Lyubyatovo, Pskov Oblast Russia
Russian Orthodox
The church was the only monastery building made of stone. The church was probably built in the mid-16th century. The church was not closed following the Revolution, though it was still robbed repeatedly. Icons were removed in 1928 and more taken to Germany during World War II. Some have been returned, though the Lyubyatovo icon of the Mother of God is in the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow. This description from 1890 tells of the icon's chief miracle, saving the city from ravaging by Ivan the Terrible: "In the summer of 1570, on Saturday of the second week of Great Lent, Tsar Ivan the Terrible, while on a punitive expedition against the people of Pskov, spent a night at this Monastery of St. Nicholas at Lyubyatovo and, standing here in the church during Matins and looking at the miracle-working icon of the Mother of God 'Eleusa,' was deeply moved in his heart and told his warriors; 'Blunt your swords with stones, and may the killings be stopped.'"