Assumption Monastery in the Crimea

In the gorge of Maryam-dere in the VIII-IX century the Greek monks laid the Church of the Assumption. The time of the foundation of the monastery itself is not precisely established. Today there are several speculations. One of them says that the monastery was founded by Greek monks who fled from Byzantium.

The Gorge of Mary (Maryam-dere) resembled ancient Athos and therefore interested the fugitives. They hollowed out caves in the rocks and the first temple. According to another legend, the miraculous relic of the icon of the Mother of God appeared on these rocks. One of the shepherds found it and gave it to the prince. It was carried to the prince's house, but by morning the icon was still there. This phenomenon was repeated more than once before people realized that a temple should be built for the precious image.

This icon is attributed to the works of the Evangelist Luke. The appearance of this ancient shrine occurred on the feast of the Assumption, August 15, therefore the monastery is called Assumption.

The monastery was venerated even by the Crimean khans, who came to the icon of the Mother of God and prayed for protection as they set out on their campaigns and conquests. The monastery was a spiritual center in difficult times.

In the 18th century there was a mass exodus of Christians from the territory of the Crimean Khanate. They also took the precious icon with them. The fugitives settled in the Azov Sea region, and the icon was placed in the new Assumption Church built by them in the city of Mariupol.

The Christians who remained in the Crimean Khanate, resumed services at the monastery. Assumption monastery began its revival in 1850. The initiator of the revival was Archbishop Innocent.

During the Crimean War in the monastery there was a hospital of the Russian army. Dead soldiers were buried in the monastery's cemetery. After the end of the war a new life began in the monastery. New churches of various saints were built. The territory of the Monastery of the Assumption was also beautified. There appeared hotels, abbot's house, outbuildings, refectory, orchard and fountain at the holy spring.

At the beginning of Soviet rule, the monastery was closed. Already in our time, in 1993, services and religious rites began to be held in the Holy Dormition Monastery again, and the monastery became active.

On an excursion to the Assumption Monastery is easiest to get from the city of Bakhchisarai.