PIRATES LIVED HERE. INSTALLATION OF A MEMORY CROSS IN THE PLACE OF THE UNDERGROUND CELL OF ST. DOSIT

In the XV century, the island of the Upper Talab Archipelago was the island of lake pirates from the Talab tribe. It was here that Dositheus, a disciple of St. Euphrosynus of Pskov, went. In the taiga strip of the island, he built a cell, now a memorial cross stands in its place, and began to communicate with his dangerous pirate neighbors. The righteousness of Dositheus changed the inhabitants of the island: they repented and stopped piracy. Most of the Talabs became artisans, merchants and fishermen, the most powerful and strong became warriors, and a few people became monks and, together with Dositheus, founded a monastery in honor of the Apostles Peter and Paul.

“Elder Dositheus not only preached to the robbers, but, communicating with them, listened to their legends, passed from mouth to mouth, learned their rituals and customs. And he spoke to them within the framework of their tradition and introduced into the Talav legends, sung in the manner of hymns, the concepts of faith, Christian freedom and Truth. Thus, in the 15th century, the Code of Dositheus appeared, according to which people lived on the islands until the middle of the 20th century. Understanding the peculiarities of island life, even taking into account environmental issues, the Monk Dositheos combined them with the Orthodox faith, and this is the best missionary sermon. Faith + people's experience + their culture and customs + nature - it turned out to be an amazing Christian community. (from an interview with the first editor, co-founder of the magazine "FOMA" Vladimir Gurbolikov)

The Church of Peter and Paul, originally built by the Monk Dositheus and his disciples and then repeatedly rebuilt, is the main asset of the island. Its oldest building is located underground: in the cave church, the former robbers, standing around the monk, took part in the service. At all times, visitors to the Upper Island have admired the view of Lake Pskov, which was also called the sea (the opposite shore is not visible from here), from the high shore of the island. And on the tops of the fir trees you can see the nests of gray herons.

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Venerable Dositheus of Verkhneostrovsky, Pskov

Memorial Day: October 8/21, on the 3rd Week after Pentecost - in the Cathedral of the Pskov Saints)

... The Monk Dositheus - a disciple of the Monk Euphrosynus of Pskov, founder and abbot of the Peter and Paul Upper Island Monastery on the Upper Island (modern Belov, one of the Talab Islands on Lake Pskov); According to legend, the island at the time of the founding of the monastery there was covered with impenetrable forests and served as a haven for robbers.

... The life or probable memory of Dositheus is unknown. He is named in the Life of St. Euphrosynus of Pskov Spasoeleazarovsky, compiled around 1547 by the Pskov priest Vasily (Varlaam), along with other disciples of St. Euphrosynus - the founders of monasteries, St. Savva of Krypetsky and Hilarion of Gdov: honorable abode to the glory of Christ to live in monastic rank ... I say the wonderful Father Dosifius, who created the monastery honestly of the holy apostles Peter and Paul for cohabitation of monastic brethren in Christ in the desert over the Great Lake, on the island that calls the Upper ”(Okhotnikova V. I. Pskov hagiography XIV -XVII centuries: Research and texts, St. Petersburg, 2007. Volume 2: Lives of St. Euphrosynus of Pskov, Savva Krypetsky, Nikandr of Pskov, p. 164).

... In 1470, Dositheus founded the Peter and Paul Upper Island Monastery on the Upper Island (Belov Island), on Lake Pskov, in which he was abbot.

... Dositheus went to the desert, to the Upper Island, which was famous for its robbery history, since the forests here were impenetrable. Tradition says that the first inhabitants of the monastery were among the robbers. It was necessary to possess great meekness and humility in order not only to be able to live among these people, but also to turn them to repentance, to be able to melt evil hearts.

 

The monastery, founded by Dositheus, was named in honor of the supreme apostles Peter and Paul. On the shores of Lake Pskov there are more than ten churches named after the supreme apostles.

...Under the altar of the Peter and Paul Church there is a cave church in which Dosifei Verkhneostrovsky prayed, and where his holy relics, not yet found, lie under a bushel.

... The Peter and Paul Monastery was first mentioned in the charter of Grand Duke Vasily III Ioannovich to hegumen Konon, dated February 16, 1510 (Vostokov A.Kh. Description of Russian and Slovenian manuscripts of the Rumyantsev Museum. St. Petersburg, 1842. P. 87-88).

... In 1584 (according to other sources, in 1616), the Verkhneostrovsky monastery was assigned to the Pskov-Caves monastery in honor of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in 1703 it was burned by the Swedes, the church in the name of the holy apostles Peter and Paul (the time of construction is unknown) was destroyed. By 1710, the monastery was restored, the newly erected stone Peter and Paul Church of the monastery was consecrated on October 6, 1710. Until 1764, the Peter and Paul Monastery was assigned to the bishop's house, in 1764 it was abolished, the Peter and Paul Church was turned into a parish. In 1862, a vestibule and a bell tower were added to the temple, in 1901-1906, a chapel in the name of Dosif was attached to the northern side of the temple.