The Itinerary offered for your kind consideration is done in keeping with the traditions & spirit of the Orthodox Pilgrimage.

            Ancient Taurida has preserved a great many unique places of Orthodoxy. They are regarded priceless relics of history & culture. For our society spiritual life is of vital importance, it is necessary to be in touch with a sacred heritage to have been bequeathed to us by our ancestors.

            With this very purpose the Simferopol – Crimean Diocese with the blessing of His Eminence Lazarus, Metropolitan of Simferopol & Crimea – implements the idea of pilgrimage & visiting churches & monasteries currently alive as well as the survivals of an ancient Christianity on the soil of our blessed peninsula.

            Pilgrimage – is attending the sacred places by the pious people for the sake of worship. It is pretty known from the ancient times. The word “Pilgrimage” takes its origin from Latin “Palma” as there was a custom to bring a palm branch from Palestine.

            In the IV th century, A.D. St. Helen, who was a mother of the greatest Emperor Constantine, ventured to visit & worship sacred places & succeeded in finding the cross to had been used to crucify Jesus Christ. She set a wonderful example for the others to follow.

After Kiev Russ accepted Christianity, pilgrimage became a sign of time. The pilgrims headed to the national sacred places, to Jerusalem, Aphonic, the Italian city of Barry where the relics of Saint Nicholas were kept.

            But how important it is to be aware of our own background as we live on the same territory where in the I st century good news had been brought by the disciple of Jesus Christ, Apostle Andrew. At the end of the I st century his teaching was preached by the St. Clement. In 2001 there was a wide commemoration of 1900 anniversary of his martyrdom and the Inkerman monastery was given the name of Saint Clement.

In the IV th century Christianity the State religion of Byzantine Empire and was spreading throughout its provinces. Namely at this time Chersonese , that had been scattered all over present day Sevastopol, became the center of the Diocese – church administrative district  led by a bishop. The significance of Chersonese in spreading Christianity throughout Kiev Russ is known: outstanding personalities of Theology lived there, including seven canonized Saints. In 861 the place was visited by the Slavonic enlighteners Ss. Kirill & Mephody. But the most significant event, referred to Chersonese is the baptizing of Kiev prince Vladimir in 988 who initiated Greek Orthodoxy in Kiev Russ. Thus, the land of the Crimea is a cradle of Orthodoxy in Kiev Russ.

To get acquainted with & see the world around one should exercise the pilgrimage “The Orthodox Crimea”.  The program will initiate you in the mystery of 20 routes & as it was already stated the program is done in keeping with the traditions & spirit of the Orthodox pilgrimage.

Pilgrimage department of Simferopol & Crimean Diocese offers the pilgrimage “Orthodox churches of Simferopol”. You’ll have an apt opportunity to get acquainted with the history of diocese, the Saints whose names bear the churches of the city, the holidays of the Orthodox Church. You’ll visit Ss. Peter & Paul Cathedral, Holy Trinity Nunnery where the relics of the blessed Luke are kept {V.F.Voyno-Yasenetsky}. He was a prominent theologian and a professor of medicine. You’ll visit the churches, exercising services; you’ll see the Churches of the Three Saints, All Saints, where the miracle had happened - the glass got imprint of Jesus Christ’s face. You’ll hear the story about the Churches that had not withstood the ravages of the time & in particular about the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky being under reconstruction.

One out of nine Crimean monasteries treasures its own history. Cherishing life in seclusion brought a lot of people to monkhood.

To come in touch with a mystery of ascetic life, to plunge in the medieval atmosphere will help you the pilgrimage & visiting monasteries of the Crimea that are in service: Balaklava, Ss. Cosma & Damian, Bahchisarai Holy Assumption & others.

            To find out the history of convent one will be able to if pilgrimage is done to Toplovsky St. Paraskeva Convent where there is the cross with the fragments of the relics of the Saints are treasured. There are also the sacred water springs of Saint Paraskeva the Great Martyr, Saint George, the Three Saints where one can take a plunge in the font.

You’ll get acquainted with past & present of the Orthodox churches located on the Southern Coast of the Crimea: the Church of St. John Chrysostom, which was born simultaneously with Yalta city, the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky that has reference to the names of three Emperors : Alexander II, Alexander III and Nicholas I. You’ll visit the ex-tsar Elevation of the Holy Cross Church in Livadia, the Church of Protection of the Mother of God in Lower Oreanda.

            One of the routes passes along the Shulskaya road where there is Mangup - the center of Christian Principality in the past. You’ll visit the location of Cave Monasteries Shuldan & Cherter while going along Baidary Gates you’ll go up the Biadary Pass from where one can admire a unique panorama of the Southern Coast of the Crimea. You’ll visit the Church of Resurrection crowning the Red Cliff. The Church had been erected to commemorate the miraculous rescue of Emperor Alexander III.

            The Orthodox sacred places of Chersonese, Sevastopol & others, being part & parcel of the blessed peninsula, are waiting for you. Traditionally pilgrimage was performed by the renowned theologians & Emperors.

            His Eminence Lazarus, Metropolitan of Simferopol & Crimean Diocese, has performed pilgrimage to an ancient Monastery of Saint Fyodor. The monastery is located at the picturesque landscape near village Small Gardens in Bakhchisarai area at cape Ai-Todor. There are also some other small monasteries in the Crimean Highlands.

            “These places are created to perform prayers & there is the need to inspire life again in the walls of the monastery” – remarked the Sovereign.

For the time being the ancient sacred places are not in service, they have to be visited, prayers are to be performed there & they are to be looked after according to their significance.

            A new pilgrimage route leads to the ruins of the church named after Saint Andrew where there is also a water spring near Village Generalskoye. There is also a picturesque canyon, once there was a basilica church where the word of God’s Son was brought forth by the Saint Andrew.

What can be more important than to return to life the church when one can lit a candle burning with love to Lord the God. Church is a sanctuary and remedy for the Soul as well as a school of piety.

            It was not occasionally that major city of the Crimea - Simferopol - commenced its existence from the chapel of St. Nicholas where the Pilgrim was praying to the patron of the travelers.

The seeds planted in the sacred soil of Tauria, the seeds of the Apostles – Scholars, brought forth a lot of good. XX centuries the icon candle of the faith is shedding the light over peninsula. The Sacred places of the Crimea are not only being brought to life but they become the major attraction for the pilgrims.