in 1903, after many years of popular veneration, took place with a huge gathering of people. Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov) wrote: "Holy Rus' came to the celebration of its saint, dear, "our father"". Seraphim Church became one of the first temples dedicated to the saint beloved by the people.

While the church was being built, the cemetery had already begun to operate and serve mainly as a burial place for the poor. The first burial took place on May 28, 1905. Even less privileged was the Public (Peasant) cemetery, which occupied an area of ​​3 hectares along modern Dibunovskaya Street. During the Great Patriotic War, the personnel of the Commandant airfield were buried there. The cemetery was demolished in the 1950s. during the construction of the Old Village. Even earlier, in the 1940s, the Annunciation cemetery at the church, which had already been closed by that time, was also destroyed. The Serafimovskoye cemetery, which has survived to this day, is thus part of a large city necropolis, which became a victim of the blasphemous attitude of the godless authorities towards the memory of deceased ancestors.

Let us turn to the history of the construction of the Seraphim Church. In the spring of 1905, the final decision was made on the construction of a wooden three-altar church, ascribed to the Church of the Annunciation, fundraising began from parishioners and philanthropists. Nikolai Nikitich Nikonov (1849-1918), a famous master of the Russian style, a diocesan architect (1893-1906), was usually indicated as the author of the construction. However, the design drawings of the temple, corresponding to the type of building, were only endorsed by N.N. Nikonov. They were signed by the architect Alexander Fedorovich Baranovsky (1872-?), the author of a number of apartment houses in the city (the nature of his signature coincides with the autographs on the projects of the houses he built). Participation of N.N. Nikonov was reduced to help in drawing up a plan, perhaps he made changes to the original project: replacing the belfry with a bell tower, an extension to the northern wall of the altar, and arranging crypts under the church. He oversaw construction.

The laying of the temple on July 25, 1906 was made by the dean, rector of the Spaso-Senovskaya Church, Archpriest N.A. Travinsky. The construction was carried out by a peasant of the Pskov province P.V. Vasiliev. Already by October - in 87 days, it was completed. March 1, 1907 Fr. Nicholas Travinsky consecrated the temple. The construction cost 20,000 rubles, of which 15,000 were released by the Synod on credit with an installment plan of 10 years. The church is located in the depths of the Serafimovsky cemetery, to the east of the central (formerly Serafimovsky) alley, which crosses the cemetery from north to south. Its western façade with the main entrance faces Birch Alley.

The church is one-storied, chopped, wooden. The building was built according to the traditional three-part scheme for Russian church architecture. In plan, it consists of three adjacent rectangles. The widest western part includes a vestibule, above which there is a bell tower, a refectory and side aisles; the middle part is a central quadrangle with side porches. The narrower eastern part consists of the apse and the service premises surrounding it, including the sacristy. In the volume of the building, a high quadrangle and a bell tower stand out, completed with tetrahedral tents with onion domes on the drums. The carved decoration of the facades is in the Russian style. The Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov is an interesting and rare example of wooden church architecture of the early 20th century for St. Petersburg, reflecting the traditions of Russian-style stone architecture. At the church there was a chapel - a mortuary, and a gatehouse-office. Opposite the church is a wooden chapel-tomb of the Sinitsyns built in the 1910s.

Chapels of the three-altar church (the right one is in the name of the Holy Martyr Empress Alexandra, the heavenly patroness of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, now glorified in the saints; and the left one is in the name of the Intercession Holy Mother of God) are separated from the main volume of the temple so that it is possible to simultaneously serve the liturgy and perform the funeral service or perform other requirements.

Oak thrones - a gift from A.V. Balyavin, a large Gospel in a gilded silver frame with bas-reliefs of the Resurrection of Christ, the Evangelists and the Nativity of Christ - A.I. Sekunova; altar cross and small Gospel - A.D. Shershov.

The altarpiece "The Appearance of the Savior to Hierodeacon Seraphim" (artist Annushkin; lost) was presented by the merchant F.M. Minaev, a wooden altar cross and a bronze menorah candlestick - a personal honorary citizen, the owner of the factory of typolithographic paints and varnishes Avraamiy Ivanovich Shadrin. The chandelier, tabernacle and liturgical vessels were donated by A.D. Smirnov, velvet banners - S.M. Burov. The temple is adorned with a highly artistic carved iconostasis in the Russian style, created with funds allocated by the merchant-tanner, hereditary honorary citizen Alexander Alexandrovich Nikolaev "on the health of Alexander, Natalia and their children." 11 icons on zinc in the iconostasis "about the health of Michael, Anna and their children" (the icons have not been preserved) were donated by a personal honorary citizen, merchant Mikhail Nikolaevich Kolchin. Tablets reminiscent of the gifts of A.A. Nikolaev and M.N. Kolchin, attached to the altar side of the iconostasis.

