On April 14, 2025, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia presided over a prayer service marking the beginning of the preparation of Holy Chrism (Myrrh) in the Small Cathedral of the Donskoy Stavropegial Monastery.
Following the service, the Patriarch visited the restored quarters near the monastery’s northern gates, where Saint Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow, lived during the final years of his life.
These premises hold deep historical and spiritual significance, as they were the place of Patriarch Tikhon’s residence until his repose, and are closely tied to his legacy. His relics now rest within the monastery and are among its most revered treasures.
After Patriarch Tikhon’s passing, Metropolitan Peter (Polyansky) attempted to preserve the space as it was, requesting an extension on the lease for two years to accommodate church personnel. However, the request was denied by the Soviet authority of Glavnauka, which oversaw the site: “As Glavnauka requires residential space, the premises shall not be leased to Citizen Polyansky.” The rooms were soon repurposed, and their original furnishings lost.
Now, marking the 100th anniversary of Saint Tikhon’s repose, the space has been meticulously restored and opened as a memorial museum. The restoration brought back the original layout from Patriarch Tikhon’s time, rebuilt ceramic stoves using recovered fragments, and preserved decorative details such as window and door joinery with their original iron fittings.
The reconstruction was based on memoirs by M.A. Veshneva, “This is a Memory of Days in Donskoy…”, along with historical descriptions of the bishops’ quarters and recollections from visitors who met Patriarch Tikhon there following his release from house arrest.
The Patriarch toured the anteroom at the entrance, the assistant’s room (used during the 1920s by secret police officers assigned to monitor the Patriarch under house arrest), the reception and dining area, the room with a tiled stove adjacent to Saint Tikhon’s quarters, his study, and his monastic cell.
He also visited the adjacent porch of the Church of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God, where renovation works are ongoing. During his confinement, this church was the only place where Saint Tikhon was permitted to pray.
Source: Patriarchate of Moscow / Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
