Holy-Троицкая Sergius Lavra. Part 4.

To the monastery visited by pilgrims and tourists from all over the world, travelling along the Golden ring of Russia.

the history of the monastery is associated with many important events of the Russian state: the battle of Kulikovo, a difficult period of Mongol-татарского yoke, the struggle with the foreign invaders and the first years of the reign of Peter the great...

All these pages of history is not passed by the monastery.

Near assumption Cathedral from the North side of the buried Russian poet Ivan Sergeyevich Aksakov.

Ahead of @- the most beautiful building of the Royal Palace. This two-storey Palace attracts attention with colorful walls covered with ceramic tiles. Paired Windows with decorative columns.

Royal Palace built in the XVII century for visits to the monastery of the Russian tsars and members of their families.

the building"s Interior is even more rich than the outer decoration, as the Palace took the most distinguished guests.

the Rooms are decorated with magnificent stucco. In particular, it is preserved from 1745 stucco medallions with scenes from the life of Peter I.

Since 1814, the building housed the Moscow theological Academy. The best pupils of the icon painting school created stunning paintings in the temples and houses of Lavra.

Now in the Royal Palace is the Museum of Church-археологического Cabinet with an exposure of 20 thousand items of Church plate and vestments, the most valuable icons, books, sacred relics and unique Antiques.

Trinity@Laurel ndashСергиева founded by one of the most revered saints in Russia @- Sergius of Radonezh.

Sergius of Radonezh was the son of pious Rostov boyars Cyril and Mary.

In my childhood my parents did not bless him for the monastic life.

only when shortly before his death they went to the monastery, Sergius of Radonezh decided to devote his life to the service of God.

the Time when I lived Sergius of Radonezh (1314-1392 years), it was very difficult for Russia: constant raids of the Mongol-татар forced people to think about how to survive.

St. Sergius considered it his duty to take care of the spiritual education.

on the Eve of the battle of Kulikovo, he blessed Dmitry Donskoy to fight the Horde of Mamai.

He also tried to reconcile the warring princes.

the Monastery became a real centre of culture and education.

In 1422 @- the year the official canonization of the venerable Sergius @- the monastery was decorated with new stone buildings.

During its long history, the Trinity monastery was repeatedly attacked by enemies.

In 1608 -1610 years of the monastery withstood the siege of the Polish army of thirty thousand-литовских invaders (deposited in the monastery there were about three thousand).

the Unprecedented courage in defense of the Trinity monastery was marked by the miraculous appearance of St. Sergius of Radonezh and other saints, to strengthen the spirit of the heroic defenders of the Orthodox stronghold.

In 1744 the monastery received the honorary title of Lavra. A glorious period in the history of the monastery is connected with the name of Metropolitan of Moscow Platon. In XVIII–XIX centuries in the vicinity of the monastery there were built the Bethany monastery, Bogolyubovo monastery, Chernihiv-Гефсиманский hermitages and the Hermitage of the Paraclete.

These small monasteries, spiritually and administratively linked to the Lavra, showed the world wonderful старцев-подвижников.

In 1920 Trinity-Сергиева Lavra was closed. Its buildings in 1920 is historical-художественный the Museum and other institutions. Some of the buildings occupied by housing.

the Revival of the monastery began in the first postwar year. Holy Saturday in 1946, the Lavra bells heralded the first after the closure of the Lavra divine services in the assumption Cathedral. The restored monastery now occupies a prominent place in the life of the Russian Church.

the laurels centuries collected a unique library. Are stored in the Russian Chronicles and manuscripts of the XV @- XVII centuries, unique examples of Russian early printed books.

On the square in front of the main entrance to Trinity-Сергиеву monastery is a monument to Sergius of Radonezh.

LAvra is located in the ancient beautiful town of Sergiyev Posad. It is a city with a rich history spanning almost seven centuries, rich with bright events of life.