The Church of Paraskeva stands along the Moscow road. From the church, a panorama opens up on the opposite bank of the Don: the Zadonsky Nativity-Bogoroditsky Monastery, the place where the Mother of God appeared to Tamerlane. Vladimir Cathedral, where the relics of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk are buried, the Tyuninsky Monastery, the Assumption Monastery ...

In Soviet times, MTS, RTS were located in the church, the area was filled with agricultural machinery. The open cranes of the dome gradually rotted and collapsed. Now the Church of Paraskeva Pyatnitsa, as before, flaunts on the banks of the Don.

It is known from historical sources that, due to a penchant for imperturbable solitude, in 1620, two pious elders of the Moscow Sretensky Monastery, Kirill and Gerasim, came across the Don River, to a deserted desert, in the forests of which only predatory animals and birds lived, and, having chosen a convenient place, settled here , having with him a firm guardian, a precious treasure - a holy image from the miraculous icon of Our Lady of Vladimir, the original of which was in Moscow in the Kremlin Assumption Cathedral.

It was these elders who were the first founders of the Zadonsk monastery. They chose the right bank along the course of the Teshevka River and settled here forever. Copies of scribe books that have survived to our time say: “Beyond the Don River, the Teshevsky Monastery .., and the church was set up, and in the church there are local images, books and vestments, near the church there are bells,

The name Zadonsky remains to this day, since in the village of Teshevka in 1779 a county town was established, which became known as Zadonsk. It is called Bogoroditsky in honor of the Mother of God, whose icon has long been revered by everyone here, and the main Vladimir Church of the Zadonsky Monastery is dedicated to her name. This was the beginning of the founding of the monastery.

In 1692, the entire monastery and its wooden church burned down, but the temple icon of the Vladimir Mother of God, brought by Cyril and Gerasim, remained completely intact in the fire. The discovery of this miraculous grace-working power, flowing from the honest icon of the Vladimir Mother of God, further strengthened the faith of those praying before her.

From 1693 to 1697, Abbot Tryphon, rector of the Zadonsk monastery, built a second wooden church in the name of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God on the site of the former burned one, and all the previous monastery buildings were restored. In 1736, the rector hegumen Efimy II (Eusebius in the schema) started the construction of the first stone church with two chapels; the main altar was consecrated in 1741 in the former name of the Presentation of the Mother of God Icon of Vladimir.

The right aisle is in honor of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, and the left one is in the name of Eusebius, Bishop of Samosad. Hegumen Efimy also built in the west the front part of the stone fence, the gates of which led inside the monastery.

Opposite the cathedral church was built a stone bell tower in the Gothic style, which adjoined its front side to the western fence; inside the bell tower on the first floor, a temple was built in the name of St. Nicholas; on both sides of the bell tower, cells with storerooms for the rector and treasurer were built on two floors, and a sacristy and throne utensils were also purchased. Before the revolution, all that was left of this utensil was a silver altar cross with holy relics and the Gospel.

The glory of the Zadonsk monastery especially increased in connection with the name of St. Tikhon I Sokolovsky, who in 1769, during Great Lent, moved here, leaving the Voronezh cathedra out of love for a serene life and silence. Before the revolution, all that was left of this utensil was a silver altar cross with holy relics and the Gospel. The glory of the Zadonsk monastery especially increased in connection with the name of St. Tikhon I Sokolovsky, who in 1769, during Great Lent, moved here, leaving the Voronezh cathedra out of love for a serene life and silence.

Before the revolution, all that was left of this utensil was a silver altar cross with holy relics and the Gospel. The glory of the Zadonsk monastery especially increased in connection with the name of St. Tikhon I Sokolovsky, who in 1769, during Great Lent, moved here, leaving the Voronezh cathedra out of love for a serene life and silence.

Since 1798, new buildings have been built in the monastery, the old ones have been renewed, such as: the stone Vladimir Church is decorated with wall paintings, the roofs are being renovated, service yards are being finished, again opposite the cathedral church on the eastern side, one-story cells for the abbot are being built on a stone foundation, as well as a fraternal stone two-story south building.

