The "Moscow Kremlin Museum" has presented the exhibition "Holy Abode" (dedicated to the 600th anniversary of the Solovetsky Monastery).

A large-scale exhibition "Holy Abode" is open in the museum gallery of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow until January 15. It is dedicated to the history of one of the most famous shrines of our country, the Solovetsky Monastery, timed to the 600th anniversary of its founding, which will be celebrated in 2029. The Russian government, in close cooperation with the Russian Orthodox Church, is preparing 175 events to celebrate this date. The first of these is a wonderful exposition from the Moscow Kremlin Museum's collection.

The central place is occupied by icons, among them images of the monastery founders – the venerable Zosima and Savvatiy from the 16th century – one of the early examples of joint depiction of saints, which was venerated as a monastic relic and placed at their shrine. A unique monument is the icon "Transfiguration" from the main monastery church – the Transfiguration Cathedral, created by skilled masters of the 16th century, distinguished by a complex iconographic program and the highest level of execution.

"Unique icons and works of decorative and applied art from the 16th and 17th centuries," noted Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', "are very significant for believers. Gazing upon these wonderful images, one understands that this is truly power. If people of the 21st century marvel at their beauty, appreciate this aesthetics and, of course, cannot help but be surprised and amazed by the talent of our distant ancestors – how indeed this is the power of God in all of it. Therefore, I recommended to many who may regard icons only as works of art to think about the fact that these are not just works of art – through these works of art God Himself speaks to us, if we, of course, want it, because the connection must be two-way," said the head of the Russian Orthodox Church after visiting the exhibition.

The collection of the Moscow Kremlin Museums holds an exceptional collection of church art originating from the Solovetsky monastery. "The Solovetsky Monastery is one of the most important, probably the most important after the Trinity Sergius Lavra, monasteries in the territory of the Russian state, which enjoyed great reverence and was one of the most important strongholds of Russian culture in the North," said Elena Gagarina, General Director of the Moscow Kremlin Museum. "The main monastery of the Russian North. A monastery where magnificent works of art and revered donations were created and preserved, made not only by noble people but also by sovereigns, patriarchs, representatives of princely and boyar families, Solovetsky abbots and archimandrites, prominent officials, as well as outstanding figures of national history," emphasized Elena Gagarina. For instance, these include donations from the elder of the Trinity Sergius Monastery Alexander Bulatnikov, who was tonsured within the Solovetsky monastery walls. Visitors to the exhibition will see his donated icon "Theotokos of Vladimir," a richly decorated cope, and a handwritten Gospel. Special attention is deserved by priestly vestments, works of church embroidery, and remarkable examples of jewelry art – works by skilled masters created in artistic centers of Russia and Europe. An ivory cup bearing portraits of emperors from Peter to Catherine II was donated to the monastery by an 18th-century Kholmogory master Osip Dudin along with a rich library. Or, for example, the shaving set of Count Pyotr Tolstoy, who was accused of conspiracy against Peter II and exiled to the Solovki. He dedicated all his property, silver, for the commemoration of his soul and his son's. Thus, this shaving set ended up in the Transfiguration Cathedral and was used during services as a hand-washing instrument.

"May God grant that the museum treasures, regardless of where they are located, besides their purely aesthetic and scientific significance, continue to preserve that great spiritual significance for which they were created," Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' emphasized, concluding his visit to the "Holy Abode" exhibition dedicated to the 600th anniversary of the Solovetsky Monastery founding.