“MK in Crimea” traveled along mountain paths to one of the most unusual hermit settlements on the peninsula

Rock monasteries, mountain chapels, and simply caves in which Christians built altars are scattered throughout the peninsula. During the persecution of the church, militant atheists were unable to deal with them, as happened with man-made temples in cities and villages. Many of them will remain history, and some will gain a second life. “MK in Crimea” visited the restored monastery of St. Anastasia the Pattern Maker, which is notable not only for its past, but also for its present - the monks covered their cave monastery with beads!

Behind the splendor along the path of sinners

We, unaccustomed to leaving the city for a long time, are unlikely to look for places, albeit beautiful, but remote from civilization. To get to the monastery of the Great Martyr Anastasia you need to make an effort. Get up early, endure an hour-long bus ride, and then spend half an hour climbing up the “path of sinners,” which the monks lined with car tires to avoid being washed away by rain and snow.

A small mountain hermitage hid in the narrow Tash-Air gorge on the slope of Mount Fytski near the cave city of Kachi-Kalyon. Nine years ago, Hieromonk Dorotheos began restoring the monastery. It all started with one cave, where the monk and his followers lived and prayed. Now the monastery has grown: modest but cozy cell houses with carved shutters have risen on the rock, spread out on the rock unusual garden- iron barrels in which vegetables and fruits grow; the mooing of cows can be heard from afar.

But it is not the houses or the garden that attract the weary traveler, but the man-made cave that has turned into a temple. How medieval monks managed to create such a voluminous grotto is difficult to understand. The current inhabitants of the monastery tried to create a similar one using modern technology, but the rock did not give in to them.

The entrance to the church is through a small wooden extension. Looking like a large spiral, glistening with moisture, a piece of limestone rock supports the roof. It’s just that you don’t immediately notice the stone block - the eye instantly catches on the decorations: beaded panels, lamps with pendants - but this is only the “hallway”.

How are we used to seeing churches? Strict, mostly light when sunlight flow from the high windows located under the roof of the church... But this is not the case here. A deep cave, from which you can no longer tell that it is a cave, is illuminated only by the lights of lamps. The candle flames are reflected in thousands of beads, forming bizarre shadows on the ceiling and walls. The ceiling of the temple was divided by a beaded Star of Bethlehem and a Byzantine cross, separated by a series of hanging lamps. The free space is filled with smaller copies of these Orthodox shrines. It took almost three years to decorate the parish. The monks worked to decorate the monastery late autumn and in winter, when it was already cold to do other work outside.

The decoration of the church began with lamps with pendants, similar to those on Holy Mount Athos. We took them as a basis, and then added a little of our own, and the decoration of the temple itself continued in the same beaded style. Nature itself suggested this option to us - the rock is limestone, damp, and even if we wanted to do a painting, we would not have succeeded early. And so our beaded panels are held on the walls and vault of the cave on a waterproof basis,” Father Agathador says about the temple.

Every item has the spirit of the monastery

The monks find it difficult to answer how many lamps there are in the church. But the guides who take numerous groups of pilgrims to the monastery tell us that there are 65 lamps with beaded pendants, and not a single one is the same. Some of them are just decorations, and some are lit during services, but only during the solemn service do they all light up. Dozens of lamps, flickering like small beacons of the universe, give the impression of a hot, starry August night. This creates a special environment favorable for prayer. But the beaded splendor of the church does not end with the ceiling and lamps. There are stasidia in the temple - wooden chairs with folding seats, a high back and armrests - the monks lean on them during all-night vigils. On the backs of the stasidias are the ten Commandments of God, embroidered with beads on beads. Temple icons are decorated with patterned icon cases made of beads, shimmering in the candlelight.

Each monk capable of creativity contributed to the decoration of the monastery. Handling every bead and every pebble with love, the monks created and are creating things that amaze with their skillful simplicity. Relief paintings with floral patterns, beaded plates with the faces of saints, large wooden crosses, decorated with varnished stones - all this can not only be seen, but also taken home. On the territory of the monastery there is a church shop, where parishioners and visitors to the monastery can purchase not only jewelry, but also useful little things: scented soap self made, made with the addition of various mountain herbs, aromatic oil from the same herbs, small magnets repeating the ornaments of the temple. Every little thing created with prayer, the monks say, contains the spirit of the monastery.

People who once visited the monastery bring gifts to the monks on their next pilgrimage and ask their friends for the same. They carry beads, unnecessary jewelry, buttons, sea stones - everything goes into use here.

