The Kiev-Pechersky Monastery. The Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra

The Kiev-Pechersky Monastery in Ukraine is trying to visit all the tourists. This is one of the earliest ancient Russian monasteries, which appeared in the year fifteen one. Over time, its territory increased, the temples expanded, numerous cells were built, and in the year 1,685 the monastery received the status of laurels. Let us study in more detail the history of the Kiev-Pechersky Monastery.

How it all began?

In the eleventh century on the site of the monastery, on the right bank of the Dnieper River (near Kiev), there was a thick forest. Monk Hilarion from the village of Berestov often came here to pray. He dug a cave here. When Hilarion was appointed Metropolitan of Kiev (it was 1051), his cave was temporarily empty. In the same year (this date was taken for the foundation of the Kiev-Pechersky Monastery) monk Anthony of Caves settled here, followed by other monks.

As soon as the cave was inhabited by twelve monks, it was decided to build a church here. Anthony dug himself a cave on a nearby mountain. Again the monks began to flock there from all sides. As soon as the cell was inhabited by twelve monks, the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was built over it.

When the monastery could not accommodate all comers, Antony turned to the Kiev prince Izyaslav Yaroslavich for help, and he gave permission to use the entire mountain area for Christian needs. In the sixty-second year the Kiev-Pechersky Monastery was built. All this time, the life of the monks attracted followers and ordinary Christians, who generously gave them their donations. And after a few years, these donations were enough to erect a new church with fresco painting and mosaic.

Nomadic raids on the monastery

For the first time the church was robbed by the nomadic people of the Türkic origin - the Polovtsians - in 1906. At that time the monastery was ruined, and the Ukrainian capital almost fell before the conquerors.

Only after twelve years did the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra begin to recover. Hegumen Feoktist together with Prince Gleb Vseslavich contributed to the construction of a stone meal, as well as a new church. At the same time, the territory of the monastery was completely fenced with a palisade. The monks lived in the main building, and the caves were now used as tombs for monks. They were buried in the recesses of the walls of the cave corridor.

At the monastery there was a shelter for the infirm, disabled, beggars, for whose needs the tithe of the total income was allocated. It was built at Feodosia. By the way, his cave was excavated in the village of Lesniki, whose territory also belonged to the monastery. Since the foundation and before this period, the Kiev-Pechersky Monastery has released twenty bishops.

Turkish invasion

From one thousand one hundred and fifty-first to one thousand two hundred and fortieth year the monastery was subjected to heavy robberies, burning. First, the Turks ravaged the monastery monastery, then burned it. But the monks continued to carry out their service. After the church was robbed again Polovtsy, but again continued to fulfill its mission. But, unfortunately, during the conquest of Kiev, the invaders attacked the Kiev-Pechersky Monastery. The caves became a shelter for the clergy, but they also did not save most of the monks.

The ruined laurel stood until the fourteenth century. From this period, under the Kiev prince Simeon Olelkovich, a new erection of the monastery began. The main church became a burial vault for the Kiev nobility. In the thousand and four hundred and seventy years the monastery was completely rebuilt, fortified and began to fulfill the role of the main saint of the city. Even Turkish raids were not terrible to him now.

But after twelve years the monastery was burned again, only now by the Crimean army. It took time to restore the church to human donations. From the year fifteen hundred and ninety-third year, the heyday for monks begins. The Kiev-Pechersk Lavra expanded its territorial borders (two cities, fifty villages, fifteen villages with different crafts and crafts) and opportunities. Since the fifteenth century, monks are allowed to travel to Moscow for donations. However, the tests do not leave the monastery. The thousand and seven hundred and eighteenth year was a great shock to him: the fire destroyed all the values - the library, the ancient manuscripts, all the treasures.

War for power

The wealth and glory of the monastery did not give rest not only to foreign conquerors, but also to the Brest church union. From the year five hundred and ninety-sixth year, the first attempts to subordinate the laurel to the Uniate Metropolitan began. However, the monks, hardened by foreign invasions, had a strong resistance to the Brest Union. At the head of the monks was Archimandrite Nikifor Tour, who together with the monks successfully repulsed the Uniate Metropolitan. From these skirmishes, neither the monks nor the monastery lands suffered.

Only at the end of the sixteenth century the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra achieves independence from the influence of local dioceses. It is assigned to the Ecumenical (Constantinople) patriarch the status of stavropegia. Despite the expansion of the Uniate churches, the Pechersky Monastery becomes a stronghold for Orthodox Christians. Thanks to the activities of the archimandrites E. Pletenetsky and Z. Kopystensky, a competent struggle against Uniatism begins with the production of polemical, liturgical books printed by the forces of its own printing house (1616).

The Moscow Patriarch will fight for power. The monastery in the year six hundred and eighty-eight will submit to the Moscow Patriarch and All Russia. However, the board will last ninety-eight years. Then the laurels will be transferred to the Metropolitan of Kiev.

The history of the development of the monastery from the 17th to 19th centuries

Despite the bloody confrontation of Uniatism, the Kiev-Pechersky Monastery is developing. In addition to the printing house, under the auspices of Petra Mohyla, there is a school for monks, which eventually developed into the Kyiv Mohyla College.

The son of the priest Ivan Samoilovich, being a hetman, strengthened the entire territory of the laurel with a rampart, and another hetman, Ivan Mazepa, fenced the church with a stone wall. During the reign of Peter the Great, the territory of the monks expanded to form the Pechersk Fortress. However, the fire of a thousand seven hundred and eighteenth year destroyed almost the entire monastery. Kiev-Pechersk Lavra was able to recover only after eleven years.

