Here Faith and Righteousness, Faces and candles.
Here enters today into sacred eternity.
Like a connection of all time, murmurs without ceasing,
Like a bright memory, spring water.

Greetings, friends! I haven't written in this section for a very long time, and finally. They sent me a part of the photo and you can continue to fill the category "Holy Springs".

Is in Tula region, in the Venevsky district, on the left bank of the Venevka river, not far from the village of Sviridovo, there is one wonderful place - the Holy Spring. I would even say, a whole complex. It's called the Twelve Keys. Here we will talk about it.

I want to remember the legends and history of this place. Well, of course, my own impressions of one of the trips (although I was there a long time ago, but the draft texts were preserved). I’ll start, perhaps, with the legend (although when you type “12 keys” in the search engine, articles about it are in the first positions).

12 keys, legend of 12 brothers

Once, a long time ago (back in the 14th century) in the village of Sviridovo (which is on Sviridova Mountain) there lived a village headman, his name was (everything is correct) Svirid. He had 12 sons.

In those turbulent times (1380), Dmitry Donskoy gathered his army to overthrow Tatar yoke. Every tenth man capable of holding a spear and a sword was taken from the villages.

This fate did not pass and Sviridovo. The peasants began to draw lots, and it fell to the elder's sons. And, by coincidence, all twelve at once. In general, the brothers went to the battlefield. There they were killed in the battle, one and all. The youngest, dying, covered the Russian banner with himself.

When the prince found out about this, he ordered the bodies of the brothers to be sent back to their native village. All of them were buried where the Venevka river meets the Sturgeon, on the top of the hill.

The father was inconsolable in his grief, he mourned greatly for his sons. And a miracle happened, once at the foot of the hill on which the brothers were buried, a spring gushed, in which 12 keys were counted.

Notable Facts

This spring has been considered a special, wonderful place since ancient times. With its own history.

1. So, once in these places there was a pagan temple dedicated to Ivan Kupala. On every Kupala night, festive festivities were held here.
2. Back in the 19th century, there were records that a chapel in the name of John the Baptist stood in this place, and his cult was identified with the cult of Ivan Kupala. The sanctuary from the bearded times was Kupala. They, to my great joy, and left (adjusted for modernity, of course).
3. Hundreds of years later, on this night (June 24 according to the old style and July 7 according to the new one), people are drawn here and make a small offering to the spirits of nature in the form of a ribbon tied to tree branches leaning towards the water.
4. On the hill under which this source beats, there were archaeological excavations, and 14 burials of the 12th-14th centuries were found.
5. Not far from the Twelve Springs, the remains of defensive fortifications, the so-called Graboron Gates, were found (but about them in the following articles).
6. Since 2006, an annual regional festival has been held here, which is called 12 keys. A colorful festival with fairs folk craftsmen, with bonfires, dances, with performances of groups folk art etc.

twelve keys today

You know, I like many corners of the Tula region, almost every one of them has its own beauty and something interesting. But I just fell in love with 12 Keys.

The time for the trip was not chosen by chance (it was the Kupala night). I love this holiday, there is something truly native in it. In short, we arrived at the source after noon already. We walked, took pictures, looked at people, and there were not so few of them (some of them had already pitched a tent) and went back to Venev (time allowed, but we still had some things to do there). We returned back in the evening.

Awesome place. It’s beautiful there during the day, but in the evening it’s generally - grace! Paved with stone tiles, the path leads exactly to the font. Along this droshky are slabs on which the twelve virtues are written:

Love. Where there is love, there God dwells.

Truth. Delivers from death.

Grace. God's own business.

Purity. Connects to God.

Proceedings. Honor to the body is salvation to the soul.

Obedience. Fast way to salvation.

Humility. Satan himself trembles at him.

Non-judgment. Effortless rescue.

Abstinence. Him to carry the commandments.

Reasoning. Above all virtues.

Repentance. Joy to God and his angels.

Prayer. It connects with fasting, with God.

True, even the words are beautiful?

The holy spring is well located: the cape, formed by the channels of Venevka and Dry Sturgeon, is propped up by a hill, under which a spring flows. This triangular area is the perfect place for a water sanctuary. She seems to be under the protection of the hills. Secluded and quiet place.

Away from the font there are benches and a swing - a tall metal thing, to which a log is attached. So those who wish can relax sitting on a bench and enjoying the scenery.

