400th anniversary of the most ancient monastery of Urals and Siberia regions

There is celebration of the 400th anniversary of St. Daniil monastery in town Verkhoturie and the 300th anniversary of bringing the relics of St. righteous Simeon Verkhotursky from Merkushin to Verkhoturie.
Manager of Moscow Patriarchy, permanent member of the Church Synod of Russian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Kliment made the ritual of consecration for restored Michael Archangel Cathedral in village Merkushino. Righteous Simeon used to pray in this cathedral.

After the public prayer to the miracle-man from Merkushino, a 60-kilometer religious procession will be made. A similar religious procession took place 300 years ago to bring the relics of righteous Simeon to St. Nicholai's Monastery. 5,000 pilgrims will take place in the procession.

The clergymen and pilgrims will walk a part of the way, and will have a ride in buses or cars  for the rest of the distance. The religious procession will finish at 6 pm. The shrine with the saint relics of Simeon Verkhotursky will be exhibited in Krestovozdvizhensky Cathedral, and then the all-night vigil commemorating the 400th anniversary of the monastery, will take place. 

Holy liturgy and religious procession in the monastery will complete the celebration.

For the 400 years of its history, town Verkhoturie was the advanced post of Russia on the country’s Eastern borders. Verkhoturie was one of the most developed and prosperous cities of the Urals region.

After the Bolshevik revolution of 1917, the monasteries were looted and the clergymen were arrested. Many church buildings in Verkhoturie were turned in warehouses or vegetable stores, museum, workshops. There was a colony for underage criminals in the unique Krestovozdvizhensky Cathedral. Only in 1990s, the restoration of churches and monasteries in the ancient Ural town started.

St Nicholai's monastery in Vaerkhoturie is the most ancient one for the Urals and Siberia. In 1967, its Krestovozdvizhensky Cathedral was added on the list of world architectural masterpieces.