In gratitude, they decorate the icon

With the blessing of the rector of Bakhchisaray Holy Dormition monastery Archimandrite Silouan, seven monks and several novices are engaged in the restoration of the monastery. In addition, the inhabitants take care of the garden, in which apples, cherries, plums and even persimmons grow. The monastery also has a small farm - 12 cows and several calves.

When the Burenki appeared, the brothers learned to make cheese, feta cheese, sour cream, and yogurt. At first it didn’t work out, but then we got the hang of it - and now the surplus is being sold. We have our own bakery in which we bake bread, buns, pies, and prosphora for services,” says Father Agafador.

In addition to monastic cells, a hotel for pilgrims was built on the territory. Workers can also stay here - people who want to live in a monastery and work in the name of God.

The day at the monastery begins at half past five in the morning with morning prayer. After breakfast, everyone goes to obedience - they do the work entrusted to them. In the monastery, work is supposed to be combined with prayer, but sometimes a person forgets, withdraws into himself,” shares Father Agathador, “Therefore, once an hour a bell rings, reminding of the duty of each monk. Five minutes later, the second strike of the bell signals the return to work. In the evening there is service, then dinner and evening service. prayer rule. Such days pass in the monastery, a little similar friend on a friend.

There are few parishioners at the temple, the monks complain, only about 40 people and those visitors are from Bakhchisarai, Sevastopol and Simferopol. But residents of surrounding villages rarely visit the temple. But they come from Ukraine and different corners Russia - even from Bashkiria and Yakutia.

They ask Saint Anastasia for different things, but the church people say that Anastasia is the patroness of those who are imprisoned. Often pilgrims return with gratitude to the saint. This can be seen from the temple icon of the Great Martyr Anastasia: there are various pendants, crosses and earrings on it - people wear them in gratitude for the prayerful help of the heavenly intercessor.

About five years ago they began to build a temple in the name of the icon in the monastery Holy Mother of God"Three-handed" The church was built in the Byzantine style: large, with domes and bells, light - the opposite of the cave chapel. But, the monks note, his interior decoration They will also make it beaded.

From the MK dossier

There is no exact information about when the cave monastery of the Great Martyr Anastasia was formed. Judging by the carved Greek crosses found by archaeologists, characteristic of that time, and the preserved correspondence of the Monk John, Bishop of Gotha, with St. Stephen, Archbishop of Sourozh, this happened around the 8th century, they say in the monastery. Then in Byzantium the persecution of Christians for venerating icons had just begun - and, escaping execution, the monks moved to Taurica, spreading the veneration of the holy Great Martyr Anastasia, called the Pattern Maker for her service in alleviating the suffering of prisoners imprisoned for the faith of Christ.

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How to get there

From Simferopol, minibuses depart every hour from the Zapadnaya bus station to Bakhchisarai. There you need to change to a bus heading towards the village of Sinapnoye. The “Kachi-Kalyon” stop is located between the villages of Predushchelnoye and Bashtanovka.

Crimea is famous for its unique cave monasteries and hermitages, lost in the mountains. Special place on the list interesting places occupies the Bead Temple in Bakhchisarai. It is known, first of all, for the unusual decoration and decorations made from beads by monks and parishioners.

Photo of the temple from a visitor:

Monastery in the mountains

The small monastery of St. Anastasia is located near another famous attraction - the cave city of Kacha Kalyon. The monastery is located at an altitude of approximately 150 meters on the slope of Mount Fytski. The climb up is quite steep. To make the path easier, the monks laid old car tires and cemented them. As you climb, you can look at the small church of St. Sophia and the outbuildings of the monastery. The enormous work done by the monks and novices is impressive - they managed to grow practically on a bare rock real garden, numerous flower beds, plant a vegetable garden.

The Beaded Temple of Anastasia the Pattern Maker itself is located above. It was made in a cave carved out of limestone. On such walls, ordinary paintings do not stick due to constant dampness. Therefore, an unusual solution was found for decoration - the monks began to use beadwork. The walls are covered with beaded panels and compositions. The vault is decorated with a Byzantine cross, also made using this technique. The interior decoration is complemented by numerous lamps, also decorated with beads. There are no windows or stained glass windows here; the temple is illuminated only by candles and lamps.