Further behind it ends a stone fence, on the sides of which there are two towers, one of which - on the south side of the monastery - existed until recently. With the establishment of the county town of Zadonsk from 1779 to 1802, the county treasury and other offices were placed in monastic buildings. From all this it is clear that the monastery at the end of the 18th century was rich in buildings and that domestic resources were quite sufficient to maintain both the inner life,

In 1803, the church of Our Lady of Vladimir was completely repainted; Opposite the stone two-story fraternal building, located on the day side, built in 1798, another two-story stone building was built on the north side of the monastery to accommodate visiting pilgrims. Subsequently, this building was turned to the cells of the brethren, and during the construction of a new cathedral church it was completely destroyed.

In 1806, Archimandrite Innokenty built a new fraternal refectory on the eastern side of the monastery courtyard. It was a stone building of the latest architecture with columns and decorations, alabaster figures. At this refectory there was a bakery and a kitchen. It was from this refectory that a warm winter church was later built.

In 1815 and 1816, the rector's cells built in 1802, as well as the fraternal refectory and other buildings, were rebuilt. In 1817, additions were made to the lower two-story stone building built by Archimandrite Timofey: on the east side - a two-story stone building for the Ascension Church, below - cells for the hospital, and in 1818 it was added to the symmetry of the Ascension Church, on the western side of the same buildings with an identical facade, a stone three-story building for a religious school; in the lower floor and in the middle - rooms for students, and in the upper - for mentors.

In 1824, the alleged buildings were laid according to the plan of Voronezh architects. And before the start of this work, on July 16, after the Divine Liturgy, the rector with the brethren and with the holy icons arrived at the place of “laying”. After the consecration of water, a quadrangular white stone was laid in the foundation, covered with a cast-iron board for strength, with the following inscription: "The reign of the most pious Sovereign Emperor Alexander Pavlovich, autocrat of all Russia, by the care of the rector, Archimandrite Samuil, July 16, 1824." In the same year, before September 30, the foundation was removed from the ground and the basement was completed.

When in the 1820s they dug up the ground of this bell tower, they found, as the legend says, a huge grave of human bones. This phenomenon confirmed the historical legend about the terrible events of the times of the Tatar region and the interregnum, left sad traces in this area. In 1825, with the receipt of additional funds in the monastery, the construction of the bell tower and living rooms was resumed again, the iconostases were updated, and other minor work was done inside the monastery.

In 1835, Samuil's successor, Archimandrite Ilarius, with the help of the sums he had collected, completed the monastery bell tower, and in the same year, on August 21, it was consecrated by Archbishop Anthony XI.

This bell tower was built separately from the cathedral church. The first floor had columns on the east and west sides, and hotel buildings were attached to the north and south. On the middle floor was the church of St. Nicholas of Myra, consecrated in 1838. Under this temple there were the main holy gates for solemn processions and for meeting noble visitors, leading inside the monastery; above them from the entrance in the arch was an image of two angels holding the image of St. Nicholas with the inscription: "Rejoice in Nicholas the great miracle worker!" In general, the architecture of the bell tower was light and airy. There were 11 bells. The first of them was cast in 1846 and weighed 307 pounds, the second 120 pounds, the third everyday 70 pounds; all the bells weighed 601 pounds.

Among them was a small bell, which was found in 1815 in the ground on the site of a hermitage in the Don region in the settlement.

On both sides of the bell tower there was a hotel for pilgrims. Each of these buildings, excluding the bell towers, was 16 fathoms long, and with the bell towers, the length was 42 fathoms. This hotel had 78 cells.

At one time, the monastery was separated from the Gostiny Dvor by a special stone high fence, built by hegumen Elfimy XI in 1830. There were two gates in this fence: one opposite the bell tower itself (and the new Vladimir Cathedral), and the other, more official, from the entrance to the hotel, opened the entire inner courtyard of the monastery.

A pavement departed from the same gate, which on both sides was lined with pyramidal fragrant poplar and led directly to the warm church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos. This one-storey stone church was converted from the former fraternal refectory under the patronage of Archimandrite Ilarius in 1834.

After the tomb of St. Tikhon was brought here from the cave, arches were made in the side walls. The wooden vault of the temple was supported inside by eighteen wooden columns plastered to look like marble. This church had three altars: the main one - in honor of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, on the right side - in the name of Mitrofan, the first bishop of Voronezh and a miracle worker, on the left - the Monks Anthony and Theodosius of Caves.

In 1862, this temple, as not corresponding to the number of pilgrims coming and having fallen into disrepair, was dismantled, at the same time a new, warm, bright, magnificent church was built on the site of the former one, also consecrated in the name of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, with chapels on the sides .

