At the bottom of lake Issyk-Kul scientists are looking for the ancient monastery, where, according to legend, was buried Saint Matthew is one of the apostles of Christ, writes the correspondent of the magazine "Itogi" that is, Sigmund.

Church tradition says: after the Apostle Matthew died a Martyr's death, his followers hid the body of the Saint from defilement. Supposedly the remains of one of the four evangelists buried in the land where nobody had stepped Roman legionary. According to one version, the undecayed relics of Matthew found the posthumous repose on the territory of modern Kyrgyzstan - lake Issyk-Kul. "Issyk-Kul version" does not the Church Apocrypha. Many Christians are convinced that the legendary Evangelist was buried in Central Asia. For example, Metropolitan of Tashkent and Central Asia Vladimir speaks about it as indisputable fact: "the Relic was kept in the monastery, located on the shore of Issyk-Kul lake, and the whole Christian world to know about her whereabouts". Recently, a discussion about the place of burial of the Evangelist flared up with new force. Last year the foreign Ministry of Kyrgyzstan even invited to Bishkek representative of the Vatican. The fact that few serious researchers simultaneously, independently from each other have come to the conclusion that the body of the Apostle Matthew likely was buried exactly on the shore of lake Issyk-Kul. Perhaps the Christian world really is on the threshold of sensation.

The Evangelist Matthew. Detail of the fresco of the Saviour Church at Nereditsa in Novgorod. XII century

Saint Matthew is one of the most enigmatic figures of Christianity. Location of his grave remains a mystery for over two millennia. Several countries claim to the possession of the Holy relics of the Apostle. The Italians, in particular, argue that the relics of the Evangelist in the first century ad, i.e. immediately after death, got on the Peninsula and is now allegedly kept in the Cathedral of San Matteo in the city of Salerno. According to representatives of the Catholic Church, the Apostle's body was found during excavations of one of the Lombard castles. Now the Cathedral of San Matteo) registered in the Catholic guides for pilgrims and all tourist brochures in Italy. However, no documentary evidence in favor of this hypothesis for this day. Official Vatican on this issue diplomatically says literally: "old Catholic tradition, the relics in Salerno, belong to Apostle Evangelist Matthew..." Thus, the Vatican does not assert unequivocally that the relics of Salerno belong to the Evangelist.

But in favor of the Central Asian version is an important document. In the middle of the XIX century by the famous Russian scientist Semenov-Tyan-Shansky, being in Venice, had the opportunity to study the so-called Catalan map of the world drawn in 1375-1377, Abraham and Yehudi Kraskami. The scientist paid attention to the image building with a cross, which, if to trust the map, was located on the North shore of lake Issyk-Kul. Next there was the inscription: "a Place called Issyk-Kul lake. In this place, a monastery of Armenian brothers, where is the body of Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist". On the map building with a cross was connected by a straight line with Jerusalem. In 1857, Semenov-Tyan-Shansky went to explore the Turkestan. During his journey he was trying to find traces "of the monastery of the brothers of the Armenian". But from issikulsky Kyrgyz he heard only the numerous legends about the sunken cities, saying that once in place of the lake was a vast plain with populous and rich settlement, but God is punishing people for their sins, and the city went under water. In support of his statements the local people showed to the guest finds that had been washed ashore by the waves. And added that close to the shore of the lake hides in the deep underwater ruins of palaces. Practical issykkuli often fetched from the lake bottom bricks and built of them mausoleums for their dead relatives. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky traces of the monastery on the coast is not found, but suggested that it could exist in the area Tormentingly Bay of Issyk-Kul and later went under water.

Interestingly, far from the spot where, in the opinion of the famous traveler, could be ancient Armenian monastery, several years later, in 1882, was founded by Russian Svyato-Troitsky monastery. This monastery is also not preserved, he left only the building of the refectory and chapel made of this solid wood that they and the axe difficulty taking. Today on the place of the Holy Trinity monastery is a children's home. And women who work here, assured that often at night above the Bay, you can observe unusual phenomenon for a few minutes like a luminous cross begins to rise above the water...

