The restoration of the Gornal Saint Nicholas Men’s Monastery in the Sudzhansky District of the Kursk Region may take decades, as reported by the monastery’s abbot, Father Pitirim, to TASS. Founded in the 17th century, the monastery was almost entirely destroyed during attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

According to Father Pitirim, the monastery’s restoration after the Soviet era took 25 years, when the building's condition was considerably better. Now, with only a few brick walls remaining from the structures, the process of rebuilding is expected to take many decades. The abbot expressed hope for support from both the government and the faithful in the restoration efforts.

The monastery found itself on the front line during the August 2024 invasion by Ukrainian forces into Russian territory. Since then, it has been regularly shelled by tanks, drones, and incendiary shells. Monks stayed at the monastery until the very end, evacuating only under fire. During the evacuation, one worker was killed, and another monk was injured.

The miraculous icon of the Mother of God "Pryazhevskaya," which was previously kept at the monastery, was saved and is now housed in the Pokrovsk Church in Kursk. After the monastery is restored, the icon will return to its original home.

Participants of a roundtable discussion titled "The Essence of Monastic Sacrifice in the Modern World," held in the Kursk Metropolis, shared stories of the monastery’s life during the war. Monks, archpastors, and clergy from the Kursk, Oryol, Belgorod, and Tula dioceses commended the courage of the Gornal Monastery’s inhabitants, who shared the suffering of local residents.

Abbot Pitirim emphasized that monasteries in the Kursk Metropolis are actively involved in volunteer work, providing spiritual and material support to Russian soldiers.

The monastery’s liberation was confirmed on the morning of April 22. Alexander Khinshtein, the acting governor of the Kursk Region, stated that the restoration of the Gornal Monastery would be carried out, despite its proximity to the border.

Founded in 1671, the Gornal Saint Nicholas Men’s Monastery is a monument to Russia’s spiritual heritage. Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia has previously emphasized that the Ukrainian Armed Forces intentionally targeted Russian Orthodox churches and monasteries.