Toplovsky monastery in Crimea: what is it famous for and how to get there?

On the territory of modern Crimea, there are a large number of churches, chapels and monasteries. Tourists and pilgrims visit these amazing places every year with special trepidation. There they find peace of mind, harmony with nature, answers to their questions, help in certain life situations, and healing.

Tradition says that in the II century AD, a young girl named Paraskeva lived in Rome. She was a Christian. Having lost her pious parents early, Paraskeva after their death decided to preach the Good News about Jesus Christ to the pagans. She passed through different countries and ended up in the Crimea. In those days, King Tarasius was the ruler there.

He hated Christians and the teaching of Christ, subjected his followers to persecution and destruction. Tarasius persecuted Paraskeva, named Friday, since she was born on that day of the week. For preaching she was subjected to terrible torture, and then beheaded.

At the end of the 17th century, an icon of the Monk Saint Paraskeva Friday was found near the spring. Later she was transferred to the Mariupol Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos.

The icon became famous for miraculously protecting the city of Mariupol from the invasion of cholera. This event took place after the procession was made with this shrine around the city.The Monk Martyr Paraskeva hears prayers to her and helps all people in need.

A chapel was subsequently erected at the holy spring. The village near which the described events took place was called Toplu during the reign of the Roman emperors. It was later renamed. Now it is the village of Topolevka.

The women's monastery was officially opened in August 1864 with the blessing of Archbishop Alexy, and its formal closure took place in April 1923.

In the period from 1889 to 1928, the management of the monastery was entrusted to Abbess Paraskeva (Vyacheslav). The nuns weaved carpets, painted icons, grew exotic fruits, they survived as best they could.

In 1928, a wealthy philanthropist presented the monastery with a miraculous icon of the Kazan Mother of God, which was later stolen, and the monastery itself was plundered.

In the first months of 1929, the people's commissariat evicted every nun from the monastery, and the Holy Trinity Cathedral under construction was blown up.

The complete revival of the Holy Trinity Paraskevievsky Monastery began in July 1993, when its Charter was officially registered by the Council for Religious Affairs.

In 1998, the monastery was taken over by the abbess with the name Paraskeva (Tishchenko).

During the period of her reign, the restoration of the chapel of St. Paraskeva Pyatnitsa was carried out, fonts were erected on the holy springs. The restoration of the churches of St. Paraskeva and Joy of All Who Sorrow has been carried out.

With donations from the parishioners, living quarters were built and a water supply system was installed. Asphalt was laid on the road to the monastery. The sisters bake bread, prosphora, Easter cakes in their bakery. There is a sewing workshop on the territory of the monastery, where church and monastic vestments are sewn.

At the moment, 40 nuns live in the monastery. Sisters-nuns have their own subsidiary farm, apiary and land plot of 10 hectares. The monastery was given a pond, in which nuns breed fish.

The holy monastery attracts tourists and pilgrims from different parts of the country, as well as abroad, with its unique energy.

On the territory of the monastery there are three springs, fonts, temples, relics of God's saints, icons. The main shrine of the monastery is the miraculous icon of the Mother of God "Kazan". There are arks with the relics of the Kiev Caves elders, Paraskeva Pyatnitsa.

At the holy spring of the Monk Martyr Paraskeva of Rome, in addition to the chapel, there is a baptismal font. It is covered. Water flows into this font from all three life-giving springs.

All who wish to bathe in it. Through prayer and faith, they receive healing of diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Spring water helps relieve headaches and cures eye diseases. Women suffering from infertility, after visiting the Toplovsky Holy Trinity-Paraskevievsky Monastery and plunging into the waters of the spring of Holy Paraskeva Pyatnitsa, soon find the happiness of motherhood.

Another shrine is a spring in honor of the great martyr George the Victorious, who died for the faith of Christ under the emperor Diocletian, he is the patron saint of the army and navy. On the icons, he is depicted on a white horse, with a spear piercing a snake. The nuns of the Holy Toyse-Paraskevievsky Monastery saw the rider three times. He appeared to them on the way to the source, and they realized that it was George himself.

A road leads from the women's monastery to the holy place revered by pilgrims. It is located at a distance of about 1.5-2 kilometers from the monastery. The road winds along the slopes of the mountains.To prevent travelers getting lost, there are signs along the way. A chapel was built near the spring, where there is a belfry. There are also two fonts for bathing in the holy waters, separate for men and women.

At a distance of 5 km from the Toplovsky monastery along a forest road, a 50-minute walk from the source of St. George the Victorious, in the mountains there is another source. It is named in honor of three Saints (Saints Basil the Great, John Chrysostom and Gregory the Theologian).

Saint Basil the Great is the intercessor of all offended and persecuted, undeservedly humiliated people.

It gives strength to the spirit and helps to study various sciences.

John Chrysostom wrote psalms and sermons. He is a fighter against global injustice. He helps believers who pray to him in raising children, maintaining peace and prosperity in the family.

Gregory the Theologian strengthens everyone who doubts the existence of God and gives spiritual support. He protects Christians through their prayers from infringement and pressure from the authorities or colleagues at work, if they find out about a believing employee.

The waters of the spring of the three saints have tremendous healing power and heal from various nervous disorders; after bathing in them, people come out of the state of depression and despondency.

If, for health reasons, someone cannot climb high up the mountain, then there is an opportunity for them to take a bath with water from a spring in the lower font on the territory of the Toplovsk monastery. It is located next to the temple, erected in honor of the holy Venerable Martyr Paraskeva of Rome ..

Toplovsky Paraskevievsky Convent is one of the main attractions of the Crimean peninsula. Situated on the slope of Mount Karatau, surrounded by a dense forest of wondrous beauty, it seems to bind together everything earthly and heavenly, God and people. A fascinating, unique view opens up from the monastery.

Geographically, the monastery is concentrated in the southeast of Crimea in the Belogorie region. If you look on the map, the Toplovsky monastery is located between the cities of Feodosia and Simferopol in the village of Uchebnoye, which is near the village (village) of Topolevka. You need to go along the Feodosiya highway. The village itself is located 70 km from the city of Simferopol. The exact address of the monastery is on its official Orthodox website.

You can write a letter using the following details: index 297652, address: Crimean Federal District, Belogorsk District, Uchebnoe village, Toplovsky Convent.

You can find the Holy Trinity-Paraskevian Crimean monastery without much difficulty.

If you are going to travel from Sevastopol to the monastery by bus or minibus with children, then you must take into account the fact that you will have to walk 1.5 kilometers from the highway where you will be dropped off. Only after overcoming this distance, you will come to the gate of the monastery.

The bus departs from the bus station located near the train station. A ticket should be purchased for the Sevastopol - Kerch flight. You have to buy it before the stop called "Topolevka". There you will be dropped off and head up following the signs there. If there are no tickets on sale to Topolevka, you need to buy them to the village of Grushevka and ask the driver to drop you off near the turn to the Toplovsky Convent.

Travelers from Sudak or Feodosia should move towards Simferopol. After the Old Crimea, at the Topolevka stop there will be a sign towards the monastery on the left side.

You can also get to the holy place by car. From Simferopol you need to leave in the direction of Feodosia. After you pass Belogorsk, there will be a. Topolevka, and there is a sign to the right, next to it is a turn. Follow the signs and you will arrive at the monastery.

For pilgrims and tourists from other regions of the country, as well as foreign guests, it is best to use the services of airlines. You need to take a ticket for the flight Moscow - Simferopol, and from there go to the monastery, choosing the most suitable type of transport for you.

For what the Toplovsky Monastery in Crimea is famous for and how to get there, see the next video.