On June 16, 2026, celebrations dedicated to the 600th anniversary of the founding of the first monastic settlement in the Solovetsky Archipelago took place in the Kazan Cathedral of St. Petersburg. The conference "Eternal Memory" was held in the cathedral's conference hall.
Before the start of the conference, Bishop Veniamin of Kronstadt, vicar of the Holy Trinity Alexander Nevsky Lavra, performed a prayer service with the clergy of the cathedral and the Lavra. His Eminence read out the greeting of Metropolitan Varsonofy of St. Petersburg and Ladoga.
The message noted that the conference was taking place within the walls of the Kazan Cathedral, where the holy relics of Saints Zosima, Savvati and Herman, the founders of the Solovetsky Monastery, were found 36 years ago. "Six centuries is not just a chronological date, it is standing in the truth," the greeting said. It was emphasized that the memory of Solovki is connected not only with the history of the monastery, but also with the feat of prayer books, confessors and martyrs who suffered during the years of persecution of faith in the XX century.
A greeting from the Governor of St. Petersburg, Alexander Beglov, was also read out. Andrey Gut, Chairman of the Board of the Foundation for the Conservation and Development of the Solovetsky Archipelago, delivered a welcoming speech. Bishop Veniamin noted that the Solovetsky Monastery has become an example of spiritual achievement, and the conference provides an opportunity to touch its history more deeply. A tablet exhibition dedicated to the Solovetsky Archipelago was opened in the crypt of the cathedral.
Archpriest Alexander Pashkov, Chairman of the Kazan Cathedral Parish Council, delivered a report on the history of the Solovetsky Monastery. He said that the first monks appeared in Solovki at the beginning of the XV century, and the monastery, founded in 1436, eventually became one of the largest spiritual centers of the Russian North. The monastery is associated with the names of Saints Zosima, Savvati and Herman, the wonderworkers of Anzer, Eleazar and Job, St. Philip, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia. Patriarchs, metropolitans, bishops, and many ascetics of piety emerged from among the Solovetsky tonsured.
The report also touched upon the dramatic pages of the monastery's history: the Solovetsky Seat of the 17th century, the defense of Russia's northern borders, and the shelling of the monastery by British ships during the Crimean War. A special place was occupied by the theme of the 20th century, when the monastery was closed and turned into the Solovetsky special purpose camp. Dozens of bishops, hundreds of clergymen and many lay people passed through Solovki. Many of them died of disease, starvation, or were shot; about 60 prisoners of Solovki were glorified as new martyrs and confessors of the Russian Church.
The revival of monastic life in Solovki was discussed separately. In 1990, the Holy Synod decided to restore the monastery, and on August 20, 1992, the relics of Saints Zosima, Savvati and Herman were returned to Solovki. Since 1993, the church calendar has established the celebration of the second transfer of their holy relics on August 21, and on August 22 the commemoration of the Cathedral of the Solovetsky Saints is celebrated.
Andrey Gut spoke about the activities of the Foundation for the Conservation and Development of the Solovetsky Archipelago. Since 2018, the foundation has been working to restore the monastery's cultural heritage and develop the necessary infrastructure. The main works are planned to be completed by the anniversary year 2029.
Natalia Prozorova, a teacher at the Ushinsky St. Petersburg Academy of Postgraduate Pedagogical Education, presented a report on the Solovetsky Jung School, which operated in 1942-1944. During the war years, the school trained 4,111 specialists for the Navy, every fourth of them died. Famous graduates of the school include singer Boris Shtokolov and writer Valentin Pikul.
The event ended with a performance by the Kazan Cathedral Choir conducted by Svetlana Rumyantseva. Spiritual chants were performed, including works from the everyday life of the Solovetsky Monastery.
The conference "Memory is Eternal" became an important event in a series of jubilee celebrations, recalling Solovki as a place of prayer, spiritual achievement, historical memory and testimony of loyalty to the Church.