Video review of the temple:

History of the Beaded Temple

It is believed that the first settlements were founded by monks who fled Constantinople due to church persecution in the 8th century. With interruptions, the settlement existed until the end of the 18th century. In 1778, most of the Christians were resettled from Crimea and the monastery was abandoned for many years. In the 19th century, through the efforts of the famous Saint Innocent, a true ascetic who made a huge contribution to the revival of Orthodox monasteries in Crimea. He believed that Crimea was very similar to another famous Christian shrine- Athos. Through his efforts, the monastery was restored, and its territory was carefully landscaped. A road was laid and the Church of St. Anastasia was erected.

After October revolution, the new authorities closed the monastery again in 1932. It was revived in 2005. Monk Dorotheos and his like-minded people played a big role in this. In an abandoned cave, a new temple of Anastasia the Pattern Maker was founded, which soon began to be called Beaded.

Visit to the Temple of Anastasia the Pattern Maker

In addition to the temple, everyone can get acquainted with the monastic way of life. Nowadays, several monks live on the territory of the monastery, who are often helped by parishioners. Many come here specifically to help the monastery with their own labor in household work.

Tourists can purchase various handmade products in a small church shop - soap, herbal infusions, aromatic oils and beadwork. A small hotel has recently been opened for pilgrims. Those who want to contribute to the development of the territory and help the monastery with their work can also stay there.

How to get to the Beaded Temple

Entrance to the monastery is free and open to everyone.

Important! This is the territory active monastery Therefore, you should behave and dress appropriately.

We'll tell you how to get there by car and public transport.

By bus you first need to get to Bakhchisarai. To do this, from Simferopol you should take a bus that departs from the Zapadnaya station to Bakhchisarai. The journey takes about two hours. Already in Bakhchisarai you need to take a minibus that goes in the direction of the village of Sinapnoye. You need to get off before reaching the end, but at the “Kachi Kalyon” stop. It is located between the settlements of Bashtanovka and Predushchelny.

If you go by car, you first need to get to Bakhchisaray, pass the settlement along the road towards Sevastopol. Then you should turn at the sign to the village of Preduschelnoye. Mountains with caves Kachi Kalyon is located about 1.5 km from Preduschelny. Further to the monastery you will have to climb on foot.

A visit to the Beaded Temple will be of interest to a wide range of people, both ordinary tourists and believers. This is truly a unique place. The temple is one of a kind. It provides an opportunity to better learn the history of the peninsula, its traditions and customs.

GPS Coordinates: 44.695169 33.885226 Latitude/Longitude

The beaded temple of Anastasia the Pattern Maker in Crimea is one of a kind. This is a small rock monastery that has existed in Bakhchisarai for many centuries with interruptions. It is famous for its beaded jewelry, which is made by the hands of monks and parishioners. Everything here is imbued with a special atmosphere, and man-made beauty harmoniously combines with spiritual beauty. The temple belongs to the Holy Dormition Monastery of Bakhchisarai.

Location

Where is the Beaded Temple in Crimea? It is located in the area of ​​the cave city of Kachi-Kalyon, on the slope of Mount Fytski, at an altitude of about one hundred and fifty meters in the Tash-Air gorge in the Bakhchisarai region. To ease the steep climb, the monks laid down old car tires and then cemented them. This required a huge amount of work. There are more than six hundred tires in total. The monks on the rocks managed to plant flowers, a vegetable garden and grow a beautiful garden.

Description

The beaded temple in Crimea was made in a cave carved out of limestone. Such walls are very damp and paintings do not stick to them. An original way out of this difficult situation was found - all the jewelry was made of beads. All panels and compositions are also made from it.

The vault is decorated with the Star of Bethlehem and a Byzantine cross of incredible beauty. The lamps, of which there are 65, are also decorated with beads. There are not even two of them whose patterns would be identical. There are no windows at all in the Beaded Temple in Crimea. The room is illuminated with candles and lamps. Their flame is reflected in many beads and creates bizarre shadows on the walls and ceiling of the temple. Creates a warm effect summer night. It took about three years to decorate the parish.

There are stasidia in the temple. These are wooden chairs with a high back and armrests. Stasidium seats are folding. The Ten Commandments are beaded on the backs. Elderly monks lean on these chairs at night during services.

Story

Unfortunately, exact information about the emergence of the Beaded Temple of Anastasia the Pattern Maker in Crimea has not been preserved. There is an assumption that in the sixth to eighth centuries monks settled here who fled Constantinople due to church persecution. They built a rock monastery here, which was later destroyed by an earthquake. Then, in different centuries, the monks periodically returned to this place.

The settlement existed until the eighteenth century with long interruptions. No one knows how the monks cut down the cells here. Even today, with the help modern technologies, it is very difficult to do this in such hard rock. The monks who currently live on the territory of the monastery tried to reproduce such cells, but they failed.