After the revolution, until December 15, 1923, the temple continued to be ascribed to the Church of the Annunciation. The first rectors were priests Jacob Zhuravsky and Pavel Pashsky, the author of the most complete historical description of the Seraphim cemetery. Then, until October 2, 1937, the church passed to the radical Renovationist group "Living Church", its rector was the notorious leader of the group "Protopresbyter" Vladimir Krasnitsky. Father Pavel Pashsky told his parishioners before leaving that they had nothing more to do in the "red" church. On the night of August 9-10, 1925, the icons of the main iconostasis and the altarpiece were stolen. By February 1927, new icons were painted on canvas, which have survived to this day.

In October 1933, the authorities removed all 4 bells from the belfry. After the death in November 1936 of Krasnitsky (who was buried in front of the entrance to the temple), Archpriest Yakov Zhuravsky, who had deviated into living churchism, also became rector (he was shot in 1937). Since October 1937, the temple belonged to the Renovation movement. In the same year, the Church of the Annunciation was closed (returned to the Church in 1992, services resumed in 1997, the building was restored in 2003). Seraphim Church was closed only in the blockade winter of 1942: from January 22 to April. The district council set up a “distribution warehouse for the reception of the dead” in it. All property was "dumped to the altars." On April 28, 1942, the church was transferred to the community of the Patriarchal Church and revived. When the news came that the blockade was lifted, the revived church bells rang for two days.

A number of shrines are now preserved in the altar. The gospel in a silver frame, weighing 5 pounds 32 spools, was printed in 1859 and 4 years later donated to the Church of the Annunciation by the landowners Mikhail Vasilyevich and Elisaveta Vasilievna Shishmarov. Silver liturgical set (two chalices, paten, star, lisa) of 1914 is dedicated to the memory of St. John of Kronstadt, about which there is an inscription on the bowl and diskos. The altarpiece depicts the Holy Trinity. The icon of the 12 feasts is skillfully carved on bone.

Among the current iconic decoration of the temple, the icon of St. Seraphim of Sarov stands out in front of the right choir in an artistic icon case with particles of relics, a mantle, “pearl from the coffin” and the tomb of the reverend, a stone on which he prayed for 1000 days (a gift from Metropolitan Anthony / Melnikov /). List with cell the icon of the reverend - the image of the Mother of God "Tenderness" - in front of the left kliros. One of the three icons of the Twelve Feasts, according to legend, was donated to St. Righteous John of Kronstadt.

The icons of the Mother of God of Kazan and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in carved notes on kliros are a gift from the Ivanov family. From the Church of the Annunciation originate images in carved icon cases on the walls of the refectory part of the temple: the Mother of God of Tikhvin, "Search for the Lost", "Sign"; Saint Nicholas. On the left is the Smolensk icon of the Mother of God from the Church of the Annunciation, in its current form corresponding to the style of the second half of XIX century, but, according to legend, written in the XVII century. and brought by the first builder of St. Petersburg from Smolensk, the aftermath of prayer in front of her contributed to getting rid of the cholera epidemic, in memory of which it was performed annually procession with the icon on the day of its celebration on July 28. Especially valuable is the lifetime image of St. Seraphim of Sarov on the southern wall, donated by D.S. Bogachev as a disciple of the monk and the first biographer Ivan Tikhonov Tolstosheev (later abbot Joasaph, in schema Seraphim). Two ktitor icons of Saints John Chrysostom and Mary of Egypt on the southern wall are painted by the artist Grebennikov (the first of them is signed). In the same part - the icons of the Mother of God of Kazan and the Great Martyr Panteleimon. The image of the Presentation on the western wall in the central part is the oldest in the temple (no later than the middle of the 18th century). Nearby is the icon of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk.
The icon of St. Nicholas on a brass plate (in front of the left kliros) is dedicated to the memory of 163 Russian soldiers of the 36th Infantry Orel Field Marshal Prince Warsaw Count Paskevich-Erivan Regiment, who fell at the river. San October 6-10, 1914. Among them are captains Fritz Fritsevich Krumin and Nikolai Nikolaevich Ilyinsky, 2 second lieutenants, 22 non-commissioned officers, 34 corporals and 105 privates. On the board are the words: “There is no greater love than when someone lays down his life for his friends. Everlasting memory".

