St. Methodius of Peshnosha The historian Vasily Klyuchevsky referred to the fourteenth century as the dawn of the political and moral revival of the Russian land. In his book The Blessed Nurturer of the Russian National Spirit, he wrote: “An external calamity threatened to become an internal chronic ailment; the panic and fear of one generation could have developed into a national timidity, a trait of the national character, and another dark page could have been added to the history of humanity, narrating how the invasion of the Asian Mongols led to the downfall of a great European people.”
But this did not happen. It seems it was God’s will for the Russian land to endure. In the fourteenth century, three future spiritual pillars were born in different parts of the land, individuals who would profoundly influence the course of our history. These were the future 
St. Alexis the Metropolitan of Moscow and Wonderworker of All RussiaThe Lord revealed to the future saint his lofty destiny from early childhood. At twelve years of age Eleutherius went to a field and set nets to ensnare birds. He dozed off and suddenly he heard a voice: “Alexis! Why do you toil in vain? You are to be a catcher of people.”
“>Metropolitan of Moscow, Alexis—the son of a Chernigov boyar, representing the southern borders of Russia; 
St. Stephen the Bishop of PermSaint Stephen the Enlightener of Perm, and Apostle to the Zyrians, was born around the year 1340 into the family of Simeon, a cleric of the Ustiug cathedral.”>St. Stephen of Perm, hailing from northern Russia; and 
St. Sergius of RadonezhUndoubtedly, the most outstanding establisher of the truly selfless “life equal to the angels” in fourteenth century Russia is St. Sergius of Radonezh, the founder of the famous Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Monastery, which embodies in its historical legacy his blessed precepts, and gradually became a kind of spiritual heart for all of Orthodox Russia.”>St. Sergius of Radonezh, the saint of central Russia.
St. Sergius did not leave behind a single written document or recorded teaching, although he was well-versed in Greek spiritual literature and raised a whole multitude of disciples during his fifty years of ascetic labor. Almost a quarter of the monasteries of that time were founded by his disciples or the disciples of his disciples. One of them was St. Methodius of Peshnosha.
We have no record of where the future St. Methodius was born or who his parents were. However, it is easy to guess that he grew up in a family that revered God and treated people with kindness. Perhaps traveling pilgrims visited the home of the future saint, sharing their stories, and young Methodius was inspired to serve God. We do not know if his mother blessed him for the long journey or gave him a loaf of bread wrapped in a cloth.
One can imagine that having traveled through many villages and settlements, the future monk saw the hardships of common life and heard the people’s groans as they endured humiliation and suffering from the Mongol-Tatar hordes. He realized that the people’s sorrows could not be alleviated by military efforts alone. What was needed was a life of prayer and devotion.
With these thoughts, the humble young man was led by God to the “Abbot of the Russian Land,” Sergei of Radonezh, Saint of All RussiaAt that moment, the fate of the Russian Church was being decided; even the whole fate of Russian culture was being sealed. Just try to imagine Russia without the Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra, without Andrei Rublev, without the churches dedicated to the Holy Trinity. And yet, St. Sergius left that decision up to another, even though he already knew the answer to his own question.
“>St. Sergius of Radonezh. Methodius became one of St. Sergius’s first disciples and novices, referred to by chroniclers as his “companion and fellow-ascetic.” For young Methodius the few years he spent under the guidance of the great ascetic were a school of monastic life and the organization of monastic communities. Years later, he would establish his own monastery about fifty versts (roughly 50 kilometers or 31 miles) from his teacher’s abode. In the ancient list of St. Sergius of Radonezh’s disciples, St. Methodius is listed sixteenth, between 
Heavenly Intercessions of St. Savva StorozhevskyThe most immediate reason for the uncovering of St. Savva’s relics, according to an ancient tradition of Storozhevsky Monastery, was the saint’s appearance to Tsar Alexei himself.”>St. Savva of Zvenigorod and St. Roman of Kirzhach.
This was a difficult time for the formation of the Moscow state. Two decades before the Battle of Kulikovo, when the raids of the Tatar-Mongol hordes devastated the Russian principalities, radiant monasteries began to emerge around Moscow in the northeastern part of Russia, serving as beacons of hope and a pledge for the future victory of Orthodox Russia.
