Olenevsky skit - the oldest of the Nizhny Novgorod Old Believers skt!

 hermitage, Old Believers

Olenevsky skit is 24 kilometers south-east of the city of Semenov of Nizhny Novgorod province, now - the village of Great Oleneva.

This is one of the earliest cells generated long before the split. According to legend, it was founded in the XV century. devastated the monks Ulu Mahmetom Zheltovodskogo monastery, St. companions. Macaria Zheltovodskogo and Unzhenskogo in his march to the waters in the Yellow Unzhu. It is here vzalkavshim traveler on the prayer of saint was deer (hence the name of a monastery).

Olenevsky skit was beglopopovskim. Olenevskie pustynnozhiteli not taken nikonovskih reform and rectify the books, flocked to them from different places of their supporters and founded around Oleneva hermitages Kerzhenskie and Chernoramenskie.

After Pitirimova Persecution of schismatics in 1737, survived only poor remnants Olenevskogo and Sharpanskogo cells, but in 1762, after the decree of Catherine II of 16 October for permission to return to Russia persecuted Old Believers, the population skite quickly multiplied, skit was one of the largest and known Kerzhentse.

At the beginning of the XIX century. cell consisted of 14 women's monasteries. In 1826 it was 5 hours and 9 prayers. Since 1838, skit Olenevsky, like many others, the official papers of the village is named, but continues to be an Old Believer monastery. In 1853, in a monastery, there were 18 monasteries for 2-8 people. In 1854 they lived: 1 shimonahinya, 48 nun. In addition to monasteries in the monastery, there were 17 'orphans' homes, who did not belong to the community and feed on their farms, as well as 8 prayers.

Following a decree of Emperor Nicholas I of 1 March, 1853 on the destruction of cells in the county and Semenovskaya prescription Minister of Internal Affairs of the displacement of residents in one skit, Nizhny Novgorod authorities designated to relocate olenevskih skitnikov (up to 100 persons) in a skit - Ulangersky. Part olenevskih skitnits in 1853-1854-ies. Semenov moved into the city and formed a monastery in the town houses. Although the records of the state of schism on Semenovskaya county for 1857 Olenevsky skit referred to as "former", however, the priests of Semenov in his report noted that many skitnitsy abolished skite reside at the place of the old base. "

Four old cemetery with the graves of the martyrs were the main shrine Olenevskogo skite and place of worship worshipers and pilgrims at the end of the XIX and XX centuries. As memories of local residents, even after the revolution olenevskuyu Old Believer community attended: Sofia's mother and mother Kosiyaniya of Gorodets, "sasovskie old" Aksinya and Tatiana, and many others. Now Praying in B. Oleneva not, though, residents of Old Believers still.

Former Olenevsky skit was the basis for the village of Great Oleneva ( "cells") that deserves special attention as the only existing until now in the area of settlement Semenovskaya created at the site of former monasteries skitskih.
Buildings in the village of mostly repeats the layout of streets and the location of monasteries monastery, which were constructed on the type of "flocks" and represented several log under one roof, with indoor garden, a closet, frames, горницами.
Some of the old village houses hitherto preserved the layout, which is characteristic for skitskih monasteries (for example, the house of the former manor "Evpraksei aged."

Local residents point to the village the remains of three old cemeteries, they serve as benchmarks for carved stone tomb in the XVIII., Mountain ash, planted on the grave of the Mother Superior Paltsevskoy monastery (Limpiady finger?), And old golbets without a roof. Another cemetery with the graves and the novice nun in a monastery in half, north-west of the village.
The village of Great Oleneva. Stone tombstone XVIII v.Foto S. Lotyreva. 1997 Photo toffee large village Oleneva. Stone tombstone XVIII century.
Photo by S. Lotyreva. 1997 Photo toffee
In the village of B. Oleneva is now about 20 houses belonging to local residents. Old-Believers of the village have not had their homes and Praying for a great holiday hold services at the graves left over from the old cemeteries. These shrines are a place of pilgrimage Old Semenovskaya area and other villages of Nizhniy Novgorod region.
irisk.vvnb.ru / Olenevo.htm