SACRED-USPENSKY MONASTERY IN ROCK in BAKHCHISARA

It is called the Crimean Lavra. Scientists suggest that the holy abode was founded in the VI century. Christian burials, found by archaeologists on the territory of the monastery, refer to this time. In the late Antiquity, Christianity has already come to the lands of Tauris, but has not yet gained strength. Only 200 years later Byzantine missionaries-preachers will move to the peninsula, fleeing from the persecution of the authorities. In the beginning of the VIII century, the ruler of the Leo III Isar would begin to fight the icon-worshipers and force many Orthodox to leave the lands of Byzantium. They will choose the peninsula Crimea as a refuge, and form a settlement that Mariampol will call. In translation from the Turkic word means "Gorge of Mary". Christian sources have not preserved historical evidence of the phenomenon of the miraculous icon, but up to now three traditions have come down. The first tells of the serpent that tormented the neighborhood in ancient times. The animals left the forests of Bakhchisarai, and a terrible monster began to devour people. No one could defeat him. The inhabitants of the valley prayed to the Theotokos to save them from the tormentor. One night, one of the righteous saw a light burning in the gorge where the snake lived. He decided that it was a sign, and persuaded his fellow tribesmen to go upstairs. The men carved steps in the rock, and went into the cave. On the stone floor lay a fallen serpent, and above it burned a candle. And the inhabitants of the valley saw in its radiance the image of the Lady of Heaven. The monster was immediately burned, and the gorge has since been revered as a holy place. A snake devouring people and cattle, a frequent image in Christian symbolism. He represents paganism and idolatry. Scientists believe that in the medieval period, it began to be associated with Islam - the religion of the invaders. Usually the monster is killed by the main Russian warrior George the Victorious. He pierces him with a spear and tramples his horse. This plot was repeatedly depicted on ancient icons. The second tradition is different. It speaks of the appearance of the icon to the shepherd. The young man was carrying a flock of sheep near the Assumption rock. In one of the hot summer days he noticed on the top of the light, hurried there and saw a miracle. High above the earth floated the icon of the Virgin, and before her burned a candle. The shepherd told him about what he saw as his ruler. Prince Michael ordered the transfer of God's Image to the palace. The servants carried out his will, but the next night Panagia reappeared on the rock. Once again, the icon was brought into the house, and again it returned to its original place. Then the lord of Bakhchisaray land decided to carve the temple in the mountain, which is located opposite the place where the image appeared. With prayer the subjects of the prince took up their business and cut through the cave. We put a ladder next to it. The temple was consecrated in honor of the Assumption of the Virgin, because it was on this day that the shepherd saw a miracle. According to legend, it is from the church in the rock that the story of the Bakhchsarai Holy Assumption Monastery begins in the Crimea. The last legend is even more interesting, because it's more like the truth. She says that the icon was kept in the Sumel skete - the monastery of the end of the III c. AD, which was located near the Greek port city of Trebizond. The founders of the monastery are the monks Barnabas and Sophronius. They left Athens, where they were born and took a vow, and went to St. Athos. Their path lay through the desert, along which they led the icon of the Virgin Hodegetria. Christian texts claim that it was written by one of the apostles - Evangelist Luke. In total, he wrote 72 images of the Heavenly Queen. There is an assumption that it was the Odigitria that was transferred to the Crimea.Not all historians believe that the Byzantines were the founders of the monastery. The architectural features of the cave temples do not correspond to the Byzantine religious tradition. According to her, the monks had to live together in one bedroom. A Holy Assumption male cave monastery in Bakhchisarai of the Crimean peninsula is divided into many separate cells, the device of which you can see in the photo.

Researchers Alexander Herzen and Yuri Mogarichev in 1993 suggested that the cave monastery was organized by the schemers of the underground city of Chufut-Kale.