Literally one name left from the village of Pustynki: you will not find here even a single dwelling house. However, this place is known all over Belarus. Firstly, here stands the Monastery of the Holy Dormition, and secondly, here come hundreds of pilgrims – there is a healing spring in Pustynki.

Believe it or not, but the water temperature here remains unchangeable: both in summer and in winter the thermometer shows exactly 4 degree. In such water a person can die in 5-7 minutes. But after plunging in Pustynki’s spring no one got sick. What is it: healing properties of the water or just a self-suggestion? Come to Mogilev region, to Pustynki, 12 km from Mstislavl – it takes only 20 minutes by car – and check it by yourself. 

The first recovery

Once the Prince Simeon, a son of Algirdas, ceased to see. Neither any healers nor their pieces of advice could help the Prince to recover his sight, then his only and last hope became prayers to God. Once he had a dream in which a strange old man told him to find the spring in the village and wash his eyes with the water. Just after waking up, the king went to look for this place. On his way he met a man who accompanied him to the spring. The Prince’s sight was recovered at once and he saw the same old man, however he immediately disappeared and a tree appeared on that place. An icon of the Mother of God was glowing in its branches.

The miraculous healing even greater strengthened the Prince's faith in God.  He ordered to erect a church near the spring and to consecrate it in honor of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary as well as to open a monastery. The image was called the icon of the Mother of God of Pustynki (the Patriarchal).

In 1380 on this land appeared a wonderful temple, here were prayers and praises to God, people went to the spring for the miraculous healing.

An ancient monastery with buildings in the shape of a cross

In the 17^th century wooden buildings of the monastery and Church were passed to the Jesuits. In the early 19^thcentury the Assumption Church was built of stone, in the middle of the century were erected the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary and the Intercession Church, in the end of the century – a multi-tiered hipped bell tower.  

In 1918 the Soviet authorities closed the monastery, and then everything got lost from it: the miraculous icon, utensils and documents. In 1943 the Germans blew up the monastery building. In the 60-17-ies a school was placed in what had remained from the building and later here was an orphanage.   They say, that children even went to the basement of the Church, opened the coffins and scattered the remains of monks.

The road to the miraculous spring has never been overgrown

In Pustynky in the beginning of the 21^stcentury are the remnants of the former luxury: the ruins of the monastery, its residential buildings and the church, the chapel and two outhouses, three residential houses.  These all are located on a low hill among trees and bushes.

But whatever happens, at all times path has always been trodden up the hill and then down to the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary – people have gone to the healing water both in winter and in summer. They say that it especially helps to recover the sight.

In 2003 the Shrines were begun to restore. In the same year after a long chaos and silence priests held the first service.  Monks are gradually coming back here.

In our time, as before it is believed that the water in the spring in Pustynki is healing. They say it literally washes away the sins and sicknesses of everyone who plunges into the spring three times.  It also has a positive effect on everyone who drinks this water.

Nowadays many people go to Pustynki to receive support of the Holy icon and healing from serious ailments. By the way, this place is the most popular among the Orthodox in Mstislavl district.