The skete of st. Avramy of Rostov and the Oboronnyje islands
The ruins of the Church in the name of St.Abraham of Rostov.
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The skete of St. Avramy was located on
the island of Yemeljanov on the southern end of the Valaam archipelago, in the region
of Zhelezniaki. The life of St. Avraamy is evidence of the old age of the monastery.
According to the hagiography, St. Avraamy was born in the time of the adoption of
Christianity in Russia, into a heathen family, and was bedridden from his childhood
by an illness. Having heard from Novgorod merchants about the God hallowed in the
Trinity, the young man prayed to him and suddenly recovered. After that he left for
Novgorod monasteries and then for Valaam. There was already a populous Trinity cloister
headed by Abbot Feognost there. There St. Avraamy was baptized, took vows, and lived
in labour and prayer. Later he baptized the people of Rostov the Great.
The skete of St. Avraamy, like many others,
was founded by Abbot Damaskin. The architect G.I. Karpov turned the old wooden chapel
into a single-domed church with a high belfry. Father Damaskin consecrated it on
October 9, 1873. There were six monks living in the skete.
The observation tower on 'Mannerheim line' on the
Oboronnye Isles.
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After Finland received independence,
the first troops arrived at the archipelago. During the war of 1939-1940, coast artillery
was located there. On September 19th 1944, after the armistice, the last Finnish
troops left Nikonov and Oboronnyje islands. Some of Finnish fortifications still
remain, but the skete is totally destroyed.
Of special interest is one of the Oboronnyje
islands, the small island of divny (Wonderful), which is so wonderfully conceived
by the Creator that looks like an impenetrable fortress floating in the waters'.
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