My impressions

You have no idea what a miracle it is, sitting on a swing, breathing fresh air, feeling a cool breeze touching your cheek. Listen to the murmur of water and look at the setting sun slowly creeping away over the hills. The sun is creeping away ... and after it, a luminous orange trail spreads across the sky. This is a magnificent, enchanting sight.

I don’t know what’s so special about this place, maybe it’s really some kind of energy, maybe it’s all water (they say it cures diseases), maybe the night was chosen like that, but I got an extraordinary boost of energy.

In general, before saying goodbye, I still advise you to visit 12 keys. It is unlikely that you will regret this.

All the best to you, friends.

Medieval alchemical engravings are perhaps one of the most enigmatic and mysterious phenomena in fine arts. Today we will try to consider the most controversial book dark ages, the treatise "12 keys of wisdom" - the alchemist Basilius Valentinus (Basilius Valentinus). this work was translated and deciphered linguist Eugene Canselier in the 19th century. The value of translation lies, first of all, in the fact that we can at least partially learn about the meaning and purpose of a particular symbol. We have unique opportunity unravel the components of ancient chemical recipes.

And so, the "First Key". Here we can observe the process of preparing the initial matter for the Great Deed. The image of the "king" is gold being purified, which is purified with antimony, depicted in the form of a wolf. The queen, on the other hand, usually symbolizes silver, which is subjected to cupellation with lead, depicted as an old man.

"Second Key" The picture shows the young man Mercury - this is mercury, uniting the symbols of the Sun (gold) and the Moon (silver). Wands with intertwined snakes are an additional symbol of unification, they originate from Greek mythology. The crown of the young man says that he is the son of the king, while the wings define him as the spirit of Mercury, inherent in both son and father. The figures that threaten his life symbolize the need for the purity of the original ingredients, which is the key to success in the connection.

“The rooster devours the fox, but then, immersed in water and driven by fire, in turn will be swallowed by the fox.” This is how Vasily Valentin allegorically interprets the procedures of dissolution and separation from the solution. If the second key refers to one of the alchemical principles - mercury, then the third one is associated with another principle - sulfur, i.e. preparation of fiery sulfur.

A common alchemical allegory for death followed by resurrection. It seems that matter disappears in alchemical procedures, but in fact it exists and appears in further procedures, but in a purified form. A never-extinguishing candle is a symbol of life that has not yet died out. The text says, "All the flesh that came out of the earth must disintegrate and become again the earth that it was before."

Venus and Vulcan are two principles that must unite and give birth to the baby Eros. At the mouth of Venus is a black vessel filled with earth and ashes, symbolizing combustion. This vessel appears in the form of her breath, symbolizing the sublimation of Venus into the spirit of the earth. The volcano is also in a state of sublimation, as evidenced by its fiery breath. With his furs, he blows up the furnace. According to Valentinus, a subsequent combination of ignited air and powdery earth is necessary. The lion threatening the life of a baby symbolizes the difficulty of the task. First, our substance must be thoroughly purified. Then it needs to be decomposed and turned into dust and ashes. Then prepare from it a flying spirit, white as snow, and another red as blood.

The union of the king and queen, personifying the chemical procedure of heating, although it can also be fusion, with the removal of volatile substances and their subsequent condensation. Strict observance of proportions starting materials- the main meaning of this allegory. “It requires a special skill. The inviolability and correctness of the ratios are the guarantee of the true composition.

Water surrounded by four seasons. The sun is the source of heat that fructifies the earth, the world of lands, or substances, as well as the heat that is released unequally, depending on the time of year.

Again the theme of death and resurrection: the matter of the Great Deed, placed in a thermally closed vessel - the Philosophical Egg, and it is a symbol of the Universe, dies, turning black, in order to come to life again in the radiance of whiteness. Two archers hit the target. One hits the center of the target. This is a true adept, a false adept falls into the “milk”.

Damaged lead must give way to the mercury of the sages, on the heels of which is the Phoenix bird, breathing life into the stone of the philosophers. It is he who is called upon to change the nature of lead: "Let the color of the glory of the triumphant king be achieved." Three snakes enclosed in a circle represent three alchemical principles: mercury, sulfur, salt.

At the corners of the triangle graphic symbols sun, moon and mercury. The Latin inscription on the sides of the triangle: "I was born a man and a woman together" - testifies to the male-female dichotomy, denoting the mercury-sulfur composition of the philosopher's stone.

