Churches

The center of monastic life is the church

Today, the monastery has three churches and four tsasunas. Visitors are welcome to explore all of them.

The church buildings and their artifacts complement the ecclesiastical teaching in a very diverse way: in fact, all the details visible in the church serve the spoken and sung prayer.

The majority of the icons and ecclesiastical artifacts in the monastery churches come from Valamo, Lake Ladoga. In addition to the churches, ecclesiastical artifacts – for example, church textiles – can be viewed in the monastery museum.

Main Church - Church of the Transfiguration of Christ

The main church of the monastery is dedicated to the Transfiguration of Christ. Its feast day is celebrated on the sixth of August.

Old Church - Church of All Saints of Valaam

The Old Church, built in 1940, was the site of all the monastery's daily services until 1977. Today, the church is only used in the summer.

Winter Church - Church of Saints Sergei and Herman

The winter church of the Valamo Monastery is connected to the main church. The church is dedicated to the memory of the monastery's holy fathers, Sergei and Herman of Valamo.

Church building

An Orthodox church building is always built in an east-west direction, with the altar room at the east end of the church.

Tsasunas

A tsasouna is a small sanctuary, usually without an altar separated from the church hall by an iconostasis. In Karelia, there were tsasounas in almost every village, and many lay services called momentary services were held in them.

Icons

Icons depict Christ, the Mother of God, saints, angels, or church holidays.

Brotherhood trapeze

The fraternity dines together in their dining hall, which is called the fraternity trapeze.

"We warmly welcome all guests, regardless of their beliefs, to the monastery and its services."

Warmly greetings,
Valamo Brotherhood

Contact information

Driving directions and transport connections

Invoicing addresses and bank contact details
Accessibility statement

Data protection statement

Visiting hours

Valamo Monastery is open all year round. The opening hours of the services vary according to the season.

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Churches

The center of monastic life is the church

Main Church - Church of the Transfiguration of Christ

Main Church - Church of the Transfiguration of Christ

Old Church - Church of All Saints of Valaam

Old Church - Church of All Saints of Valaam

Winter Church - Church of Saints Sergei and Herman