But could on the shore of lake Issyk-Kul in the first Millennium to be a Christian monastery? Did the early Christians to reach areas that are so remote from the Mediterranean? Scientists answer these questions in the affirmative. Thanks carried out archaeological research today we know that in Central Asia in time settled Christians-Nestorians. Nestorianism as the religious movement originated in Byzantium in the first half of the V century Particularly influential were Nestorian Christians in Syria - in the days of the Byzantine province. In 431 this doctrine was declared a heresy, its founder, the Patriarch of Constantinople Nestorius, sent into exile, and his followers were persecuted. First, Nestorian Christians fled to Persia, then in Middle Asia. Some of them got to the Talas and Chu valleys. There are a number of archeological evidence on the shores of Issyk-Kul: at the settlement of AK-Beshim were excavated Christian Church and cemetery around of it. On Krasnorechenskoe ancient settlement also lived the Christian community, as evidenced by the gravestones (kayraks) with epitaphs and burial, where they found bronze and jade Nestorian crosses. The kayraks with images of crosses were found in the settlement of Buran. In addition, in Issyk-Kul found covered with blue glaze ceramic vase, which depicts the twelve apostles. Ceramics with the cross symbols were found everywhere in the valley part of Kyrgyzstan, and in its mountainous areas. The traces of Christians in Issyk-Kul area relatively few, but those that are found, are today an undeniable fact.

Now scientists have to check the version of Semenov-Tyan-Shansky concerning the possible existence of the monastery and matveevoy graves in Tormentingly Bay. Indeed, the Catalan map on which he referred to, does not give clear guidance on some specific place. Thus, it cannot be excluded that the ancient monastery is situated on the territory of one of the flooded cities. By the early 1990s has been known to scientists, at least, about six sunken Issyk-Kul ancient settlements: Kousari, Darkhan, Dolinka, Koisu, Torah-aigyr and tup. In calm weather, through the thickness of the crystal waters could be seen the half-ruined walls, remains of houses, the outlines of the towers, slicked waves. In principle, each of these settlements could be relevant to the subject matter of your search. Began methodically underwater research in which archaeologists with aqualungs found in addition to these remnants of the seven ancient and medieval settlements. In coastal waters they found many pottery, stone tools, weapons, bronze, works of art of the Scythian "animal style", foundations of buildings. However, antiquities on the shores of Issyk-Kul find it. Among them were bronze axes and the lamps, and an unusual elongated skull representatives of the tribe of the Huns, whole and broken pottery jars and pots.

But nothing like the ruins of a monastery is still not found. It turned out that out of all flooded cities today remains the least studied the city tup located in Tormentingly Bay. Archeologists were not in a hurry in tup, believing it is unpromising. If in the beginning of XX century, according to eyewitnesses, the underwater ruins of Tup were clearly visible under water, then to me, they were not visible. The reason for this could be a slow but steady increase of the lake level. Interestingly, at the same time, in the mid-1950s, the search of the disappeared monastery in Tormentingly Bay tried to do the MVD of the USSR and the KGB of the Kirghiz SSR. They were interested first of all not the relics of the Saint, and allegedly hidden in the monastery treasures. Believe in the existence of a treasure security officials forced one incident: in the 1920s from the Chinese emigration to a Country of Soviets returned one assumption is a former officer of the white army officer. He brought a plan scheme transferred abroad dying Orthodox priest. On the map it was noted hiding place treasure somewhere in the North-East coast of Issyk-Kul lake, near the Tup. Map fell into the hands of security officers, and a quarter of a century later, they took up their spades, but didn't find anything. Maybe just bad looking?

Today, if you go by exclusion, it is the city tup as the least studied and also located in the place where according to the version of Semenov-Tyan-Shansky was once the monastery of the brothers of the Armenian", and may be the burial place of the Saint's relics. At least this is the conclusion that today some historians are inclined. Doctor of historical Sciences, the Vice-President of the National Academy of Sciences of Kyrgyzstan Vladimir Flat devoted to the study of this problem for many years: "I Have almost no doubt that it is here, at the mouth of the rivers the tup and Koy-Suu, may be the remains of an ancient monastery. In the near future we will focus your search in this place. Scientists are confident in the success of the upcoming IUactivities and currently seeking sponsors for serious research."