Miracles near Kazan

Raifskiy Virgin Monastery

- People who only heard about our monastery, often ask me about the frogs on the lake - said Father Vsevolod. - Like, is it true that you have them a charm - do not croak? I say: the truth is, of course, but does this matter? In the monastery many amazing and wonderful ... But it is man himself to come here, he was on all sorts of stuff is not distracted, perceives a real miracle starts to think about the soul.
To Archbishop Vsevolod I checked personally. The frogs, of which there are many, indeed silent - and this, according to tradition, since, as one of the elders in the XVII century, forbade them to distract the monks from their prayers. But to feel the presence of a true miracle that should really come here.
Raif - forest village on the shores of picturesque Lake, 30 km from Kazan. Here is Raifskiy Virgin Monastery. But the name of the monastery was not from the village and the homonymous lake, and vice versa - the lake and all the local area came to be called by the name of the monastery. It was founded in 1613 a monk Filaret, who arrived here from Moscow Chudova monastery. It so happened that the first stone church in the monastery consecrated the day is commemorated in the calendar so-called double beating the holy fathers in the Sinai and Raif, what happened in the IV century.
History repeated . After the revolution, the monastery rushed armed wing Red Army, which began to beat the monks, lay waste the altar, to crack the storage of precious relics. Monks hit the alarm. From the surrounding villages the peasants came running to defend the monastery - and dealt with the squad. Then with them cruelly Soviet power. Monks were shot right at the temple. Now everything is close - not far from the monastery gates of the monument with a red five-pointed star of the dead soldiers. And in the old church of the monastery is the icon of the local martyrs: Father Sergius and other monks who were killed for their faith with them are honored and several local farmers. Only one - the icon, the other - a star.
Revive the monastery began 15 years ago, when here came a young monk Vsevolod, and with him two novices. Raised the monastery from complete ruin and desolation. And immediately, according to Father Vsevolod, felt the presence of miracles, which then happened here endlessly.
- Just think we are - he says - how and what to cement the entrances to the churches, immediately out of the woods comes a car with the cargo. Heard, they say, you start building - can help cement, money is not necessary. Who are, where - do not know. So it went.
So still goes. Worth seeing is the abode of a man with his own eyes, he had a soul to it grows. Be sure to come back again and something so help. In addition to tens of thousands of pilgrims who gather here once on church holidays, in recent years there have called and not one time so many stars, politics and culture of that wonder. Irina Arkhipova, Alexander Kalyagin, Olga Ostroumov, Valentin Gaft, Oleg Gazmanov, Basil Lanoviy, Alexei Kudrin, Gennady Seleznev, Joseph Kobzon and Pamfilova ... Some of them are baptized, some married, many call themselves spiritual children Raifa. And help.
Especially after they see the local children. The monastery itself was formed orphanage. The first was unknown how wandered here boy, who said: "If you drive off - all live in the world will not." Remained. When managed to get permission from the authorities, got a second. Now they are about twenty - the age of 7 to 17 years. Almost all of the guys a terrible life story. One killed in front of his father and himself so beaten that he was completely deaf in one ear. Another doused with gasoline and set on fire. The third was kept in a cardboard box in the stairwell and were fed once a day, like a puppy. Here they lived and flourished. When you listen to their singing - just the angels in the flesh.
- Even Chubais as listened to the whole in the face of change - said Father Vsevolod. - Then ask: what do you guys dream about? Sasha him: yea, behold, they say, seen on television at Disneyland, there would have to get into, but it hardly ever happens. Chubais had left a week later calls: cook on children documents - will travel to Paris to Disneyland. And, indeed, gone.
Then Father Vsevolod said to them:
- Remember guys, these days, not every one of your peers is Paris.
- Remember this, - said Maxim, - but it would be better in my life was not in Paris, as was my mother.
But Alexei Kudrin has identified two inmates of the monastery in the banking school. Georgy Boos, gave the monastery a car. Alexander Pochinok invest personal savings in the painting of the church. And Olga Ostroumova brought a gift embroidered with her mom Air - special blankets for worship. From his personal foundation provided funds for five crosses to the main temple is the president of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev. And the first people who helped with money abode, were local Muslims.
And although there is also wonder-working icons, and cases of healing from incurable diseases, miraculous rescues from certain death, all- same people, their relationships, their souls - the main miracle of the monastery. To verify this, just at least come up to a 85-year-old mother Sophia, who from dawn to dusk in the monastery flower garden takes care of flower beds. She has a heroic past the front - was a radio operator-gunner, flying in airplanes, went to the walkie-talkie to the front, wounded and awards, worked in large enterprises, and now - the nun and florist from God. Her flower beds - the real works of art and attracts pilgrims no less than the local wonderful frescoes and Life-giving Spring.
Father Cyril had come to Raif after the battle of life, but in our time . He was Special Forces, a party event in many hot spots. But God has called this beautiful stately man for himself. And even from Raifsky monastery he went, with the blessing of Archimandrite Vsevolod lift near another ancient monastery - on the island Svijazhsk. This is one of the local miracle.
Up improbability picturesque, this island at the confluence of the Volga and Sviyagi. From Kazan in the summer here is well accessible by pleasure boats. But winter travel a lot - next to a beautiful ski resort. On the island was once a monastery just two - male and female. Ancient temples. One of them was consecrated Patriarch Hermogenes himself. However, based Sviazhsky Assumption Convent even earlier - in 1555. Painted him as their splendor is not inferior to the Kremlin cathedrals in Moscow. There is here a unique frescoes. For example, the image of St. Christopher with the head of the beast - in a Russia no longer has anywhere else. Or - in vivo fresco of Tsar Ivan the Terrible.
- It was here, and very different kind of unique "creation", - says Abbot Cyril - but, thank God, did not survive. Once in 1918, is shot abbot of the monastery of Bishop Ambrose, in the center Sviyazhsk a monument to Judas Iscariot. This was an initiative of Leon Trotsky, he personally arrived at the opening of the monument. We first wanted to put on a pedestal of Satan, but since so would indirectly confirm the idea of