Will be quiet. Like among the swamps several monks restore the old monastery

The Lavryshevsky Monastery was lost somewhere between flowering meadows, impenetrable swamps and small villages in Novogrudok district. From them the complex is separated by a narrow, but already fast Neman. The only connection with the outside world is a wobbly wooden bridge. The restoration of one of the oldest monasteries in Belarus began more than 10 years ago when two monks came to the swamps. Since then, a lot has changed. And the villages around the monastery are dying, as before, you can not name exactly.

The St. Eliseevsky Lavrushevsky Monastery is mentioned in the Ipatiev Chronicle. It was the center of Belorussian writing and a major religious complex. It was destroyed several times and the following restoration only began in 2006. Now, it is a small monastery, which quickly became very popular with pilgrims

"On the river of Nemna, the borders of Lithuania and the new city "

Historians still argue where this first monastery was. The modern is located near the village of Gnesichi, which is about 10 kilometers from the town of Lavrishevo, where, according to scientists, an old building should have stood. Archaeological excavations are done here every year. In 2016, found, for example, two previously unknown sarcophagus. The archaeological expedition has cleared the underground structure of Holy Dormition Church and has fallen on a crypt with burials. There were remains of people and objects of worship in the sarcophagi.

It is here that the original monastery was originally built – an open question. In the Chronic Ipatiev it is written simply "On the river on Nemna, the borders between Lithuania and the New City."

"And the riverbed was a little different at that time," says the monk Seraphim . He lives in the monastery from the beginning of his restoration, when the first abbot Lazar arrived here. Seraphim has been sent to help him. Now he runs the monastery house in the village of Lavryshevo, which is located in the building of the old children's garden. His monks received local authorities.

– I thought all of this would be in the police, but it turned out that it was in the river, – she said. Of course, he is worried. But all the service stands under the burning sun, the priest listens attentively, and when she is dipped three times in the water, she loses all her seriousness and laughs with relief. On the bridge, the girl is applauded

The service on the bank of the Neman was timed for the 1030th anniversary of the baptism of Rus. We put a temporary altar, decorated with flowers. This Saturday in quiet Gnesichi – noisy.

However, as local people say, the flow of people does not falter. Already accustomed to the popularity of this region. Note: Recently in the surrounding villages, the city began buying plots and old houses. They come here most often from Grodno and Minsk. And pilgrims from all over Belarus. Groups from Russia, Poland and Ukraine enter.

– Do not put a car here, yours will come soon, – a sleeping man comes out of the window of the car. After a while, the roadside is already full of cars. People drive all the time while the service is running.

But you can go to the museum for free

Here you can find antique folios, church utensils and icons of different religions. The fact is that the old wooden church of Lavrishevo never closed, unlike the temples of the surrounding villages. There, icons and various utensils were simply thrown away.

The local transported all this to Lavrishevo. When the church was given to the monks, it turned out that the orthodox icons of the temple were objects of worship Uniates and Catholics.

"You can not destroy everything," says Seraphim. Thus in the museum of the monastery there were unique paintings of the XVIII and XIX centuries. All icons are in pretty good condition. And there are some old gospels.

Monks have their own traditions. For example, every night, they walk around the monastery with the procession of the cross and, in summer, they gather with all the people around the fire. They talk, discuss not only spiritual, but also material – how to build a monastery, where to take money for construction, because in the plans on the territory of the complex to build more than 30 drops. And they want this baptism in the Neman to become traditional and that more people come here that day

– So we will build the monastery, – they say.