Growing in Faith and Strength on the Difficult Path of a Warrior of Christ
St. Methodius of Peshnosha, seeking even greater labors of work and prayer, continued to grow in faith and strength on his difficult path as a warrior of Christ. With the blessing of St. Sergius, he withdrew into the depths of an oak forest beyond the Yakroma River, 25 versts (approximately 27 kilometers or 17 miles) from Dmitrov. Today, the area is still characterized by vast fields interspersed with forest clearings and swamps. Looking at these expanses, one can easily imagine how the young monk Methodius trudged through the wide fields in the autumn mud, made the first notch on a pine tree, and soon used that tree as part of the foundation for his future monastery. On a small rise amid the swamp, the son of a peasant built his cell for seclusion and prayerful work. His ascetic efforts and fervent prayers naturally attracted other like-minded seekers of God. This was the beginning of the monastery.
In a prayer to St. Methodius, he is called the “good steward of obedience,” meaning a person who diligently and zealously cares for his work. Several years later, St. Sergius of Radonezh visited his beloved disciple. Seeing the amazing efforts the young Methodius had put into creating the forest monastery, Sergius advised him to build his cell and a church in a drier and more spacious location.
With Sergius’s blessing, the foundation of the Nikolo-Peshnosha Monastery was laid, named after its main church, the Church of St. Nicholas. St. Methodius worked tirelessly on the construction of the church and the monastic cells. He carried logs across the small river on foot (the root “pesh” means, “by foot”), which flowed in the lowlands near the monastery’s construction site. The river was named “Peshnosha” because of this, and the monastery came to be known as the Peshnosha Monastery.
St. Nicholas-Peshnosha Monastery.
The Foundation and Growth of Nikolo-Peshnosha Monastery
The monastery was founded in 1361. Today, as you approache the ancient churches, visible from afar across the fields, and sees the revival of the monastery, it seems you can almost hear the sounds from the fourteenth century: the stones being hauled by horse carts for the church foundation, and the laboring monks in faded cassocks digging deep trenches behind the monastery walls.
St. Sergius visited his disciple several times. The chronicle of the Peshnosha Monastery mentions a visit by St. Sergius in 1382, during the invasion of Moscow and Pereslavl-Zalessky by Khan Tokhtamysh’s forces. During this time, Sergius, along with several monks from his monastery, sought refuge in Tver under the protection of Prince Michael Alexandrovich.
Solitude and Spiritual Conversations
St. Methodius and Abbot Sergius of Radonezh would retreat two versts (about 2.1 miles or 3.2 kilometers) away from the monastery for spiritual conversation and prayers. For many years, on June 24 (according to the Old Style calendar), an annual procession would travel from the monastery to the “Besednaya” (Conversation) Hermitage and the chapel dedicated to John the Baptist.
Leadership and Legacy
In 1391, St. Methodius became the abbot of his monastery, leading and nurturing the monastic community for over 30 years.
Over the centuries, the monasteries surrounding the capital of the Russian state often defended it from foreign invasions. Monks repeatedly stood their ground or perished at the hands of non-believers. The Peshnosha Monastery was no exception, suffering several devastations. One of the most severe occurred in 1611 when almost all the monks were killed by Lithuanian invaders. Nevertheless, new ascetics arrived, and monks who had hidden in the surrounding forests returned, allowing monastic life to continue.
The Role of Monasteries in Russian Culture and Faith
During this period, many Russian monasteries established rules and guidelines for monastic life, started recording chronicles, and developed local iconographic schools. In the fourteenth century, the newly founded monasteries in Russia read the lives of saints like Barlaam of Khutyn, the Venerable Fathers of the Kiev Caves (both Near and Far Caves), St. Mary of Egypt, and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. They also read accounts of the 
The Vladimir Mother of GodThe Vladimir Mother of God
“>Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God and homilies by Andrew of Crete and John the Theologian on the feasts of the Nativity and the Dormition of the Mother of God, among other spiritual books. Some of these texts came from Mount Athos, while others were composed on Russian soil.
