Trip to Suzdal’
Our trip to Suzdal turned out to be a quite an interesting true Russian experience. I was looking forward to get away from Moscow hectic lifestyle with lots of pollution. The ride was exhausting due to traffic while leaving the city.
My first impression of Suzdal’ was of a small Russian town with active monasteries and around 300 churches (according to our local guide). Why so many monasteries and churches were built in Russia? Why religion played such an important role in this society back in 16th century? Later I was informed that not only religion play an important role on people’s spiritual life but it also compensated for material and social stability. Being a nun back in 1500’s meant an asylum from serfdom and a more or less stable materially life, which otherwise had to be reached through hard work.
The nature in Suzdal’ was exactly how I imagined Russia before coming here. The endless flat fields and the trees were creating a peaceful
untouched environment.
Our trip to Suzdal turned out to be a quite an interesting true Russian experience. I was looking forward to get away from Moscow hectic lifestyle with lots of pollution. The ride was exhausting due to traffic while leaving the city.
My first impression of Suzdal’ was of a small Russian town with active monasteries and around 300 churches (according to our local guide). Why so many monasteries and churches were built in Russia? Why religion played such an important role in this society back in 16th century? Later I was informed that not only religion play an important role on people’s spiritual life but it also compensated for material and social stability. Being a nun back in 1500’s meant an asylum from serfdom and a more or less stable materially life, which otherwise had to be reached through hard work.
The nature in Suzdal’ was exactly how I imagined Russia before coming here. The endless flat fields and the trees were creating a peaceful
untouched environment. 
Our visit to the Museum of Wooden Architecture opened up my eyes to the ordinary life of ordinary (serfs) of Russians back in 18-19th centuries. The simple setting of interior and the presence of a huge oven/heater implied the uneasy life of villagers while surviving Russian winters. Russians of Suzdal don’t live, they survive hard climate!! It makes sense that in order to live in such harsh conditions one has to have a strong belief and loyalty to God and the Church. The strong religious lifestyle can be the only motivation in such circumstances and one can not avoid mentioning of the presence of plenty of Vodka as well, as a helping hand through surviving winter in Russia.
Our group had stayed in a convent overnight. It was my first ever time stepping into a convent and according to Russian tradition one should make a wish while entering a convent for the first time and it will come true. I belief everybody in our group made a wish!
Even though Suzdal is famous for its numerous Churches and monasteries, it was easy to trace the Soviet legacy in the town. The main street was named after V. I. Lenin. It also had the Monument of Lenin in the main Square (local Red Square) was standing in front a plain square building of a typical Soviet architecture of Kchrushev epoch, which represented the main governmental building in Suzdal.. It was easy to see a stopped construction of the top 5th floor. Perhaps right before the collapse of the USSR Suzdal’ was planned to be increased in its size? Our guide had mentioned that the population of Suzdal had no been changed since the 16th
century. It must be fate!!Our last ours in Suzdal went by visiting the village of Bogolubovo again famous for its active convent, monasteries and church were Andrei Bogolubov, a Russian prince resided and was killed. The location where the Price had been murdered was closed by a fence. Flowers lay on the exact place where the prince died. Overall the place of the death was cherished as some place sacred. It reminded me of the Curch of Savior on Spilled Blood in St. Petersburg, which was built on the location where Alexander the 2nd was killed. His son Alexander the 3rd erected the church in his father’s memorial. Inside the church I remember seeing the visible pavement covered with flowers, it was the exact location of the emperor’s death. Russians have this incredible fascination with people who were killed by their enemies. It was also in Bogolubovo when I first time saw an icon depicting the royal family of Nicholas the 2nd as saints. Somehoe it did not seem to be right to me seeing children depicted as saints. I understand the entire tragedy of the murdering the last Russian Royal family, but converting them into saints! Why?? What good did they do to people?
I cannot avoid mentioning my unique experience in Bogolubovo, which I won’t forget for the rest of my life. I was confronted by nun! Yes!
As I was exiting the Church in Bogolubovo Monastery ( I should mention that all females were given head covers and skirts upon entering the church including myself) an old nun followed me. She asked me whether I have ever seen a male wearing a dress? ( Of coarse I have, but my instinct told me to comply and answer ‘no’ because that is what she wanted to hear) I answered "No" having no idea what she was going to say. Her reaction to my answer was the following, "There is something wrong with you since you are a female and yet you are wearing a male's clothing". The nun left me standing in the couryard absolutley shocked. The nun had left me in the courtyard absolutely shocked. I could not belief her aggression towards me, a total stranger. Her persona opposed to my image of a regular nun. She really made me feel like have done something bad.
I cannot avoid mentioning my unique experience in Bogolubovo, which I won’t forget for the rest of my life. I was confronted by nun! Yes!
As I was exiting the Church in Bogolubovo Monastery ( I should mention that all females were given head covers and skirts upon entering the church including myself) an old nun followed me. She asked me whether I have ever seen a male wearing a dress? ( Of coarse I have, but my instinct told me to comply and answer ‘no’ because that is what she wanted to hear) I answered "No" having no idea what she was going to say. Her reaction to my answer was the following, "There is something wrong with you since you are a female and yet you are wearing a male's clothing". The nun left me standing in the couryard absolutley shocked. The nun had left me in the courtyard absolutely shocked. I could not belief her aggression towards me, a total stranger. Her persona opposed to my image of a regular nun. She really made me feel like have done something bad.
Then in a second before I could realize what happened a group of nuns started to enter the church passing by me through the courtyard. They were lined from young to older ones. They wore black from head to toe. The amount of young nuns surprised me (second shock in regards my image of a nun). I asked our local guide what was the reason for so many young girls turning into nuns? She told me that she gets that question a lot and she has a universal answer to it which was that the reason is the God’s will! Her answer comforted me. I had realized that it is also God’s will that I wear jeans and that there is nothing wrong with me!
