In an attempt to recreate the holy land, the New Jerusalem monastery was founded and populated in 17th century. The place is no longer in the limelight.

New Jerusalem Monastery.

Somewhere in 17^th century, Nikon the patriarch decided to show one and all that Russia deserved to be the center of the Christian world. A site on the outskirts of Moscow was chosen to erect New Jerusalem for its resemblance to the Holy Land. The River Istra represents the River Jordan, and the buildings represent the ’sacral space’ or holy places of Jerusalem. The New Jerusalem Monastery, also known as the Voskresensky Monastery (Russian: Новоиерусалимский монастырь / नोवोयेरुसालीम्सकी मोनासत्री), is a male monastery, located in the town of Istra in Moscow Oblast, Russia. They even built the Church of Holy Sepulchre.

The monastery is almost entirely undergoing repairs.

The monastery was shutdown in 1918 and came under attack from the retreating Germans. Only recently has it regained attention and restoration work was in progress when I went there.

Horse riders and rear wall of the monastery.

I saw many babushkas filling holy water from a tap. I also saw people riding horses and a dog barking at me. Then finally I saw a woodpecker and one more tourist (I think she was Italian) wielding a camera.

Since I was in Jerusalem, Israel, in late 2007 (my glorious travelogue with 20 chapters is here) and I toured the Christian sites extensively, I was very curious to visit this place. Unfortunately I couldn’t enter the monastery (it was closed for renovations), and overall it did not, even remotely, remind me of Jerusalem.

Woodpecker.

There is nothing (else) to do in Istra, it is a very characterless and bland suburb (or maybe that’s the character). There is one park with a model of an airplane. I did, however, buy lots of chocolates from here because there was a large chocolate store. People are not used to seeing foreigners, and definitely not used to hearing a foreign Russian accent.

Little pieces of cloth tied to trees as prayers.

Factual information

The New Jerusalem Monastery is a convenient half-day trip from Moscow. Suburban trains from Moscow’s Rizhsky vokzal (train terminal) stop at Istra (90 minutes journey). These trains are called Elektrichka (электричка / इलेक्त्रीच्का), which I think is a cute name.

From Istra rail station, a bus will take you to the church complex. Simply ask for a bus going to “Muzey (मुझीए)” (Museum) stop (15 minutes journey). Alternatively, do what I did: Walk to the monastery (so that you see the Moscow suburb intimately and call your walk a ‘pilgrimage’) and come back on a bus.

Istra train station.

Related posts

• The Kremlin at Suzdal (7)
• The Charming Onion Domes (15)
• Sergiev Posad: Entering the Orthodox Christian circuit (9)
• Bogolyubovo’s Church of the Intercession on the Nerl (18)
• Russian Orthodox Church Bells (8)

¶ Blogged by Priyank Thatte | Tags: Christian, Religion, Russia

Suzdal town, old and rustic, protected from urbanization.

Suzdal (Суздаль / सुझ्दाल) is a historic small town near Vladimir, about 200 km from Moscow. It was once the capital of several Russian principalities and has many examples of early Russian architecture. I thought it was quite rustic, atypical town, later explained by the fact that this area falls under ‘limited development zone’ and construction projects are controlled. While one can see a little church or chapel in every corner of this town, there are two major ‘church complexes’ and the first one, Kremlin, is discussed here.

The Kremlin at Suzdal

Kremlin’s “skyline”: I don’t remember the details

As explained before, Kremlin is the fortified power-center of a town and the Kremlin at Suzdal, a 1.4km earth rampart, encloses a handful of houses and a bunch of churches.

Nativity of the Virgin Cathedral: Blue domes spangled with gold.

During the time of the Soviet Union, nearly all of Suzdal’s economy was planned around its tourist potential. As a result, very few modern buildings were constructed in Suzdal. Also, a number of wooden structures from other parts of Russia were transported here, and the whole city was converted into an ‘open-air museum’. Unfortunately, Suzdal’s dependence on tourism also meant its economy nearly came to a standstill when tourists stopped coming after the fall of the USSR, only revived during recent years.

Wooden church of St. Nicholas.

Suzdal was probably the only place where I did not find any McDonalds restaurant! Neither did I see any visible signs of westernization such as glossy stores. “Livestock wandering the streets and elderly women washing cloths in the river (and tourists wielding digital cameras) are regular sights in Suzdal,” says Wikitravel.

Market on the plaza outside Kremlin.

The little market was getting ready to close and we were racing against time to reach the next religious complex in Suzdal – The Saviour Monastery of St. Euthymius (coming up next).

Market on the plaza outside Kremlin.

I’m sorry for the dull pictures, the weather was not at its best.

Related posts

• The Charming Onion Domes (15)
• Sergiev Posad: Entering the Orthodox Christian circuit (9)
• New Jerusalem Monastery (6)
• Bogolyubovo’s Church of the Intercession on the Nerl (18)
• Russian Orthodox Church Bells (8)

¶ Blogged by Priyank Thatte | Tags: Christian, Religion, Russia

Small, simple and off the religious highway makes this place my favorite among the Golden Cities.

