Description of the attraction
St. John's Monastery on Karpovka is an Orthodox stauropegic convent located on the embankment of the Karpovka River in the city of St. Petersburg. The monastery was founded by the righteous John of Kronstadt and named in honor of the Monk John of Rylsky, who is his spiritual mentor and patron. The relics of St. John of Kronstadt are buried here in the church-tomb. The monastery was built in the neo-Byzantine style. The project was developed by the diocesan architect N. N. Nikonov.
St. John's monastery was conceived as a courtyard of the St. John the Theological women's community, which was created by John Sergiev in his native village of Sura. At the beginning of May 1900, a place was consecrated for the courtyard, and in September of the same year, the foundation was laid by Bishop Boris (Plotnikov) of Yamburg. In 1901, the community received the status of a monastery, and the courtyard turned into an independent monastery.
The lower church of St. John of the Rila Cathedral of the Twelve Apostles was consecrated in January 1901 by Father John of Kronstadt. The main temple, which occupies the 2 upper floors, was consecrated in November 1902. The consecration ceremony was conducted by Metropolitan Anthony (Vadkovsky) with the participation of Father John.
In 1903-1908, the following monastery buildings were erected: a 5-storey building for the clergy and those wishing to live at the monastery, an infirmary, icon painting and handicraft workshops and cells. In the basement of the church, a tomb temple was erected, consecrated by Macarius, the Dean Archimandrite of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, in honor of the prophet Elijah and the holy Empress Theodora, who were the heavenly patrons of Father John's parents. The consecration ceremony took place on December 21, 1908, the day after the death of Father John.
Soon after the death of the organizer of the monastery, at the beginning of 1909, the Holy Synod published a rescript of Emperor Nicholas II addressed to Anthony Vadkovsky, Metropolitan of St. the body of the deceased is raised to the level of first-class.
In 1919 the monastery was turned into a labor commune, in 1923 it was liquidated, but the sisters lived here for another 3 years. In 1922, the diocesan administration in Petrograd was seized by supporters of Renovationism, and the monastic community joined the so-called Petrograd autocephaly. After the exile of Archbishop Alexy (Simansky), this association was headed by Bishop Nikolai (Yarushevich), after whose arrest and exile in May 1923, under pressure from the authorities, the movable and immovable property of the monastery was given to the Renovationist community. A few days later, the provincial executive committee decided to liquidate St. John's monastery. This was not done immediately, only in November, due to the protests of the renovation movement.
The monastery buildings were transferred to the reclamation technical school. In the early spring of 1926, the entrance to the tomb of Father John was walled up. In the early 1930s, almost all the nuns were arrested and exiled to Kazakhstan.
In November 1989, St. John's Monastery was transferred to the diocese and opened as a courtyard of the Pyukhtitsa monastery. On the birthday of Father John, November 1, a ceremony of consecration of the lower church was held in honor of St. John of Rylsky.
In mid-July 1991, on the feast day, Patriarch Alexy II consecrated the upper church in the name of the Twelve Apostles. St. John's Monastery on Karpovka has been stavropegic since December 1991.
Since April 1992, Abbess Seraphima (Voloshin) has been the abbess of the monastery. Services are held every day. Every day, at the end of the liturgy, a prayer service to St. John of Kronstadt is held in the tomb church.