The church of St. Nicholas in the bell tower was finished inside in 1838, an iconostasis was placed there. Also in 1838, a stone fence was completed around the monastery, the construction of which began in 1836. On the right and left sides, along the western fence, two large gates with eight columns were built, intended for ordinary entrances; from these gates in the arch opened a picturesque image of the elders Cyril and Gerasim - the first founders of the monastery. It was from these gates on both sides that the stone fence around the monastery went.

In 1839, it was decided to build a new cathedral church opposite the bell tower, newly built in 1836, retreating somewhat to the north of the dilapidated Vladimir Cathedral, and it was also planned to dismantle other buildings that were in a dilapidated state, and instead put a two-story building of cells.

In 1841, there was a threat of complete destruction of the Vladimir Church. The new stone magnificent cathedral church was completed in 1853. The author of the project was none other than the outstanding architect K.A. Tone.

In 1845-1853, according to the design of the architect K. Ton (the author of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow), a new five-domed cathedral was built in honor of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. During the construction of this temple and the dismantling of the old one in 1846, the incorrupt relics of St. Tikhon were found.

In 1861, on August 13, he was glorified. About 300 thousand pilgrims gathered for the solemn opening of his relics, with a population of the city of Zadonsk of 7 thousand. Many blessed healings took place at the relics of the saint.

By the beginning of the 20th century, the Zadonsky Monastery represented an entire town, consisting of 6 Temples, a bell tower, a hospice, a hospital, and a pharmacy. two brick factories, one candle factory, parochial school. The brethren of the monastery numbered about 300 people. Healings and miracles, abundantly exuding from the miraculous image of the Mother of God and from the relics of St. Tikhon, attracted thousands of pilgrims. The first-class Zadonsky Monastery was ranked 7th in Russia.

In revolutionary times, the Zadonsky Monastery was one of the first to suffer. On January 20, 1919, a special commission initiated the looting, destruction and closure of the monastery. Various industrial services of the city were located on its territory.

But now, by the grace of God, in 1990 the Vladimir Cathedral and part of the buildings were transferred to the jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church. On August 26, 1990, on the day of memory of St. Tikhon of Voronezh, Wonderworker of Zadonsk, the first hierarchal service was held there. Today the monastery's abbot is the vicar of the Voronezh-Lipetsk diocese, Bishop NIKON (Vasin) of Zadonsk. The relics of St. Tikhon and 11 other ascetics of the Zadonsky Bogoroditsky Monastery are located in the Vladimir Cathedral of the monastery. There is a skete with a spring, which was dug out by St. Tikhon himself, and next to the skete and the source is a convent. This is 15 kilometers from the Zadonsk monastery itself, in a picturesque pine forest.

The first wooden church was built at the beginning of the 17th century, since already in 1620 the village of Nikolskoye was mentioned in documents by the name of the church. The stone church with the main throne of Nicholas the Wonderworker of Mirliki was built in 1759 by the landowner Yakov Dmitrievich Bekhteev.

In 1865-1869. (according to other sources, in 1867) the existing stone St. Nicholas Church was built on the site of an old stone church.

There are legends that St. Tikhon of Zadonsk himself served in St. Nicholas Church. His close relationship with the Bekhteev family is known, with whom he often visited on estates in Lipovka and Ksizovo.

In pre-revolutionary times, two churches in the village of Ksizovo (Nikolsky and John of Damascus) gathered the entire district for worship: residents of the villages of Balakhna, Zamyatino, Zasnovka, Mukhino, Solovyovka, and others.

In the 30s of the twentieth century, the place of prayer was defiled more than once. Crosses were smashed on the ground, holy murals were inked, salaries were torn off, icons were cut with axes. There, where souls were cleansed by prayers, they set up an oil mill and a warehouse, in a cemetery - a gas station.

The last priest is known - Archpriest Velezhev Georgy Alekseevich, born in 1847, a native of the village. Patriarchal (now the village of Donskoye) of the Zadonsk region. Decree of the collegium of the Voronezh Gubchek of 30.01.1921. He was sentenced to 5 years of probation on charges of extortion.

Until the end of the century, there was nothing but abomination and desolation under the torn dome.

“We decided to restore the temple ten years ago,” says Valentina Zykova, a teacher at the Ksizov school. - At first, they simply gathered and prayed at someone's place. Then they decided: what are we, we have such a temple, but we are not restoring it. We went to Voronezh, then there was still the Voronezh diocese. And we were blessed: “Please restore. But this is the business of the laity themselves, we have no money. Pray for God's help. Every day read the akathist of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.