In 1778, most Christians were forced to leave Crimea, resulting in Holy place found itself abandoned for many years. In the nineteenth century, restoration Orthodox churches and the monasteries of Crimea were taken over by Saint Innocent. As a result of his activities, the monastery was revived, its territory acquired a well-groomed appearance. A road was paved and the Church of St. Anastasia was built.

Monastery today

In 1932, the Soviet authorities closed the monastery. The territory was declared a nature reserve. Only in 2005 the temple was restored again. Monk Dorotheos and his like-minded people put a lot of effort into this. The cave was equipped new church St. Anastasia, and the temple received the name Beaded from the parishioners. Monks settled in the cells. They lived here and prayed. They carried building materials and water on themselves. It was very hard work.

Today everyone can not only admire the monastery, but also get acquainted with its life. On this moment Several monks live on its territory. Parishioners help them, and many come here specially and take part in economic work. Here they grow fruits and vegetables, raise cows and make cottage cheese and cheese. The monastery garden is quite unusual. All plants grow in iron barrels. The parish also has its own bakery, where bread, buns and prosphora are baked for services.

A hotel was built near the monastery. Pilgrims and anyone who wants to help the monastery with their work can stay there. People who have once visited this holy place come here with gifts and ask their friends for it. They bring beads, old jewelry, sea stones, and unusual buttons. Everything will find its use here.

Entrance to the parish territory is free and everyone can visit it without exception. Tourists can purchase icons and various handicrafts, including creations made of beads: paintings, crosses, plates with the faces of saints. All items were created with prayer and preserve the spirit of the monastery. Here you can buy handmade soap with the addition of mountain herbs and aromatic oils.

There is a holy spring on the territory of the monastery. The monks ask to treat him with respect.

The path to the Beaded Temple in Crimea is very difficult, it takes about half an hour and is called the “road of sinners”. The only thing that makes the climb easier is that you have to walk in the shade of small trees.

The temple is truly unique. It helps you get to know the history and culture of the peninsula better. The Beaded Temple in Crimea will be interesting to visit for both believers and ordinary tourists.

Holy Great Martyr

Anastasia the Pattern Maker, in whose honor the Beaded Temple in Crimea is named, was born in Rome. Her father was a pagan, and her mother secretly confessed Christian faith. Anastasia accepted her religion and dedicated herself to God. The girl was beautiful, but she refused all suitors, taking a vow of virginity.

Having learned about her religion, the pagans gave her a choice: renunciation of religion or death. The girl chose the latter. The executioner tried to abuse Anastasia, but instead he unexpectedly went blind and died. The girl was tortured and burned at the stake.

Anastasia the Patternmaker is recognized as a saint. During her lifetime, she helped those who were imprisoned for their faith. The girl found words of consolation for everyone. This is why she was called the Pattern Maker.

In front of the icon of Saint Anastasia, prisoners pray for a speedy release, but not those who have committed a mortal sin. Their relatives can also ask for help. People who want to strengthen their faith or ask for relief from illnesses also turn to her. The saint also patronizes pregnant women.

Fire

On January 28, 2018, a fire occurred on the territory of the monastery. Many buildings were destroyed by fire. Thanks to the help of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, it was possible to extinguish the fire and save lives. Cells, warehouses and a kitchen with a refectory were damaged. Only a few days later the monks and parishioners were able to recover from their experience and begin clearing out the rubble.

Help came from all over vast Russia. Restoration work began at a rapid pace. New wooden buildings were quickly erected and they began to furnish them. The more difficult work was taken on by the monks and parishioners, and the easier work was entrusted to the pilgrims.

The Beaded Temple in Crimea in Bakhchisarai, fortunately, was not damaged by fire. In addition, construction of a new temple in the name of the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Three-Handed” has begun next to it. Visitors from different parts of Russia and even from some countries of the former world are taking part in the construction. Soviet Union. After all the work is completed, the monastery will become even more beautiful and unusual.

How to get there

You can get to the Beaded Temple in Crimea from Simferopol by car. First you need to reach Bakhchisarai, from there turn towards Sevastopol and head towards the village of Preduschelnoye, following the sign on the highway. At a distance of one and a half kilometers from the village, you should park in the Kachi-Kalyon area and climb the mountain. Or drive to the village, turn off at the House of Culture and drive four kilometers up the road. This way you won’t have to climb a steep slope on foot.

