Goritsky Monastery (Goritsy)
Encyclopedia
The Goritsky Monastery of Resurrection is a Russian Orthodox convent
(female
monastery
) in the village of Goritsy, 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) north of the town of Kirillov, Kirillovsky District
, Vologda oblast
, Russia
. As of 2011, it was one of the four acting monasteries and the only acting female monastery in Vologda Oblast.
.
At the time, it was a common habit to use the monastery for political exile. In particular, in 1586 Anna Koltovskaya, the fourth wife of Ivan the Terrible, might have taken monastic vows under the name of Daria before being transferred to Tikhvin
. Xenia Godunova, the daughter of Tsar Boris Godunov
, was presumably made a nun here in 1606. Subsequently, she was transferred to the Knyaginin Convent in Vladimir
.
In 1920s, the monastery was transformed by Bolsheviks into an agricultural cooperative
where the nuns worked and prayed. In 1930s it was shut down, and most of the nuns were executed. In 1970s it became part of Kirillo-Belozersky museum-zapovednik of History, Art, and Architecture (based on the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery
). Since 1990s a small community of nuns started to live in the convent.
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
(female
Female
Female is the sex of an organism, or a part of an organism, which produces non-mobile ova .- Defining characteristics :The ova are defined as the larger gametes in a heterogamous reproduction system, while the smaller, usually motile gamete, the spermatozoon, is produced by the male...
monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
) in the village of Goritsy, 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) north of the town of Kirillov, Kirillovsky District
Kirillovsky District
Kirillovsky District is an administrative district , one of the twenty-six in Vologda Oblast, Russia. Municipally, it is incorporated as Kirillovsky Municipal District...
, Vologda oblast
Vologda Oblast
Vologda Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is Vologda. The largest city is Cherepovets.Vologda Oblast is rich in historic monuments, such as the magnificent Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, Ferapontov Convent , medieval towns of Velikiy Ustyug and Belozersk, baroque...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. As of 2011, it was one of the four acting monasteries and the only acting female monastery in Vologda Oblast.
History
The monastery was established in 1544 by knyaginya (duchess) Euphrosinia Staritskaya.. In 1563, she was forced to become a nun and then was permitted to stay as a nun in the Goritsky Monastery, together with her daughter-in-law, Yevdokiya Staritskaya. In 1569, both of them, following the order of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, were drowned in the Sheksna RiverSheksna River
The Sheksna is a river in Belozersky, Kirillovsky, Sheksninsky, and Cherepovetsky Districts of Vologda Oblast in Russia. It is a left tributary of the Volga River. It is long, and the area of its basin...
.
At the time, it was a common habit to use the monastery for political exile. In particular, in 1586 Anna Koltovskaya, the fourth wife of Ivan the Terrible, might have taken monastic vows under the name of Daria before being transferred to Tikhvin
Tikhvin
Tikhvin is a town and the administrative center of Tikhvinsky District of Leningrad Oblast, Russia, located on both banks of the Tikhvinka River in the east of the oblast, east of St. Petersburg. Tikhvin is also an industrial and cultural center of the district, as well as its transportation...
. Xenia Godunova, the daughter of Tsar Boris Godunov
Boris Godunov
Boris Fyodorovich Godunov was de facto regent of Russia from c. 1585 to 1598 and then the first non-Rurikid tsar from 1598 to 1605. The end of his reign saw Russia descend into the Time of Troubles.-Early years:...
, was presumably made a nun here in 1606. Subsequently, she was transferred to the Knyaginin Convent in Vladimir
Vladimir
Vladimir is a city and the administrative center of Vladimir Oblast, Russia, located on the Klyazma River, to the east of Moscow along the M7 motorway. Population:...
.
In 1920s, the monastery was transformed by Bolsheviks into an agricultural cooperative
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
where the nuns worked and prayed. In 1930s it was shut down, and most of the nuns were executed. In 1970s it became part of Kirillo-Belozersky museum-zapovednik of History, Art, and Architecture (based on the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery
Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery
Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery , loosely translated in English as the St. Cyril-Belozersk Monastery, used to be the largest monastery of Northern Russia. The monastery was dedicated to the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, for which cause it was sometimes referred to as the Dormition Monastery...
). Since 1990s a small community of nuns started to live in the convent.