The First Benefactor of Nikolo-Peshnosha Monastery
The story of the first benefactor of the Nikolo-Peshnosha Monastery was recorded from oral tradition in the monastery’s chronicles by Hieromonk Hieronymus. The Dmitrov principality is mentioned among the possessions of Grand Prince Dmitry Ivanovich Donskoy. According to the tradition, it was reported to Grand Prince Dmitry that a certain monk had settled on his lands. The prince was indignant that someone dared to settle on his princely lands without his knowledge. Despite all the messages from the prince’s envoys and their exhortations to leave the princely land, the monk refused to comply. Prince Dmitry then decided to personally go and expel the monk. However, on the forest road, his three horses suddenly fell dead. Arriving on foot at the monk’s cell, he was struck by the poverty in which the ascetic lived. The prince repented of his intentions. When the monk led him to the place where the horses had fallen, and through his holy prayers they were miraculously revived, Grand Prince Dmitry Donskoy began to plead with the holy man to stay and live on his land.
Generosity of Prince Peter Dmitrievich
Following his father’s example, Dmitry Donskoy’s son, Prince Peter Dmitrievich of Dmitrov (1389–1428), became a documented benefactor of the Nikolo-Peshnosha Monastery. He donated numerous villages and lands to the monastery: “In Kamensky Stan, the villages of Ivanovskoye, Bestuzhevo, Novoselki, Popovskoye, Rogachevo, Alexandrovskoye, Nesterovskoye, Belavino, along with all their hamlets, cleared lands, wastelands, and beekeeping areas, and in Povelsky Stan, the village of Goveinovo with its surrounding hamlets.”
The Ascetic Life of St. Methodius of Peshnosha
Venerable Methodius of Peshnosha For more than thirty years, St. Methodius of Peshnosha was the abbot of the monastery he founded. In the dry summer of the leap year 1392, the monastery lost its beloved leader. Manuscripts of saints’ lives tell us that “St. Methodius, abbot of Peshnosha Monastery and disciple of St. Sergius the Wonderworker, reposed in the year 6900 (1392), on the fourteenth day of June.” It is believed that the venerable elder was about sixty years old at the time of his repose.
St. Methodius was buried in the monastery he established, near the Church of St. Nicholas. His disciples built a wooden chapel over his grave, which stood for more than 300 years.
Canonization and Reverence
Despite the popular veneration of St. Methodius at Peshnosha, he was not canonized by the Church until the mid-sixteenth century. In 1547, Metropolitan Macarius sent a circular letter to all dioceses, requesting the collection of canons, lives, and miracles of new miracle-workers who had shone with good deeds and miracles, as attested by “local residents of all kinds and ranks.” This letter was also received at Peshnosha during the time of Abbot Varsanofy, who was then directed to Kazan to establish a new monastery. Abbot Varsanofy, who loved Peshnosha and took several monks from this monastery with him to the new monastery, responded to Metropolitan Macarius’ request by providing information about the life and miracles of Venerable Methodius.
The Moscow Council of 1549 verified these canons, lives, and miracles, and decreed that “the churches of God shall hymn, glorify, and celebrate the new miracle-workers.” Thus, another Russian saint, Methodius of Peshnosha, was canonized. His feast day is celebrated on June 4/17 and June 14/27.
St. Methodius of Peshnosha and the Transformation of the Monastery
According to tradition, before the monastery’s devastation by the Poles in 1611, the relics of St. Methodius were openly venerated and renowned for their miracles. However, to protect them from desecration during enemy invasions, the monks hid them underground. In 1732, the monastery’s patron, August Starkov, constructed a small stone church over the relics of St. Methodius, dedicated to his teacher, St. Sergius of Radonezh. The chapel where St. Methodius’ relics had reposed since his death was moved to the site of his first cell in an oak grove.
By the seventeenth century, all the wooden buildings of the monastery had been replaced with stone structures. The main church, the St. Nicholas Cathedral, which still stands today, was built at the end of the fifteenth century. It is believed to be the work of the great Italian architect Aristotele Fioravanti, who also designed the Dormition Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin.
Donations and Visits by Ivan the Terrible
Tsar Ivan IV, known as Ivan the Terrible, was a notable pilgrim to the St. Nicholas-Peshnosha Monastery. During one of his visits, he granted the monastery twenty-five villages from the Sukhodolskaya Volost, part of the Tver Principality. Ivan also stopped at the monastery in 1553 on his way to the St. Kirill of Belozersk Monastery.