The second option is public transport. You need to get to the Zapadnaya bus station in Simferopol. From here a bus leaves every hour to Bakhchisarai. Next, you should take a minibus that moves towards the village of Sinapnoye and get off at the “Kachi-Kalyon” stop. The road from Simferopol will take more than two hours, and from Bakhchisarai - about thirty minutes.

Beaded Temple in Crimea: reviews

According to tourists, this is exactly the place where you can find peace and tranquility. The monastery captivates with its harmony, beauty, neatness and unusual decoration. Visitors are amazed by the talent and skill of those who created such a beautiful decoration of the Beaded Temple in Crimea. Negative reviews are missing. The only thing noted is the difficulty of the steep climb up the mountain.

People who have visited the holy place are advised to dress in comfortable clothes that hide their arms and shoulders. Shoes should be suitable for a long climb up the mountain. It is recommended to cover your head to avoid sunstroke.

You should take a water bottle to drink on the way to the temple and then fill it from the spring. A camera will also come in handy, as you will probably want to take pictures of the picturesque views as a souvenir.

It is recommended to take some money with you to donate to the temple and purchase various things in the church shop, as well as delicious monastery kvass, infused with raisins and having a unique taste. At the entrance, you should purchase a bag in which a note with a wish is inserted. The monks will hang it on a column.

The Beaded Temple in Crimea is worth visiting both for believers, who can pray to Saint Anastasia, and for tourists. After all, there is no other opportunity to see such beauty in the whole world. The beaded temple is one of a kind.

Rock monasteries, mountain chapels, and simply caves in which Christians built altars are scattered throughout the peninsula. During the persecution of the church, militant atheists were unable to deal with them, as happened with man-made temples in cities and villages. Many of them will remain history, and some will gain a second life. “MK in Crimea” visited the restored monastery of St. Anastasia the Pattern Maker, which is notable not only for its past, but also for its present - the monks covered their cave monastery with beads!

Behind the splendor along the path of sinners

We, unaccustomed to leaving the city for a long time, are unlikely to look for places, albeit beautiful, but remote from civilization. To get to the monastery of the Great Martyr Anastasia you need to make an effort. Get up early, endure an hour-long bus ride, and then spend half an hour climbing up the “path of sinners,” which the monks lined with car tires to avoid being washed away by rain and snow.

A small mountain hermitage hid in the narrow Tash-Air gorge on the slope of Mount Fytski near the cave city of Kachi-Kalyon. Nine years ago, Hieromonk Dorotheos began restoring the monastery. It all started with one cave, where the monk and his followers lived and prayed. Now the monastery has grown: modest but cozy cell houses with carved shutters have risen on the rock, an unusual garden has spread out on the rock - iron barrels in which vegetables and fruits grow, and the mooing of cows can be heard from afar.

But it is not the houses or the garden that attract the weary traveler, but the man-made cave that has turned into a temple. How medieval monks managed to create such a voluminous grotto is difficult to understand. The current inhabitants of the monastery tried to create a similar one with the help of modern technology, but the rock did not yield to them.

The entrance to the church is through a small wooden extension. Looking like a large spiral, glistening with moisture, a piece of limestone rock supports the roof. It’s just that you don’t immediately notice the stone block - the eye instantly catches on the decorations: beaded panels, lamps with pendants - but this is only the “hallway”.

How are we used to seeing churches? Strict, mostly bright, when sunlight streams from the high windows located under the roof of the church... But this is not the case here. A deep cave, from which you can no longer tell that it is a cave, is illuminated only by the lights of lamps. The candle flames are reflected in thousands of beads, forming bizarre shadows on the ceiling and walls. The ceiling of the temple was divided by a beaded Star of Bethlehem and a Byzantine cross, separated by a series of hanging lamps. The free space is filled with smaller copies of these Orthodox shrines. It took almost three years to decorate the parish. The monks worked on decorating the monastery in late autumn and winter, when it was already cold to do other work outside.

The decoration of the church began with lamps with pendants, similar to those on Holy Mount Athos. We took them as a basis, and then added a little of our own, and the decoration of the temple itself continued in the same beaded style. Nature itself suggested this option to us - the rock is limestone, damp, and even if we wanted to do a painting, we would not have succeeded early. And so our beaded panels are held on the walls and vault of the cave on a waterproof basis,” Father Agathador says about the temple.

