Sanaksar monastery in Mordovia has existed for more than 350 years. For many centuries, it has been an important center of Orthodoxy in the region. Despite the long decades of desolation and desecration, today the monastery receives tens of thousands of pilgrims who come there to bow to the numerous shrines of the monastery.
Base
The Sanaksar monastery in Mordovia was founded in 1659, when Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich was on the Russian throne. A place for desert on the left bank of the Moksha River, three miles from the city of Temnikov, was given to her as a gift by a scribe originating from local noblemen - Luke Evsyukov. He invited her first abbot, Father Superior Theodosius, from the Staro-Kadomsky Monastery. In 1676 the first temple of the monastery was built, consecrated in honor of the icon of the Mother of God of Vladimir.
When Abbot Theodore
By 1750, the Sanaksar Bogoroditsky monastery, then still having the status of a desert, came to desolation. The reason was the lack of benefactors, as well as the replacement of the deceased members of the fraternity. In this regard, it was decided to attribute the monastery to the Sarov desert, which was in its prime.
Sanaksar shrine was revived only under the rector Theodore (in the world Ivan Ushakov). Over this period, which lasted more than 10 years (1764-1774), it became the spiritual center of Russia along with Sarov. On March 7, 1765, the highest decree was issued, according to which the Sanaksars became officially called the monastery.
Rector Theodore came from a wealthy noble family and was the younger brother of the father of the famous Russian naval commander F.F. Ushakov. He received tonsure in the presence of Empress Elizabeth in 1748 in the Alexander Nevsky Monastery. Since 1754, the monk Theodore lived in Sanaksary. In total, he spent 45 years of his life in the service of the Lord and was buried in the temple he built himself. In 2004, Theodore was presented for veneration by the Monk of the ROC.
Hegumen Joel
In the second half of the 18th century, the monastery had many dignified worshipers in both capitals, therefore, it received generous donations from them. In 1774, Hieromonk Joel became rector. He was one of 11 retired student guards of the Monk Theodore and ran the monastery for four years.
Large-scale construction
When Joel was consecrated cathedral warm church and the Church of the Transfiguration, located under the bell tower. After 2 years, the monastery was surrounded by a wall. She had 33 fathoms in length and eight arshins in height. A passage gate was made in it, at the corners of 2 towers. In one of them, located on the banks of the Moksha River, a chapel was built, in the other - 2 cells.
At the end of the 18th century
The Sanaksar monastery in Mordovia continued to be settled under the rectors of Benedict and Benjamin. When they built a 2-story stone building, which housed cells. On one of them, upon returning from Solovki, the first abbot of the monastery, the Monk Theodore Ushakov, settled.
In 1784-1785, an external stone fence was built around the monastery to strengthen the walls, protecting the monastery from the side of the river, Lake Sanaksar and meadows.
At the end of the 18th century, up to 100 monks and novices constantly lived there. In addition, pilgrims of any rank were admitted to the monastery and provided shelter and food during their stay.
In the 19th century
An official document dating back to 1802 contains a characteristic of the Sanaksar monastery, according to which it "is not inferior to the best Russian monasteries." Another note of the same period mentions that most members of the fraternity are former military men belonging to the nobility.
In 1810, not far from the Sanaksar Monastery, Fedor Ushakov settled in the village of Alekseyevka, purchased with his own money. He became his main philanthropist and spent large sums to help the brethren and arrange the monastery. Very often, especially during Lent, the famous great Russian naval commander settled in one of the cells and spent days praying with his brethren, sharing a meager meal with her. During his lifetime, he bequeathed to bury himself in the Sanaksar monastery. When Admiral Fyodor Ushakov died on October 2, 1817, Temnikov’s inhabitants carried his body in his arms to the monastery and buried it on its territory.
At the beginning of the last century
The Sanaksar Monastery (where it is located - see below) from 1895 was ruled by rector Augustine, who received tonsure after resigning from the army, where he served as a captain army in the Volyn Guards regiment. He did a lot for the improvement of the monastery, and after his death in 1915, the leadership of the brotherhood was entrusted to Alexander Urodov.
In 1918, revolutionary sentiments penetrated the monastery walls, and the rebellious part of the monks ousted the abbot, and he was taken into custody. Later, the abbot became rector of the Sviyazhskaya Makaryevskaya, and then vicegerent of the Sedmiiezernaya desert.
In the 1920s, the New Life commune was operating in the monastery. For several years, the monastery was ruined and plundered by everyone who could. As a result, in 1929 it was closed.
The period from 1930 to 1991
After the closure of Sanaksara (a monastery in Mordovia) began to collapse as a result of raids by marauders, and under the influence of natural factors. The first “victim” of the marauders was the chapel above the grave of Admiral F. Ushakov. In addition, the monastery cemetery was destroyed and dug up. Vandals knocked heads off temples, mutilated murals, staged a stable in the narthex of the cathedral church.
Later, the monastery’s buildings were transferred to the school of rural machine operators and in some of them garages were organized. This situation continued until the 70s, when the Soviet authorities decided to restore Sanasary as a monument of architectural value.
Recovery
Gorbachev's perestroika laid the foundation for radical changes in the consciousness of the inhabitants of the former Soviet Union regarding religion and faith in God. Mordovia did not stand aside. The Sanaksar Monastery was transferred by a believing decree of the Council of Ministers of the republic of May 7, 1991. After 2 weeks, on the Holy Trinity, the governor of the monastery performed the first liturgy there.
Monastery today
In the monastery today there are several temples. Among them:
- Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary;
- Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord;
- Church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God;
- Church of the Resurrection of Christ;
- the tomb-chapel of Shemeigumen Jerome.
The monastery houses the revered icons of the Mother of God of Kazan, the Monks Alexander the Confessor and Theodore of Sanaksar, as well as the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The monastery is also famous for its holy sources. The main one is in the forest, by the road that leads to the monastery. From it, the pilgrims can drink or take on a long journey a cool holy water. In addition, there are two baths for ablutions, enclosed in a tower. In the baths there are handrails with steps, which allows the weak and elderly people to use them.
The monastery has a church shop. It presents a large assortment of church utensils, including icons, crosses, lamps, candles, as well as books, souvenirs, audio and video tapes of Orthodox themes.
