Refectory and St. Mica Church

By the 18th-c. the monks had considerably grown in number and the old Refectory couldn’t satisfy monastery needs. Instead a new Refectory with a church dedicated to St. Sergius was erected by Peter's order in 1686–92. The church was consecrated by Patriarch Adrian, the last pre-revolutionary Patriarch of Russia, in memory of the 300th anniversary since St. Sergius’ death. 

The building of Moscow baroque style is 85 m long. Open galleries run along its perimeter, with long flights of steps leading up to these galleries. The church building catches the eye with a 4-color design of its façade, creating an illusion of faceted relief-work, as well as with the richness of its elaborate colorful stucco and carvings. They make a perfect match for the Refectory architecture. Although rather spacious (510 m2), its vaults don’t need any intermediate support. The Refectory walls were painted and renovated several times. Last time the church was painted in 1911.

The veneration of the Mother of God was central in the life of St. Sergius. Every night he sang hymns in honour of the Holy Virgin and at the end of his life he and his disciple St. Mica had a privilege of Her visit. She came to his cell with the apostles Peter and John by her side. The Holy Virgin promised to protect the monastery and watch over it. In memory of this appearance a small gem-looking church was constructed in 1734. People connect it with the name of St. Mica, as the church stands above his grave. On the commemoration day of St. Mica, May 6/19, a liturgy is celebrated here.