Valaam is an archipelago in the northern part of Lake Ladoga, and on its main island stands the Transfiguration monastery. A pilgrimage there is unlike a trip to a monastery in a town: the island can only be reached by water, the day is built around the monastery services, and much of the time is spent walking between the sketes scattered across the islands.

In June 2019 our centre took a group of pilgrims to Valaam for four days. Below is how such a trip is arranged and what is worth knowing before it.

The crossing by water

There is no bridge or road to Valaam. Pilgrims arrive by boat from the mainland during the navigation season, from late spring to autumn. When the lake freezes and the ice is not yet strong, the island is practically cut off, so trips are planned for the summer months.

The weather on Ladoga changes quickly, and boats can be delayed by wind and waves. That is why a trip to Valaam always has spare time in the programme, and the group does not plan anything for the evening of the return day.

Days at the monastery

According to tradition, the monastery was founded by Sts Sergius and Herman of Valaam, whose relics are venerated in the main church. In the 19th century Valaam was one of the largest and strictest monasteries of the north and was called the Northern Athos. Monastic life was revived on the island in 1989, and today the monastery welcomes pilgrims from all over the world.

A day on the island starts with the morning service. After it there is time to venerate the shrines of the Transfiguration Cathedral, to walk around the monastery and to visit the sketes. Our 2019 group spent four days there, so there was enough time both for the services and for the quieter parts of the archipelago.

The sketes of the archipelago

The sketes of the monastery stand on different islands and in remote corners of the main island. Some can be reached on foot along forest roads, others only by boat. Each has its own church and its own rhythm of life; in some of them the monks keep a stricter rule and visitors are received only at certain hours.

Comfortable shoes and a raincoat matter here more than anywhere: you walk a lot, and the weather on the lake is changeable.

Rules of the island

Valaam is a monastery first of all. Women wear a headscarf and a skirt, men long trousers, shoulders are covered. Alcohol and smoking are not allowed on the island, quiet is kept near the churches and sketes, and photos inside the churches are taken only with permission. The coordinator reminds the group of the rules before each visit.

Trips with the centre

Valaam is not in the current trip schedule. The page of Valaam monastery tells its history, and the pilgrimage section lists the trips that are open for registration now, from day trips to Estonian shrines to Georgia. The history of the monastery is described in more detail in the article Valaam monastery on Lake Ladoga.