Men's Hermitage in the name of the Holy Martyrs Seraphim and Theognost of Alma-Ata

Historical reference

The monastery is located on the territory of the National Nature Park, in the mountains at an altitude of 1850 m above sea level.

The monastery was founded on the site of the exploits and martyrdom (August 11, 1921) of the holy martyrs Seraphim and Theognost, officially glorified by the Church in 2000.

Current situation

The year of the official opening of the monastery is 1996, when the first abbot was appointed by the Synod. The foundation of the church was laid on September 28, 1999.

By the winter of 2000-2001, the basement floor was built - the foundation of the wooden upper aisle. On January 7, 2001, with the blessing of Archbishop Alexy (now Metropolitan of Tula and Efremov), the first liturgy was celebrated in the church of the basement floor.

By August 2001, the domes and crosses were installed, and by autumn the interior decoration was completed.

The upper church was consecrated on August 11, 2008 by Metropolitan Methodius of Astana and Alma-Ata (now Metropolitan of Perm and Kungur) in honor of the monastery's saints - the holy martyrs Seraphim and Theognost of Alma-Ata, whose relics rest in the church in a common shrine.

There is a solar-powered power supply system.

A Sunday school for children operates at the monastery courtyard (Kaskelen, Abay Street, 65).

Features of architecture

The temple has the shape of a ship with one dome and a bell tower, also under the dome. The upper aisle is made of wooden beams, the basement is a concrete monolith. Dimensions are 17 x 10 meters.

Information about church buildings for non-liturgical purposes

On the territory of the monastery there are: a utility block with a refectory, a house for the clergy, a cell building, a building for guests, a refectory for pilgrims, a bathhouse, a cellar, temporary buildings, a well, and vegetable gardens.

Shrines of the monastery:

the relics of the holy martyrs Seraphim and Theognost of Alma-Ata (discovered on July 16, 2002).

The monastery's memorable places include:

the grave of the holy martyrs Seraphim and Theognost, where a solemn service is held every year on August 11, the day of the saints' remembrance, with a large gathering of people;
the places of the dugouts in which the saints labored and lived, where they suffered a martyr's death, preserved in the form of pits;
small caves, presumably dug by the saints to store vegetables.