The Church at Bogolyubovo, probably my favorite in Russia.

Away from crowded churches and cathedrals of the Golden Ring circuit is this little church in a little village of Bogolyubovo (Боголюбово / बोगोल्युबोवो). The church’s beauty lies in its simplicity, perfect symmetry, beautiful location (next to the river) and isolation (what a strange factor!).

The silence and the simplicity of this place is great!

It is said that this church was built during early days of Christianity in Russia, thus explaining pictures and carvings of birds and beasts on its walls and interiors. Interiors are even simpler and it is tempting to light a candle inside.

Elements from pre-Christian times incorporated in the architecture.

The hills, the birds, the water plus absence of cars, crowds and noise makes this place incredibly beautiful. During spring, the river floods the adjoining area, giving an illusion that the church is on an island. A single hut, habitated by the churchkeeper sells picture frames and lovely photographs of the church. There is also a ‘pay what you can’ toilet.

Factual information

Bogolyubovo can be reached by suburban trains from Moscow’s Kursky terminal (one station after Vladimir). Express trains from Moscow stop at Vladimir (2.5 hrs) from where there are regular buses to Bogolubovo. From the train / bus station, this church is about 1.3 km away, a pleasant walk through meadows. Infact, one can only walk to this church, making it feel somewhat like a pilgrimage.

Walkway. You can reach the church only on foot (or a horse, a bicycle), sortof a pilgrimage!

Related posts

• The Kremlin at Suzdal (7)
• The Charming Onion Domes (15)
• Sergiev Posad: Entering the Orthodox Christian circuit (9)
• New Jerusalem Monastery (6)
• Russian Orthodox Church Bells (8)

¶ Blogged by Priyank Thatte | Tags: Christian, Religion, Russia

My first time attending a service at a Russian Orthodox Church was full of surprises and discoveries.

I flew from Sochi to Moscow and met my friend at Moscow’s VDNKh metro station (airports of Moscow are quite smoothly connected to the metro system), eager to go explore more of the country. After a quick snack at a street cart, soon we were running around bus stop signs trying to find where the bus to the town of Sergiev Posad departed from. Sergiyev Posad, 60km from Moscow, was going to be my first religious city in Russia, my first step on the outskirts of Moscow, my first insight into a little Russian town and also, as I discovered, my first time witnessing a full fledged service at an Orthodox Church.

Fastfood: I had crêpes (pancakes) stuffed with chicken and mushrooms.

The bus was very comfortable (probably because I was exhausted and slept through most of it) and within an hour my friend was nudging me to wake up as we pulled into the bus stand of Sergiev Posad. From there, one could see spiraling colorful domes and an enormous structure some distance away. This was one of those simple towns: an important temple, one central street and little houses around the vicinity. Being so close to Moscow, the place was quite busy (in relative terms, if I’m allowed to say that.)

Russian Orthodox Church

Monastery complex at Sergiev Posad: Bell tower, Cathedral, Gate-Church

“There is no settlement without a just man, there is no town without a saint” – thus goes a Russian wisdom.

This monastery is considered to be among the most important and most active religious centers in Russia. You can tell, as you approach it, that the place is religious. The young men in shiny leather jackets and young women with high heels that I had seen just an hour ago in Moscow were replaced by old priests with long beards and babushkas carrying holy water. The place was full of devotees, women wearing head scarves and men with bare heads, who were lighting candles or chanting prayers.

Left pic: Cathedral of the Assumption, Chapel at the well and a Tsar’s grave. Right pic: Bell Tower

Orthodox church service

While I was busy taking pictures and feeling thrilled for being inside an Orthodox Church complex, the bell was rung and people started rushing into the central Cathedral. We joined the crowds, about hundred people trying to get in through the narrow door that let in only two or three people at a time, so you can imagine the struggle to get in. Inside it was hot, crowded, and stuffy but I was overwhelmed by the grandiose structure, ambient lighting, murals (saints) on the walls and a large company of priests dressed in black. I was quite puzzled seeing the display of so many icons, symbols and hundreds of paintings of Saints. Isn’t that exactly what the Abrahamic religions object to in Eastern religions? Anyway, my attention was quickly diverted to something unusual I heard: Singing.

The singing wasn’t the commonly heard choir music (what I call ‘Christian music’ for the sake of simplicity) but it was composed of distinctly male voices. Services in an orthodox church are not conducted by a single priest, but by a group of them. They believe that human voice is the most perfect form of music, hence instead of using musical instruments, groups of priests (maybe some altar boys and the choir too) sing the prayers while others accompany them in a harmony. The result is a fine blend of different voices, overlapping tones and varied pitches that somehow still create a wonderful effect. As an Indian Classical musician, I was extremely fascinated by this style, almost never seen in Indian music (except chanting in Hindu/Buddhist temples).

