Cape Fiolent strikes the imagination with their singular beauty: strict huge rocks, blue sea, the raging, furious, then calm like a mirror, and the boundless blue sky. It will be exciting from the contemplation of this extraordinary corner of the wilderness.
Fiolent translated from Greek means "God's country. Ancient legends say that here is a temple of the goddess Artemis, which served as a priestess Iphigenia. She brought the bloody sacrifice to the gods, throwing off cliffs wayward travelers. Historian Simeon Metaphrastes said that the ancient temple of Artemis, or the Virgin, as they called her the brands, I demolished a century, when this place came Andrew. And on the hillside made a cave church, which, in the year 310 settled Bishop Basil, expelled from the Chersonese. This church later served as the foundation of St. George Monastery. This is how the legend says.
command of a small merchant ship Taurida Greeks during the voyage across the Black Sea near the steep shores of Cape fiolent was caught unprecedented for these places the storm. A terrible storm hit the little boat brave Greeks. Ferocious squally wind tore to shreds all the sails, broken masts and torn slender reliable wheel. Dark and heavy clouds had descended low over the raging waves, covering the entire horizon, giant raging waves of uncontrollable rage hit the deck and began to carry the ship invisible to the high rocky shore. Seeing the inevitable doom, the crew rushed to his knees in faith and prayer. They raised their hands to the sky and began praying fervently, referring to St. George the Victorious: "On St George, our patron, help us, save us from imminent death." Hearing the heartfelt cries of dying, Saint George appeared before the congregation, all in the glare of the pitch darkness on a small rock in the sea near the shore. He was raising his hands to heaven, he turned to God himself, and his appeal was heard - the storm immediately subsided. Freed from certain death, the Greeks climbed on this rock, and there found an icon of St. George the Great Martyr. They saw far off a high rocky coast and moved him from a cliff, taking with him an icon. In gratitude for his happy they found salvation in the nearest cave on the shore opposite the cliff, where was Saint George, a cave temple and set it purchased the icon. The most devout Greeks settled here permanently, forming a brotherhood. Sit in live, they did not forget their right savior, daily prayer of St George and worked tirelessly, erecting dwellings, utility rooms, and leading an exemplary economy.
St. George Monastery has long coexisted with other religions: from the XIII century, the masters of this part of the Crimean Tatars were later settled in Cembalo Genoese, and in 1475 the Turks conquered the peninsula itself, making the Crimean khans vassals of the Porte. The special grace of God all this time protected by the Christian monastery. Tatars with reverence for the monastery and the source of St. George. Survived Tatar legend associated with Fiolent. The mighty hero rested on the court, where, after the monastery appeared, while his winged horse swimming in the sea. One hero saw a huge monster, floating straight to his horse, he grabbed a rock and threw it. Falling into the sea, rock crushed sea snake and was named Fiolent. On another occasion the same thing happened again. St. George pulled a rock, threw it and killed the monster, but the place was formed Cape Aya
With the approval of the Crimea Tatar Khanate of life in Orthodox monasteries deteriorated significantly. The fire raids killed churches and church property. By the beginning of XVIII century in the Crimea survived only four of the monastery.
Life in St. George's monastery was renewed in 1792, settled here nine brothers - Superior, three priesthood, one ierodiakon and four monks. And already 23 March 1806 approved the state of the monastery: the abbot, five monks and thirteen hieromonks Black Sea Fleet. Gradually the Black Sea fleet grew and grew and the number of priest. They participated in the distant sea expeditions, served in the military fortresses Sukhumi-Kale and Gelendzhik, in garrisons and fortifications. St. George's monastery became known as the Navy.
In those days, the monastery, despite the fact that it is the base for the entire Black Sea fleet, lived not rich. The cells of the monks falling apart all the buildings are dilapidated and needed repair, buttress, propping mountainside and destroyed before our eyes, stone temple in the name of St. George was unfit for worship. It was decided to dismantle the old chrome and replace it with a new project for which the architect I. Damoshnikov developed. Construction of a new church began in 1810 and was completed in 1815.
Balaklavskiy monastery was visited by many travelers and pilgrims. There have often been the Russian tsars and members of the imperial family, scholars, poets and artists. To receive guests in the monastery built a stone hotel, but for the officers of the fleet - the wings. Balaklavskiy monastery enjoyed the favor of the king. At the end of his life, Alexander I was bored his imperial duties, often visited the holy abode, seeking rest and solace in religion.
By the end of XVIII century walls of the temple became dilapidated, but because the money to complete restoration was not their somewhere and somehow patched. But in February 1839 a violent storm broke out, which resulted in 10.5 meters buttress collapsed, deprived of support, began to destroy the temple of Saint George: near his porch appeared dangerous crack. In 1850 comfortable monastery was erected in first-class degree.
water from sources in the territory of the monastery, considered the best in the Crimea. She gladly drank monks, pilgrims and emperors. In one of his visits to Alexander II and his family of monks in the way they poured a barrel of cold and clean water. Unfortunately, these days the water has lost its wonderful taste, the source is polluted unsuccessfully laid during the Soviet era sewers.
At the end of XIX century monastery celebrated its millennium.
However, the processes taking place in society, could not affect the monastic life. 1914 violated the habitual way in the St. George Monastery. Out at sea warships, and along with them - assigned to them monks. And again, as more than half a century ago, they held religious services for sailors, cheered them in battle, and accompanied the dead on his last journey.
Settled after the Civil War, Soviet authorities nationalized the movable and immovable property. 1922 was particularly difficult for the Crimea: the people dying from hunger, from churches and monasteries were taken away by the value of the fund hungry, did not pass and St. George monastery. In 1929, the monastery decided to liquidate its assets and to allocate the resort trust. At the request of the faithful give them the Church of the Cross, but in 1930 and closed it. Cross on the rock of St. phenomena smashed and thrown into the sea, was killed in a church of St. George. He suffered during the earthquake of 1927, so it was dropped into the sea with a bulldozer, and in its place built a dance floor for a rest. From the former church leaving only the foundation and the white marble steps.
During the Great Patriotic War, hotel, fraternal building, a refectory in ruins. After the war in the former convent situated military unit. Only in 1991, began the revival of the ancient monastery. September 14 was dedicated in the church of St. Nicholas to Sevastopol on the Brethren Cemetery and set on a cliff Phenomena metal cross. It bore the inscription: "The cross was erected on Sept. 14, 1991 in celebration of the 1100-anniversary of St. George Monastery, the blessing of His Grace, His Grace Bishop Basil of Simferopol and the Crimea with the gracious participation of the Black Sea Fleet, prayerful participation of the clergy of the diocese and dean of the Crimean Sevastopol district priest George Polyakova . The charitable donations Valery Alekseevich Chernenko ".
In October 2000 the laying of the temple in honor of Saint George.
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