New Jerusalem Monastery – Russia

Boarding : Russia : New Jerusalem Monastery - 26 minutes duration de SIBOMONDEPROIl y a 2 moisplus 14 050 The pilgrimage to the Holy Land starts right in the centre of Russia, 55 kilometers to the northwest of Moscow, on the banks of the river Istra. Here you will discover a Russian holy place. In 1656, the Monastery of the New Jerusalem was established by order of His Holiness Nikon, the most renowned patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church. Russia has always been known for its monasteries. These churches of white stone, decorated with golden domes, were perceived as an image of the heavenly Jerusalem. The New Jerusalem was intended to become not only the spiritual center of Russia, but also of the entire Orthodox world. Each part of this place was given an iconic name from the Holy Land. Thus, the Istra river was renamed the Jordan, and the surrounding hills received the biblical names of Calvary, Bethany and Mount Tabor. The construction of the Cathedral of the Resurrection was based on the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and includes copies of key places related to Christ’s resurrection. It took 113 years to complete. After the October Revolution, the Monstery was closed and turned into a museum. During the Second World War, the retreating Wehrmacht forces destroyed the monastery. At the Nuremberg trials, this fact was considered as a crime against humanity. Restoration work begun almost immediately. The chapel of the Mother of God, Christ on the Cross, and the Holy Sepulchre Chapel miraculously escaped destruction. The present renaissance of life at the monastery began in 1995 with the arrival of new priests. In 2011, with the renovation completed, the cathedral was transferred into the hands of the Russian Orthodox Church.