As the monks live. Bashny.Net

At 5:30 am in Zhirovichi freezing and wet, and when it brightens, on reservoirs of underground fog creeps. While incredibly quiet. The bells start to ring at six in the morning, commemorating the beginning of the service. In this earlier time in the Assumption Cathedral gather not only the monks, the monks and novices, but also dozens of residents agrotown. So begins the monks every day - year after year. Someone stay here tens of years. Onliner.by spent a few days in the walls Zhirovichsky Holy Dormition Monastery, to see what life is filled with people who have decided to devote himself to faith in God.

50 photos and comments to them.
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2.Prinyat vows and become a monk - a decision that can not be undone. Care monk brethren perceived as a tragedy - and above all for the man himself, as God destroyed this oath. This is rarely the case, for the last time - in the nineties.



3.U anyone who aspires to the monastery, there is a motivation, which they are reluctant to say: too personal. Trials in which the person shows willingness to take the veil, can last for years. Renounce pleasures, living in asceticism, get up before sunrise, perform obedience and pray endlessly - hardly ready for this clerk's office or club promoters.

- In the monastery people come unmet half-hearted Christian life. Remember, as Alyosha Karamazov was not enough Sunday hikes in the church? He wanted to be with God on a daily basis - so the whole world describes the monks father Eustace, who teaches at the seminary. - Each monk happens once a landmark event, after which he is aware of: the world in the conventional sense to him uninteresting, changing the focus of perception, the usual things lose value.



4.Zadacha confessor - check a person's desire to devote himself to God or a true vocation fleeting enthusiasm. For a long time he lived the monastic life and has the right to leave. Over time, if the desire is not quenched and the tradition of the ascetic existence not scare, the future monk takes vows and acquires a new name.



5.Istoriya Zhirovichi monastery begins in the XVII century, when there was revealed the miraculous icon of the Mother of God. Today, the monastery complex consists of four churches, seminary building, residential monastery complex, refectory, outbuildings, garden. Monks, whose lifestyle is interesting to us, here 35. The youngest - 25 years.

- Before the Revolution, the monastery is the entire neighborhoods and their inhabitants in the hundreds, - continues the story of the father of Eustace. - Life there was much easier than in some rural areas - many came to the monastery to survive. Today, life in a monastery - it is work, justified a strong love for God.



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7.Bratiya composed of novices, monks and friars lived in fraternal housing. The cells are arranged like a dorm room. We go there to outsiders is prohibited. But, as they say tenants, cells are pretty simple: beds, tables, chairs. Technology and the internet is not.



8. In the day monks perform various work - it's called obedience. Specificity of the work is determined on the basis of knowledge and skills of the person. The main task - to promote the functioning of the monastery. Operate on the principle of natural economy, trying to independently provide their own needs.

Employees - people who want to try to live the monastic life, without incurring obligations. Some come because of the deep spiritual and psychological problems, others are willing to donate their labor to God and find peace. And remain for a week, and for a year and can leave at any moment. Recently, many employees do not - people 15.



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10.Na yard area is hidden a small candle shop. Candles of different sizes creates monk Gelasius involving employees.

- Technologies we primitive - are still used in the Russian Empire. The thread is wound on a special form. Then it flows into the molten wax. Wax cools down for a few minutes - and candles ready. In the year of recycled 5, 5 tons of wax. Spent a lot of candles during the holidays and the arrival of the pilgrims. Winter - less.



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16.Riznitsa - storage inventory of the church. Here are erased, dried and ironed vestments, icons are stored. In the sacristy of the third year running monk Kirill. Its tasks also include obligations to clean the altar and to monitor the availability of wine and communion bread, incense and lamp oil. Large amount of work - for the post shall be appointed only the most capable.



17.Ikony stored in the closet, which is supported by a certain mode - 20 degrees Celsius and 20% humidity.



18. In the nearby village of the monastery has its own small farm. It was from there enters into a dairy fresh milk. Manually processed dairy products are sent to the kitchen and served at the table.



19.- In the summer of 400-500 liters of milk processed. Winter - from 80 to 300 liters. So we get a natural sour cream, butter, cottage cheese. Part of the product goes on sale.



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21.Vo monastery is owned 600 acres of land, which provide work for 200 residents agrotown, employees, novices and monks themselves. Grown vegetables, fruits, berries, corn. To cultivate the land in autumn frost pleasure not name. But this is one of the kinds of obedience, and it is performed implicitly. In agricultural participate and seminarians, some of the food ration of which depends on the local harvest.



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23.Na the garden for the third year running novice Michael. According to him, on the ground all year round there is something to do. Even when a heavy frost, garden maintenance stops.

