Church of the Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Pokrovsky Monastery
The Pokrovsky Stavropigial Monastery is one of the most famous monasteries in Moscow. It was originally founded as a monastery for men. It was built by the devout Romanov dynasty. In 1635, Tsar Mikhail Fyodorovich Romanov granted 17 quarters of land for the construction of the monastery. According to the tradition, the foundation of the monastery in honour of the intercession of the Mother of God was inspired by the repose of Patriarch Filaret, the parent of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich, who died on the feast of the intercession. In 1812 the monastery was devastated. In 1870 St. Innokenty, Metropolitan of Moscow, gave the Pokrovsky Monastery the status of a missionary monastery. At the beginning of the XX century the monastery had 2 churches – the Church of the Resurrection and the Church of Pokrovsky, 4 chapels in different corners of Moscow, a stone belfry with eight columns and a battle clock. The monastery was surrounded by a stone fence. There were 2 almshouses attached to the monastery, there was also a parochial school for boys. In 1914-1916 pastoral courses for 400 people were held in the monastery. In 1919 the monastery cemetery (necropolis) was closed. In 1926 the bell tower was demolished and the Church of the Intercession was closed. The chapel and tombs were also demolished. In 1927, a recreational park for the drivers of the tram depot was built on the grounds of the monastery. In 1929 the monastery was closed, the last archimandrite Veniamin (Milov) and other inhabitants of the monastery were suppressed, some of them were glorified as saints. For about 70 years in the church and monastery buildings there were trusts, offices, banks, gymnasium, billiard room. In 1994 the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church decided to restore the Pokrovsky Convent as a women’s convent. Hegumeness Theophany (Miskina) was appointed abbess. His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II consecrated 9 side chapels of the two churches of the monastery as well as the reconstructed bell tower. On 1 May 1998 the mortal remains of the Blessed Matrona (Matrona Dmitrievna Nikonova), who was canonised on 2 May 1999, were transferred from the Danilovsky cemetery to the Pokrovsky Convent. On 12 July 2004, an orphanage for girls was opened in the monastery, where about 40 children are now being brought up.
Address: Moscow, Taganskaya str., 58, building 1
