Boldino, Smolensk Province, Russia, May 15, 2026
Photo: смоленскаямитрополия.рф
The Russian Orthodox Church celebrated the 35th anniversary of the revival of the Holy Trinity Boldino Monastery yesterday, on the feast of St. Gerasim of Boldino.
The service was led by His Eminence Metropolitan Isidore of Smolensk, concelebrated by the monastery abbot Archimandrite Anthony and other monastery and visiting clergy, reports the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism.
The service was attended by monks and nuns from other monasteries and numerous parishioners and pilgrims.
After the Liturgy, a cross procession was held.
Photo: смоленскаямитрополия.рф
The monastery’s abbot also spoke to the assembly:
35 years ago we served the first Divine Liturgy in this place. But at that time, we didn’t think we’d be able to do anything: everything was broken, everything was blown up. Even the small church in honor of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, where St. Gerasim lived and died, had no roof. There was no hope that we would accomplish anything. But 35 years have passed, and we see people coming, the churches have been restored, and life here has been restored. Prayer continues here.
The celebrations in honor of St. Gerasim of Boldino continued with a festive meal.
History of the monastery
Photo: смоленскаямитрополия.рф
The monastery was founded in 1530 by St. Gerasim of Boldino. During the 16th century, the monastery received lands from the tsar and donations from boyars and wealthy people. By the end of the 16th century, it owned more than 80 villages in Dorogobuzh district and engaged in trading and commercial activities.
Stone construction began in the 1590s, including a five-domed Trinity Cathedral, bell tower, refectory with the Church of the Entrance of the Mother of God, and walls.
From 1617 to 1654, the Dorogobuzh region was part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the monastery became deserted. It was revived in 1654 when the Smolensk lands rejoined the Russian Tsardom. In 1764, all lands were confiscated from the monastery under Catherine II’s manifesto.
The 1870s-1880s saw a new flourishing under Archimandrite Andrei (Vasiliev), who repaired and rebuilt existing structures and constructed new buildings including Holy Gates, a chapel at the site of St. Gerasim’s cell, and a hotel for pilgrims.
Between 1919 and 1927, restoration work was conducted, and a historical and art museum was organized in the former monastery buildings. In November 1929, the monastery was officially closed.
During WWII, the monastery served as a partisan base. In March 1943, retreating German forces mined and blew up the Trinity Cathedral, the Entrance of the Theotokos Church, and the bell tower. Restoration based on preserved measurements and photographs began in 1964.
In 1991, Boldino Monastery was transferred to the Russian Orthodox Church. The stone wall with four towers, bell tower, and refectory with the Entrance Church have been restored. The Trinity Cathedral was consecrated by Patriarch Kirill in June 2010. The monastery has dependencies in Dorogobuzh and Safonovo.
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