Diocese of Stavropol. Development and development

Many of our compatriots know that there is a Stavropol and Nevinnomyssk diocese on the territory of Russia. It was formed in 2011. Previously, there was the Stavropol and Vladikavkaz diocese. And when, with the blessing of the Holy Synod, part of the territory was separated from it, then this religious association arose.

The first Christians in Stavropol land

Christianity came to the North Caucasus very early - even in the first century of the Nativity of Christ. Here the apostles Andrew, Bartholomew, Simon Kanayt preached. The Diocese of Stavropol keeps one pearl. Believers from all over the world come here to look at the face of Jesus Christ, depicted on one of the rocks of Arkhyz in Karachay-Cherkessia. The time of creating the image of the Savior remains a mystery.

Face is drawn on the Orthodox canon, facing east. It was created in a laconic color scheme, characteristic of Byzantium of the 9-11th centuries. Perhaps this is the very first image of the Lord in Russia. Arkhyz face was discovered recently, on the eve of the 2000th anniversary of the birth of Christ.

The weakening of Byzantium, the spread of Islam, the invasion of the Mongol-Tatar yoke led to the fall of the Christian religion in the North Caucasus. The revival began under Tsar Ivan the Terrible. After Astrakhan was captured, the Russian Cossacks, which were striving for new suburbs, put their first villages there.

Temples of the diocese

The temples of the Stavropol diocese are diverse. So, in Cherkesk stands the Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God, which is more than 350 years old. They say that when the Cossacks resettled, they dismantled and took with them a shrine, which was first installed in the Stavropol Fortress. And when the place of dislocation moved even closer to the foothills, the Cossacks again dismantled the church and took it with them. They put it in a village, which later was renamed the city of Cherkesk. Then the church was twice transferred.

A hundred years ago in the territory of the Stavropol Territory there were 250 churches and three monasteries, more than 200 parochial schools. In addition, there was a theological seminary, and the public organization Andreevo-Vladimirskoye brotherhood numbered about five hundred people. Then, during the repressions in the territory of Stavropol, only three churches remained active.

Stavropol deanery

The Metropolitan of Stavropol includes several deaneries: the first, the second Stavropolsky district and the third Stavropol district, as well as the Mikhailovskoye, Grachevskoye, Novoaleksandrovskoye, Medvezhensky, Izobilnenskoe, Don and Svetlograd deaneries. The Diocese of Stavropol now has 142 functioning temples. The number of clergy reached 137 clerics.

The Diocese of Stavropol has been developing rapidly lately. There is a plan of 20 to 20, that is, until 2020 they want to build 20 churches in Stavropol. This and other pressing problems were made by Metropolitan Kirill of Stavropol and Nevinnomyssk in his speech at the parliamentary meeting in the framework of the sixth diocesan Christmas readings.

By the way, his worldly name is Leonid Nikolayevich Pokrovsky. He was born in 1963 in the city of Miass, Chelyabinsk region. Father, grandfather and great-grandfather were priests. In 1884 the future metropolitan entered the Moscow Theological Seminary and brilliantly finished it. He also studied at a theological seminary in Sofia. In 1989, in the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra, he was tonsured as a monk. In the same year, he was ordained as a hieromonk. July 18, 2012. Cyril's father is elevated to the rank of Metropolitan.

Woman's home

The Metropolitanate of Stavropol, in addition to the temples, also has a female abode in its composition. This is the Ioanno-Mariinsky Monastery, located in the city of Stavropol, and on the territory of a psychiatric hospital. The shrine is a small two-story house with twelve inhabitants. Nuns contain a garden, raise a bird, collect medicinal plants, meet and place pilgrims. They spend many hours in prayer.

Mother Superior is Mother John (in the world of Anna). This holy order she received with the blessing of the archpastor. She grew up in a believing family. The father served as a sacristan, and the mother took monastichood shortly before her death. Anna got married. Her husband served as a priest. But after Anna's daughter got married and her mother passed away, she decided to accept monasticism. The marriage was terminated. The husband also became a monk, then he was appointed bishop in Rybinsk.

The Diocese of Stavropol took mother and her sisters. At first it was very difficult, but soon everything was arranged with God's help. After her came other nuns. Older women found their shelter here, and with the young hegumeness holds long conversations and not all bless to become nuns.