diveyevo 1

The founding of the Diveyevo community in Sarov, Russia... 

was marked by a miraculous intercession of the Mother of God. 

Agathia Semenovna Belokopytova [1720-1789]...

born to a noble family of the Nizhny Novgorod, married a second lieutenant Melgunov, a rich landowner with properties located in the Yaroslavl, Vladimir and Ryazan provinces. 

Soon widowed, she became a single mother with an infant daughter. Committed to keeping her widowhood pure, Agathia Semenovna left the world and devoted her life to monasticism at the Kiev St. Florus monastery [van OLV Hemelvaart].

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Once after a midnight prayer...

Agathia Semenovna had a vision of the Most Holy Theotokos... 

appearing as if in a light dream, who told her the following: 

“It is Me, your Sovereign Lady to whom you direct your prayers. I came to announce My will for you. I do not wish for you to end your days here. 

Just as I had sent my servant Anthony away from My lot at the Holy Mountain of Athos, to have My new lot at the Kiev-Caves Lavra established here, thus I declare: go forth and travel to the land I am about to show you. 

Travel towards the north of Russia, and visit all the holy monasteries dedicated in my honor. I will show the place where you will end your earthly God-pleasing life. 

In that new place of your residence, I will glorify My name by founding a great monastery of Mine, where upon I will send all the blessings of God and Mine, from all three My lots on earth: Iberia, Athos, and Kiev. 

Go forth then, My servant, and may the grace of God, My strength, and My grace, as well as My mercy and My bounty, and the gifts of the Saints of all My Lots always be with you!”

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Around 1760...

after consulting with the Kievan elders...

Agathia Semenovna left the St. Florus Monastery...

and turned her steps towards north. 

Traveling from one monastery to another, she went towards Sarov. 

Twelve km before the Sarov monastery, in the village of Diveyevo, Ardatov County of the Nizhny Novgorod Province, she sat down to rest by a small wooden church. 

During a light sleep, she had a second vision of the Theotokos:

“Here is the place I commanded you to look for in the north of Russia,” 

the Most Holy Theotokos told Mother Alexandra. 

“Here is the lot set aside for you by the Divine Providence. 

Reside here and do God-pleasing work till the end of your days... 

and I will always be with you and visit you. 

I will found a monastery unequal to anything before or afterwards in the world: 

it is my fourth domain in the whole creation. 

As many as there are stars in heaven or sands in the sea...

shall I increase the number of them who serve the Lord Our God...

and Me, the Ever-Virgin Mother of Light...

and who glorify My Son Jesus Christ. 

May the grace of the All-Holy Spirit of God...

and the abundance of all earthly and heavenly treasures, obtained without a sweat...

never grow scarce at this beloved place of Mine!”

[bron]