The story of the Abbots' cemetery

Valaam Abbots' gravestones.

One of the most beautiful roads on Valaam leads from the monastery Cathedral to the Abbot cemetery. It starts with a three hundred-metre alley of Siberian fir. Ceder trees, fir, larch, poplar, and chestnut saplings were often shipped to St. Petersburg and Finland from Valaam. The Abbot cemetery was founded by father Damaskin in his last years, in 1876. Not far from the wooden chapel of St. Sergius of Radonezh, the most worshipped saint of old Russia, stands the stone cell of Abbot Nazary, who restored the spirit of Russian ascetism on Valaam. Both buildings are now in ruins, only the black granite cross erected by father Damaskin remains. On top of a nearby hill, there is a church of very unusual architecture, the church of Saint Fathers Hallowed in Fast and Prayer (1876). To the North-West of it, there is a belfry-arch (architect G.I. Karpov). They are all built of Valaam bricks and decorated in the Byzantine and classical styles. Every Saturday, a Requiem mass was read in the church. The carved gilded iconostasis, paintings, and icons are lost now. The cemetery church was the last one consecrated by father Damaskin. Opposite him is his disciple and successor Abbot lonafan (Dmitrijev). Nearby lie Valaam priors; Abbots Vitaly (Batrakov), Pafnuty (An-dreev) and Pavlin (schema-archimandrite Pavel). Abbot Gavriil (Gavrilov) was burried in the Alatyrsky monastery of Simbirsk eparchy. Abbot Mavriky (Baranov) lies in the Old Brethren cemetery. Next to the Abbot cemetery is the New Brethren cemetery, where the tombs of monks and philantropists have been recently put in order.

The cemetery bell-tower.

The cemetery church was the last one consecrated by father Damaskin. Opposite him is his disciple and successor Abbot lonafan (Dmitrijev). Nearby lie Valaam priors Abbots Vitaly (Batrakov), Pafnuty (An-dreev), Pavlin (schema-archimandrite Pavel). Abbot Gavriil (Gavrilov) was burried in the Alatyrsky monastery of Simbirsk eparchy, Abbot Mavriky (Baranov) lies in the Old Brethren cemetery. Next to the Abbot cemetery is the New Brethren cemetery, where the tombs of monks and philantropists have been recently put in order.