Wandering Lizard
Russia

A Trip to Russia - Goritzy - Kirilo-Belozersky Monastery - Spring

The Kirilo-Belozersky Monastery was founded in 1397 by a monk named Kiril Belozersky (Kiril is often translated into English as Cyril). Kiril had experienced a vision of the Blessed Virgin in which she instructed him to go north from Moscow and found a monastery. The monastery also served as an outpost of the Moscow Principality and received generous financial and political support. In the early 17th century the monastery withstood attacks by Polish and Lithuanian armies. It reached the zenith of its power and influence in the 18th century when it possessed 400 villages and 20,000 serfs.

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