Staroe Shamordino, Kaluga Province, Russia, May 30, 2025
Photo: tropki.ru
On Tuesday, May 27, the day before the leavetaking of Pascha, the Kazan-St. Ambrose Shamordino Monastery solemnly celebrated the 35th anniversary of its revival after being closed and desecrated by the godless authorities in 1923. The monastery was founded by the great elder St. Ambrose of Optina in 1884.
On May 27, 1990, the first restored church, in honor of the Assuage My Sorrows Icon of the Mother of God, was consecrated and Nun Nikona was elevated to the rank of abbess.
The festal Paschal Liturgy for the anniversary was celebrated by His Eminence Metropolitan Theognost of Kashira, chairman of the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism, in the monastery’s Kazan Cathedral. He was concelebrated by His Grace Bishop Joseph of Mozhaisk, abbot of Optina Monastery, and Shamordino and Optina clergy, the monastery reports.
Photo: .shamordino-m.ru
The abbesses and sisterhoods of other area monasteries and pilgrims filled the monastery on the joyous occasion.
The service concluded with a Paschal procession. Met. Theognost then read out the congratulatory message of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. The Russian primate wrote of the importance of the monastery:
By God’s mercy 35 years ago the monastery found new life and the lamp of monastic prayer was again kindled in it. I would especially like to note that the sisters strive to preserve the continuity of traditions and cherish the memory of the ascetics who once performed their spiritual feat in this holy place. The spiritual center that has been created is also of great importance for the enlightenment and consolation of numerous pilgrims.
Photo: .shamordino-m.ru
Abbess Sergia thanked Met. Theognost and presented him with an Assuage My Sorrows Icon.
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Photo: shamordino-m.ru
The Shamordino Monastery owes its revival, among others, to the abbot of Optina Hermitage, Metropolitan Ebvlogy (Smirnov, †2020). For the solemn celebration of the Millennium of the Baptism of Rus’, desecrated holy churches and monasteries began to be returned to the Russian Orthodox Church. And in 1987, Optina Hermitage was among the first to be returned. In spring 1990, Bishop Evlogy appealed to His Holiness Patriarch Pimen of Moscow and All Russia with a petition to open the Shamordino Monastery.
On May 3, 1990, Pat. Pimen signed a decree on the renewal of the monastery. On May 15, the monastery was officially transferred to the Russian Orthodox Church. Nun Nikona (Peretyagina, †2012) of the Riga Holy Trinity Monastery was appointed abbess, and Abbot Polycarp (Nichiporuk, † 2024), a monk of the Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra, who participated in the revival of Danilov monastery—the first monastery returned to the Russian Orthodox Church—was appointed spiritual father of the monastery.
Photo: shamordino-m.ru
On May 27, 1990, the first of the restored churches was consecrated, in honor of the icon of the Mother of God Assuage My Sorrows, and Nun Nikona was elevated to the rank of abbess.
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