During this visit, a notable exchange occurred between Ivan and the former Bishop of Kolomna, Vassian (Toporkov), who had retired to the monastery. The Tsar inquired, “Father, how should one best govern the state?” Vassian’s response was both profound and pragmatic: “If you wish to be a true autocrat, then have no counselors wiser than yourself; follow the rule that you must teach rather than learn, command rather than obey. This way, you will be firm in your realm and fearful to the nobility.” Ivan the Terrible reportedly replied, “Not even my own father could have given me better counsel.”
Architectural and Historical Significance
By the time of St. Methodius’ death in 1392, the St. Nicholas-Peshnosha Monastery had become a spiritual beacon. His disciples honored him by constructing a wooden chapel over his grave, which lasted for over 300 years. Despite the challenges and invasions, the monastery continued to grow and develop.
In the eighteenth century, during a significant period of rebuilding, August Starkov honored the legacy of St. Methodius by establishing a church that reflected the saint’s deep spiritual influence. The monastery’s transformation from a series of wooden structures to a complex of enduring stone buildings symbolized its resilience and the unyielding faith of its monastic community.
Legacy and Canonization
Even though St. Methodius had been venerated locally for centuries, he was not officially canonized until the mid-sixteenth century. In 1547, Metropolitan Macarius issued a call to compile the lives and miracles of newly recognized saints. The monks at Peshnosha, under Abbot Varsonofy, responded with accounts of St. Methodius’ life and miracles. The Moscow Council of 1549 approved these accounts, officially recognizing Venerable Methodius as a saint. His feast day is celebrated on June 4 and June 14 (old style calendar), marking his enduring spiritual legacy and the profound impact of his life’s work on Russian Orthodoxy.
Devastation During the Time of Troubles
During the Time of Troubles in the early seventeenth century, the St. Nicholas-Peshnosha Monastery suffered significant devastation at the hands of Polish-Lithuanian invaders. The monastery was looted and destroyed, and many of its monastics met a tragic end. Among the martyrs were two hieromonks, two priests, one hierodeacon, six schemamonks, and seven monks, who were killed by the godless assailants. Unfortunately, the turmoil of those years led to the loss of their names. However, when the St. Nicholas Cathedral was being rebuilt in 1805–1806, stones were found engraved with the names of the monastery’s defenders, preserving their memory.
Decline and Revival in the 18th Century
In 1700, the St. Nicholas-Peshnosha Monastery was subordinated to the larger St. Sergius-Holy Trinity Lavra. This led to a period of decline, and by 1764, the monastery was officially abolished. Yet, only two years later, in 1766, efforts by local Dmitrov merchants Ivan Sychev and Ivan Tolchenov, along with the petitioning of the state councilor Mikhail Verevkin, sparked the monastery’s revival. It was integrated into the Pereslavl diocese and began to flourish under the diligent leadership of Hieromonk Ignatius, who was appointed by the diocese as the first abbot.
Hieromonk Ignatius introduced the Athonite rule into the monastery’s already strict liturgical practices, enhancing its spiritual reputation. The monastery soon became as renowned as 
Rejoice O Valaam, beloved of St. Herman!In beautiful Lake Ladoga, the largest in the formerly Finnish territory of Karelia, is the Athos of the North—the Valaam Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Savior.
“>Valaam Monastery and the Sarov Hermitage, known for their austere monastic discipline.
Further Flourishing under Archimandrite Macarius
The monastery continued to thrive under the leadership of Archimandrite Macarius in the late eighteenth century. During this period, Metropolitan Platon (Levshin) of Moscow, a prominent preacher and figure in Russian enlightenment, described the St. Nicholas-Peshnosha Monastery as a “second Lavra,” indicating its significance and stature.
Influence on Surrounding Monastic Communities
The St. Nicholas-Peshnosha Monastery emerged as a beacon of monastic life and discipline, serving as a model for many neighboring monastic communities. The monastery’s charter and the organization of its monastic life were adopted by several other prominent monasteries, including the Sretensky and Pokrov Monasteries in Moscow, the Vladychny Monastery in Serpukhov, the Golutvin Monastery in Kolomna, and the Sts. Boris and Gleb Monastery in Dmitrov. Additionally, smaller monasteries like Optina, St. Catherine Monastery, and St. David of Serpukhov Monastery also looked to St. Nicholas-Peshnosha for inspiration. Often, these monasteries were governed by abbots who had been part of the St. Nicholas-Peshnosha brotherhood, spreading its influence further.
