far from the city of Kerch, near the village of Voikov in rocky terrain in the XIX century came in the name of the monastery of St. George. Preserved the tradition that a local shepherd every morning and evening climbed the mountain to pray. One morning, he saw a young warrior astride a white horse. A year later, the same day, the vision was repeated. In the third year of the shepherd climbed a mountain, accompanied by the elders. They saw a young man, who at that time was on a large stone next to his horse. On the stone were the footprints of the holy and horses' hoofs.
Christian hagiographical literature reports that St. George was born in Cappadocia in Asia Minor. His father was a Christian and was martyred for his faith. George joined tyazany he still glorifies Christ, he was beheaded. April 23 martyr was executed 303 years. On this day (the new style 6 May) in honor of the Holy Churches.
St. George has done many deeds. One of them - a victory over a terrible serpent. The story goes that near one of the pagan cities in Lebanon, lived in a swamp dragon, devouring young girls. Came the turn and up the daughter of the ruler of the city. When the girl stood on the shore, waiting for death, appeared on a white horse, St. George. Seeing the snake, he rushed towards him and struck the monster in the neck, according to another version, an exhausted snakes fell to the feet of the saint, and the girl brought him to town on a leash like a dog. The townspeople, having learned about the heroism of George and listened to his sermons, accepted Christianity and built a temple in the name of the martyr. St. George is often depicted on horseback, spear, striking a dragon.
In Russia, George became one of the most revered saints. Crimean Tatars also honored St. George, they called him Katerlezom, which means "man on horseback". Collector Crimean legends N. Marx wrote that Georgiev day, April 23, Tatars Kozskoy valley that under Sudakov, came to the mountain Keterlez-two and put a wax candle. This day was a holiday, all the rest and have fun. In the name of the saint in the Crimea called two monasteries, temples, chapels, sources.
Mount St. George, near Kerch was particularly revered by the people. It built a tower, which is visited by pilgrims, but once a year, on April 23, from the church John the Baptist to mount occurred procession with an icon of Great Martyr George. This icon, according to legend, was also found on the mountain after a meeting with St George and taken to the church John the Baptist in Kerch. But the next day she disappeared from the temple and once again was on Mount Athos. Then the priest celebrated a prayer service and vowed to build a temple here, to put in it the icon of the saint, and before that year to bring an icon of religious procession. Living Kerch Nicholas Dzhanbekov Fyodor Sazonov built a small chapel at his own expense.
St. Innocent, after visiting Kerch, offered to build on this spot a stone church. It was built in the means of the townspeople in 1857 and consecrated on April 23 in St. George. In 1862 the church bell-tower.
Unfortunately, the inner life of the monastery Katerlezskoy were not always on God's laws that violate the charter of the monastery. Tavricheskaya spiritual consistory than once to deal with complaints of the monks, trying to restore order in the monastery. But peace and tranquility in the monastery did not come, so in 1900 the diocesan authorities decided to transform the monastery into the female. Disturbing years of revolution and civil war, little changed the life of the monastery. But after the establishment of Soviet power in women's monastery problems began, Katerlezsky monastery became the first monastery in the Crimea, ceased to exist.
In 1921 Kerch district council decided to close the monastery and the establishment on its territory a labor camp. On the territory of the monastery opened a children's home. However, in 1924, Kerch executive committee decided to liquidate and an orphanage and a church. All the buildings were dismantled for building materials. Thus died Katerlezsky monastery and church of St. George. Suffer even a stone on which St. George was the people. From a few explosions, he broke into pieces, but part of the stone with the imprint of the hoof left.
So far the people to preserve the memory of this holy place. These people often came to breathe clean air, tart-smelling grass, and think in silence and calm about life and about God. In the 90 years of the monastery began slowly to revive. Hard work laid the foundations of a new abode, with no means, were clearing space for construction of the future church. In the small cells arranged temporary church, where the worship. Resumed processions from the church John the Baptist Mount Saint George, built a chapel, there is a desire of parishioners to rebuild the temple of Saint George. Let's hope that soon the bell rang again over Katerlezskoy abode.
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