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Sretensky: Cathedral of the Meeting of the Icon of Our Lady of Vladimir

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Cathedral of the Meeting of the Icon of Our Lady of Vladimir.

This is the smaller house of worship in Sretensky. Built circa 1679, it is also 338 years older than Church of the New Martyrs and Confessors. It features relics of St. Mary of Egypt and a replica of the Shroud of Turin. Some of the older churches at the seminary (as well as elsewhere throughout Russia and former Soviet republics) were “disassembled” by the communists. Some of these razed Sretensky churches dated back to the 14th century.

The origin of the monastery’s name comes from “Sretenie,” which is the Church Slavonic word for “meeting,” since it was built on the spot where the Muscovites and Prince Vasily I had “met” the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir on August 26, 1395, when it was moved from Vladimir to Moscow to protect the capital from the Mongols’ sacking and raping. Soon thereafter, the invading armies retreated and the grateful monarch founded the monastery to commemorate the miracle.

In 1552, the Muscovites “met” again at the walls of the monastery to greet the Russian army returning home after the conquest of Kazan under Ivan the Terrible. This put an end to 100 years of Mongolian Khan rule in that city.

Another darkened “forbidden” photo, although the accentuated candlelight really does illuminate the space nicely.

A stunning relief sculpture. There’s something about the wood that made it seem so real.

An identical copy of the Shroud of Turin.

Another version of the Shroud in a different exposure. It’s amazing how clearly you can see Jesus’ face in this one. Wow!

Christ smashing the gates of hell.

Archangels protect the Shroud, which is housed on the bottom floor of the church.

St. Mary of Egypt’s relics. She is one of the only female saints to be shown scantily clad and without a head covering, as she was naked when St. Zosimas found her in the desert. She had been a prostitute (who sometimes wouldn’t even accept money for her pleasurable acts), but she was transformed from sexual deviant to devout and sanctified Christ follower.

More royal doors on the outer edge of the smaller cathedral.

St. Stephen the Protomartyr.

The warm glow of Holy light from the cathedral bids us farewell from the monastery.

Sretensky Monastery: Church of the New Martyrs & Confessors

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Clan Dillingham at Church of the New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Orthodox Church with Aleksandr and his boys.

Sretenksy Monastery was founded in 1397 by Grand Prince Vasili I. This large gold-domed cathedral is Church of the New Martyrs and Confessors, featuring icons of Orthodox Christians who suffered under or died as a consequence of Bolshevism, such as St. Hilarion Troitsky, whose full body was in repose there.

This particular building was completed in 2017 to mark 100 years since the October Revolution, when Bolsheviks began their godless attacks against the Orthodox Church. The monastery is in an area called Lubyanka, which was known for its infamous Soviet prison. It was said that if you went to Lubyanka, you would never be seen or heard from again.

Cross to the New Martyrs.

Close up of some of the exterior architectural detail.

Look at that huge Orthodox cross relief-sculpted into the side of the church. How gorgeous is that?

New martyrs and confessors surround the inner dome.

Icon of the Russian imperial family, the Romanovs. Tsar Nicholas II, his wife Tsarina Alexandra, their five children (Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, and Alexei), and four servants (who chose to accompany them into imprisonment in Yekaterinburg) were shot and bayoneted to death by Bolsheviks in July 1918. There was great debate as to whether they were “martyrs” (people who are killed explicitly for their faith). But in 2000, the Moscow Patriarchate ultimately canonized the family as “passion bearers”: pious Christians who face death with resignation, in a Christ-like manner.

Another view of the dome where you can see the Romanovs among the new martyrs and confessors.

Icon of the Optina Elders.

St. Aleksandr Nevsky, 12th-century Christian who served as Prince of Novgorod, Grand Prince of Kiev, and Grand Prince of Vladimir during some of the most difficult times in Kievan Rus’ history.

A small chapel located above the large cathedral. A nice security guard let us check it out.

Sretensky Theological Seminary is within the monastery grounds.

Donskoy Monastery

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Approaching Donskoy from the road.

Donskoy Monastery, founded in 1591 on the Russian army line of defense against the invading Mongol Tatars. It is said that Grand Prince Dmitry Donskoy, son of Ivan the Fair, had taken the Our Lady of the Don icon with him to the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380. Subsequently, the Tatars left without a fight and were defeated during their retreat. Dmitry became known as “Donksoy,” meaning “of the Don River.”

The Old Cathedral features a copy of this Donskaya Virgin icon on its outside, but the original 14th-century icon now resides in the the Tetrakov Gallery in Moscow. The monastery has seven churches and 12 towers.

Even the fresco-lined tunnel leading to the monastery is stunning.

Mosaic inside the tunnel.

Fresco telling the story of St. Tikhon.

Fresco of soldiers venerating the icon of the Donskaya Virgin icon, which was taken into battle against the continuously invading Mongols at the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380 to strengthen, bless, and protect Russian soldiers, who were resisting 100 years of oppression, coercive tribute, and Golden-Horde invasion.

The outside of Old Cathedral shows a copy of the Donskaya Virgin icon.

The monastery’s bell towers and onion domes are also topped with half-moon crosses, which many say is meant to symbolize Christianity’s ultimate victory over Islam.

Monastery ground abound with beauty.

Fascinating architecture as far as the eye can see.

A shadowy Gabriel in the cemetery behind the main cathedral.

Glimmers of light enable some nice shots.

My friend says this looks like the swirled foam on top of a cappuccino.

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s grave.

Another snuck photo in a very dark church since it was only illuminated by candlelight.

The body of Patriarch Tikhon, saint and New Martyr. He established the Diocese of the Aleutians and North America, encouraged the translation of the liturgy into English, resisted the Bolsheviks, was imprisoned in Donskoy after the Revolution, and was never flinching in his faith. He said, “Devote all your energy to preaching the word of God and the truth of Christ, especially today, when unbelief and atheism are audaciously attacking the Church of Christ. May the God of peace and love be with all of you!”

We got to venerate another icon of St. Nicholas at this spot. When we entered, we were met with visitors singing hymns and got anointed with oil by a Donskoy priest.

Leaving Donskoy.