After praying, they set about cleaning the holy house. Garbage was taken out by cars and carts. There was no floor, solid pits. They put boards on them so that they could stand. And they stood in winter and summer, every day.

“Snow is falling, it is raining, and we are praying,” recalls Valentina Andreevna. - It was like that for three years. Matushkas went around the villages, collecting money, which is known: a penny. We don't have all the pensioners, the rich here. And so they saved up for the windows. It has become easier. And then Sergey Nikolayevich Uvarkin, General Director of Avrora LLC, began to help us. He singled out the materials, gave the builders, paid them a salary. And we fed them with the whole village.

“Icons are returning to us,” Valentina Zykova continues her story. - This is an old icon, from this temple. People have saved. Here is Tikhon of Zadonsk, Mitrofan of Voronezh… This icon was brought by a novice from Kursk, and the relatives of Fr Alexander Dronov brought these pictures and the Gospel. These large icons were painted by Sergey Boev, he was born here, and now he lives in Zadonsk, God bless him. This icon is also old, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. She is amazing for us. The first time she streamed myrrh on the Thursday before Great Lent, we only saw it together, how two drops of glass were running down here at the top. And the second time - in the summer, in front of Vladimirskaya, many people watched a miracle. We asked the father: why? And he said when something happens, then we will understand. But, most likely, it is God who says: “I am with you, I do not leave you, just pray, ask

This miraculous image of St. Nicholas was presented in 1913 to the last rector of the church, Fr. George, who suffered for his faith during the years of Soviet power.

Now the interior decoration of the St. Nicholas Church is underway, a building, apparently, of a Sunday school, is being equipped next to it.

The stone church with the main altar in the name of the Theophany of the Lord was built on the site of an old wooden church in 1793 at the expense of the parishioners. The other two thrones were consecrated in the name of St. Nicholas, the Miracle Worker of Myra, and in the name of the martyrs Faith, Hope, Love and their mother Sophia.

Official description:

The architectural decoration of the temple combines the style features of the transitional period from baroque to classicism (main volume), early classicism (bell tower) and eclecticism (refectory).

It is protected by the state as an architectural monument of regional significance.

The building includes the main volume of the church (an octagon on a quadrangle crowned with an octahedral dome with a dome of light) with an elongated five-sided altar apse, a wide rectangular refectory with two aisles, and a two-tiered bell tower with a square narthex adjoining the western facade.

The northern and southern facades of the two-height quadrangle, the octagon, the altar apse and the refectory are finished with pilasters. The window openings of the first light tier of the quadrangle, the altar apse and the octagon are arched, the refectory is rectangular with a semicircular ending.

Between the small circular openings of the windows of the second light tier, in the center of the northern and southern facades, there are quadrifolia windows. The original design of the window architraves has been preserved in the architectural decoration of the main volume of the temple. The design of the window openings of the refectory dates back to a later time of its rebuilding and expansion.

Rectangular arched openings of the ringing of the second tier of the bell tower with semicircular completion are decorated with semicircular archivolts and triangular sandriks. The lower part of the second tier of the bell tower is finished with triangular pediments, the four-slope dome cover is cut along the cardinal points by lucarnes and topped with a blind cupola.

The church operated until 1931, when it was closed, and later used as warehouses for grain, flour, and fertilizers.

Until 1999, the ruined church was empty, overgrown with grass. Director of the Agro-Industrial Association "Aurora" Uvarkin S.N. decided to restore the Church of the Epiphany. And in the summer of the same year, with the blessing of His Grace Nikon, Bishop of Lipetsk and Yelets, the workers began restoration work.

On March 5, 2005, the opening of the Epiphany Church took place. And the renovated temple appeared the same as it was built two hundred years ago.

Divine services in the Church of the Epiphany are held on Sundays and holidays. There is a library and a video library for parishioners at the temple.

The stone church in the name of the Archangel Michael was built in 1864. The official description of the church: The cubic volume of a small temple, crowned with a round light drum with an onion cupola, cut through four rectangular window openings with a semicircular completion on the cardinal points, is connected by a rectangular refectory with a two-tiered bell tower.

