Universal joy

The Saviour and St. Euphrosyne Convent in Polotsk celebrates its 900th anniversary

A great and bright holiday is celebrated on the Belarusian land! A rich programme has been prepared for the 900th anniversary of the founding of the Saviour and St. Euphrosyne Convent in Polotsk. As always, the Orthodox shrine — founded in 1125 by venerable Euphrosyne, Abbess and Princess of Polotsk — widely opens its heart and doors. Her name means ‘joy’ and Polotsk welcomes guests for this landmark anniversary with sincere joy. A visit from the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, is expected. 

Message through the ages 

…Even the sun shines brighter in this holy place, and the melodic ringing of church bells subtly heals the soul. At the gates of the Saint Euphrosyne Convent, time itself seems to stand still, and the earthly gives way to the main thing — the eternal. This place, prayed over for centuries, is lovingly referred to as the spiritual, historical and cultural pearl of the entire East Slavic world. Every year, the monastery is visited by an inexhaustible stream of pilgrims and tourists from all over the globe. The monastery is mentioned in historical sources as one of the first convents in Belarus, as noted by nun Justina,

“Thanks to the efforts of Saint Euphrosyne of Polotsk, who is revered as the heavenly intercessor of Belarus, the convent has become a centre of spirituality, education and culture, a symbol of unquenchable faith and the continuity of traditions. Today, we, the inhabitants of the convent, fulfil the precepts of its founder — we cherish and augment the heritage of the venerable one.”

The Saviour Transfiguration Church is one of the main ‘messages’ through the ages from Euphrosyne to her descendants. It is the only religious building of the 12th century that has been preserved to its full height, and also the oldest stone building in Belarus. More than 1,000 square metres, which is more than 90 percent of the area of the cathedral’s walls, are covered with 12th-century frescoes. A true rarity! The unique cathedral was erected by talented architect Joannes. According to legend, he once heard a voice at dawn, ordering him to begin construction. After telling the venerable one about this, Joannes received her blessing… When there was not enough material for the construction of the church, the zealous prayers of venerable Euphrosyne helped. In the morning, the missing plinths — thin, burnt bricks — were discovered in the kiln. The Polotsk church grew in a record short time — in just 30 weeks, as revealed by nun Justina,

“The fact that the restoration of the ancient church — which was carried out on the instructions of the President and with the financial support of the state — has been completed in the year of the 900th anniversary of the monastery can be called a miracle made by human hands, in which, it seems, there was also Divine Providence.” 

Today, everyone can visit the restored Saviour Transfiguration Church. It will also be open during the anniversary events, the list of which is quite extensive. Last week, Polotsk hosted a major international conference, attended by several dozen prominent scholars. They presented research dedicated to the monastery and its founder in the context of the historical, religious and cultural development of Belarus and East Slavic peoples and lands. On June 4th, Small Vespers [evening prayer] with the Akathist Hymn to venerable Euphrosyne and an all-night vigil took place in the Cathedral of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Divine liturgies — both in the churches of the monastery and in St. Sophia Cathedral — will be held today, on June 5th, on the Day of Remembrance of Saint Euphrosyne of Polotsk. Believers will take part in a religious procession from St. Sophia Cathedral to the Saviour and St. Euphrosyne Convent. Guests of the Polotsk Centre of Culture will be able to see a festive concert of sacred music from leading professional choirs of the country. Educational projects are also planned at educational institutions, and the Joy International Orthodox Festival will be held on Francysk Skaryna Square from June 5th to 15th. 

Touching the origins

Don’t miss the exclusive from the Art Gallery of the National Polotsk Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve! To mark the 900th anniversary of the Saviour and St. Euphrosyne Convent, exhibits have been brought together for the first time to present the history of all the ancient Orthodox churches of Polotsk. The exhibition is based on archaeological research materials, as explained by Yulia Avchinnikova, Head of Research Department at the Museum-Reserve, “According to archaeological and written sources, 11 monuments of stone architecture from the 11th–13th centuries are known today. These include ten churches and a princely residence. Scientists mention at least two more stone religious buildings. This is evidenced by archaeological finds on the territory of the Upper Castle, which will also be displayed to visitors.”
What exactly are these items? Mainly plinths with hydraulic cement mortar, fragments of smalt and plaster with fresco paintings… The new exhibits resonate with the previously opened exhibition of unique monumental painting, removed from the walls of the Saviour Transfiguration Church. As a reminder, after complex restoration work that revealed the 12th-century frescoes to the world, scientists achieved something remarkable. They preserved and transferred several layers of 18th–19th-century oil church painting onto the exhibited base.
The exhibition, which runs until the end of June, also features the originals of three hanging seals of venerable Euphrosyne, and the famous plinth with a drawing of the temple. Written with a sharp stylus, it was discovered in 2017 during the excavation of the temple tomb. This overturned the understanding of the architecture in Ancient Rus, because until now no one had seen drawings from the 12th century.
Yulia Avchinnikova highlighted that the exposition, timed to coincide with the significant date, took about six months to prepare, “With God’s help, everything worked out! The history of the archaeological study of Polotsk temples from their origins, namely from the 1950s, to the present day is laid out as if on the palm of your hand. The carefully selected exhibits are sure to leave a lasting impression on the soul of every visitor.” 
Yulia Avchinnikova awaited the celebration of the 900th anniversary of the Polotsk monastery with particular trepidation,

“In the Polotsk land, as nowhere else, you feel an invisible spiritual connection with the heavenly intercessor of Belarus. I, my family and friends, when visiting the monastery, always bow to the relics of Saint Euphrosyne of Polotsk. It is to her that we address our most cherished hopes and aspirations, knowing that a request coming from the bottom of our hearts will certainly be heard!” 

Glimpse at temples in miniature

Over 500 people participated in the Celebrating the Name of Euphrosyne project from the Polotsk diocese and the Main Department of Education under the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee during the first days of June. The project is a series of creative programmes for the day of remembrance of venerable Euphrosyne. The event is traditional, but this is the first time it has received such broad representation, as pointed out by Irina Gavrilchik, Director at the Polotsk District Centre for Children and Youth, “In connection with the 900th anniversary of the monastery, the district executive committee took the initiative to involve all regions within the Polotsk diocese in the project. The programme in Svobody [Freedom] Square took three vibrant and eventful days. Students and teachers of educational institutions were engaged in preparing performances on the themes of spirituality and morality, as well as civic-patriotic education. They all gladly responded to the invitation to participate.”
The City in Miniature project is of particular interest. It features six objects of temple architecture from Polotsk Region. Moreover, some can only be seen on these models. In order to recreate the cathedrals on a scale of 1:30, schoolchildren and teachers conducted serious research work, using miraculously preserved drawings.

By Anna Naumova

Photos from the archive of SB. Belarus Segodnya