Description of the attraction
Pyukhtitsa Assumption Convent is an Orthodox monastery in the north-east of Estonia in the village of Kuremäe. Kuremäe is a small village with about 350 inhabitants. The monastery was built on the terrain, which the Orthodox residents living here call "Theotokos Mountain".
According to legend, about 200 years ago, an Estonian shepherd saw a woman on the mountain, dressed in a beautiful radiant garment. However, when he began to approach the mountain, the vision disappeared. The shepherd returned to his own and the flock and again saw the noble Lady on the mountain. This was repeated several times. Returning home, the shepherd told the villagers about what he had seen. The next morning, some of the locals went to the mountain. They also saw a woman disappearing as soon as they approached. On the third day, the whole situation repeated itself. When they ascended the mountain, at the place where the woman had appeared, they found an ancient image. Since they themselves were Lutherans, they gave it to the nearest manor to Russian Orthodox peasants who lived in the village of Yaamy, and told under what circumstances the image was found. The Orthodox immediately guessed that this is the image of the Dormition of the Mother of God.
Having received the icon as a gift, the Orthodox inhabitants of the Pyukhtitsa region in the 16th century built a chapel on the lower ledge of the Mother of God. The appearance of the Mother of God is captured in a special icon called Pukhtitskaya. The peculiarity of the writing of this icon is that the Mother of God is depicted standing on the ground. During wars and troubles, local residents protected the Pukhtitsa shrine, and in the event of destruction they always restored the chapel. For safety reasons, the miraculous icon was kept in Narva. When a church was built in the village of Syrenets, the Assumption Chapel was attributed to it, and the miraculous icon was transferred there. After this event, Orthodox residents decided annually on August 15, on the day of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, to perform the procession of the Cross to the chapel on the Mother of God Hill along with the icon.
In 1885, the Pukhtitsa Orthodox parish was established. However, local landowners oppressed Orthodox parishioners. The governor of Estonia, Prince S. V. Shakhovskoy, he took certain measures to protect the interests of Orthodox residents. In 1891, a women's community was founded at the church, which was erected in the Pukhtitsa monastery in 1892. In the same year, the icon of the Dormition of the Mother of God from the Syrenets Church was returned here.
Every year in July, the miraculous icon is solemnly transferred to the village of Syrenets, where it remains until August 13. Since 1896, the holy icon has been brought annually to the city of Revel on the 2nd week after Pentecost for 8 days and to the village of Oleshnitsa for the period from 7 to 10 September. Near the monastery there are graves in which, according to legend, Russian soldiers who served during the time of St. Alexander Nevsky and John the Terrible are buried. The monastery finances various institutions: in Pyukhtitsa - an almshouse, an outpatient clinic, a hospital for women and children, a community of sisters of mercy, a shelter for Orthodox girls, a two-year school for children of both sexes; in the town of Ievve there is a free hospital.
In Soviet times, this monastery was the only active nunnery in the entire USSR. Now there are about 150 nuns and novices from Estonia, Ukraine and Russia. Here you can book an excursion, the nuns will acquaint with the history of the monastery, show the cells and refectory. Near the monastery there is a healing spring and a bath, in which women are allowed to swim only in shirts.