In the Pokrovsky aisle - the icons of the Savior Almighty, the Mother of God: Lesninskaya, "Joy of All Who Sorrow", Smolenskaya; icon "The Appearance of the Mother of God Saint Sergius Radonezh"; icons of saints: John the Baptist, St. Nicholas, the prophet Jonah. In the Alexandria aisle, a copy of the miraculous Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, which belonged to Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich (given in the 1960s by the family of Hieromonk Mitrofan). Here is the image of the Mother of God "Assuage my sorrows." Two-tiered bronze chandeliers have been preserved in the main and side aisles.

In 1987, picturesque images of events from the life of St. Seraphim on the outer western facade of the church were replaced by mosaic ones. In the early 1990s to the north of the church, a brick one-story clergy building was built, where refectories and Sunday School. In 2000, the overhaul of the church was carried out with donations from parishioners under the leadership of the rector's father. In the process of repair, new foundations were laid, floors, rotten crowns, truss system and roofing, domes and crosses were completely replaced. The mosaics have been replaced by new images of the monk (two icons in side cocoons and an image of the Appearance of the Mother of God with Saints to the Monk Seraphim in the central part).

The rector of the temple is a candidate of theology, archpriest Vasily Ermakov - one of the most honored clergymen of the diocese, an experienced confessor. He was born in 1927 in the city of Bolkhov, Oryol region, into a believing family. In 1943, from the occupied city, he was driven away by the Germans as a prisoner of war to Estonia. In the camp, he met Alexei Ridiger, the future Patriarch Alexy II. In 1946, at his invitation, he came to Leningrad. In 1949, he graduated from the newly revived Theological Seminary with the first graduation, 4 years later - from the Academy, after which he was ordained to the priesthood. He served in the Nikolo-Bogoyavlensky Cathedral, since 1976 - in the Trinity Church ("Kulich and Pascha"), since 1981 - in the Seraphim Church. The clergy are also made up of Archpriest Nikolai Konkov, Archpriest Alexander Shubin, Priest Sergiy Chalykh, Priest Vyacheslav Pomaskin, Priest Nikolai Pashkov, Deacons Mikhail Preobrazhensky and Georgy Maltsev, psalmist Feodor Parkhomenko. Assistant to the Chairman of the Parish Council - Yu.G. Tsvetkov. The director of the professional choir is Marina Butto, the amateur choir is composer Vyacheslav Rimsha.

Currently, daily services are performed in the church: Liturgy on weekdays - at 10 a.m., on Sundays and holidays- at 7 and 10 o'clock, evening service - at 17 o'clock. The parochial Sunday school, including teenagers and youth groups, works.

At the Serafimovsky cemetery, initially poor, only a few pre-revolutionary graves survived. The tombstones of the famous opera singer A.A. Lyarov (Gilyarov) (1839-1914) and one of the first Russian aviators N.D. Kostina (1880-1913).

Archpastors, many pastors of the Russian Orthodox Church, teachers of theological schools found their last earthly refuge here. Among them are archpriests: Stefan Dymsha, Nikolai Lomakin, Vladimir Lyutik, Alexander Makhrovsky, Yevgeny Morozov, Grigory Odoevsky, Nikolai Permyakov, Pavel Pashsky, Kosma Raina, Boris Tikhonravov, priests John Alexandrov, Anatoly Gaynyuk and Viktor Sashin, liturgist and Church historian N. D. Uspensky.

Archbishop of Brussels and Belgium Vasily (Krivoshein, 1900-1985), the son of the Minister of Agriculture under the last Emperor, ended up in exile after 1917. After graduating from the Sorbonne University, he settled in St. Mount Athos, where he accepted monasticism and lived until 1947. In 1958 he was ordained a bishop. Vladyka was one of the greatest connoisseurs of patristic literature, he published a study on St. Simeon the New Theologian. He repeatedly came to the USSR, died after serving in the Transfiguration Sopor, where he was once baptized, and was buried at the Serafimovsky cemetery, near the northern wall of the church.

