On the day of the celebration of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, on August 28, 2026, Metropolitan Ambrose of Tver and Kashinsky led the festive celebrations at the Staritsky Assumption Monastery.
On the morning of August 28, at the holy gates of the Staritsky Assumption Monastery, the priestly Archimandrite of the monastery was met by Abbot Damaskin (Leonov) and his brethren.
The service was attended by V.B. Khristenko, Chairman of the Governing Council of the Fund for the Revival of the Staritsky Assumption Monastery, M.A. Ryzhkova, Deputy head of the Staritsky Municipal District, Yu.V. Alexandrin, Executive Director of the Fund for the Revival of the Staritsky Monastery, and pilgrims from several regions of Russia.
After reading the Gospel, Metropolitan Ambrose preached a sermon. At the special litany, special petitions were made for the curators of the monastery, Metropolitan Ambrose read a prayer for the restoration of the bell tower of the Transfiguration Cathedral of Tver and a prayer for Holy Russia.
After the dismissal of the Liturgy, for the first time in recent history, a crowded procession took place around the monastery walls, during which Metropolitan Ambrose consecrated in the monastery park a monument to three hegumens — St. Job, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, St. Herman of Kazan and St. Dionysius of Radonezh.
On the same day, on the square in front of the Assumption Cathedral, the traditional parting words of the first-graders of the Staritsky municipal district took place. Metropolitan Ambrose greeted the students, their parents and teachers. Vladyka read a prayer for the beginning of the boys' teaching and sprinkled holy water on everyone. Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of the Tver Region S.A. Golubev, Chairman of the Board of the Staritsky Monastery Renaissance Foundation V.B. Khristenko and Deputy Head of the Staritsky Municipal District M.A. Ryzhkova also addressed the participants of the celebration. Then a general photo was taken at the monument to St. Job.
Metropolitan Ambrose held a meeting with the Chairman of the Board of the Staritsky Monastery Renaissance Foundation, V.B. Khristenko, and discussed further plans for the restoration of the monastery and associated churches. By the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, after major repairs and renovations carried out by the Foundation, the Volga Hotel was opened in Staritsa. Metropolitan Ambrose performed the rite of consecration of the hotel. As a blessing for his labors, Vladyka gave the staff an icon of the Mother of God.
After the evening service at the monastery, Metropolitan Ambrose met with the monastery's brethren, congratulated them on their patronal feast, and blessed each monk with a rosary and a monastic rule.
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The monument is dedicated to three outstanding Russian saints, whose life and ministry were connected with the Staritsky monastery: the first Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, St. Job, St. Dionysius of Radonezh and St. Herman, Archbishop of Kazan and Sviyazhsk.
The center of the sculptural composition was a cross made of white stone. This material is reminiscent of the famous "Staritsa marble", a white limestone that has been mined in the vicinity of Staritsa for centuries and used in the construction and decoration of temples and other structures.
Saint Job, a native of Staritsa, took monastic vows at the Staritsky Assumption Monastery, was its abbot and later became the first Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. His life ended in his native monastery.
St. Herman, also a native of Staritsa, was the rector of the Staritsa monastery, and later became Archbishop of Kazan and Sviyazhsk.
St. Dionysius of Radonezh was the rector of the Staritsky Assumption Monastery, and later abbot of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. He entered the history of the Russian Church as one of the outstanding church figures of the Time of Troubles.