Orpheus, his childless wife Eurydice and an armed gilded knight. The winged messenger who flew into Orpheus's dream told Orpheus: "Let your blood be taken from right side your body and the blood of your wife on the left side of her body. The mixture of your blood will form the ball of the seven wise men. Wait from the mixture this child. “You can’t say it more clearly,” Valentine himself comments.

When you get what you're looking for, mix it with gold the highest standard and purified antimony in a ratio of one to three, place in a melting pot and gently heat for twelve hours. When it melts, heat for three more days and three nights. One part of the resulting tincture will turn a thousand parts of the transmuted metal into good and durable gold. This is how Basilius Valentin describes the twelfth stage - the crown of alchemical man-made. All engravings shown are by Matthäus Merian the Elder.

Here Faith and Righteousness, Faces and candles.
Here enters today into sacred eternity.
Like a connection of all time, murmurs without ceasing,
Like a bright memory, spring water.

Greetings, friends! I haven't written in this section for a very long time, and finally. They sent me a part of the photo and you can continue to fill the category "Holy Springs".

There is one wonderful place in the Tula region, in the Venevsky district, on the left bank of the Venevka river, not far from the village of Sviridovo - the Holy Spring. I would even say, a whole complex. It's called the Twelve Keys. Here we will talk about it.

I want to remember the legends and history of this place. Well, of course, my own impressions of one of the trips (although I was there a long time ago, but the draft texts were preserved). I’ll start, perhaps, with the legend (although when you type “12 keys” in the search engine, articles about it are in the first positions).

12 keys, legend of 12 brothers

Once, a long time ago (back in the 14th century) in the village of Sviridovo (which is on Sviridova Mountain) there lived a village headman, his name was (everything is correct) Svirid. He had 12 sons.

In those turbulent times (1380), Dmitry Donskoy gathered his army to overthrow the Tatar yoke. Every tenth man capable of holding a spear and a sword was taken from the villages.

This fate did not pass and Sviridovo. The peasants began to draw lots, and it fell to the elder's sons. And, by coincidence, all twelve at once. In general, the brothers went to the battlefield. There they were killed in the battle, one and all. The youngest, dying, covered the Russian banner with himself.

When the prince found out about this, he ordered the bodies of the brothers to be sent back to their native village. All of them were buried where the Venevka river meets the Sturgeon, on the top of the hill.

The father was inconsolable in his grief, he mourned greatly for his sons. And a miracle happened, once at the foot of the hill on which the brothers were buried, a spring gushed, in which 12 keys were counted.

Notable Facts

This spring has been considered a special, wonderful place since ancient times. With its own history.

1. So, once in these places there was a pagan temple dedicated to Ivan Kupala. On every Kupala night, festive festivities were held here.
2. Back in the 19th century, there were records that a chapel in the name of John the Baptist stood in this place, and his cult was identified with the cult of Ivan Kupala. The sanctuary from the bearded times was Kupala. They, to my great joy, and left (adjusted for modernity, of course).
3. Hundreds of years later, on this night (June 24 according to the old style and July 7 according to the new one), people are drawn here and make a small offering to the spirits of nature in the form of a ribbon tied to tree branches leaning towards the water.
4. Archaeological excavations were carried out on the hill under which this spring flows, and 14 burials of the 12th-14th centuries were found.
5. Not far from the Twelve Springs, the remains of defensive fortifications, the so-called Graboron Gates, were found (but about them in the following articles).
6. Since 2006, an annual regional festival has been held here, which is called 12 keys. A colorful festival, with fairs of folk craftsmen, with bonfires, dancing, with performances by folk art groups and so on.

twelve keys today

You know, I like many corners of the Tula region, almost every one of them has its own beauty and something interesting. But I just fell in love with 12 Keys.

The time for the trip was not chosen by chance (it was the Kupala night). I love this holiday, there is something truly native in it. In short, we arrived at the source after noon already. We walked, took pictures, looked at people, and there were not so few of them (some of them had already pitched a tent) and went back to Venev (time allowed, but we still had some things to do there). We returned back in the evening.

Awesome place. It’s beautiful there during the day, but in the evening it’s generally - grace! Paved with stone tiles, the path leads exactly to the font. Along this droshky are slabs on which the twelve virtues are written:

Love. Where there is love, there God dwells.

Truth. Delivers from death.

Grace. God's own business.

