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. With special trepidation, tourists and pilgrims visit these amazing places every year. There they find peace of mind, harmony with nature, answers to their questions, help in various situations, healing.

Legend has it that in the 2nd 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 Gentiles. 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 teachings of Christ, subjected his followers to persecution and destruction. Tarasiy organized persecution of Paraskeva, called Friday, because she was born on this day of the week. During the sermons, she was terribly tortured, and then beheaded.

At the end of the 17th century, an icon of the Monk Saint Paraskeva of Friday was found near the source. Later, she was transferred to the Mariupol Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

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

A chapel was subsequently erected at the holy spring. The village, next to which the described events took place, was called Toploux during the reign of the Roman emperors. It was later renamed. Now this is the village of Topolevka.

The official opening of the convent was 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 Mother Superior Paraskeva (Vyacheslav). The nuns wove 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 Mother of God of Kazan, which was later stolen and the monastery itself was looted.

In the first months of 1929, the People’s Commissariat carried out the eviction of every single 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 passed into the control of the abbess with the name of Paraskev (Tishchenko).

During her reign, the chapel of the blessed Paraskeva Friday was restored, fonts were erected at the holy sources. The restoration of the churches of St. Paraskeva and All Who Sorrow was made.

On the donations of the parishioners, they built household premises and water pipes. Paved asphalt on the way to the monastery. Sisters bake bread, prosphora, Easter cakes in their bakery. On the territory of the monastery there is a sewing workshop, it makes sewing of church and monastic vestments.

At the moment, 40 natives live in the monastery. The nun sisters have their own farm, an apiary and a 10-hectare land plot. The monastery is given a pond, in it nuns raise 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 sources, fonts, temples, relics of God's saints, icons. The main shrine of the monastery is the miraculous icon of the Virgin "Kazan". There are arks with the relics of the Kiev-Pechersk elders, Paraskeva Fridays.

In addition to the chapel, there is a font at the holy spring of the Martyr Paraskeva of Rome. She is covered. Water flows from all three life-giving sources into this font.

In it, everyone wants to bathe. Through prayers and faith, they receive healing of diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Water from the source helps to get rid of headaches and cures eye diseases. Women suffering from infertility, after visiting the Toplovsky Holy Trinity-Paraskevievsky monastery and plunged into the waters of the spring of the blessed Paraskeva Friday, will soon gain 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 the snake. The nuns of the Holy Toytse-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 female monastery to the holy place revered by the 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 from getting lost, there are signs along the way. A chapel was built near the spring where there is a belfry. There are also two baths for bathing in holy waters, separately for men and women.

At a distance of 5 km from the Toplovsky monastery on a forest road, a 50-minute walk from the source of St. George the Victorious, located in the mountains another source. It is named after 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 fortitude and helps to study various sciences.

John Chrysostom wrote psalms and sermons. He is a fighter with global injustice. Helps believers praying to him in raising children, maintaining peace and prosperity in the family.

Gregory the Theologian strengthens all those who doubt the existence of God, and gives spiritual support. He protects Christians through their prayers from infringement and pressure from their bosses or colleagues at work if they learn about a believing associate.

The waters of the source of the three Saints have tremendous healing power and treat various nervous disorders, after washing in them people come out of a state of depression and despondency.

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

Toplovsky Paraskevievsky Convent is one of the main attractions of the Crimean Peninsula. Located on the slope of Mount Karatau, surrounded by a dense forest of wonderful beauty, it seems to bind together everything earthly and heavenly, God and people. A charming, unique view opens from the cloister.

Geographically, the monastery’s cloister is concentrated in the southeast of Crimea in the Belogorye region. If you look at the map, the Toplovsky monastery is located between the cities of Feodosia and Simferopol in the village of Uchebny, near the village (village) of Topolevka. You need to go along the Feodosia highway. The village itself is located at a distance of 70 km from the city of Simferopol. The exact address of the monastery is on its official Orthodox website.

You can write a letter at the following details: index 297652, address: Crimean Federal District, Belogorsky District, the village of Uchebnoe, Toplovsky Nunnery.

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

If you are going to travel from Sevastopol to the monastery by bus or taxi with children, you must take into account the fact that you will have to walk 1.5 kilometers from the route where you will be dropped off. Only overcoming this distance, you will approach the gates of the monastery.

The bus leaves from the bus station located near the train station. Tickets should be purchased for the flight Sevastopol - Kerch. You need to buy it to a stop with the name "Topolevka". They will drop you off and you will go up, following the signs there. If there is no sale of tickets 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 Nunnery.

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.

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

It is best for pilgrims and tourists from other regions of the country, as well as foreign guests, 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 mode of transport for you.

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