In the area of ​​Berezovaya Road, behind plot 23, there are burials of at least 35 sisters of the Ioannovsky Monastery. Mother Superior, Abbess Angelina, Fr. John of Kronstadt said: "My sisters will not need a cemetery, they will fly around the world like birds." And so it happened. In 1923, the monastery was closed and ruined, and almost all the sisters in the 20-30s. turned out to be exiles and camps. Several died before the revolution of 1917 and were buried at the Serafimovsky cemetery closest to the monastery, where a special plot was allocated to the monastery. The last graves appeared when, after the Great Patriotic War, the sisters were able to return to Leningrad, where they found their final resting place. Among the buried sisters of the monastery are the treasurer, nun John (Lezhoyeva, +1939), schema-nun Seraphim (Zabelina), nun Nina (Kameneva, + 1959). Nun Joanna was born in 1869 in St. Petersburg, since 1907 - a resident of the monastery, donated funds for the construction of the temple-tomb of Fr. John of Kronstadt. It is known that St. John told her: “As you, mother, prepare a place of rest for me on earth, so I will prepare a place for you in heaven.” She held the position of treasurer until the closing of the monastery, she was distinguished by a peaceful and meek spirit, prayerfulness. In the 1930s. was under arrest. Nun Nina (Kameneva) was in charge of the monastery's orphanage for children. In 1942, she was involved in church business. At the Serafimovsky cemetery, the figures of renovationism are also buried - writer Yevgeny Belkov and Pavel Raevsky.

During the Great Patriotic War, the cemetery was the second place after Piskarevsky for mass graves of Leningrad residents and soldiers. More than 100,000 Leningraders were buried in the trenches during the blockade. On January 27, 1965, on the 21st anniversary of the lifting of the blockade, a memorial was opened on the site of 16 fraternal grave mounds (Central road near the entrance from Serebryakov lane). In its center there is a portico with five sculptures depicting the defenders and workers of the city, in front of it is a granite cube with an eternal flame. The author of the monument is arch. ME AND. Lukin, the sculptural work was done at the Leningrad Higher Art School named after A. IN AND. Mukhina under the direction of R.K. Taurita. In 2004, a cross was erected at the burial site of the blockade. To the left of the entrance along the Central Road, opposite the memorial. - sites where naval commanders, teachers of the Naval Academy are buried. Here is the mass grave of 7 sailors of the destroyer "Glorious", who died on May 1, 1943, and the commander of the captain of the 1st rank N.N. Rotinov. The headstone was installed in the 1990s. association "Severny Zavod". War heroes B.A. are buried in the cemetery. Alekseev, N.I. Archakov, I.I. Afanasiev, A.I. Turin, P.I. Pavlov, F.F. Simakov, naval commander Admiral I.S. Yumashev.

The military memorial tradition has continued at the cemetery in the last quarter of a century. A part of the Central Walkway from the side of Bogatyrsky Prospekt has been called the Alley of Heroes since 2000. Those who died in the line of duty are buried here. The first grave appeared in 1981. This is the burial place of the Pacific sailors who died near the city of Pushkin in a plane crash, headed by the commander of the fleet, Admiral E.N. Spiridonov. There are 46 names on marble boards (1983, architect M.A. Maistrenko). The memorial was consecrated after reconstruction on February 7, 2001.

On the Alley of Heroes, there are monuments to the sailors of the container ship "Mechanic Tarasov", which sank on February 16, 1982; 28 crew members of the Polessk dry-cargo ship, which was in distress on September 17, 1993; climbers who died on July 13, 1990 in the Pamirs.

On February 23, 1991, there was a fire in the Leningrad Hotel - one of the worst in St. Petersburg in the 20th century. The fire captured the floors from the seventh to the ninth, where the 30-meter fire escapes did not reach. It was possible to evacuate 253 people, but 7 hotel guests, 8 firefighters and a police captain died. In 1996, a monument was erected by the sculptor L.G. Mogilevsky (1993). In the center is a four-column rotunda, lined with black granite, inside there is a stele with the words: "For the sake of life on earth" and a bas-relief. Stolen bronze portrait bas-reliefs on granite stelae were replaced in 2003 with granite boards with portraits. 7 firefighters who died a heroic death from 1992 to 2003 are also buried here.

