On the island Belova or Upper-owned Thalassoma archipelago in lake Pskov is the Church of Peter and Paul. The Church is an architectural monument of XVI-XIX centuries.

In 1470 on the island Top Reverend Dositheus Verkhneostrovsky, who was a monk of the nearby Firm of the monastery, founded the monastery. The monastery was dedicated to the chief apostles Peter and Paul. According to legend, the monk arrived on the island, which was inhabited by fugitive convicts and thieves. And in the beginning it had hard. But gradually with the help of kindness, humility and meekness Dosifej managed to turn the bandits in normal people, some of whom took vows in the monastery.

During the Northern war in 1703, the monastery was destroyed by the Swedes, but 7 years later, it was fully restored. In 1764 the monastery was abolished. The Church was converted into a parish and assigned to the Pskov-Pechersk monastery. In the early nineteenth century on the island Belova lived about 2000 people (for comparison, now live here permanently just 28 people, in the summer, here come the gardeners and kids on holiday, and the island's population increases slightly). The Church was closed in the 20s of the XX century. Upon learning that the temple is closed, the priest and the parishioners managed to hide the Holy relics of St. Dositheus.

In Soviet times the Church was used as a warehouse, it was slowly destroyed. But on the island, the inhabitants of which at all times was engaged in fishing was flourishing fishing industry, operated a small fishing plant, which made drying smelt. Perestroika came, and the farm fell apart.

In 1990 Peter and Paul Church was officially handed over to the Church. In 1994 there were started the restoration work is handled by the Cossacks troops landed on the island. These people, and raised up the Church from the ruins. The temple was consecrated by the elder Nikolay Guryanov, who arrived here from the neighboring island Belova. Then reached here, volunteer assistants, also helped in the rebuilding of the temple.

The temple is made of limestone slabs and bricks. To this day preserved within, pillarless quadrangle and the entrance to the lower tier of the altar. The steepled bell tower, porch and chancel were rebuilt in 1862. A chapel was completely restored, two chapels still restored. Carved iconostasis, made of wood and characterized by the unusual beauty, not preserved.

When he carried out the restoration of the temple, and dealt with mountains of garbage, quite by accident was found preserved underground Church Dating back to the XV century. Father Sergius –the current rector of the Church – I am sure that the relics of St. Dositheus hidden here. And it was in this chapel after the reconstruction of the first worship was held.

Service in the Church of Peter and Paul are held only on Sundays and on the great and the major feasts. So if you want to get to Church on other days, you will need to look for the Abbot. His house is near the temple.

In addition to the Church of Peter and Paul on the island you can see a memorial cross erected by local residents in the name of St. Dositheus and nearby, in the course of five minutes from the Church. Once a skit. In the monastery housed the Church of the assumption and the cell Dositheus.

Also, on the island you can go to pine and spruce trees, is a natural Botanical monument. Groves occupy 1/3 of the island. Spruce forest is unique because there dwells a large number of grey herons, and the amazing thing is that the nests they weave on the tops of the fir trees.