The Trinity Monastery of St Sergei Northeast of Moscow. Also known as the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergii (a Lavra is the highest rank of Orthodox monastery), the Russian Orthodox equivalent of the Vatican. The monastery is named after St. Sergii of Radonezh, a 14th century monk from Rostov whose pious, ascetic existence attracted numerous followers to the hermit's retreat he had established near Moscow. The wooden monastery built by Sergii was razed by the Tartars shortly after his death, but his tomb survived and, in 1422, the year of his canonization, work began on the construction of the Trinity Cathedral. 固opFoto