On March 25, 1992, the laying of a memorial took place at the mass grave of “Afghan” soldiers, at which V.V. Putin, then First Deputy Prime Minister of St. Petersburg. The opening of the memorial (sculptor E.N. Rotanov, architects V. Novosadsky, F. Romanovsky) took place on August 2, 1995. The names of 140 Leningraders who died in Afghanistan are engraved on the pedestal. The bronze sculpture was unveiled on February 15, 1996 - on the day of the seventh anniversary of the withdrawal of Soviet troops.

Exactly 3 years later, Fr. Vasily Ermakov performed a funeral service and the rite of laying the chapel here (architect I.L. Voinova). Small (3x3 m., height 8 m), it is associated with the temples of ancient Novgorod and Pskov, as well as with the projects of the St. Petersburg diocesan architect of the early 20th century. A.P. Aplaksina. It is crowned with an eight-pitched roof and a cupola, the walls are lined with limestone slabs. Inside - the images of the Savior, the Mother of God and St. George. On May 6, 2000, on the day of St. George the Victorious, "in his memory and in memory of those killed on the battlefield in Afghanistan and Chechnya" the chapel was consecrated. On memorable days for the “Afghan” soldiers, the clergy of the Seraphim Church, first of all, Fr. Vasily, performs funeral services here.

On August 12, 2000, the Kursk nuclear submarine of the Northern Fleet sank while performing a combat training mission in the Barents Sea. 118 people died. The burial site was chosen at the site of wartime mass graves (Central Road). On August 12, 2003, the solemn opening of the monument was held, which is a cube of black granite, above which is a bronze figure of a petrel (project by G. Peychev). The memorial is dedicated to Fr. Vasily Ermakov.

The following crew members are buried at the Serafimovsky cemetery:

1. Lyachin Gennady, captain of the 1st rank
2. Bagryantsev Vladimir, captain of the 1st rank
3. Belogun Victor, captain of the 2nd rank
4. Isaenko Vasily, captain of the 2nd rank
5. Alexander Shubin, captain of the 2nd rank
6. Dudko Sergey, captain of the 2nd rank
7. Baigarin Marat, captain of the 3rd rank
8. Andrey Milyutin, captain of the 3rd rank
9. Alexander Sadkov, captain of the 3rd rank
10. Shchavinsky Ilya, captain of the 3rd rank
11. Belozorov Nikolai, captain of the 3rd rank
12. Stankevich Alexey, captain
13. Andrey Vasiliev, Lieutenant Commander
14. Repnikov Dmitry, lieutenant commander
15. Kolesnikov Dmitry, lieutenant commander
16. Brazhkin Alexander, senior lieutenant
17. Ivanov-Pavlov Alexey, Art. lieutenant
18. Korobkov Alexey, senior lieutenant
19. Tylik Sergey, senior lieutenant
20. Erakhtin Sergey, senior lieutenant
21. Andrey Korovyakov, senior lieutenant
22. Bubniv Vadim, senior lieutenant
23. Solorev Vitaly, senior lieutenant
24. Kuznetsov Vitaly, senior lieutenant
25. Borisov Arnold, senior lieutenant
26. Mityaev Alexey, senior lieutenant
27. Panarin Andrey, senior lieutenant
28. Oleg Troyan, midshipman
29. Kozyrev Konstantin, midshipman
30. Dirty Sergey, midshipman
31. Paramonenko Viktor, midshipman
32. Vitchenko Sergey, sailor

Lots of peace here famous people: artists, scientists, military leaders, philanthropists and trustees. Those whose merits are so high before the Fatherland. Their names are the pride and glory of Russia!

1. From the diocesan chronicle. Consecration of temples // News of the St. Petersburg diocese. 1907. No. 7-8.
2. Pashsky Pavel, priest. Description of the device Serafimovsky in the New Village of the St. Petersburg district of the cemetery. SPb., 1907.
3. Popov I.V., Raina P.K. Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov // St. Petersburg Diocesan Gazette. 1991. No. 1. S. 29-31.
4. Andreev A.I. Serafimovskoye cemetery // Historical cemeteries of St. Petersburg. Ed. Kobaka A.V., Piryutko Yu.M. SPb., 1993.
5. Antonov V.V., Kobak A.V. Shrines of St. Petersburg. SPb., 1996. T. 3. S. 181-183.
6. Ermakov Vasily, archpriest. 46 years in the service of God. SPb., 1999.
7. Ivanov A., Kandakova O., Sukhoradov A. Icons of the Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov at the Seraphim Cemetery. Necropolis of the clergy and other figures Orthodox Church Serafimovsky cemetery. Research work of school No. 40 of the Primorsky district. SPb., 1999 - 2000 // City Palace of Youth Creativity. Local history department.
8. Sotnikova N., Kocheryaeva N. Memorials of the Serafimovsky cemetery on mass graves to the victims of the tragic disasters of the late XX century. Research work of 11th grade students of gymnasium No. 171 of the Central District of St. Petersburg, 2003 - 2004 // City Palace of Youth Creativity. Local history department.

