Diveyevo, Religious village in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia.
Diveyevo is a village in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia, built around a large convent that draws mostly religious visitors. The convent grounds span several blocks and contain cathedrals with golden domes, residential buildings for nuns, guesthouses, and landscaped gardens connected by wide paths.
A widow named Agafya Semyonovna Melgunova founded a small community at this site in 1758, which was later expanded by the Orthodox monk Seraphim of Sarov. The convent was closed in 1927 during Soviet times and reopened in the early 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The name comes from an old Slavic root meaning wonder, which reflects how believers have long regarded this place as spiritually significant. Pilgrims follow prescribed routes between the churches and take part in ceremonies that shape the rhythm of daily life here.
The convent receives visitors throughout the year, though winter months tend to be quieter and draw fewer crowds. Tours are available inside the cathedrals and along the outdoor paths, with women asked to wear headscarves and prefer skirts over trousers.
A narrow ditch dug by hand in the 19th century surrounds parts of the convent grounds and is used by pilgrims as a sacred walking circuit. Believers walk its entire length while speaking prayers, with many covering the route barefoot.
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