Old Believers hermitage "Smolyany"

 ruins, hermitage, Old Believers, historic site

Smolyany monastery was founded during the King Alexei Mikhailovich (presumably in 1656) births noblemen nobles, monks Bizyukovskogo Smolensky Monastery Sergei Saltykov (of the same kind Saltikov through the maternal line was the Empress Anna Ioannovna) and Spiridonov and Ephraim Potemkin.
In the 2nd half of the XVII century. hermitage became the center of Popovskaya consent to Kerzhentse. They disposed of by representatives of noble birth, is not accepted Nikonovskih reform.

In 1660 led by a former monk hermitage of the same Bizyukovskogo Smolensky Monastery Dionisy Shuisky (cousin of Tsar Basil Shuisky), attracted to new fugitives Kerzhenets-settlers. Pop Dionisy earned special respect from the Old Believers, as the stock had more peace and sacred gifts consecrated during the patriarch Joseph, and could make liturgy and sacrament prichascheniya.
Dionisy successor in 1690 became a pop Feodosiy. Before the church schism, he was a priest at the monastery of Nikolskoye Rylska. During the division ran for Donez. He was captured and sent to the patriarch in Moscow. Theodosius had been deprived of dignity and exiled to Kirilo-Belozersky Monastery. Old-Believers kidnapped him and secretly taken to Pomerania, and from there - at Kerzhenets. His extraordinary eloquence, erudition, knowledge of the Scriptures Feodosiy not only increased the number of Old Believers, but also aroused the anger of the authorities.
In 1694, before the bishop Pitirim, he was captured and burned. Then the cell was ransacked. In the monastery was ruined chapel dedicated to Tikhvin icon of Our Lady.

In the middle of XIX - beg. XX centuries. on-site Smolyanskogo skite Old esteemed following memory locations: 12 grave stones on the graves smolyanskih Popov; wells, mining, according to the Saltykov, Sergei, Efim Shuisky, Dionisy Shuisky; wooden chapel with images, candles, incense, podruchnikami standing in the cemetery of a monastery. Among buried in Smolyanah - Famous Old: Dionisy Shuisky (mentioned in "History of the flight of priesthood, because it" was a blessing to Kerzhentse "); Sergiy Nizhegorodets, brought to Kerzhenets essays Habakkuk; Trifily oldest svyaschennoierey; Hieromonk Dosifey.

In our time in the old cemetery in the woods, a few meters from the glade saved 22 graves with wooden crosses and shabby golbtsami (including a bifurcated cross). To the east of the cemetery are two pits filled with water (perhaps representing the remains of wells).
Traditionally Smolyany visited by pilgrims on 26 June (the day of Tikhvin Mother of God) and the Easter week.
irisk.vvnb.ru / Smoljany.htm