Rogovskaya, Krasnodar Krai, Russia, August 5, 2025
Photo: yandex.net
Seven Orthodox bishops joined together on August 2-3, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the revival of the St. Mary Magdalene Convent, the first women’s monastery in the Krasnodar Krai and North Caucasus.
His Eminence Metropolitan Vasily of Ekaterinodar and Kuban led the All-Night Vigil on the eve of the celebration, followed by Divine Liturgy the next morning in the convent’s Church of the Holy Protection. He was concelebrated by six hierarchs and a host of clergy at the Divine Liturgy, the monastery reports.
Photo: mironositsa.ru
The original monastery was established in 1849 on the lands of the Black Sea Cossack Host between the villages of Timashevskaya and Rogovskaya in what is now Krasnodar Krai. Founded with the blessing of Emperor Nicholas I, the convent served as a spiritual center for Cossack widows and orphans. After the Russian Revolution, the sisters were expelled around 1920, with many sent to work at fish farms in Astrakhan. The monastery was revived in 1995 with a moleben on August 4, and officially reopened in 1997 in the village of Rogovskaya, four miles from the original monastery.
Following the Divine Liturgy, Met. Vasily delivered a sermon to the assembled clergy, monastics, and faithful, saying:
Today we find ourselves in a monastery that was founded to teach people a life of sacrifice. In 1849, a monastery appeared here that became a refuge for those who wanted to dedicate their lives to God. The nuns of the monastery, while saving themselves, also served people, helping them in spiritual and moral matters. This idea of service had a dual character: husbands fought against the visible enemy, while wives and widows battled the invisible enemy. Thus, the monastery became not only a place of prayer, but also a center of support and help for all those in need.
Photo: mironositsa.ru
Abbess Tavifa (Zoro) thanked Met. Vasily for his visit and participation in the festivities, presenting him with a bouquet of flowers.
For the monastery’s guests, a photo exhibition and a traditional Cossack village compound were organized, where everyone was warmly welcomed by the Cossacks of Rogovskaya village. All visitors were able to purchase products grown and prepared by the monastery’s sisters.
The Divine Liturgy was broadcast live:
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