Sergiev Posad, Russia, April 9, 2020
Photo: stsl.ru
A number of holy monasteries and cathedrals have developed virtual tours, allowing the faithful and other interested people around the world to “visit” these holy sites from their homes.
The latest is the Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra in Sergiev Posad, Russia, one of the most important centers of the Russian Orthodox Church, founded by the great St. Sergius of Radonezh in the 14th century.
The new virtual tour is available in both English and Russian, and is presented as a series of panorama videos with narration describing the history and the objects of the monastery. The viewer can look in all directions without stopping the video.
Taking the tour, you can see how the Lavra looks from a bird’s-eye view and also explore the interior of the Holy Trinity Cathedral, with the relics of St. Sergius, “admire the beauty of the St. Sergius Church with refectory chambers from the 17th century, climb the highest bell tower in Russia, and walk along the monastery walls,” the Lavra’s website explains.
The tour can be viewed on a computer, mobile phone, or with a VR helmet.
View the first video of the tour below:
Enjoy the rest of the tour on YouTube.
Other recently-launched virtual tours include the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi, and the Svyatogorsk Lavra in Ukraine.