Purity. Connects to God.

Proceedings. Honor to the body is salvation to the soul.

Obedience. Fast way to salvation.

Humility. Satan himself trembles at him.

Non-judgment. Effortless rescue.

Abstinence. Him to carry the commandments.

Reasoning. Above all virtues.

Repentance. Joy to God and his angels.

Prayer. It connects with fasting, with God.

True, even the words are beautiful?

The holy spring is well located: the cape, formed by the channels of Venevka and Dry Sturgeon, is propped up by a hill, under which a spring flows. This triangular area is the perfect place for a water sanctuary. She seems to be under the protection of the hills. Secluded and quiet place.

Away from the font there are benches and a swing - a tall metal thing, to which a log is attached. So those who wish can relax sitting on a bench and enjoying the scenery.

My impressions

You have no idea what a miracle it is, sitting on a swing, breathing fresh air, feeling a cool breeze touching your cheek. Listen to the murmur of water and look at the setting sun slowly creeping away over the hills. The sun is creeping away ... and after it, a luminous orange trail spreads across the sky. This is a magnificent, enchanting sight.

I don’t know what’s so special about this place, maybe it’s really some kind of energy, maybe it’s all water (they say it cures diseases), maybe the night was chosen like that, but I got an extraordinary boost of energy.

In general, before saying goodbye, I still advise you to visit 12 keys. It is unlikely that you will regret this.

All the best to you, friends.

First of all, she signed a letter against the construction of a cement plant.

For four years, Venevians have been fighting for their environmentally friendly plein air. The next rally will take place on June 28. Here is my small contribution.

Even near Bogoroditsk it medicinal plant, depicted on the coat of arms and giving the name to the city, is already a rarity. And on the hillside at the Twelve Springs, the grass of our patron saint and intercessor grows. There I collect until they are covered with cement dust.

Unfortunately, this time it was not possible to collect anything, because. the rain came with us to the festival. In this connection, a new Tula sign was born: rain - not on the Trinity, but on Krapivna.)

But our people don't care!

On the stage they sang no less sincerely.

Recent times I'm lucky for interesting people. I was very glad to meet them at the festival!
With Denis exchanged postcards. In my opinion, it’s not entirely fair, because. for just two postcards, I got a whole pack of amazing views of Venev.

Photo courtesy Venevsky district.

Sharing information from a confidential source. The well-known Tula local historian Rodinkov Igor Arkadievich will have his own LJ-blog any day now. Really curious!

Hello Kornakova Yulia!

We were intrigued by our new research in the field of ancient weaving on tablets.

In July I will go to them for a master class.

From Viktor Ivanovich Potapov, too, you will never be able to move away quickly.

A real ascetic of the revival of the Mother of God toys! As he tells! Listen! And about bluing, and about painting with clay on clay, and about waxing ...

Viktor Ivanovich is dreaming about his Bogoroditsky festival, but the question is still hovering you_know_where. And I'd love to ride them.

I got my feet wet thoroughly and began to freeze slightly ... It is not known what would have happened to me today if it were not for Svetlana and Olga with Honey traditions.

The girls gave us fragrant herbal tea with Tula gingerbread to drink.

Heat from them, like from an oven! They sewed Russian sundresses for themselves!

Bright! Merry! Beautiful!

Yes, and with a gingerbread balalaika!

This year, the bakery town of Venev has a new brand - the Venevka bun. The guests appreciated it, and "Venevka" shattered with a bang! On the way to the fest, we popped into a bistro, bought delicious Venevian pies there, and decided to take the buns from 12 springs. The saleswoman said that they brought a lot of buns. And what? At the festival at 14-00 we miraculously managed to grab the LAST VENYOVKA.

On the way back at 15-30 they wanted to buy more buns in Venev, there was not a single one! But we were not at a loss and decided that pretzels are also very similar to the letter "B".

How happy the Vienna Fair makes me! Give me money and I'll buy everything!

Wet weather didn't let me get (as I'm in last time) to that place of power in Yaroslavl region where the miracles of Adrian Poshekhonsky were revealed. Until I allowed it, later I did. But on the other hand, I went to the vicinity of the city of Venev, Tula Region. Nikolsky Venev Monastery. Finding it is easy: from Moscow you need to go along the Rostov highway straight to the left turn to the city of Venev. And there turn right, to Tula. The beaten road will lead to the pointer to the monastery: once again to the right and - now its bell tower and church.