The main volume of the temple is decorated along the northern, eastern and southern facades with perspective kokoshniks of a semicircular pattern. The facades of the church and the vestibule are finished with paneled pilasters. Window openings are rectangular, with a semicircular ending, on the northern and southern facades of the narthex - double. Door and window openings along the perimeter of the temple are processed with archivolts with keeled ends.

The second tier of the bell tower is cut along the cardinal points by four rectangular chime openings with a semicircular end. The crowning archivolts have a design similar to those of window and door openings (keeled top). The bell tower is crowned with a tetrahedral dome with a dull bulbous dome.

The architectural decor of the temple is designed in eclectic stylistic forms with elements of pseudo-Russian style. It is protected by the state as an architectural monument of regional significance.

In the Soviet years, the temple was almost completely destroyed.

Its restoration began recently, direct participation in the restoration was taken by the general director of Avrora LLC Sergey Nikolayevich Uvarkin. Restored walls, roof, inserted windows and doors. Interior work in progress.

The church of St. John of Damascus in the village of Ksizov, Zadonsky district, was originally (until 1759) wooden; in 1759 a stone building was built by the landowner captain Yakov Dmitrievich Bekhteev; consecrated on October 30, 1759 of the Zadonsky Monastery by Archimandrite Cornelius. (Attributed to the St. Nicholas Church of the same village).

According to an inventory compiled before the consecration of the temple and provided to His Grace Kirill, Bishop of Voronezh: “In this church, the iconostasis is of smooth carpentry work, all gilded. The royal gates are smooth and gilded, but six (?) evangelists are written on them; on the sides of these royal doors, local images on the right of the first Saviors without a salary; the second of John of Damascus, on him is a silver gilded crown, on the southern doors is the angel of the Lord, the guardian of human life.

On the left - the image of the Mother of God of Kazan, on it is the salary of the field and the crown of silver and gilded, the image of Nicholas the Wonderworker without salary, on the southern (?) doors of the arch. Stephen. Vespers are secret from above the royal doors.

On the top is the image of the Saviors sitting on the throne, on the sides are twelve apostles with prophets. Above all that is written on the tree is the life-giving cross. In the altar is the altarpiece of the Mother of God of Kazan, and on the other side is the image of Nicholas the Wonderworker, wearing the life-giving cross (?). ten robes, 5 stole, 5 handrails, 5 surplices and 5 olaries. Books: 12 monthly menaion, two explanatory gospels, an apostle, a breviary, a follow-up psalter, a teaching psalter, a book of hours, an irmologion, two octoichs, a church charter, a service book, a canon.

And this newly built stone church, as now, as in the future, will not have a lack of anything in the priesthood.

In the village of Ksizov (besides the assigned church of St. John of Damascus) there was another church in honor of the Intercession of the Mother of God. It was arranged in the house of Major General Alexei Dmitrievich Bekhteev in 1770 with the permission of Tikhon the 2nd, Bishop of Voronezh, and it was allowed to arrange "on reason that the parish church in this village is not at a close distance from the house of Bekhteev, but due to the weakness of his health in winter, he cannot endure the cold, and the infirmity does not allow him to go to the hearing of the holy liturgy and other sacred services due to the distance of the aforementioned parish"

Southern - part of Zadonsk - Meshchanskaya. The spiritual core in the Meshchanskaya part of the city is the Assumption Cathedral. The axis of symmetry is the bed of the dried-up Tyoshevka River, called the ravine. The duality is predetermined by the relief of two powerful slopes, on the slopes of which the city is spread.

Assumption Cathedral Assumption Cathedral Assumption Cathedral Assumption Cathedral

Two longitudinal, the longest streets of the city and Dvoryanskaya (now K. Marx street) and Cathedral (now Krupskaya street) parallel to the Don, connect both parts into a single whole.

By the 17th century, a trading marketplace had developed on the south side of the Teshevka River, on which in 1798 a city cathedral was laid in the name of the Assumption of the Mother of God with two chapels in the name of the Archangel Michael and St. Tikhon of Amaphunt. The cathedral was consecrated in 1800.

The summer temple (rotunda) was built in 1822-1823 in accordance with His Imperial Majesty's decree from the Most Holy Governing Synod dated May 11, 1818, No. 1970, at the expense of the landowner - Colonel Ivan Artamonovich Kozhin (1781-1833) and consecrated in honor of the holy martyr Autonomus, Bishop of Italy. Unfortunately, the name of the author is unknown, but there is an assumption that the temple was built according to the design of the architect Beauvais. The temple was built in the style of Palladianism, characteristic of church architecture at the turn of the 18th-19th centuries.

