Pilgrimage Tour Moscow region

1 DAY: MOSCOW
Meet your guide in the airport.
Transfer to the hotel.
Dinner in the hotel.

2 DAY: SERGIEV POSAD
Breakfast in the hotel. Meet your guide in the hotel lobby.
Trip to Sergiyev Possad.
Arrive in the small town of Khotkovo.
Visit to the Intercession Convent.
It is here that Reverend Sergius took his monastic vows. Adoration of the parents of St. Stergius and the wonderworking icons of Our Lady of Tolga, Our Lady of Smolensk, Our Lady of Tikhvin and Our Lady of the Sign (“Znameniye”).
These icons were glorified after the salvation of the convent’s residents from plague in 1771 and from cholera in 1848.
Arrive in the Lavra.
The prayer and singing of the Akathist to Reverend Sergius near the shrine with his holy relics. After the prayer kiss the holy relics of Reverend Sergius of Radonezh. Visit to the Temple of Nikon erected on the place where Reverend Nikon of Radonezh, the disciple of Reverend Sergius, was buried. Nikon succeeded Reverend Sergius to the position of the head of the monastery. You will find in the Temple Reverend Nikon’s holy relics and a chapel called Serapion’s Tent. This chapel was built above the tomb of St. Serapion of Novgorod and where Reverend Sergius’s cell used to be. Tour of the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius.
Lunch.
An overview talk on the Lavra. Visit to the holy spring “Radonezh”. Evening prayer (confession in the Refectory Church).
Accommodation in the hotel.
Dinner. Free time.

3 DAY: SERGIEV POSAD
Confession is held in the Church of St. John the Forerunner. Divine Liturgy in the Trinity Cathedral.
Check out of the hotel.
Transfer to the Chernigovsky skete.
Adoration of the holy relics which include two honored copies of the wonderworking icon of Our Lady of Chernigov and Gethsemane, the shrine with holy relics of Reverend Barnabas of Gethsemane, the shrine with holy relics of other saints from the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, a stone from the coffin of Our Lady from Jerusalem, a piece of the Crucifix, a piece of the olive tree from Gethsemane, the mantle which belonged to Seraphim of Sarov, the monastic robe in which Reverend Sergius was buried, the robe of Patriarch Nikon. Visit to monastic cells and a holy spring. Meal in monastery. Depart for the village of Glinkovo to visit the Church of the Icon of Our Lady of Korsun. The legend tells us that the icon was painted by Apostle Luke in the lifetime of the Virgin. Half of the village was a gift to the monastery made by Great Prince Dmitry Donskoy, the other half of the village was attached to the monastery by another Great Prince — Ivan the 3rd. Prayer requests.
Tea in the refectory.
Return to Moscow.
Check in to Hotel. Dinner.

4 DAY: OPTINA PUSTYN
Breakfast in the hotel.
Depart for the village of Shamordino to visit the Convent of St. Ambrose and Our Lady of Kazan (the distance is 220 km, the ride will take 4 hours).
Nowadays the complex of the monastery, founded in 1884, includes the Cathedral of Kazan, the Church of Reverend Ambrose of Optina Pustyn, the Trinity Church, the Church of the Icon of Our Lady Assuage my Sorrows. The monastery keeps the arc with pieces of relics of Optina Pustyn’s holy men. There are three holy springs in the whereabouts of the monastery named in honour of the Icon of the Mother of God, of Reverend Ambrose and of the venerable old men of Optina Pustyn.
Meal in the monastery.
Transfer to the village of Klykovo to visit the Monastery of the Vernicle.
Meal in Monastery.
Tour of the monastery, adoration of the monastery’s treasures which count more than one hundred pieces of holy relics of the saints.
Check in the monastery’s hotel for an overnight stay. Packed dinner.

5 DAY: OPTINA PUSTYN
Check out of the monastery’s hotel.
Depart from Klykovo to visit the Vvedensky Monastery Optina Pustyn of Kozelsk.
According to one of the legends the monastery was founded in the 15th century by the hermit named Opta.
Nowadays the monastery has nine churches. Take part in the Divine Liturgy in the Church of Kazan. Review of the monastery’s history; adoration of its holy relics.
Meal in the Monastery.
Transfer to the Monastery of the Assumption of Our Lady of Kaluga, or St. Tikhon’s Pustyn, which was founded in the 15th century by Reverend Tikhon of Medyn, the miracle worker from Kaluga.
The monastery became famous after numerous people were cured by water from the holy spring and by the shrine of Reverend Tikhon.
Tour of the monastery, adoration of the relics.
Depart for Moscow.
Check in to the hotel. Dinner.

6 DAY: ISTRA
Breakfast in the hotel.
Depart for the city of Istra.
Visit to the New Jerusalem Monastery of Resurrection.
This blessed place was founded in the middle of the 17th century by Patriarch Nikon and many both in Russian and abroad, believe it impossible to surpass his vision in grandeur. The temples and sketes of the monastery as well as all its whereabouts are the images of the holy sites of Palestine where Our Saviour Jesus Christ was born, suffered, died and resurrected. The New Jerusalem Monastery can be compared to the icon honoring the sacred places of Palestine.
Lunch.
Visit to the Borisoglebsk Anosin Convent or Women’s Optina, which was founded by Mother Superior Eugenia (1774-1837) (secular name Eudokia).
Visit to the Church of Our Saviour’s Transfiguration in the village of Buzharovo, you will see the treasured icon of the saints of Istra and a piece of holy relics of Optina’s holy men.
The church of St. Prince Alexander Nevsky in the village if Knyazhye Ozero.
The biggest treasure of the church is the icon of the Virgin Hodegetria. The icon painted almost a thousand years ago, was handed from Saint-Petersburg’s Russian museum to this church. The icon has several names: Our Lady of Korsun, Our Lady of Toropets, Our Lady of Ephesus, and Our Lady of Polotsk.
Arrive in Moscow. Dinner.

7 DAY: MOSCOW
Breakfast in the hotel, check out.
Visit to the Cathedral of Our Saviour.
You will see an amazing and unforgettable panorama of Moscow, one of the world’s most beautiful cities. The ancient mosaic of Moscow’s architecture always surprises travelers with its multiple style choices. Four viewing platforms between the belfries of the cathedral give an opportunity to have the best view over the city.
Transfer to the airport.

Accommodation: hotel 3/4****, 3 times meal
Guaranteed service from 2 pax