In the vast expanses of Russia, there are many ancient Orthodox monasteries, and one of these revered places is the Oran Holy Virgin Monastery, founded during the reign of Mikhail Fyodorovich Romanov. The monastery was first established as a hermitage in 1634 by a nobleman, Pyotr Glyadkov, and its patroness became the miraculous Oran icon of the Mother of God. The history of the monastery is closely intertwined with the fate of all of Russia. During the Romanov dynasty, the monastery was rebuilt in stone, acquired new churches and strong walls, and received the status of a first-class monastery. However, with the advent of Soviet power, the Oran Holy Virgin Monastery was almost immediately attacked. In August 1918, fifteen monks were shot, and a Cheka unit dealt with the abbot of the monastery, Archimandrite Augustine, and the rector of the main church, the Kazan Church, Priest Nikolai Orlovsky.

After its complete closure, the monastery was looted and in 1942 was turned into a camp for captured officers, among whom were Germans, Austrians, Romanians, Finns, and others. Historical data indicate that over 12,000 officers passed through the concentration camp in the former Oran Monastery, including Field Marshal Paulus. The prisoners were housed in the ruined brotherly cells and Orthodox churches. Some of the inmates were Orthodox (mostly Romanians), while the others were predominantly Catholics and Protestants, but according to local residents' memories, many sincerely prayed at the tattered frescoes depicting biblical scenes. In 1949, the camp was closed, and the monastery continued to deteriorate until the 1990s, after which it was returned to the faithful.

Today, the Oran Holy Virgin Monastery is once again operational; in 2005, it received its first abbot and was restored. It is now hard to imagine that monks were shot here and prisoners of war were held. However, these are not just terrible legends, but a tragic history of one of many desecrated monasteries.