Iver Monastery, Valday, Novgorod Oblast, Russia
In 1652, on the instructions of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, the Metropolitan of Novgorod went to the Solovetsky Monastery for the transfer to Moscow of the relics of St. Philip the Metropolitan of Moscow. The saint suffered in the reign of Ivan the Terrible in 1568 for exposing the king’s iniquities and atrocities. In a special charter, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich brought repentance for his “great-grandfather” John Vasilyevich, acknowledged his guilt and expressed respect for his martyrdom.
Nikon read the tsar’s letter before the grave of St. Philip and brought repentance in the name of the king for the iniquity of his ancestor. Metropolitan Nikon with a solemn procession returned with the relics of St. Philip to Moscow. On the way, in a dreamy vision, Saint Philip appeared to him and blessed his intention to build a monastery in Valdai.
In the spring of 1652 Patriarch Joseph died, the unanimous decision of the tsar and the Russian bishops to the patriarchal throne was chosen by Nikon. July 25, 1652 Metropolitan Nikon was placed in the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia by the Bishops’ Council.
Entering the Holy See, Nikon expressed his intention to found a monastery on the Valdai Lake, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. The Sovereign approved the request of the Patriarch and allocated from the state treasury huge funds for the speedy construction of the monastery. In the summer of 1653, the pontiff sent to the construction site of skilled architects, many people and building materials, and by the fall two wooden churches were built and ready for consecration. The cathedral church was consecrated in honor of the miraculous icon of the Iberian Mother of God, and warm – in the name of St. Philip the Metropolitan of Moscow. The first abbot of the monastery Patriarch appoints Archimandrite Dionysius – “her husband is adept and divine writing is full of virtue, nezlobiva same and meek …”.
The Patriarch with all his soul strove to look at his child as soon as possible. At the first visit to the monastery under construction, Nikon renamed the Valdaisky posad in the village of Bogoroditsky, and also named the Valdai Lake the Saints, having previously consecrated it and lowering the Gospel and the cross to the bottom. The monastery itself in addition to the former name was called Svyatoozersky.
Epic Russia Culture & Adventure Route © Monika Newbound
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