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Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2)
Our convent bearing the name of St Martyr Grand Princess Elisabeth was founded in the settlement of Novinki on the outskirts of Minsk in 1999. The convent originated in an Orthodox Sisterhood of the same name. Since 1996, the Sisterhood has served many care centers, including the National Psychiatric Hospital and Municipal Hospital as well as boarding homes for children and adults with special needs, a TB clinic and a home care facility for mentally challenged children.
The mission of our convent is to provide spiritual and social help to the sick and the suffering. The Convent runs a homestead located 19 miles from Minsk. It helps drug and alcohol addicts as well as socially vulnerable persons tackle their problems and provides the homeless with shelter and care.
To support and develop the above ministries numerous workshops and studios operate within the frameworks of the Sisterhood. These include an icon-painting studio, sewing and embroidery shops, candle workshop, wood-carving and blacksmith workshops. The Sisterhood activities also include religious education and publishing.
The convent and sisterhood have always worked together in serving God and people.
Sisters and brothers of the convent pray for each other daily. On Sundays, after singing the akathist hymn to the St Elisabeth, the brothers and sisters share their experiences in serving people and discuss spiritual issues. All decisions regarding the activities of the convent and the sisterhood are made with the blessing of the convent’s spiritual father, Archpriest Andrew Lemeshonok. Full cycle of divine services is held in the churches of the convent and the Psalter is read continuously.
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Who is More Necessary?
Helena Natykina
Translated by Fyodor Vaskovsky
Are active adults who have their place in the world more necessary for sick kids who live within the four walls of a boarding home and are sincerely joyful when they see each new person coming to them? Or these poor children, who seem to be absolutely unhappy and who lack parental care and love are more necessary for us adults? -
Love Defeats Sin
Archpriest Andrew Lemeshonok
The Kingdom of Heaven is inside one's heart. There is a struggle for one's heart and mind going on all the time. This struggle is the path of a soul to Christ and the defeat of death.
The Lord enters our hearts when we are willing to change our lives, to learn to love, when we believe in the victory of God's love over our death. -
New From Novinki
Dmitry Shevarov
There is a suburb called Novinki on the outskirts of Minsk. Fifteen years ago this area had an extremely sad reputation. If a resident of Minsk was getting angry and wanted to tell the person he was talking to that the latter had lack of intellect, he would usually say, “It's time you went to Novinki!” -
Follow God Till the End
Monastic tonsure was held in St Elisabeth Convent a couple of days before the great feast of the Nativity of Christ. Five new Rassaphore nuns and four new Stavrophore nuns put their lives into God's hands, took their crosses and followed Christ. The rite of tonsure was served by His Eminence Philaret, Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus. -
Two New Films
Russian text by Vadim Yanchuk.
Translated by Fyodor Vaskovsky.
The studio in honour of St John the Warrior of St Elisabeth Convent has finished two new films: a fiction film called Three Parables – 2 (by Vitaly Lyubetsky) and a documentary called A Little of Paradise (by Maxim Mikhaltsov). These films may become a good gift for Christmas for all who love the works of the video studio of our Convent. -
Like One Big Family
Russian text by Christina Odesenko.
Translated by Fyodor Vaskovsky.
A group of young people are standing near the church watching the parishioners going back to their homes after the Liturgy on Sunday. The young people greet one another happily and go to the church in honour of the Royal Martyrs. -
One Never Makes a Good Warrior Without Fighting...
Today the Angels were with us... This is what we wanted to say after four of our sisters were received as novices. The hearts of those who attended this wonderful ceremony today could witness the meeting of two worlds: that of the Angels and that of the earthly creatures. The Lord has given us the joy that will help us to overcome all hardships and temptations we have to face on our earthly path. -
Films of the Video Studio in Honour of St John the Warrior Have Won Prizes at Radonezh Film Festival
According to sobor.by, the winners of the XVI International Film Festival Radonezh have been determined. The jury of the festival headed by Vladimir Krupin, the co-chair of the Writers' Union of Russia, chose the following films produced by the Studio in honour of St John the Warrior to be award-winners in the category “The Best Producer”: Three Parables by Vitaly Lyubetsky, The Nun by Halina Adamovich, Pascha on the Bald Mountain by Nun Joanna (Orlova) and A Little of Paradise by Maxim Mikhaltsov and Ella Milova. -
Just a Little
Just a Little is the name of a new disc from the series Pilgrim's Songs, which is being prepared by the audio studio of St Elisabeth Convent. Shining Bright, the first disc of this series, is well known to those who like spiritual songs and canticles. -
Fervent Prayer and Deep Faith Filled the Hearts
An Akathist in front of a newly painted icon of Ss Peter and Febronia of Murom was served in St Nicholas Church at St Elisabeth Convent on November 27 for the first time. Priest Alexander Malakhovsky consecrated this icon before the Akathist and every parishioner could kiss and venerate it. People ask these Saints to give them a happy family and children. In spite of the fact that the weather outdoors was bad and windy, it was warm in the church not just thanks to the candles but also thanks to fervent prayers warming up the hearts of the faithful. -
Patron Saint's Day Celebrated in St Nectarios of Aegina Church in the Boarding Home for Mentally Challenged Children
Patron Saint's day was celebrated in the small and cozy church in honour of Saint Nectarios, Healer and Wonderworker of Aegina who guards the boarding home for mentally and physically challenged children in Minsk. All Night Vigil and a procession with crosses and icons were held the previous evening, and a Divine Liturgy was celebrated on the day of commemoration of this remarkable Saint. -
“God Took Back Those He Had Given to Us”
We lost people who were very precious and dear to us on November 27: Sister Tatiana Masalovich and her children – Ann and Sergius – died in a car crash. They were hurrying to the church to take part in the liturgy. One of the sisters later said that they had been hurrying to the service on earth but found themselves at the heavenly service.