Every item has the spirit of the monastery

The monks find it difficult to answer how many lamps there are in the church. But the guides who take numerous groups of pilgrims to the monastery tell us that there are 65 lamps with beaded pendants, and not a single one is the same. Some of them are just decorations, and some are lit during services, but only during the solemn service do they all light up. Dozens of lamps, flickering like small beacons of the universe, give the impression of a hot, starry August night. This creates a special environment favorable for prayer. But the beaded splendor of the church does not end with the ceiling and lamps. There are stasidia in the temple - wooden chairs with folding seats, a high back and armrests - the monks lean on them during all-night vigils. On the backs of the stasidias are the ten Commandments of God, embroidered with beads on beads. Temple icons are decorated with patterned icon cases made of beads, shimmering in the candlelight.

Each monk capable of creativity contributed to the decoration of the monastery. Handling every bead and every pebble with love, the monks created and are creating things that amaze with their skillful simplicity. Relief paintings with floral patterns, beaded plates with the faces of saints, large wooden crosses decorated with varnished stones - all this can not only be seen, but also taken home. On the territory of the monastery there is a church shop where parishioners and visitors to the monastery can buy not only jewelry, but also useful little things: fragrant handmade soap made with the addition of various mountain herbs, aromatic oil from the same herbs, small magnets that repeat the temple’s ornaments. Every little thing created with prayer, the monks say, contains the spirit of the monastery.

People who once visited the monastery bring gifts to the monks on their next pilgrimage and ask their friends for the same. They carry beads, unnecessary jewelry, buttons, sea stones - everything goes into use here.

In gratitude, they decorate the icon

With the blessing of the rector of the Bakhchisarai Holy Dormition Monastery, Archimandrite Silouan, seven monks and several novices are engaged in the restoration of the monastery. In addition, the inhabitants take care of the garden, in which apples, cherries, plums and even persimmons grow. The monastery also has a small farm - 12 cows and several calves.

When the Burenki appeared, the brothers learned to make cheese, feta cheese, sour cream, and yogurt. At first it didn’t work out, but then we got the hang of it – and now the surplus is being sold. We have our own bakery in which we bake bread, buns, pies, and prosphora for services,” says Father Agafador.

In addition to monastic cells, a hotel for pilgrims was built on the territory. Workers can also stay here - people who want to live in a monastery and work in the name of God.

The day at the monastery begins at half past five in the morning with morning prayer. After breakfast, everyone goes to obedience - they do the work entrusted to them. In the monastery, work is supposed to be combined with prayer, but sometimes a person forgets, withdraws into himself,” shares Father Agathador, “Therefore, once an hour a bell rings, reminding of the duty of each monk. Five minutes later, the second strike of the bell signals the return to work. In the evening there is a service, then dinner and an evening prayer rule. Such days pass in the monastery, a little similar to each other.

There are few parishioners at the temple, the monks complain, only about 40 people and those visitors are from Bakhchisarai, Sevastopol and Simferopol. But residents of surrounding villages rarely visit the temple. But they come from Ukraine and different parts of Russia - even from Bashkiria and Yakutia.

They ask Saint Anastasia for different things, but the church people say that Anastasia is the patroness of those who are imprisoned. Often pilgrims return with gratitude to the saint. This can be seen from the temple icon of the Great Martyr Anastasia: there are various pendants, crosses and earrings on it - people wear them in gratitude for the prayerful help of the heavenly intercessor.

About five years ago, the monastery began to build a temple in the name of the “Three-Handed” icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. The church was built in the Byzantine style: large, with domes and bells, bright - the opposite of the cave chapel. But, the monks note, its interior decoration will also be made of beads.

From the MK dossier

There is no exact information about when the cave monastery of the Great Martyr Anastasia was formed. Judging by the carved Greek crosses found by archaeologists, characteristic of that time, and the preserved correspondence of the Monk John, Bishop of Gotha, with St. Stephen, Archbishop of Sourozh, this happened around the 8th century, they say in the monastery. Then in Byzantium the persecution of Christians for venerating icons had just begun - and, escaping execution, the monks moved to Taurica, spreading the veneration of the holy Great Martyr Anastasia, called the Pattern Maker for her service in alleviating the suffering of prisoners imprisoned for the faith of Christ.

Help "MK"

How to get there

From Simferopol, minibuses depart every hour from the Zapadnaya bus station to Bakhchisarai. There you need to change to a bus heading towards the village of Sinapnoye. The “Kachi-Kalyon” stop is located between the villages of Predushchelnoye and Bashtanovka.

The editors of the site thanks the journalist ed. “MK in Crimea” Ekaterina Krutko for the material provided.