Sergiev Posad

The beautiful church above is the Cathedral of the Assumption in the St. Sergius Trinity Monastery at Sergiev Posad, one of the holiest places in Russian Orthodox Christianity. If you ever saw the old film The Russia House, some of the outdoor scenes were shot here.

The monastery was founded by Saint Sergius Posad in the mid-14th century. The saint, who helped organize opposition to the Tatar occupation of Moscow, is a favourite of Russians. He is said to have been somewhat like Italy's Saint Francis of Assisi, a person with a special relationship with animals.

Today the monastery, which was closed for a while during Soviet times, is again very active. Some 1,000 or so young men study here for the Orthodox priesthood, and visitors to the complex are required to dress modestly.

I found this large monastery to have an atmosphere of holiness similar to that of only a few other places I have been. During my visit I lost my sunglasses, and decided to say a prayer to St. Sergius to find them again. Then I recalled leaving them in a church, and when I checked they were where I thought they would be. Not a miracle perhaps, but very helpful.

The monastery and town of Sergiev Posad lie about 75 kilometres east of Moscow. For more pictures of and information about it, check the Website http://www.sacred-destinations.com