Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church Visits the Stavropegic Convent of the Holy Trinity and St.Stephan of Makhra

On 30 July 2005 His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia visited the stavropegic convent of the Holy Trinity and St.Stephan of Makhra in the village of Makhra, Alexandrov district, Vladimir region.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church officiated at the Divine Liturgy and Prayer service in St.Stephan’s Church. Concelebrating with His Holiness was Bishop Feognost of Sergiev Posad.

At the Little Entrance of the Liturgy His Holiness the Patriarch granted mother superior of the Convent hegumeness Elisaveta (Zhegalova) the right to wear cross with decorations.

Present at the Divine service were V.P.Korkin, head of the Alexandrov district administration, girls from the orphanage at the Convent, inhabitants of Makhra and numerous pilgrims.

After the Divine service, hegemeness Elisaveta presented His Holiness the Patriarch with the icon of the heavenly protectors of the Convent – Ss Stephan of Makhra and Bishop Varlaam of Suzdal and Tarussa.

In commemoration of his visit the Primate of the Russian Church presented the Convent with a copy of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God. According to legend, a cope of the miraculous Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God was kept by St.Varlaam in his cell.

His Holiness addressed the worshippers:

‘Your Grace, venerable mother hegumeness, reverend fathers, sisters of the Convent, dear brothers and sisters!

I am happy to visit your convent after the eight years since my last visit here and see its outward and spiritual revival. A lot has been done here during these eight years to turn the abode into a place of religious education. Pilgrims come here and find the grace of the Lord, they receive help and intercession of St.Stephan, who was a pupil and follower of St.Sergius, an intercessor for the land of Russia.

We rejoice over the revival of the Russian monasteries and convents, which were destroyed not by foreign conquerors during their invasions, but by our compatriots in the 20^th century.

It is painful to see destruction and ruins. However, when we face the task of reviving the monastic life and all that had been collapsed, there always come good people by the grace of God, who donate money, decorate churches and render assistance of other kind to religious revival.

The hegumenesses are the major driving force as they guide the revival of monastic life and holy places so that the Name of the Lord can be glorified there, where many generations of the Orthodox people prayed thus sanctifying them by their spiritual deeds.

We visited this place eight years ago for the first time and understood how huge a work had to be done for the revival of the Convent. We have not yet seen all the restored buildings, but we could see that major buildings and – what is most important – the holy church, which is the centre of the spiritual life of the abode, were restored through common work.

We thank all the labourers in the field of Christ: mother hegumeness, the benefactors, and all those who helped to bring this holy place back to life in our difficult time. Mother hegumeness is not alone in her deeds, as the sisters of the Convent help her, strengthen and support her by their prayers, help to order the liturgical life and rejoice at the revival of the Convent of St.Stephan of Makhra.

I thank all those who were involved in the restoration of the Convent, including the benefactors, who assist not only the revival of the old abode, but also the education of the younger generation of the Russian Orthodox people. Looking at the faces of the young people who attended the Divine service, we are certain that we shall not lose them for the Church, the Fatherland and our people.

May God grant the religious life and spiritual revival of the Convent to continue and develop. May the Lord through the prayers of St.Stephan of Makhra and of many other zealots of the faith and piety who lived in this land help and grant strength and wisdom to those who fulfil their ministry here, to the success of which we can testify.

We congratulate mother hegumeness with high patriarchal award, which crowned her twelve-year work. May the Life-Giving Cross of Christ will always support and strengthen you and help you in your difficult ministry.

Please accept a Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God to remember us in your prayers. May this holy icon, which was very important in the history of the Convent, be with us who serve the Church of Christ as presbyters, hierarchs and Patriarchs. We were deeply moved to see a Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God in chambers prepared in the abode for the Patriarchal visit.

This Icon of the Heavenly Queen, which I present now to the Convent, protects not only the northwest of our country, but our Fatherland as a whole. The miraculous Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God returned to our country after 60 years of staying abroad. Thousand of the Orthodox people venerated it with faith and hope in Moscow, Riga, St.Petersburg and Tikhvin. May this icon be our blessing on this day of our common prayer in the holy church of the Convent.

I congratulate Bishop Feognost, my concelebrants and all dear brothers and sisters with the feast. I congratulate those who received Holy Communion today. Again I congratulate all of you with the feast, as common ministry to God and the Church is indeed joy and feast for us.’

His Holiness Patriarch Alexy was introduced to the progress in the revival of the Convent of the Holy Trinity and St.Stephan of Makhra.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church presented award to some benefactors who render assistance to the reviving Convent.

Chief inspector of the ‘Rosenergoatom’ Concern E.N.Pozdyshev was awarded with the Order of St.Seraphim of Sarov, 2^nd class. Chief of the section for the operations with buildings of the Moscow Committee for Public Buildings V.M.Bastrykin was awarded with the Order of St.Seraphim of Sarov, 3^rd class, and chief architect of the Central Restoration Projects Workshop S.V. Demidov was awarded with the Order of St.Sergius of Radonezh, 3^rd class.

General Director of ZAO ‘Milon’ V.Ye.Sukhanov and the ‘ATS’ deputy chairman of the Board for legal matters were awarded with the Medals of St.Seraphim of Sarov, 2^nd class.