Novodevichy Convent

Categories / Religion. Church/Monasteries and Convents
NOVODEVICHY CONVENT OF HOLY RESURRECTION, located at 100 Moskovsky Avenue. An architectural monument. It was established in 1845 by order of Emperor Nicholas I, who decided to recreate the abolished Smolny Convent on a new location. The first Mother Superior of the Convent was Feofania (Gotovtseva). Building started in 1848, following the plans of architect N. E. Efimov, in the Russian Byzantine style. After his death, L. L. Bonstedt, and then N. A. Snychev directed the construction. In 1848, a temporary wooden Kazan Church was built (demolished in 1929). In 1854, the south wing with a home church dedicated to Our Lady of Vatoped was completed, and in 1855 - the north wing with the Church of Three Saints and a bell tower. In 1856-61, the Holy Resurrection Cathedral with five domes and five side-altars was erected in the centre of Novodevichy Convent (internal painting was done by artists A. A. Kolchin and R. F. Vinogradov, and icons were painted by nuns supervised by artist G. I. Yakovlev). The bell tower of St. Isidor Church was erected in 1892-95 (architects L. N. Benois, V. P. Tseidler, now destroyed), which gave a less traditional look to the ensemble. The stone church sepulchre with large domes dedicated to the icon of Our Lady Assuaging My Sorrows (by architect V. A. Kosyakov) was built In 1907-18, and painted by artist F. R. Raylyan. By 1917, about 80 nuns lived at Novodevichy Convent. The Convent had several art workshops, a hospital and the St. Vladimir School, training teachers for parish schools. At the end of the 19th century, two metochions of Novodevichy Convent were founded in Vokhonov and Elizavetino (St. Petersburg Province). In 1918, Novodevichy Convent was closed. In 1932, the services in the cathedral were ceased; and in 1938, the Church of Our Lady of Vatoped was also closed. In 1928-33, Metropolitan of Leningrad Serafim (Chichagov) lived at Novodevichy Convent and the Eparchy administration was located there. In 1995, the Novodevichy Convent was reopened; in 2002, all the buildings were returned to the convent. Novodevichye Cemetery is located near Novodevichy Convent.

References: Антонов В. В., Кобак А. В. Святыни Санкт-Петербурга: Ист.-церков. энцикл. СПб., 1994. Т. 1. С. 65-71; Соколова Л. И. Никто молитвы не отнимет. СПб., 2000.

S. V. Boglachev. Benois Leonty Nikolaevich
Bonstedt Lyubim (Ludwig) Lyubimovich
Efimov Nikolay Efimovich
Feofania (Gotovtseva)
Kolchin Alexander Alexandrovich
Kosyakov Vladimir Antonovich
Nicholas I, Emperor
Raylyan Foma Rodionovich
Serafim (Chichagov), Metropolitan
Sychev Nikolay Alexandrovich
Tseidler Vladimir Petrovich
Vinogradov Roman Fedorovich
Yakovlev Gavriil Ivanovich
Moskovsky Ave/Saint Petersburg, city, house 100
Антонов В. В., Кобак А. В. Святыни Санкт-Петербурга: Ист.-церков. энцикл. СПб., 1994
Соколова Л. И. Никто молитвы не отнимет. СПб., 2000 Novodevichye Cemetery
Novodevichye Cemetery
1848
1861