Savvatievo skit in Solovetsky islands

Savvatievo skit was built on the site where, in 1429, there settled the founders of the Solovetsky Monastery, the Sts. German (Herman) and Savvatiy (Sabbatius). As is known, they came ashore not in the Prosperity Bay where the Solovetsky Kremlin is now located, but in the north of the island, where consequently, in the 18 century, there were built the northernmost Savvatievo skit.

Savvatievo skit is located on the northern bank of the Dolgoye (Long) Lake, from where had its source a small river. By the river one could reach the Gulf of Pine opening to the White Sea. A century later on the site where the monks Herman and Savvatiy settled there was erected a small chapel and many monks of the Solovetsky Monastery who craved for anchoritic life came there.

In the 18 century there had already been built several cells, as well as household buildings. Savvatievo skit began to take an active part in the economic life of the monastery. In summer there settled the monks who were responsible for the haymaking for the winter, as well as fishing, since the skit was on the lake, which played an important role in the Solovki lake and canal system, as it opened to the White Sea.

The main construction works took place in the Savvatievo skit in the 19 century. There were built the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God of Smolensk and a spacious residential building for monks, pilgrims and laborers. The other two skits were near the Savvatievo skit: the Ascension skit on the Sekirnaya mountain and St. Isaac skit, and the monks of these two skits often worked together.

After the Bolshevik Revolution the Solovetsky Monastery was closed and the Savvatievo skit was used as a detention center for political prisoners. And during World War II there were trained the students of the cadet school, who lived in the nearby dugouts but trained in the main building of the Savvatievo skit.