Керженский Благовещенский единоверческий скит, Orthodox monastery in Nizhny Novgorod region, Russia.
The Kerzhensky Annunciation Monastery stood on the right bank of the Kerzenets River and contained three churches with accommodations for about 25 monks at its peak. The complex was set within forest surroundings that provided both isolation and spiritual focus for daily monastic life.
Monk Tarasiy founded the monastery in 1814 as an Old Believer community in the forest region. In 1849, it gained official recognition and transitioned to Edinoverie status, marking a turning point in its institutional standing.
The monastery served as a center for the Edinoverie movement, which brought together believers seeking traditional Orthodox practices within official church recognition. This distinct religious approach shaped the spiritual life of worshippers in the surrounding region.
The monastery no longer exists today, but a memorial marker from 1997 identifies the exact site where it once stood. The location is situated in a forested area near the Kerzenets River and can be visited to understand the religious history of the region.
After closing in the 1920s, the monastery grounds served as a juvenile detention facility between 1945 and 1946. This unexpected use demonstrates how the sacred site underwent dramatic changes during the Soviet period.
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