Znamenski monastery in Abalak (Абалак)

 monastery, listed building / architectural heritage, Russian Orthodox Church

Before annexation to Russia Abalak was a tartar settlement named after a tartar prince Abalak, a son of a Siberian khan Mara. During Ermak’s campaign Abalak became a place of decisive battles. In 1585 Ermak won a victory over a tartar regiment that was many times superior in number. The sort Siberian chronicle stated that St. Nikolas appeared before Ermak immediately after the victory, and told him that this place would be destined to become ‘ a home of God’. The chronicle also stated on numerous omens that were regarded as an anticipation of the monastery at this place.

In the XVIIth century Russian people started inhabiting Abalak. As time went on Abalak became a Russian settlement. In 1636 a poor widow Mary lived in Abalak. She would witness numerous omens warning her that she had to tell the people in Abalak that a church of Virgin had to be built. Archbishop Nectarius gave his blessing to this. A lot of people from Abalak and Tobolsk took part in the construction of the church. At the same time St. Paul in the shape of a poor man was told to come up to an ill peasant Euphimium and to tell him:’ Give a promise to paint a sacred image to the church, and God might forgive and relieve you through your faith and diligence.’ After blessing of archbishop Nectarium a sacred image was ordered to a monk Matphey who was considered the most skillful artists in Tobolsk Once the icon was completed Euphimium got marvelously relieved of his illness, and brought the icon for consecration himself. Since then the residents of Abalak and pilgrims had witnessed miraculous healing of seriously ill through the icon. In summer 1665 heavy rains befell upon the vicinities of Tobolsk, thus threatening with poor harvest and famine. The Tobolsk archbishop Cornylius sent a sacred message to Abalak, and in June 7-8 the icon of Virgin was carried to Tobolsk by a clerical procession. Since then the icon had been carried annually to Tobolsk from 8 to 20 of June.

After the wooden church in Abalak burned out in 1680, a stone Znamenski cathedral was started to be built in 1680 and finished in 1691. In 1748-50 a winter church of St. Nicolas miracle-worker was erected near the Znamenski cathedral, and in 1752-90 a bell tower was constructed and a church of Mary Egyptian. In 1783 an Abalak monastery was organized. The main reason for this was the miraculous icon and wonders related to it. Over times the monastery remained an important center of culture in Siberia, and would attract a lot of pilgrims from all parts of Russia. In 1924 under the Soviet regime the church was abolished. It was only at the end of the XXth century that the Abalak monastery was started to get revived.