O, amazing island of Valaam
The visit to the monastery of Father
Ignaty Bryanchaninov in 1846

oundation and existing of Valaam monastery for certain dates from deep Russian antiquity: that's what some historical facts say. Father Avraamy, founder and archimandrite of Rostov monastery, came to the cloister in 960 as a heathen. He was christened and was cut into the monkhood there (*). The chronicle of Sophia says: "In summer of 6671 (1163 after Christmas) the earthly remains of our fathers St. Sergy and German were found (**). Another chronicler mentions that hegumen Martiry built a stone church on the island in 1192 (***). The local legend, which is proved by a series of similar scanty facts, declared St. Sergy and German Greek monks, contemporaries of Olga the great princess. If we take into consideration the fact that the ancient monks decisively strive for solitary, then the comfort that the island still provides for this isolation - we should admit that there's nothing strange that the monks resettled here. It is obvious that the monks lead a very strict life there and that there was a dormitory in the monastery and hegumen was a head of all monks. In the 14th century Father Arseny Konevsky lived here for some time; he made a trip to the holy Afonskaya mountain and founded the Konevsky monastery. In the second half of the 15th century Reverend Alexander of the Svir stepped there. Originally he worked in the dormitory and then kept silence on the Holy island in a compact cave. The Holy island is a stone mountain; it goes up from the lake and ends with a high cliff. It belongs to the group of small islands; the main island is surrounded with them like a planet is surrounded with its satellites. In the first half of the 15th century Reverend Savvaty Solovetsky lived here for some time; lately he went away to the White sea, to deep North, to the uninhabited wastelands of Solovetsky island in search of solitary. He was searching with great selflessness for the thing, which St. Sergy and German looked for on Valaam; they found their Olymp and Afon too crowded with people (****).

More than once the monastery of Valaam ravaged by Swedes; more than once the monks were killed with swords and irrigated the ground with their blood; more than once the sacred temples and cells were on fire. But the area of the monastery, its various conveniences for monkhood let the inhabitants of the monastery resume their way of life. Valaam is assigned and sanctified as a place for religious service by the nature itself. The legend is old but it seems that it allows us to say that in another time, when that land was in darkness of paganism, worship of idols took place here. When you look at these dark deep waters, at these dark thick forests, at these proud strong rocks, at the whole beautiful picture, constantly changing and picturesque; when you have read the deep poetic inspiration, compare the luxurious area of Valaam with the poor area of neighboring Finland, you'll say: "Yes, this is the place where a hardhearted and hostile Scandinavian had to change his severe thoughts and feelings to the highest feelings, brought by religion". The same legend leads saint apostle Andrew here, who came from Kiev to Novgorod and then came back to southern Europe, where he found his death in Akhaiya (*****) They say that the apostle reached Ladoga lake by the river Volkhov, then reached Valaam and turned the monks living there into Christianity. He also founded a Christian church there.

* The dictionary of Russian saints.

** The manuscript life of Saint Avraamy Rostovsky and the dictionary of Russian saints.

*** The manuscript of the monastery library. Maybe the archives of Finland will provide more determined and detailed information about Valaam's history somewhen than the information from today's sources.

**** Staying of Reverends Arseny, Savvaty and Alexander on Valaam are reliable facts, which are kept in their biographies. The biography of Alexander of the Svir, written by his disciple Illarion, says about religious ascetics of Valaam, and the biography of Reverend Arseny - about the numerous brotherhood of the monastery.

***** Modern name is Akhea, a town in Greece.