On Sunday, October 5th, Tanya Bukharina organized a trip for 15 Crimean guides and a few friends.

Our first stop was the Saint Nicholas Monastery and church in the village of Kholmovka in the Bakhchisarai District of Crimea where we were met by the affable and charismatic Father Barnabas, who spent three hours explaining the history of this beautiful place.

St. Nicholas Monastery is the newest monastery in Crimea, founded in the early 2000’s on the site of a former Soviet social club where in Soviet days people gathered to dance and sing.

There are currently two churches, Christ the Savior and St. Nicholas.

In 2008, an old icon of Our Lady with 7 arrows whose face was darkened and invisible, was observed during a liturgy by locals to become brighter and visible.

The icon, approximately 150 years old, was brought to the monastery by an old lady from Kursk which she had received from her grandmother.
Father Barnabas, an Orthodox Archimandrite - the highest title of Priest-monk who is the monastery. Originally from the Donbas area, he oversaw the construction of the present day church and monastery of St. Nicholas.

Father Barnabas took us on a tour of the entire complex, explaining the significance of the many icons, and relics, as well as the architecture and construction of the campus.

In Our Christ The Savior church there is an exact replica of the Trinity Icon painted by Andrei Rublev in the 15th century. Father Barnabas decorated the church with Easter Eggs made of Ostrich eggs which he decorated himself.

Eggs represent new life and rebirth, and it's thought that this ancient custom became a part of Easter celebrations.

There is also a building containing a pool for ritual dipping ceremonies with water from the ancient spring which is believed to have healing properties.

Two thousand people live in the Village of Kholmovka, 50% are Russian Orthodox Christians and 50% are Tartar Muslims.

After finishing our visit with Father Barnabas, we went to the cliffs of Mangup where we were transported by three Russian Jeeps to a Cave Monastery high up on the cliffs of Mangup.

Father Barnabas is also the principal priest and monk of the cave monastery 500 meters high above the valley.

4-wheel drive Jeeps are the only motorized mode of transportation because the roads to the top are characterized by deep ruts, many filled with water, and steep and winding curves,some at a 45 degree angle.

When the Jeeps could go no further, we began a 20 minute very strenuous hike up to the Annunciation Monastery on a trail that was narrow and steep with uneven footing.

Arriving inside, it’s literally a cave carved out of the side of these cliffs, we were greeted by Father Gamaliil, the only monk currently living there. He was very gracious and welcoming.

This Annuciation Cave Monastery dates back to the early 16th century when it served as a monastery for Byzantine monks on the Black Sea.

Traces of old frescoes were uncovered depicting the God Mother - the Theodokos, apostles and a number of unidentified saints.

In 1475, the Ottoman Turks conquered Crimea and this ended the Byzantine era on the peninsula.

This place has no running water but it does have electricity from solar panels. The quiet and beauty of the place more than make up for creature comforts. At night Fr. Gamaliil can see the Milky Way and billions of stars and literally hear the sound of silence.

Father Gamaliil gave us a tour of this very ancient and primitive place. He showed us frescoes from the 16th century on the ceiling and walls of the chapel.

Regular Sunday liturgies are celebrated here for a small group of residents who attend from the village below.

Everyone brings lunch on these trips. This time, Fr. Gamaliil had a table set for us where he served tea made in an old Samovar.

Finally, it was time for us to hike back down to board the Jeeps before dark, and return to flat ground where our minivan was waiting for the trip back home.

This was an extraordinary trip and an unforgettable experience that everyone agreed was not only educational and inspirational, and fun.

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