Monastery of Venerable Zosima and Savvaty was painted by unknown artist in early XVII century. On the icon the artist portrayed the founders of Solovetsky Monastery and the Monastery itself. The image constitutes an early version of performing the storyline, all buildings on it are depicted conventionally, and however, each temple is labeled with the respective icon.

Savvaty is one of the founders of Solovetsky Monastery. In 1429 he arrived to the island from Valaam Monastery in order to live in privacy and prayers. Together with another holy aged man, German, he built a tent and put a cross near the place where the contemporary monastery is situated now. They hosted the cell on the bank of the lake at Mount Sekirnaya. Later, when German and Savvaty already left these places, other hermits started settling on the island. Thus Solovetsky Monastery emerged.

Zosima appeared on the island already after the death of Savvaty; however, he is also deemed to be one of the founders of the Monastery. He found himself there owing to the meeting with German, that very hermit who lived on the island together with Savvaty at earlier times. In 1436 both of them arrived to this place and built a cell there. Later the disciples of Zosima built the Transfiguration Cathedral. As legend has it, it was Zosima who was able to obtain a monasterial charter for three islands: Solovetsky, Anzer and Muksalma This document granted certain benefits: for instance, the right to duty-free sales and import of certain types of goods, immunity of Hegumen, monks and monasterial peasants.

Solovetsky Monastery is situated on the similarly-named island in the White Sea. In 1992 the entire complex was incorporated into the list of the UNESCO’s World Heritage.