The tempo of singing increased gradually and everyone but me seemed to understand what was going on. You could sense the music reaching climax as the as the length of the verses shortened, variations in singing increased and finally one voice carried the prayer till the end while voices around him faded slowly. It was truly a magical spectacle as hundreds of devotees inside the cathedral bowed town and started moving towards the altar with candles or crosses in their hands and curious eyes now noticing me. I made my way out of the monastery, emerging from a thick cloud of humidity, smoke and incense to the dry and chilly weather outside with the sights and sounds of the place imprinted on my mind.

The bells were ringing, birds were flying, sun was setting and the sky was displaying a brilliant pattern of colors almost as if someone had applauded to the presentation in the monastery inside. Soon I found my friend (I was almost worried that he I was lost) in that crowd and then we were thinking about one of the three basic needs of humans; satisfied promptly as seen below.

Dinner

Factual information

Sergiev Posad, called Zagorks by the Soviets, is about 60km away from Moscow and very easily accessible by public transit. It is one of the most important Golden Ring cities (a number of cities north-east of Moscow that have historical and religious significance).

Bus: Buses depart to Sergiev Posad from VDNKh station on Moscow Metro at about 30-minute frequency. Alternatively, certain buses departing from Moscow’s Yaroslavl Vokzal and going to Pereslavl-Zalessky and beyond stop at Sergiev Posad.

Train: Frequent suburban trains depart from Yaroslavsky terminal and take about an hour to reach.

The monastery: The monastery is a 15-minute walk from the bus and train station. Simply keep walking along the straight road going north (it goes downhill and then climbs) keeping the monastery domes in sight all the time. It’s hard to get lost. Admission is free, and the place is open between 10:00 to 18:00.

Gate-Church: Entrance door to the whole complex

Related posts

• The Kremlin at Suzdal (7)
• The Charming Onion Domes (15)
• New Jerusalem Monastery (6)
• Bogolyubovo’s Church of the Intercession on the Nerl (18)
• Russian Orthodox Church Bells (8)

¶ Blogged by Priyank Thatte | Tags: Christian, Religion, Russia

The riot of color and shapes that is St. Basil’s Cathedral is unmatched anywhere else in the world.

St. Basil’s Cathedral, seen from the ‘other’ side

What’s the building about?

Until very recently, I thought that this colorful fairytale-like building was called Kremlin and its like the Taj Mahal of Russia. This building is actually a cathedral and houses a number of tiny chapels inside. The cathedral was commissioned by Tsar Ivan IV to commemorate the capture of the Khanate of Kazan, and built from 1555 to 1561.

A chapel filled with icons, medieval painted walls, and varying artwork

The building is known by many names. The Cathedral of Intercession of the Virgin on the Moat (RU: Собор Покрова что на Рву – The Cathedral of the Protection of the Mother of God, or simply Pokrovskiy Cathedral – RU: Покровский Собор; better known as the Cathedral of Saint Basil the Blessed , Saint Basil’s Cathedral – RU: Храм Василия Блаженного) is a multi-tented church on the Red Square in Moscow that also features distinctive onion domes. St. Basil, after whom the cathedral is named, was a preacher who roamed the streets of Moscow trying to win converts during the reign of Tsar Ivan IV.

Spiraling stairway

Although the towers and domes appear chaotic, there is symmetry and symbolism in its design. There are eight domed chapels symbolizing the eight assaults on Kazan: four large and octagonal and four small and square. In the center is a tent-roofed spire topped with a small golden dome.

Bells. Russian orthodox churches play wonderful music by ringing bells of various sizes. These look like decommissioned ones.

The cathedral had a nice cosy, intimate feel, as opposed to most other cathedrals that are grand structures.

Onion Domes

Spiraling onion dome

Some scholars postulated that onion domes were borrowed by Russians from Muslim countries, probably from the Khanate of Kazan, whose conquest Ivan the Terrible commemorated by erecting St. Basil’s Cathedral. The Kazan Qolsharif mosque had been the principal symbol of the Khanate and some elements from there were said to be incorporated into the cathedral. Others state that the elongated, or onion, domes were part of the same proto-Gothic trend aimed at achieving pyramidal, vertical emphasis.

Secret Tips!

Replica of the structure inside another chapel which felt like a meditation room

The cathedral is located at the south-eastern end of the Red square and is a convenient point to either start or end your tour of the Red Square.

Secret tip #1: Entrance ticket for foreigners is expensive (I think RUR 300 / USD 15), but for locals its RUR 100 (USD 5). I asked for a student discount ticket in Russian, and I got in for RUR 50 (USD 2.5). Awesome!

Secret tip #2: Entering the Red Square from this end is not very popular, hence there are few chances of getting checked or bothered by the police. The other entrance is very crowded, filled with souvenir shops and policemen who pry on foreign-looking people checking random passports. So be wiser.

…and you are welcome.
Saint Basil’s Cathedral and statues commemorating the leaders of Russia’s volunteer army against the Polish invaders

Related posts

• The Kremlin at Suzdal (7)
• Sergiev Posad: Entering the Orthodox Christian circuit (9)
• New Jerusalem Monastery (6)
• Bogolyubovo’s Church of the Intercession on the Nerl (18)
• Russian Orthodox Church Bells (8)

¶ Blogged by Priyank Thatte | Tags: Christian, Religion, Russia