So, when the lamp of faith shines in the heart, a person clearly sees everything spiritual: the invisible God as visible and the other invisible as visible, he sees and does deeds that befit the Christian calling. When there is no lamp in the house, the house is dark. Thus, when there is no lamp of faith in the human heart, there is nothing but darkness and every kind of error.

Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk

A storm warning was issued in the morning. The sky burst into rain. A few passers-by leaned to the ground under gusts of squally wind.

Having reached the St. Petersburg Serafimovsky cemetery, my friend and I wandered to the temple. Eternal peace reigned on the graveyard, the raging elements remained behind the fence.

Behind the trees appeared the bulbs of the domes of the Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov. Relatives of the deceased gathered at the entrance to the temple, whom they were preparing to bury. In order not to interfere with the relatives of the deceased to perform a mournful ceremony, we decided to go to the church later and went to the graves of priests Vasily Ermakov and Anatoly Gaynyuk.

There were several visitors at the grave of Father Vasily, covered with a carpet of flowers. The young man laid a bouquet of white roses at the foot of the monument and, falling to his knees, wept inconsolably like a child. The death of the rector was a heavy loss for the flock and spiritual children...

The burial place of Priest Anatoly Gaynyuk was in the depths of the old cemetery. From the photo on the grave cross, as if alive, looked familiar kind eyes. Having crossed ourselves, we kissed the tombstone, and the next moment a bright sunbeam, cutting through the clouds, illuminated the granite surface of the obelisk, as if Father Anatoly smiled at us from heaven ...

I was baptized at the age of 22 and, not realizing the responsibility entrusted by the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, I hid pectoral cross In the box desk. But the Savior found a way to enlighten me by showing His great mercy.

In the "cholera" 1990s, unemployment and lack of money, along with family troubles, gave rise to despondency and fear in the soul. It was necessary to raise a daughter, who at that time was only 7 years old, and I did not have to rely on the help of my husband: being in captivity of the “green serpent”, he was no longer responsible for himself.

Once I accidentally heard about Father Vasily Ermakov, who served as rector of the church at the Serafimovsky cemetery. Possessing the gift of clairvoyance, Father Vasily helped people with good instructions and advice. I really needed such advice, and, for the first time putting a pectoral cross around my neck, I went to the church of St. Seraphim of Sarov.

Matins was going on in the temple, the faithful made the sign of the cross, singing the Creed in a singsong voice. Until this day church services I didn’t visit, didn’t know how to pray, and, feeling uncomfortable, hid in a dark nook, dreaming of only one thing - to see perspicacious old man. But at the end of the Liturgy, the parishioners were informed that the rector would not be there today. People began to disperse, and I could not even move.

It seemed that the last hope had collapsed, but God had His own plan. On that day, He prepared for me an invaluable gift - a saving meeting.

Sitting down on a bench, I burst into tears and, plunging into despair, lost the sense of time. The voice brought me back to reality.

- What happened, mother? Why are you crying?

Nearby stood a young priest with radiant brown eyes in a thin, haggard face. We got into a conversation, having spent several hours in soulful conversation. The father's name was Anatoly.

Three days later, Priest Anatoly received my first confession, became my support and comfort, spiritual mentor and father.

He was a gentle, kind teacher and fought for every "newbie". It was a real battle for human souls in which the warrior of Christ showed great courage.

Short and thin, like a boy, Father Anatoly did not walk on the ground, but flew at the speed of a rocket, he always smiled and often joked, and it never even crossed his mind that it cost him incredible efforts.

At home, his wife and four kids were waiting for him, who needed care and affection. Torn between priestly service and family, he did not rest at all, he was in a hurry to do good deeds, as if he knew in advance that the earthly path would be short - his body was tormented by a serious illness.

Shortly before his death, Father Anatoly underwent an operation to remove the pancreas and, barely recovering from his illness, rushed to the temple, continuing to serve God and people.

