Sergiev Posad

Sergiev Posad, Сергиев Посад, is another fun town a "few" miles or kilometers out side of Moscow. On a beautiful day, we decided to travel by train out to this town. We got up early (as we do on all adventures to walk 25 minutes to the metro, ride 30 minutes on metro, travel one and a half hours on the train) so we could arrive at the town and spend the day. We went with the Andersons, and the Burtons.

View of the 14th-century monastery.

The Bird Lady (just like in "Mary Poppins") feeding the birds. She is outside the wall of the Church property. The wall is being worked on so all of the scaffolding is in the picture.

Trinity Monastery of St. Sergius

Sergius of Radonezh founded the monastery 1345. His blessing of the Russian military was believed to have inspired victory in a most crucial battle against the Mongol Tartars in 1380. For centuries, Russian czars and commoners trekked here in pilgrimage, traveling in gilded carriages or on foot for days or weeks, many fasting throughout the journey. The site was so charged with history that Stalin couldn't bring himself to raze it, however the monks were sent to labor camps after the Bolshevik Revolution. Stalin allowed the monastery to reopen after World War II.

A closer look at all of the detail.

We could buy bread and "pies" if we were humgry. Food is prepared in the basement for the monks and pilgrims. room and board is free to "pilgrims" if they help (sweep leaves, work in the garden, etc) at the monastery.

Cathedral of the Assumption

This is the oldest church. All of the monks take turns praying so that a monk is always praying in this chapel.

Bell Tower (blue) with the Chapel Over the Well in front. The structure over the well is carved with flowers and vines. The spring was discovered in 1644. Pilgrims still come with empty bottles, jugs, and buckets to fill with its holy water.

Residence of the Patriarch

Painting one one of the walls in the Cathedral of the Trinity.

Cathedral of the Trinity

Servius was cannonized after his death, and his remains lie in this cathedral. This cathedral has several woks by Andrei Rublev, Russia's most famous icon painter. This cathedral started a trend with its use of kokoshniki, the pointed arches that became a defining feature of Moscow church architecture.

Iconostasis is through the arch.

Closer look at the iconostasis, Old Testament Trinity.