- Today we remove the leaves of cultivated land. In winter, begin pruning the garden. The garden is mainly grow berries and fruit trees. There, on the lakes - Blueberry Plantation. From June to August, going about 150 buckets of blueberries. Tried to diet in the monastery was environmentally friendly, without chemicals.



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27.Poslushanie father Agapia is to help people, advising on many fronts: family problems, questions churching, addiction and codependency. In his study dwells cat Copier, which acts as an antidepressant.



28. - The trouble those who are trying to save the dependent relatives - misunderstanding of the disease. Dependent people have like two personalities: the good, inherent God and bad, which appeared due to illness. Trying to help such people, relatives of the victims do not bring God and the disease itself. It is important to let go of the situation, trust God.

Support dependent and codependent people engaged rehabilitation center "Anastasis". In this room meets regularly community "Al-Anon", created for communication and close relatives dependent. Similar groups exist in many cities of Belarus. I can see how changing family attending community as people recover. Letter of thanks given to understand that we work not in vain.



29. Work is interrupted meal at 13:00, and an hour later the monks wander again on jobs. On the table is usually a simple meal: cereal, vegetable salads, fruits, dairy products. On holidays - fish. Meat in the diet of the monks not.



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31.Rabochy day ends at five in the evening. At six o'clock the inhabitants of the monastery sent to the evening service. From the lighting in the cathedral in the main only candles - hundreds of candles burning for someone's health and repose under the beat hymns.



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36.Uzhin expects monks in the refectory at 21:00. It begins and ends with prayer. This is a mandatory procedure. As a rule, the monks light dinner - someone altogether prefers to abandon it.



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38.Krestny procession around the monastery buildings, which is also included in the daily schedule, especially effectively looks in the autumn and winter evenings, when it is already dark enough. After the ceremony the monks diverge kelyam and begin reading individual prayer - "cell rule."



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40.Vo during major holidays brothers rest, go to the holy source, stroll through the woods, allow themselves to sleep late (morning service begins later than usual), read, write letters to relatives. The rhythm of life is diluted unofficial holidays once a year pilgrimage to other monasteries for two weeks. Academic clergy sometimes participates in conferences or social programs. The monastic community is a single family.



41.Kak such salary monks not. Monetary incentives are put only in honor of certain holidays - about 300 thou. Rubles (Br.) Out of pocket expenses. Special need of money and they do not feel monastery completely provides food, clothing and housing.



42.V 1996 in the monastery came legendary figure in Belarus - a philosopher, poet and journalist Oleg Bembel, known under the pseudonym Znicz Pruszków. In monasticism public figure given the name John.

- I met with the church immediately after World War II at the age of 6-7 years old when the family came to visit my aunt. She became my spiritual mentor. Than a dozen years she led me to the church. When I turned 42, I, as a member of the Party and the Institute of Philosophy, secretly baptized.

By God, I was led signs - both secular and political. In the summer of 1996, I arrived in Zhirovichi monastery for three days. And now, 19 years living here.



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- What makes a man a monk?

- This is where I felt real freedom. Father George Latushko, rector of the Cathedral of Peter and Paul, once said that true freedom - in Christ and in the church. Freedom without bounds - a demonic freedom.

- From what sources monks know the world news?

- In the fraternal body no Internet. My main source of information - a pilgrim. Sometimes it is possible to spread the word to the church especially high rank. They convey the essence. After all the media information of dilution, it has a lot of excess. Mobile phones are not needed as the monks: they came here to focus on prayer and obedience.

- How much time is devoted to prayer?

- Prayer is pronounced in automatically, without stopping, pouring herself without graphics. Hands busy work, and the heart - prayer. It happens without words.



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45.Posle communication with the monks we are going to look at some of the iconic places Zhirovichsky Holy Dormition Monastery, attracts pilgrims from all over the world. The village's most famous Zhirovichi located in Belarus sacred springs. People come here with cans for water. On our arrival in the territory of the source was not a soul. Around - the quiet forest. Room with an ice pool, the water which is considered curative, also empty.



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47.Kladbische, dating back to XVII century, has grown close to the monastery. Hundreds of years in a row are buried not only ordinary people but also of the monks, there are even some graves Vronskys 1885. Equally ancient building - wooden church cemetery.



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50.S Hill offers spectacular views of the monastery. He froze in the autumn landscape.
Residents of the monastery are sure to understand the monastic life should be lived here at least a year. At first glance, you can see only strange people in black robes. A home life, interior - it's the depth that for two thousand years have tried to reflect in thousands of books. In one of her reportage not fit.

That's all. Thank you all.