Crimean Metropolitan: routes and programs of pilgrimage in Crimea

— What places in Crimea are now enjoying the greatest attention of pilgrims? Where do they come from most often?

— First of all, these are the shrines of Khersones. Last year, at the initiative of Metropolitan of Simferopol and Crimean Tikhon, the St. Vladimirsky Khersones Monastery was revived. For every Russian person, this place is holy. It was here, according to legend, that the Holy Equal -to -the -Apostles Prince Vladimir took baptism. Here, on the initiative of the Vladyka, the new Khersones museum-guard complex was recently opened. This is a world -class project. There is a huge open -air temple, reconstructed by the Byzantine quarter, the Crimean and New Russia Museum and much more.

Also in the suburbs of Sevastopol is the Inkerman cave monastery in honor of St. Clement, Pope. This is a student of the apostle Peter. He was sent here to the Crimea, to exile at the end of the ⅰ century.

This is the Kosmo-Damian monastery, which is located on the territory of the reserve, in an inaccessible place. About a year ago, the road to the monastery was damaged, and the pilgrims were closed. Only recently, at the end of March, the road was repaired, and access is open there again.

And, of course, first of all, pilgrims and tourists seek to visit the Holy Trinity Convent, where the relics of St. Luke of Crimean-the glorified holy, famous doctor, surgeon, scientist are located …

— What pilgrimage programs do you propose this year? Isn’t it too late to sign up?

— This year, with the blessing of Vladyka Tikhon, we will implement 5 pilgrimage programs lasting from 12 to 14 days. We called them: “Orthodox Crimea”, “Orthodox Crimea. Economy ”,“ Orthodox Crimea. By bus ”,“ Crimea ascetic ”,“ Healing of the soul and body ”. The amount of organized sens varies — from 33,000 rubles. up to 87,000 rubles. The pilgrimage component in all programs is similar. We visit the most famous holy places of the Crimea: the Holy-Vladimir Khersones monastery, the Bakhchisarai Assumption Monastery, the Holy Trinity Monastery, where the relics of St. Luke, the Livadian Palace and the house of the Cross of the Cross, where the farmer King with his family prayed. In total, we visit up to 7 monasteries and 15 temples as part of a pilgrimage trip.

In total, as part of a pilgrimage trip, we visit up to 7 monasteries and 15 temples

But there are some features of each program. They are associated mainly with living conditions. For example, the pilgrims who choose the “Crimea Orthodox”, we place in a comfortable boarding house on the seashore in the city of Evpatoria, next to the St. Nicholas Cathedral. “Crimea ascetic”-placement on the southern coast of Crimea, in the village of Partenit, in the guest house of the courtyard of the Kosmo-Damian monastery. The peculiarity of this program is more frequent services in the house temple, communication and spiritual conversations with the inhabitants of the monastery.

I want to especially highlight the pilgrimage program “Orthodox Crimea. By bus. » We are well aware that in the summer it is very difficult to get train tickets to the Crimea, and planes do not fly yet. Therefore, we take the pilgrims directly from Moscow and two weeks later we bring back. We place pilgrims in the suburbs of Yevpatoria, in a hotel on the seashore. The peculiarity of this program is that the last day and night we will spend in the Toplov monastery, and on the way we will be able to visit a very unusual St. George Caterlez Convent.

The pilgrimage program “Healing of the soul and body” is that its peculiarity is that we place pilgrims on the basis of one of the best Crimean sanatoriums. And in free days from pilgrimage works, they have the opportunity to improve their bodily health.

But I want to remind you that the main thing in the pilgrimage trip is not photographs, not positive emotions, not new information, but general prayer, worship and communion.

It’s not too late to sign up for a pilgrimage to Crimea. This can be done by calling: +7 978 560 00 47 or on website of the pilgrimage service «Luka».

Source: press service of the Crimean Metropolis