Official description of the church: The Church of St. Autonomus is a two-tiered rotunda. The first double-height tier is cut with rectangular window openings with a semicircular ending, above which there are small round openings of the second light. The first tier along the perimeter is surrounded by a colonnade of the Tuscan order.

The open portico-loggia formed by the colonnade is divided into two segments from the north and south, between which in the west and east intercolumns are resolved as solid walls. The main entrance is located on the west side. The piers adjacent to it between the columns are cut with window openings in two spaces, by analogy with the internal rotunda (rectangular, with a semicircular top at the bottom, round at the top).

The smaller diameter volume of the rotunda of the second tier performs the function of a light drum, cut along the perimeter by octagonal horizontally elongated window openings, in the piers between which there are flat niches of a similar silhouette, but smaller. The hemispherical dome with the cupola is lost.

According to the St. Petersburg archive (insurance assessment of the temple in 1916), it is said that the temple was painted in 1900 by the artist Viktor Vasnetsov. In addition, Vasnetsov's signature was found on one of the surviving frescoes, which is why for a long time the authorship of the beautiful painting was attributed to this remarkable artist. In particular, during the cleaning of the walls from whitewash, frescoes with images of Princess Olga, Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir, Nikolai Ugodnik, the young St. Sergius of Radonezh, St. Tikhon of Zadonsk and Mary Magdalene were discovered. However, in 2004, a number of the Voronezh Diocesan News was found dated September 1, 1901 with a note “On the consecration of the renewed iconostasis and icons on the walls inside the Avtonomovskaya church with. Trekhsvyatsky, Koshary, too, Zadonsk district, "which says,

Almost half of the amount spent (1164 rubles 99 kopecks) was paid by one of the local landowners, who wished to remain anonymous. All work was carried out between May 1, 1900 and June 10, 1901. And on June 18, 1901, the iconostasis and wall icons were consecrated. The consecration was performed by the local dean, rector of the Zadonsky Assumption Cathedral, priest Nikanor Kholodovich, with the participation of priests: local Vladimir Sambikin and Borensky factories Peter Obolensky.

After the revolution, the temple was plundered and adapted for a fertilizer warehouse. Over the past years, the dome of the rotunda collapsed, part of the colonnade surrounding the summer temple collapsed, and the brick of the outer walls was badly weathered. And although in 1974 the church was recognized as an architectural monument (according to the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR No. 624 of 04.12.74), no conservation or restoration work was carried out.

In 1993, preparation of design and restoration documentation began and initial work began. All work is carried out under the guidance of the chairman of the parish council, builder Vilis Alexandrovich Upita.

On July 8, 2009, a dome with a cross was installed on the temple of the Italian Autonomus. The dome, with a diameter of 15 meters and a mass of 15 tons, did not fall into place the first time, a strong wind interfered with the work. In addition, the craftsmen had to spend more than an hour to ensure that the cross on the church of the holy martyr Avtonom coincided in direction with the crucifix erected on the church of St. Mitrofan of Voronezh.

The temple is stone, built in 1784 by the landowner Mikhail Sem. Izvolsky, single throne, in the name of St. Nicholas.

The sights of the temple should include the icon of the Iberian Mother of God, drawn from the Holy Mount Athos.

Of the Zadonsk monasteries in 1888, Tikhonovsky Trinity (Sorrowful) was the last to receive official status. This monastery arose from a hospitable women's community, founded by the poverty-loving ascetic Matrona Naumovna Popova. Even during her lifetime, which ended on August 17, 1851, the old woman Matrona began to fuss about organizing a female monastic community on a site that belonged to her in the northern part of the city.

Through Archimandrite Anthony of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, it was possible to enlist the assistance of Metropolitan Philaret (Drozdov) of Moscow in this matter. And the issue was resolved in the affirmative. Unfortunately, the old woman, who died shortly after the good news, did not have to personally deal with the dispensation of the community.

These chores were taken over by the Zadonsk cathedral archpriest Peter Alekseevsky, who was the executor of Matrona Naumovna.

On the abandoned Naumova capital, according to her will, a church was built in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow", as well as residential and utility rooms. On the day of the Dormition of the Mother of God in 1860, Bishop Joseph of Voronezh consecrated the newly built church. The community under her began to be called the "Tikhonovsky community of sisters of mercy." The main duty of the nuns was to serve the sick and poor wanderers who came to Zadonsk to worship shrines.