It was founded no one knows when and no one knows by whom. And most likely destroyed in 1764, when Catherine the Great with Bolshevik adherence to principles. Only the Nikolo-Assumption Church, built between 1696 and 1701, remained from the monastery. Now the monastery has been restored. On one site I found a photograph of its abbess with a wonderful caption: "The abbess of the monastery, nun Alexia, with a goat of a rare English breed, photographed with the Patriarch of All Russia Alexy." Unfortunately, I could not find a photo of the patriarch with a goat. But even without it, the goat looks very piquant.

Locals say that the legendary lieutenant Rzhevsky is buried in the cemetery near the monastery. Well, let's say, not the lieutenant himself, but his prototype: the local landowner Sergei Semenovich Rzhevsky. But what exactly does it change? The body of such and such a person is buried in such and such a cemetery, and his spirit wanders among the living. Virtually present in the language. The lieutenant's inimitable discourse: “Mouse? In the ass!? Original!!!" In Russia, it is difficult to find a person who would not be familiar with this foolish fellow, awarded a cheerful afterlife. They say that, having retired and settled in his village near the Venev Monastery, Sergei Rzhevsky did not allow the nuns to pass. Not for sex, but only for the exercise of spontaneous indecency. Blessed. For this, other bigots blame him. But after all, they do not blame the holy fools, who also crushed social norms. Personally, I believe that when the church finally understands the true nature of the pranks of this puffer, he will be canonized. Blessed lieutenant Rzhevsky.

Much more tragic is the story of another person lying in the Venev monastery. Prince Yuri (Georgy Smolensky) lived hectic life and came to the monastery a terrible sinner. Having lost Smolensk, he was soon taken into the service of the Grand Duke of Moscow, Vasily Dmitrievich, and sent as governor to Torzhok. Here he fell mortally in love with the wife of Prince Semyon Vyazemsky Ulyana. The princess was not at all prone to adultery, and this little by little brought the unfortunate Yuri to an ugly paroxysm. On December 21, 1406, having drunk drunk at a feast, he stabbed Prince Semyon in front of everyone and immediately wanted to seize his wife by force. Ulyana, defending herself, hit Yuri with a knife. Here the prince is completely lost human form: drew a sword and chopped poor woman into pieces. He ordered the remains to be thrown into the Tvertsa River. After that, he left for the Horde, but, tormented, let’s say, by his conscience, he returned, shut himself up in the Venev monastery, where he soon fell ill and died on September 14, 1407.

By moral standards God's ways cannot be measured, although, of course, one can try to impose human morality on God. Here you are: according to human understanding, Prince Yuri is a monster, which the earth very rarely gives birth to. And yet he is a saint. True, locally venerated, he is included in the Cathedral of Tula Saints. And his victim, the Blessed Princess Juliana Vyazemskaya, is also a saint - a martyr, a defender of chastity. And Prince Simeon Vyazemsky became a locally venerated Smolensk saint. All three members of the ugly love story turned out to be saints. This is not at all because some bright head was visited by such a rich plot idea. Just in one winter evening In 1406, at a feast in Torzhok, there was an unthinkable outburst of madness, which could also be called sacred. A breakthrough of the transcendent into the world. And then there were consequences that people defined as holiness.

But let's keep in mind: invented holiness does not exist. You can invent as many saints as you like, you can, like orders, reward the most deserving with holiness, but - if there are no miracles, there is no popular cult coming from nowhere, no holiness will come of it. It will only result in an unnecessary inflation of the holy calendar, inflation of holiness. True holiness is a sacred phenomenon, that is, life-threatening, like radiation. The sacred can help a person, or it can destroy him. The same Juliana Vyazemskaya, who healed many, crippled in 1598 a certain deacon, who, out of perplexity, decided to open her grave. The flames escaping from the tomb scorched the unfortunate man like a wild boar. And only two months later, after intense prayers to Juliana, he recovered.

And for some reason the priests don't like it. Of course, they cannot yet ban the Kupala games (just as they cannot ban the variety “ridge waggles” and “jumping legs”), but they are trying to Christianize the Twelve Keys in front of all honest people. They put a bathhouse and a stone cross in place of power. By the way, it was cut out by the brother of the innocently murdered patriotic pop singer Igor Talkov. A tablet is screwed to the cross, from which it is clear that a chapel in honor of the Twelve Apostles will be built on this site.