On December 8, 2024, in the Week of the 24th Pentecost, celebrations in honor of the 25th anniversary of the monastery were held at the Elizabeth Convent in Minsk.
The Divine Liturgy in the church in honor of the Derzhavnaya Icon of the Mother of God was headed by Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus Metropolitan of Minsk and Zaslavl Veniamin, accompanied by: Archbishop Michael (Donskov); Bishop Porfiry of Lida and Smorgon, chairman of the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism of the Belarusian Orthodox Church; Bishop George of Pinsk and Luninets; Vicar of the Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus Bishop Avksenty of Nesvizh; the clergyman of the monastery, Archpriest Andrei Lemeshonok; the secretary of the Minsk Eparchy.html">Minsk Eparchy Archpriest Andrei Volkov; Archpriest Nikolai Germansky, rector of St. Nicholas Church in the village of Rakitnoye, Belgorod region; Archpriest Georgy Latushko, rector of St. Peter and Paul Cathedral, dean of the 1st Minsk city district; Archpriest Igor Latushko, clergyman of St. Dukhov Cathedral, senior clergyman of Minsk Eparchy; Archpriest Igor Latushko, rector of the Church of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin Mary in the village of Rakitnoye, Belgorod region Archpriest Victor Belyakov, rector of the parish of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker Church in Minsk; Archpriest Sergius Komlik, rector of the parish of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker Church in Minsk; clerics of the monastery and invited guests in the clergy.
The liturgical hymns were performed by the choir under the direction of Maria Bakhvalova, senior regent of the children's choir.
After the Litany of Liturgy, Metropolitan Veniamin offered a prayer for the restoration of peace.
Metropolitan Veniamin prayed for the restoration of peace.
The service was broadcast on the monastery's YouTube channel.
The abbess of the monastery Hegumeness Euphrosyne (Laptik) and her sisters, the abbesses of the monasteries of the Belarusian Orthodox Church who arrived for the celebration, numerous pilgrims prayed in the church. The service was attended by the Commissioner for Religious and Ethnic Affairs Alexander Rumak and other honored guests.
The sermon before the communion was delivered by the clergyman of the monastery Archpriest Andrew Lemeshonok.
After the end of the service, the Patriarchal Exarch congratulated all those gathered to share the joy of the feast with a significant date and addressed to those present with an archpastoral word, in which he wished the monastery to continue to develop and bring good fruits to the Mother Church. As a gift to the monastery, the Primate of the Belarusian Orthodox Church presented the icon of St. Manefa of Gomel, and also epitrachyl, which was once given from the orphanage in honor of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk from San Francisco, where St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco lived and prayed. According to eyewitnesses, this epitrachyl was used by the saint when he confessed the children in the orphanage. With the blessing of the Patriarchal Exarch, the epitrachyl will henceforth be available for the worship of the faithful in the monastery church in honor of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco.
Alexander Rumak, Commissioner for Religions and Nationalities, addressed the audience. He read out a congratulatory word on behalf of Natalia Kochanova, Chairman of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, and also conveyed words of congratulations on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Belarus.
Alexander Rumak, Commissioner for Religious and Ethnic Affairs, addressed the audience.
Afterwards, Archbishop Michael (Donskov) congratulated the audience on the remarkable date. He also shared his memories of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco, with whom he communicated as a 7-year-old child.
In connection with the feast and in consideration of hard work for the glory of the Mother Church, the clergyman of the monastery Archpriest Andrew Lemeshonk was awarded the Order of St. Cyril of Turov I degree, the abbess of the monastery Abbess Euphrosyne (Laptik) — the Order of the Monk Euphrosyne, abbess The Monastery of Polotsk. Also clerics of the monastery and those who carry out various obediences in the monastery were honored with church awards.
After the proclamation to those gathered for the celebration of many years archpastors and invited guests familiarized themselves with the exhibitions, one of which is dedicated to the Venerable Martyr Elizabeth, as well as the exposition of artists of the monastery «Self-Portrait. Monastery. View from inside», which presents paintings, graphics, sculpture and arts and crafts of creative people, one way or another connected with the monastery. Such a collection is exhibited for the first time and unites more than 300 works by 61 artists.
***
The history of Elisavetinsky monastery began when the first Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus Metropolitan Filaret (Vakhromeev) tonsured three sisters into nuns, and blessed seven sisters for novitiate.
The place for the construction of the monastery was chosen near a psychiatric hospital so that the sisters could combine in their ministry of social and spiritual work on the example of the Marfo-Marian monastery in Moscow, created by the Venerable Martyr Grand Duchess Elisabeth. Today the monastery — it is about 120 monastic sisters, more than 300 sisters and brothers of mercy. All in all, the monastery itself, as well as its subvillages, in the hospitals and 13 churches have been built in orphanages.
The monastery feeds psychoneurological boarding schools and hospitals for adults and children. Not far from Minsk there are women's and men's wards, where people with addictions, homeless people, those released from prison and all those who have nowhere else to go can come. A social workshop «Dobrodel» for rehabilitation of people with mental disorders has been created at the monastery.
In addition, in Minsk, the monastery created a social rehabilitation center that helps people to start a new life and find their place in it: to get rid of addictions, get a job, learn a new profession. The center has more than 30 workshops of church art: icon painting, iconoclastic, restoration, gold embroidery, sewing, icon painting in the technique of stone scattering, wall painting and mosaic, ceramic, stained glass, etc.
.
The monastery plans to build a large-scale almshouse for the residence and rehabilitation of elderly and disabled people and care for them. The immediate proximity of the monastery will allow those living in the almshouse to regularly participate in the sacraments of the Church, and the sisters of the monastery — to carry out the ministry of love for God and neighbors.
The monastery also operates an Orthodox kindergarten and a comprehensive school, and holds a summer camp for the
One of the important activities of the monastery — organization of exhibitions and festivals in different parts of Belarus and abroad. Thus, the festival of Orthodox culture «Kladez», educational festival «Joy», book festival «Reading City», festival of products of original craftsmen and masters of applied creativity «Dobrodel» and others have already become traditional.
Official website of the BOC/Patriarchy.ru