On September 3, 1869, with the permission of the Holy Synod, the body of the founder, Matrona Popova, was transferred to the church of the community and buried here in a special crypt on the right side of the Sorrowful Church. And later, Archpriest Peter Alekseevsky, who died on March 11, 1875, was buried in the same crypt.

During 1869-70, a stone fence was built around the territory of the community. And in 1879 the bell tower was laid, the construction of which was completed in 1881. This building, like the Sorrowful Church, has practically not been preserved. The lower tier of the bell tower is built into the main building of the Zadonsky bakery.

On March 29, 1880, by decree of the Holy Synod, the "house of sisters of mercy" received the status of an independent Tikhonov community with a hospice attached to it. A solemn service on this occasion was performed on the day of memory of the old woman Matrona - August 17, 1880. On July 1, 1884, a new church was laid - in the name of the Life-Giving Trinity. This five-domed tent architecture temple has survived to this day, being a city church.

And, finally, in May 1888, the Holy Synod decided to build the Tikhon community into a monastery with the name of the Holy Trinity Tikhon Zadonsky Convent with a hostel at it. And the number of monastics was determined as follows: “which monastery, according to its means, will be able to support it.”

The announcement of the synodal decision took place on June 19, 1888.

St. Tikhon's Transfiguration Diocesan Convent for Women was formed on the ruins of the Tikhon's cenobitic men's monastery.

The St. Tikhon Monastery was founded in the 19th century on the site of the skete of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk. Saint Tikhon loved to visit this quiet deserted place in the wilderness for solitude and prayer. Here, alone with the wonderful nature, indulging in the thought of God, he created the work of his life "A spiritual treasure collected from the world." On the banks of the river Prokhodnya, the saint arranged a spring, which is now healing.

After the revolution of 1917, the monastery suffered the fate of most Russian monasteries. In December 1920, it was closed by decision of the Zadonsk district executive committee.

On April 29, 1991, the monastery territory within the monastery fence was again returned to the Russian Orthodox Church with great efforts and labors.

By the inscrutable providence of God, the sisters have now gathered here, under the prayer cover of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk. Over the years, the ruins of the former Tikhonovsky monastery have again turned into a comfortable monastic monastery.

On the territory of the monastery, in the center, majestically stands the Trinity Cathedral - the main temple of the monastery. The upper aisle was consecrated in honor of the Life-Giving Trinity, the lower one - in honor of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos. Next to it rises a slender gate bell tower with the Church of the Transfiguration.

In memory of the stay in the monastery of St. Tikhon, a special cell was arranged in one of the towers of the monastery. It contains the icon of Tikhon of Zadonsk with his life. Not far from the monastery there is a bath over the spring of St. Tikhon. Many pilgrims come here to pray and swim in the cold water of the holy spring and receive healing from various, often incurable diseases, mental and bodily ailments.

Currently, 47 sisters (monastics) live in the monastery.

The sisters are busy with obediences:

1. maintenance of the monastic and pilgrimage refectory;
2. altar, choir obedience;
3. baking bread and prosphora;
4. tailoring, vestments;
5. renewal and restoration of icons;

In the spring-autumn period, the garden and fields are cultivated, hay is harvested for cows and sheep.

The sisters have a constant obedience - keeping order on the territory of the font and around it. Guided tours for numerous pilgrimage groups.

The spiritual and educational activity of the clergy of the monastery consists in conducting daily church sermons during morning and evening services, as well as individual conversations with parishioners. The monastery provides free accommodation and meals for individual pilgrims and pilgrimage groups. Every day, about 80 people eat in the refectory of the monastery in winter, and more than 200 people in summer.

The monastery pays great attention to the provision of gratuitous assistance with Orthodox literature, food, clothing and money to large and low-income families. Material and spiritual assistance is provided to prisoners. The nuns of the monastery correspond with prisoners in prisons. In their letters they tell about the life of Jesus Christ, they talk about Orthodox saints who, with the help of God, were able to give up their sinful passions and reach the heights of spiritual life. Letters are not only educational in nature. Using a dialogue with prisoners, the nuns of the monastery try to help everyone find God, sow hope in their hearts for the salvation of their souls.

The Zadonsky Nativity-Bogoroditsky Monastery does not leave the women's monastery under its care - constant assistance is provided and the solution of all the pressing problems of the monastery.