Scenes from Solovki

The Solovki Islands clustered within the White Sea not far from the Artic Circle have been home to monastic prayer since 1429, when monks Herman and Savvatius arrived from the St. Cyril of White Lake Monastery to live the anchoretic life. Solovki Monastery was soon founded in 1436 by Monk Zosima, who became its first abbot. Since then the islands of Solovki have played a vast historic role in Russian national life.

In honor of these three saints of Solovki whom we celebrate today, we are revisiting selections from an amazing photo exhibit displayed in November of 2010 in the Christ the Savior Cathedral: "Solovki: Golgotha and Resurrection", dedicated to the twentieth anniversary of the renewal of monastic life at Solovki. The exhibition showed the history of Solovki Monastery from its height spanning the sixteenth through nineteenth centuries to the time of its discretion in the twentieth century, when it was turned into a concentration camp.

Here are photos by a participant in the exhibit, Sergei Veretennikov, showing the northern splendor of Solovki.

Sunrise. Sunrise.
    

Anzer Island in autumn. Anzer Island in autumn.
  

Feast of the Ascenson, Liturgy in the Ascension Church on Sekira Hill. Feast of the Ascenson, Liturgy in the Ascension Church on Sekira Hill.
    

The Church of St. Andrew the Apostle on Greater Rabbit Island, The Church of St. Andrew the Apostle on Greater Rabbit Island,
    

In the fog. In the fog.
    

Cross on Cape Kenga. Cross on Cape Kenga.
    

Veneration cross. Veneration cross.
    

White night. White night.
    

Archimandrite Porphiry, abbot of Solovki Monastery. Archimandrite Porphiry, abbot of Solovki Monastery.
    

Church of St. Herman of Solovki. Church of St. Herman of Solovki.
    

Awaiting the coming City. Awaiting the coming City.
    

First rays. First rays.
    

Kuzova. Kuzova.
    

Red dawn. Red dawn.
    

Workers' island. Workers' island.
    

Panorama of Solovki Monastery Panorama of Solovki Monastery
The Church of St. Andrew the First Called, on Large Rabbit Island. The Church of St. Andrew the First Called, on Large Rabbit Island.
Patriarchal Service at the relics of Saints Zosima, Sabbatius, and Herman of Solovki. Patriarchal Service at the relics of Saints Zosima, Sabbatius, and Herman of Solovki.
Patriarch Kirill with the brothers of the Golgotha-Crucifixion Skete. Patriarch Kirill with the brothers of the Golgotha-Crucifixion Skete.
Liturgy in the Church of St. Andrew. Liturgy in the Church of St. Andrew.
The "Jordan," where the brothers immerse themselves on Theophany. The "Jordan," where the brothers immerse themselves on Theophany.
Bells in winter. Bells in winter.
Winter. Winter.
Cross procession with a blessing of the waters on the feast of Theophany. Cross procession with a blessing of the waters on the feast of Theophany.
A veneration cross by a spring on Anzer Island. A veneration cross by a spring on Anzer Island.
The procession with the Panagia, from church to refectory. The procession with the Panagia, from church to refectory.
Father and son. Father and son.
Waiting with flowers for the Patriarch. Waiting with flowers for the Patriarch.
Cross-bearer. Cross-bearer.
Golgotha hill. Golgotha hill.
On Sekira hill in winter. On Sekira hill in winter.
Solovki silhouette. Solovki silhouette.
Pentecost. Pentecost.

8/21/2016

See also
VIDEO: The memory of the Solovetsky islands VIDEO: The memory of the Solovetsky islands
Pavel Inzhelevsky, Ruslan Faizulin, Anna Levicheva, Ludmila Averianova, Ilya Krol
VIDEO: The memory of the Solovetsky islands VIDEO: The memory of the Solovetsky islands
Pavel Inzhelevsky, Ruslan Faizulin, Anna Levicheva, Ludmila Averianova, Ilya Krol
In August 2015 the RBTH team went to Solovetsky islands (or Solovki) to try to thread all the historical strands into a single fabric and answer the question: what lies buried in Solovki’s memory?
VIDEO: Recalling Solovki, the Toughest Camp of the GULAG VIDEO: Recalling Solovki, the Toughest Camp of the GULAG VIDEO: Recalling Solovki, the Toughest Camp of the GULAG VIDEO: Recalling Solovki, the Toughest Camp of the GULAG
October 30 is known in Russia as the Day of Remembrance for Victims of Political Repression.
Holy Fathers of Solovki—Saints Herman, Zosima and Sabbatius Holy Fathers of Solovki—Saints Herman, Zosima and Sabbatius Holy Fathers of Solovki—Saints Herman, Zosima and Sabbatius Holy Fathers of Solovki—Saints Herman, Zosima and Sabbatius
Russia in the 15th century saw the flowering of a "Northern Thebaid." The vast forests of remote regions inimical to civilization provided a welcome refuge for those zealous to share with the angels a life of concentrated communion with God. It was for just this reason that an ascetic by the name of Herman had chosen to dwell in the sparsely populated area along the shore of the White Sea. Like other hermits, he had settled not far from a chapel to take advantage of occasions when clergy would come to offer the Holy Mysteries--Confession, Communion and Baptism--to the local inhabitants, among whom there were still a number of pagans.
Solovki in Winter Solovki in Winter Solovki in Winter Solovki in Winter
Nadezhda Terekhova
The monastery of Solovki is one of the most famous monasteries in Russia. We offer our readers this collection of photographs, “Solovki in Winter”, by artist and iconographer Nadezda Terekhova.
Cross appears in the sky during prayer service to Solovki martyrs on Lubyanka Square Cross appears in the sky during prayer service to Solovki martyrs on Lubyanka Square Cross appears in the sky during prayer service to Solovki martyrs on Lubyanka Square Cross appears in the sky during prayer service to Solovki martyrs on Lubyanka Square
A cross made of clouds appeared for several minutes in the sky above the Lubyanka Square in Moscow during a prayer service to the Solovki new martyrs last Sunday.
Comments
Tina10/11/2023 4:11 pm
Beautiful! Who is the Artist for the last image, "Pentecost"???
Fanya Clifton8/22/2016 1:10 am

Looking at the pictures I felt as if I am visiting a holy place. I cried with Joy!!!!
heffernan1/18/2012 6:34 am
This is very inspiring.
The ancient monks went into the deserts to expel the demons from the wastelands, the air, and the depths of the earth. The workers of evil fought back but did not conquer.
There can be no question that the return of angelic habits to Solovki will give rest to the souls tortured there by the godless: joy in place of sorrow.

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