Raifa. Tours to Raifa 2024. Prices. Mouzenidis Travel

Raifa is a town 30 kilometers west of the center of Kazan.Its main attraction is the Raifa monastery.Many believers and clergy believe Raifa monastery to be the New Jerusalem, called to become the center not only of Eastern Orthodoxy, but also of the Orthodox community throughout Russia.

The monastery was founded at the turn of XVI-XVII centuries by the monk Filaret from Chudov monastery in Moscow.
The ancient monastery is located on the shores of a beautiful lake and surrounded by a virgin forest, so the pristine silence and distance from the city create a wonderful and unique atmosphere of privacy and rest.
During its more than 300-year history, Raifa monastery has witnessed a lot of happy and tragic events.Half a century after the foundation, capital development of the monastery began. Temples and the monastery wall with gateway churches were constructed, one of which is consecrated to the Venerable Father in Sinai and Raifa, and gave its name to the monastery itself.

In 1928 the monastery was looted and closed. In 1933, there was organized a colony for minor-aged criminals, later to become the "Special production and technical school", where the churches and fraternal buildings housed production workshops, a club and a dining room.

The rebirth of the monastery began in 1990 through the efforts of Archimandrite Vsevolod through the Kazan diocesan administration and thanks to the active support of many people who were not indifferent to the idea of reviving the monastery.

Now the holy abode is experiencing its heyday. The monastery is known for its active church and social activities. The monastery hosts an orphanage, a Sunday school and a library.
Today the festive look of the moastery radiates joy and peace, and it is difficult to believe that fifteen years ago the white buildings with colored domes, surrounded by flowers of all kinds, were in ruins.The monastery walls keep the history of Raifa, and all the monks know the difficult path to revival that it has experienced.