The War of 1812
During the Patriotic War of 1812, the St. Nicholas-Peshnosha Monastery was spared from destruction. French troops, who were stationed just eighteen versts away, refrained from advancing on the monastery. The surrounding swamps created a natural defense that deterred the invaders, allowing the monastery to remain untouched during the conflict.
Legacy and Continuing Influence
Despite the many challenges it faced over the centuries, the St. Nicholas-Peshnosha Monastery has maintained its spiritual significance and influence. From its revival in the eighteenth century to its role as a model of monastic life, the monastery’s history reflects the resilience and dedication of its monastic community. The enduring legacy of its founders, especially Venerable Methodius, continues to inspire and guide the monastic and wider Orthodox communities in Russia.
The story of St. Nicholas-Peshnosha Monastery is a testament to the power of faith and perseverance in the face of adversity. Its ability to rebuild and thrive after periods of destruction shows the enduring spirit of Russian monasticism and the deep roots of Orthodox spirituality in the region.
Miracles of St. Methodius of Peshnosha in the Nineteenth-Twentieth Centuries
In the nineteenth century, the chronicles of the St. Nicholas-Peshnoshsky Monastery meticulously recorded the miracles attributed to St. Methodius of Peshnosha. These testimonies demonstrate that the saint continued to serve and intercede for people before God.
In the summer of 1850, a peasant woman named Avdotya from the village of Bobolovo was suffering from an incurable illness. One night, she dreamed she was in the Presentation Church of the St. Nicholas-Peshnosha Monastery. A monk approached her in the dream, pointed to an icon of the Annunciation, and said, “Light a candle worth a grivennik (a small silver coin) before this icon. I will heal you.” The following day, Avdotya traveled to the monastery and recounted her dream. Everyone believed that the monk she had seen was none other than St. Methodius of Peshnosha. After fulfilling those instructions, Avdotya was miraculously healed.
St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and St. Methodius of Peshnosha
In the autumn of 1854, Alexander, the son of Ivan Andreevich Shalaev, a merchant from Dmitrov, was brought to the monastery. In his youth, Alexander had broken his leg, and it caused him significant pain. His parents held a prayer service, fervently praying at the relics of St. Methodius. After the service, they anointed Alexander’s leg with oil from the monastery lamp. Soon after, Alexander regained his ability to walk and returned home to Dmitrov healthy.
On July 18, 1867, a Moscow priest visited the monastery and recounted a vision he had seen. In his dream, St. Methodius appeared alongside St. Savva of Zvenigorod. The priest from the village of Vedernitsa also spoke of men who had cursed against the Emperor. In response, St. Methodius appeared to these men with a crutch, declared his name, and commanded them to cease cursing the anointed one of God. He instructed them to pray for the Emperor, stating that he himself prays for him.
During the turbulent revolutionary years of the twentieth century, the St. Nicholas-Peshnosha Monastery faced significant destruction. Despite this, the monastery became a beacon of sanctity in modern times. At the Jubilee Council of Bishops in 2000, the Russian Orthodox Church canonized several new martyrs and confessors of Russia, including four monks from the St. Nicholas-Peshnoshsky Monastery:
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St. Hieromartyr Gerasim (Mochalov), who died in 1936,
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St. Hieromartyr Ioasaph (Shakhov), who died in 1938,
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St. Hieromartyr Nicholas (Saltykov), who died in 1937,
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St. Hieromartyr Aristarchus (Zaglodin-Kokorev), who died in 1937.
These martyrs were recognized for their steadfast faith and sacrifice during the persecution of the church.
Post-Revolutionary Changes and Closures
After the October Revolution, the St. Nicholas-Peshnosha Monastery was repurposed as a branch of the Dmitrov Regional Museum. Until 1927, monks remained in the monastery, and some church activities continued. However, by 1928, both the monastery and the museum were closed. The buildings were then repurposed to house a home for disabled persons under the Moscow Regional Department of Social Welfare (Mossoblsobes). From 1966 until March 2013, the monastery grounds were occupied by Psychiatric Neurological Asylum No. 3.