"A priest has one privilege - to be a servant to everyone he meets 24 hours a day"

“Many people think that a priest has some kind of privilege or special grace over the laity ... I’ll tell you: a priest has one privilege - to be a servant to everyone he meets 24 hours a day for the rest of his life. God does not give us days off and vacations. You are not in the mood - go and serve anyway. If your legs or back hurt, go and serve. You have problems in your family, but you still go and serve! This is required by the Lord and the Gospel. If there is no such attitude - to devote your whole life to serving people - then do something else, do not dare to take on the yoke of Christ, ”said Father Vasily Ermakov.

Listening to the instructions of Priest Anatoly, I tried to correct myself with God's help, but not everything and not immediately turned out as it should, and the priest said:

“Foolish child, don’t be sad! The Lord will arrange everything. And if something happens, immediately run to me!

And so it happened: when it was bad, I came to the temple. Father Anatoly talked to me, confessed, but did not allow me to take Holy Communion. Apparently, he understood that at that time I was not yet ready to begin the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

“He and I are one,” said Archpriest Vasily, his spiritual mentor, about Father Anatoly. But I, a cursed sinner, could not then appreciate the generosity of the Savior, who gave me a spiritual mentor in the person of Father Anatoly, and continued to seek meetings with Father Vasily Ermakov.

From early morning, the suffering crowded in the temple, and as soon as the rector appeared, the parishioners "clouded" him from all sides. One day he came up to me and said:

- Stop crying! Bring your husband to me: you need to talk to him.

With surprising ease, my husband agreed to go to the temple, and as soon as we entered the church with him, we immediately found ourselves in front of Father Vasily. Slyly narrowing his eyes, the priest listed the circumstances of one bad incident, in which my unlucky husband was a participant, reproaching him in the end:

"You're the one to blame, man!" And you are far from God.

With these words, the elder turned and walked away.

Another time I came to the Seraphim Church with my friend, whose husband became interested in a young woman and left the family. Weeping inconsolably in front of the holy icons, we heard a voice:

- Stop crying!

Father Vasily stood nearby. Sobbing, her friend rushed to him:

Sobbing, her friend rushed to the old man: “How to live?! Dirt is all around!" "And you don't go to the dirt!" - was the answer

- How to live, father ?! Dirt is all around!

- Don't go to the dirt! – the old man answered and went to the altar.

After the Liturgy, he went out to the solea to deliver a sermon, picking out the two of us from the huge crowd with his eyes. The people, as if on cue, parted, and we appeared for all to see. Batiushka spoke about the destructiveness of the sin of despondency, and people, looking back at us, whispered: “They are telling you!” Indeed, the rector's speech was intended for us, the unbelieving, the erring. My soul became unusually light... The Lord Himself spoke through Father Vasily...

Every time he saw me in the church, Father Anatoly was sincerely happy, as a loved one can rejoice at a meeting, native person. He found time for a soulful conversation, advised how to restore good relations in the family, instructing that one must humble oneself and endure. But one day, instead of the usual talk about humility, the priest uttered words that will forever remain in his memory. Unfortunately, this was our last meeting...

Father Anatoly seated me on a bench and looked intently into my eyes. It was an extraordinary feeling, as if an experienced doctor had enlightened the patient with an X-ray and made a diagnosis. Batiushka began to enumerate the sins, about which the tongue did not turn. All that remained was to nod his head in the affirmative, blushing with shame ... Having finished with this, he summed up:

You need to divorce your spouse!

- Terrible, father! How will everything turn out?

Don't be afraid, you won't be left alone. You will marry again and you will have a different life. I promise you!

The words of the confessor turned out to be prophetic. Soon I divorced and met my future husband. As Father Anatoly promised, a different life began for me.

It so happened that, due to my own negligence, I did not come to the temple for a long time. She remembered her father, but, being in a bustle, she could not get to the temple. The news of the tragic death of Priest Anatoly came unexpectedly. I am orphaned...

The earthly journey of Priest Anatoly Gaynyuk was short and bright, like the light of a falling star. Batiushka reposed on the day of remembrance of St. Seraphim of Sarov on January 15, 1999, at the age of 35, and now his soul is in the holy monastery with God. He was a valiant warrior of Christ and a talented Gardener: the seeds of faith he sowed in the souls of people still give fertile shoots to this day.

Three years after the death of Father Anatoly, the merciful Lord brought me to the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Pargolovo, where I found a spiritual mentor, Archpriest Konstantin Stupnikov. Thank God for everything!