TravelFeedTravelFeed Logo
St. Archangel Michael Monastery (history and legend)

St. Archangel Michael Monastery (history and legend)

September 2018 · 5 min read

The Holy Archangel Michael Monastery was founded on a vacant lot by the sea. But, who is its founder? This question is very entertaining. Let's understand.

Governor-General Vorontsov founded on this site a cathedral, which was named the patron saint of the Count, St. Michael. This happened in 1835. For 2 years there were conducted services and did not think about the monastery.

In 1837, the Most Reverend Gabriel came to Odessa. I remind you that he is the first archpastor in the Odessa region. He leads the service, in honor of St. Michael. During the service, he hears a voice that repeats the lines from the Bible: "Jealousy about your house consumes Me." Strangely enough, this voice is heard from the first divine services held in this church. Gabriel appeals to the Synod with a request, to found a monastery here. In 1840 the Synod gives its supreme blessing on the construction of a convent.

Now we pay attention to Roxandru Edling, Elizabeth Vorontsov and Alexander Strouds. The girls were distinguished for their benevolence. After the tragic events of 1834, they founded several charitable institutions. After the opening, in 1840, of the monastery, her efforts opened a school for girls-orphans. Here, the hospital and the dining room for the needy are based.

The monastery and the cathedral could survive for almost 100 years. In 1923, the Soviet government closed the charity institution. The closure was carried out because of accusations of counter-revolutionary activity. The fact is that the representatives of the monastery took the side of the patriarch Tikhon and refused to follow the path of the renewal of the schism. In 1931 the monastery lost the cathedral and the bell tower, which were blown up.

The years of occupation have brought a lot of positive to the church as a whole, and to the monastery in particular. With the arrival of the Romanians and the fascists, all holy places are opened in the city. Already on April 27, 1942, the occupation authorities transfer the monastery to the nuns of the monastery. A short period of recovery and rebirth begins. September 3, 1944, the nun Anatoly was elevated to hegumen dignity. Years of calm and relative calm lasted until 1961. The monastery is closed again. However, this time all the premises were transferred to a tubercular hospital. From this time begins a long era of decline and destruction.

The new stage of the revival begins in 1992. About those times tells us the abbess of the monastery - Mother Seraphim. She points out that in 1991 they first came here after years of devastation. The building was in terrible condition. The walls and the roof looked at the sisters and parishioners with big holes. Guests were greeted by trees that grew directly from the walls and foundations.
The sisters lived in damp cells, which were located next to the morgue. At that time, seriously ill people with tuberculosis lived here. On the territory of the monastery was a closed tuberculosis zone. In addition, they tried to treat drug and alcohol addiction.

Mother Serafima expresses her gratitude to Bishop Agathangel, who gave the monastery one of the main shrines - the Gerbovets Icon of the Mother of God. In addition, Vladyka gave the monastery everything necessary for conducting worship services. Special gratitude to Agafangel is expressed for the fact that he was able to assist in the restoration work. In particular, the Metropolitan handed over to the sisters a large number of building materials.

But we were struck by the fate of the main shrine of the monastery - the list of the Fedorov Icon of the Mother of God, the brush of 17th-century masters. In the years of Soviet oblivion, it was lost. In simple terms: stolen. Mother tells how a man came to the monastery and gave the sisters a shrine. He asked to receive this icon. As it turned out, Fedorov's icon was in the bundle. The man said that he wanted to sell the icon. But he did not succeed. Well, after the Mother of God came to him in a dream and asked him to return the icon, he changed his mind about selling it and passes it to the monastery.

Today the monastery lives its pious life. There is a small shelter for those who have nowhere to go. The shelter of Mercy is always open to the suffering. There is also a charitable refectory, where more than 500 people a day come.

Ready to Blog & Earn?

With TravelFeed, easily start your own travel blog and earn as you go. It's the smart platform for travelers who want to profit from their passion. Create a free account

Sunday school is open on the territory of the monastery. They are engaged in sewing church clothes. Here they are engaged in gold mining.

We, on our part, want to thank the sisters of the monastery for their benevolence. They do not provide assistance to those in need, not only on the territory of the monastery, but also outside it. In particular, they help shelters, boarding schools, baby houses and so on. The activity of nuns encourages each of us to achieve pious, good and useful deeds. In our world of cruelty, it is very important to preserve humanity!

May God come with you!
Author: @olya-vichenka

Don't Forget: Get Travel Health Insurance!

To make your trip a worry-free experience, TravelFeed recommends SafetyWing Nomad Insurance. It provides comprehensive health coverage while you travel, so you can focus on exploring, not the unexpected. Get a quote here


Editor chief: @jurgan
We are on GOLOS


Subscribe to my YouTube channel


Exchange of Crypto-currency for Dollar and Euro


Earn on Photoshop

Travel Resources

Recommended by TravelFeed

Flights: We recommend checking Kiwi.com to find the best and cheapest flights .

Accomodation: Find great stays on Booking.com, Agoda and Hostelworld.

Travel Insurance: Medical emergencies abroad can be pricey, but travel health insurance is not. We always use SafetyWing for affordable and reliable coverage.

Transportation: Use 12go and Omio to find detailed bus and train schedules, making travel planning easier.

Car Rental: For hassle-free car hiring, DiscoverCars is our trusted choice with a wide selection of vehicles.

Internet: Got an eSIM compatible phone? Airalo is perfect for reliable internet access during your trip. Just install it before you go, and you're set!

Day Trips & Tours: We recommend GetYourGuide for a variety of well-organized and enjoyable activities.

Tickets: Save on entrance fees with Klook and Tiquets.

Travel Planner: Need a hand planning? Our free travel planner chatbot is your personal guide. Chat now.

Disclosure: Posts on TravelFeed may contain affiliate links. See affiliate disclosure.


Share this post

Read Next