The Monastery’s Revival
The religious life within the monastery, comparable in size to the Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra, was renewed starting in 2007. Large-scale restoration efforts began, reminiscent of the young monk Methodius who first established the monastery on this marshy land centuries ago.
The first restoration effort was focused on the Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh. It was consecrated in June 2008.
On the Feast of the Transfiguration in 2007, regular services resumed in the Church of the Theophany. On September 2 of that year, a ceremonial reopening of the monastery took place, and Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna conducted the first service in the Church of St. Sergius in eighty years. On July 28, 2009, in commemoration of St. Vladimir the Equal-to-the-Apostles, a Penitential Cross was erected near the former hermitage of the St. Nicholas-Peshnosha Monastery. Stones and bricks from the monastery walls, along with soil from the cemetery and the relics of the monastic brethren, were brought to this site.
It is a great comfort and joy for the sick to visit a monastery where prayers are made for them. The restoration work within the monastery includes cleaning the walls of certain rooms not only from dirt and old plaster but also from traces of fire damage caused by the Polish-Lithuanian troops of False Dmitry II (during the Time of Troubles).
Services and Discoveries in the Sretensky Church
Today, services are held in the restored Church of the Meeting of the Lord. During the restoration, old frescoes hidden beneath six to seven layers of paint were uncovered. A secret staircase was also discovered, leading from the church to a storeroom that held supplies such as oil, incense, and wine, and where priestly vestments were stored. It’s possible that there were once underground passages from the church to the towers, which have been sealed, reopened, and lost over the monastery’s 650-year history.
On the territory of the St. Nicholas-Peshnosha Monastery
The Monastic Churches
Currently, the monastery is home to six churches:
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The St. Nicholas Cathedral—a sixteenth-century cross-domed church, originally two-domed and now single-domed.
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The Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh—built in 1732 over the grave of Methodius of Peshnosha, replacing an earlier church.
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The Church of the Meeting of the Lord.
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The Church of the Theophany—from the early sixteenth century.
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The Gate Church of the Transfiguration—built in 1689 above the Holy Gates (1623), facing the Yakhroma River.
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The Church of St. Dmitry of Rostov—built between 1811 and 1829.
Sacred Relics and Icons
Several revered relics were housed in the St. Nicholas-Peshnoshsky Monastery. The most important among them were the relics of St. Methodius, the founder of the monastery, along with his staff and the wooden chalice he used in worship. The chalice is currently in the Dmitrov Museum, while the holy relics of St. Methodius have been returned to the monastery.
Another treasured relic was the icon of the Mother of God “A Virgin Before and After Childbirth,” brought to the monastery by Moscow merchant Alexei Makeyev, who later took monastic vows. After his death in 1792, the icon remained in the monastery. In 1848, prayers before this icon ended a cholera epidemic in the Dmitrov district. Following this miraculous deliverance, an annual procession with this icon took place every October 17 (O.S.). The icon was also credited with saving Emperor Alexander III during the train crash near Borki, Kharkov, on October 17, 1888. Remarkably, at the time of the train wreck, a procession with the icon was being conducted in the Peshnosha Monastery. The current whereabouts of the icon are unknown.
The most famous relic of the monastery is the icon of 
St. John the Forerunner: the Man Who Baptized ChristThis is what the preaching of St. John the Baptist was like. On the one hand, he was stern and exacting. And, on the other hand, as a human being he understood our real capacity and showed no sign of maximalism or radicalism.
“>St. John the Forerunner, believed to have been painted between 1408 and 1427 by Andrei Rublev. According to tradition, prayers before this icon in 1569 healed the cupbearer of Prince Andrei Kurbsky, Roman Polyaninov. Today, this icon is part of the main collection of the Andrei Rublev Museum of Ancient Russian Art and Culture (in Moscow).
Graves and Notable Figures
The monastery’s grounds and the St. Nicholas Cathedral contain the remains of numerous members of prominent Russian noble families, including the Obolenskys, Volkonskys, Dolgorukovs, Vyazemskys, Apraksins, Orlovs, Ushakovs, Turgenevs, Maykovs, Tukhachevskys, Velyaminovs, Yushkovs, Kvashnins, and Toporkovs, among others. Unfortunately, only a few granite tombstones of these esteemed individuals have survived. A century ago, people from all walks of life, from educated nobles to illiterate peasants, were closely tied to church life, bringing their joys and sorrows to the church. This deep connection to faith fostered the rapid recovery and growth of the Russian state, producing talented individuals in various fields of science and art.
