Konevsky Monastery

Russia, Russia

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The Konevsky Monastery, officially the Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery, sits on Konevets Island in western Lake Ladoga, Leningrad Oblast, Russia, founded around 1393 by St. Arseny Konevsky to convert pagan Karelians, with its site relocated multiple times to avoid floods. Known as Valaam's counterpart for missionary zeal, it housed the miraculous Konevsky Icon of the Mother of God from Mt. Athos in its original 1421-1428 Nativity Church, endured Swedish captures during the Ingrian and Great Northern Wars, and flourished in the 19th century with an imposing eight-pillared cathedral (1800-1809), 35-meter bell tower (1810-1812), sketes, quay, and inns funded by pilgrims including Emperor Alexander II. Militarized under Soviets after Finnish evacuation in 1940 and WWII damage, it revived in 1990 as one of Russia's first restored monasteries, uncovering St. Arseny's relics in 1991 amid ongoing reconstruction for active monastic life and visitors.