Description of the attraction
On the island of Belova or Verkhny, belonging to the Talab archipeleg in the Pskov Lake, there is the Church of Peter and Paul. The church is an architectural monument of the 16th-19th centuries.
In 1470, on the island of Upper, Venerable Dositheus of Verkhneostrovsky, who was a monk of the nearby Elizarovskaya monastery, founded a man's monastery. The monastery was dedicated to the chief apostles Peter and Paul. According to legend, the monk arrived on the island, which was inhabited by fugitive convicts and robbers. And at first he had a difficult time. But little by little, with the help of kindness, humility and meekness, Dositheus managed to turn the robbers into normal people, some of whom were tonsured in his monastery.
During the Northern War, in 1703, the monastery was destroyed by the Swedes, but after 7 years, it was completely restored. In 1764 the monastery was abolished. The church was turned into a parish church and assigned to the Pskov-Pechersky monastery. At the beginning of the 19th century, about 2,000 people lived on Belova Island (for comparison, now only 28 people live here permanently, summer residents and children come here on vacation, and the island's population is growing slightly). The church was closed in the 20s of the XX century. Having learned that the church was closing, the priest and parishioners managed to hide the holy relics of the Monk Dositheus.
During the Soviet years, the church was used as a warehouse, while slowly collapsing. On the other hand, on the island, whose inhabitants at all times were engaged in fishing, a fishing economy flourished, a small fishing factory functioned, where the smelt was dried. Perestroika broke out and the state farm collapsed.
In 1990, the Peter and Paul Cathedral was officially transferred to the church. In 1994, restoration work began here, which was carried out by the landing of the Cossacks, who landed on the island. It was these people who raised the church from the ruins. The temple was consecrated by the elder Nikolai Guryanov, who arrived here from the neighboring island of Belova. Then volunteer assistants came here, who also helped in the restoration of the temple.
The temple is made of limestone slabs and bricks. The one-apse, pillarless quadrangle and the entrance to the subchurch from the altar have survived to this day. The hipped bell tower, narthex and altar were rebuilt in 1862. One side-chapel has been completely restored, two side-chapels are still being restored. The carved iconostasis, made of wood and distinguished by its extraordinary beauty, has not survived.
When the temple was being restored, and the mountains of garbage were being dismantled, a preserved underground church dating from the 15th century was found by accident. Father Sergius, the current rector of the church, is sure that the relics of St. Dositheus are hidden right here. And it was in this chapel, after the reconstruction, that the first divine service took place.
Services in the Church of Peter and Paul are held only on Sundays and on great and twelve-year holidays. Therefore, if you want to get to church on other days, you will need to look for an abbot. His house is located next to the temple.
In addition to the Church of Peter and Paul, on the island you can see the worship cross, erected by local residents in the name of the Monk Dositheus and located very close, five minutes walk from the church. Once there was a skete. The skete housed the Assumption Church and the cell of Dositheus.
Also, on the island you can go to the pine and spruce groves, which are a natural botanical monument. Groves occupy 1/3 of the island. The spruce forest is unique as it is home to a large number of gray herons, and the most amazing thing is that they build their nests on the tops of spruce trees.