Within the monastery, the relics of Archimandrite Macarius, Hieromonk Maxim, and Blessed Monk Jonah are preserved. The St. Nicholas Cathedral also houses the remains of sixteenth-century bishops: Vasian (Toporkov) of Kolomna and Guriy (Zabolotsky) of Tver, as well as the brethren martyred during the attack on the monastery by the Poles in 1611.
Since the repose of St. Methodius of Peshnosha, over forty abbots have overseen the monastery. As of 2008, Fr. Gregory (Klimenko) serves as the abbot of the St. Nicholas-Peshnosha Monastery.
The zoo on the territory of St. Nicholas-Peshnosha Monastery
A Place of Sanctuary
In recent years, a zoo has been established on the monastery grounds. It provides sanctuary and care for animals such as camels, arctic foxes, squirrels, ducks, horses, and ponies. Domestic animals like cats and dogs also find warmth and care in this holy place, continuing a millennia-old tradition of companionship with humans.
Legacy of Faith
The enduring faith of our ancestors strengthens us today in our Orthodox tradition. It helps us navigate temporary challenges in the state, inspiring hope that the difficulties of earthly life are eased by the prayers of our holy intercessors, including St. Methodius of Peshnosha.
“We call out in prayer to St. Methodius: ‘Do not forget, O holy servant of God, your sacred monastery, created by you and always honoring you. Preserve it and all those who labor in it, and those who come for pilgrimage, protecting them from diabolic temptations and all evil.’”
Holy Father Methodius, pray to God for us!
Troparion, Tone 8
Aflame from thy youth with divine love, and having disdained the beauty of the world, thou didst love Christ alone, and for His sake didst settle in the desert. There thou didst create a monastic habitation, and having gathered a multitude of monks, thou didst receive from God the gift of miracle-working, O Fr. Methodius. Thou wast a spiritual converser and co-faster with St. Sergius, with whom do thou ask Christ for the health and salvation of Orthodox Christians, and for mercy on our souls.
Kontakion, Tone 4:
Thou wast a good warrior of obedience, having put the bodiless foes to shame by thy mighty prayers. Thou showed thyself to be a habitation of the Holy Trinity, having beheld it clearly, O Godly-wise Methodius, and received the gift of miracle-working from It. Thereby thou doest heal those who come to thee with faith, assuage their sorrows, and do pray unceasingly for us all.
Patriarchate of Alexandria defrocks second Russian Exarch of AfricaBp. Konstantin commented simply: “The fact of the matter is that I am a bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church. I am subordinate to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia as his vicar and to the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church as any of its bishops.”
Russian Synod rejects Alexandria’s defrocking of Russian hierarch and clergyDue to Pat. Theodoros’ communion with schismatics and “proceeding from the universally recognized principle rooted in the canons and Tradition of the non-jurisdiction of the clergy of one autocephalous Church to the court of another autocephalous Church,” the Russian Holy Synod ruled yesterday to consider the defrocking of Met. Leonid and the other Russian clergy “as having no canonical force and invalid.””>formally rejects such rulings). The Patriarchate of Alexandria’s hierarch of Cameroon, Metropolitan Gregory, 
Bishop of Cameroon to Russian Exarch: you’re the “dumbest wolf,” sent out to be devouredOn Friday, January 28, Metropolitan Gregory of Cameroon issued an open letter to the leaders of the Russian Exarchate in Africa.”>has voiced very strong criticism and condemnation of the Exarchate and its clergy. 
ROCOR delegation with Kursk Root Icon visiting SerbiaA delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, accompanied by the wonderworking Kursk Root Icon, is currently visiting the Serbian Orthodox Church.
Ukrainian Security Service conducted more than 20 searches of Orthodox journalists, hierarchs respondThe UOJ published an open appeal to international human rights organizations to respond as they are able to the “detention and persecution” of the journalists, lawyers, and human rights defenders. Five people are currently being held in a pre-trial detention center.
The city of Kiev forbids LGBT pride march in the metroFor safety reasons, the march organizers were asked to choose another location. The announcement notes that if the march is held, the responsibility for ensuring all safety measures lies with the organizers.