Description of the attraction
The Transfiguration Monastery was founded by the students of Alexander Svirsky, Gennady and Nikifor. Elder Gennady, who lived on the shores of Lake Vazhe, in a small cave, with his exploits, miracles and healings prepared and consecrated this place for the arrival of another follower of Alexander Svirsky - the Monk Nicephorus. Already in 1520, the Transfiguration Church, completely made of wood, was built on the banks of the Vazheozero. The first abbot of the Vazheozersk Savior-Transfiguration Monastery was the Monk Nikifor, who served his cause until his death in 1557.
Ivan the Terrible drew up a charter, according to which the founded monastery received some part of the land ownership. In addition, the king commanded to carry out cleansing work in the nearby forest and plow their lands without the help of hired labor. Thus, according to this charter, the monastery was completely forbidden to own peasants, villages, and work should be done only by the hands of the monks themselves. After the Monk Nicephorus died, Abbot Dorotheos was appointed the abbot of the monastery, under whom a chapel was erected directly over the graves of the founders of the church.
The time of troubles that overtook Russia in the 17th century could not but touch the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery. Crowds of Swedes plundered and devastated the Nikiforov desert, destroying, devastating and plundering all of its property. The hermits simply could not resist the attackers. For a long time the graves of monks were a place of pilgrimage.
After the merciless destruction of the church, it has not been restored for a very long time. According to the evidence of the historical books of 1619 and 1623, it becomes clear that the church brethren were too small. In 1640, Abbot Anthony became the abbot of the monastery, who to a large extent donated the valuable Gospel and who built the church with his own money. Anthony appointed a treasurer, a cellarer, 4 elders and 6 maids, although the condition of the monastery was still assessed as very poor.
The successor of Anthony's deeds was Elder Barlaam, who was replaced by Elder Savvaty in 1680. According to the results of the newly carried out inventory, it can be seen that the monastery property has increased significantly, and the cattle-breeding activity has become much more profitable. The number of workers and monks by that time had increased to 22 people. But the monastery acquired the best position in 1685 and 1697, when church utensils and monastery property became quite valuable.
In 1800, the church was assigned to the Alexander-Svirsky monastery and was a part of it until 1846. In 1885, a devastating fire destroyed almost all of the monastery's wooden buildings. The church brethren dispersed to the remaining monasteries.
After the fire, the Savior-Transfiguration Monastery was rebuilt not only with material, but also with the spiritual help of the "All-Russian Father", which was John of Kronstadt. The Church of All Saints was to be restored, and a five-domed wooden temple was also built, named in honor of the Transfiguration of the Lord. The gate church, hotel and abbot buildings were restored. At the beginning of the 20th century, the monastery was already completely surrounded by a brick fence. The monastery began to operate a shoemaker and tailor's workshops, as well as a flour mill and a factory, where they received resin, turpentine and tar.
The last reconstruction awaited the monastery in 1992, when the temple acquired its modern look.