Two years later the construction of the Great Lavra Bell Tower began. It was the tallest building in Ukraine (the height was ninety six and a half meters). The construction of the bell tower took fourteen years. The project was headed by the Russian architect G.I. Sheldel.

Despite the fact that the construction of the bell tower was delayed (according to the architect's assurances it was planned to erect the building in three years), and the budget of the laurels did not allow to undertake new projects, by the nineteenth century, however, its territory consisted of six monasteries (Main, Hospital, Near and Far Caves, Goloseevskaya And Kitaevskaya Desert).

Characteristics of laurel buildings

The main monastery is at the main church. The hospital monastery was built in the twelfth century near the Lavra gate with the support of the prince of Chernigov, Nikola Svyatoshi. In the church itself was already an icon of the Assumption of the Mother of God, utensils, the Gospels, a library with valuable books, portraits and relics of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. Here was the tomb of Prince KI. Ostrozhsky, the tomb and tombs of saints.

Near and Far underground passages are located not far from each other. The first grottos formed around the cave of the monk Anthony, and the second - near the monk's cell Hilarion. Anthony caves have three entrances, the most accessible and popular is the western entrance from the Holy Cross Church. In total, there are three underground passages that connect the Temple, the Church of the Presentation of the Virgin and the Caves of the Caves.

Since ancient times, caves have been a place for housing monks, and later their burial. Residential cells had two opposite protrusions, intended for sleep and a meal. There were also recesses for candles and icons. In the underground passages are locules. It is believed that they were burred and buried by monks Mark Peschinnik. There are also small windows with names of recluses. At the present time, the size of the cave passages has been reduced because of late rebuilding and is only three hundred and eighty-three meters.

Holy Churches

Not every monk of the Kiev-Pechersky Monastery was honored to be buried in caves. The distant cells keep forty-five relics, and the Middle cells contain eighty. To the Far include the relics of the Monk Theodosius, Hilarion the ascetic, Pimen of the fast, Amphilochius, Euphrosyne, Pior, Pafnutia, Pamwa, Sisoy, Theodore the Silent, Zacharias, Agathon the Wonderworker, Longinus, Macarius, Silasus, Achille, Benjamin, , Euphemia of the Schema, Hypatia, Iosifa of the Multifaceted, Leontius, Mercury, Martirius deacon, Paisius, Nestor Neknizhny, Titus, Theophia, Ignatius, Theodore Ostrogsky, Paul Tobolsky, Vladimir of Kiev, Filaret, the recluses Athanasius, Anatoly, Ammon, Mardari, Pankratia, Sofronia , Assia, Martyrius, Lawrence, Gregory, Rufus, Dionysius.

Near caves store the relics of the Monk Anthony, Prokhor the Lebednik, John the Fast, Juliana, Theodore, Basil, Polycarp, Damian, Varlaam, Erasmus, Titus, Theophilus, Jonanne, Nectarius, Mark the Gravedite, Alexius, Gregory, Sergius, Savva, Mercury, Pimen, Nestor, Eustratius, Elladius, Jeremiah, Moses, John the Long-suffering, Onuphrius, Svyatoshi, Gregory the Miracle-worker, Matthew, Onesimus, Isaiah, Abraham, Nifont, Sylvester, Kuksha, Makarii, Pimeno, Laurence, Anatolia, Sisoy, Theophilus the Recluse, Arefy, Alipia, Simon, Theophanes, Nikon , Anastasia, Ephraim, Abraham of the Recluse, Agapit, Luke, John the Infant, Elijah, Nikon Sukhoi, Nicodemus, Spiridon, Isakia, Athanasius the Recluse.

All the monks of the monastery are revered on certain days on the Julian calendar: on the twenty-eighth of August the memory of the monks of the Far Caves is honored, on September 28, the monks of the Near Dungeons are honored, and the saints of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra are worshiped in Lent (usually the second week).

There are believers, for whom it is important to touch the relics of saints. But tourists are more interested in interesting facts from the life of monks. Tourists often talk about the following saints.

• Antony of Caves. He founded the Near Caves. Since childhood he has been a devout person and devoted his whole life to serving God.
• Nestor the Chronicler. A seventeen-year-old boy was appointed deacon, a church writer. Significant contribution to the ancient Russian literature.
• Agapit is unmerciful. The monk had the gift of healing, while he had no medical education. He treated ordinary people and princes for free.
• Ilya Muromets. A popular ancient Russian hero who, according to an epic legend, took monastic vows, is buried in a monastery.
• Nicola Svyatosha. The prince who took monastic vows. Thanks to it, the Gate Trinity Church and St. Nicholas Church, the Hospital of St. Nicholas Monastery were built.
• Twelve builders of Greek origin. Their names are unknown, but the history of their adoption of monasticism is unique. In the eleventh century arrived especially from Byzantium to restore the Great Laurel, after its completion became monks.
• Varlaam. The boyar son took monastic vows, took part in the laying of the first wooden monastery on the Anthony caves. Known that after the pilgrimage from Constantinople and Palestine, all his property bequeathed to the laurels.
• Kuksha. Missionary and holy martyr. Known for the gift of healing, the ability to work miracles. The pagans were exhausted and executed. They say that on the day of his death there were pillars of fire above the monastery.
• Nikon the Sukhoi. During the attack the Polovtsians were captured, tortured for three years. According to his prediction, he was to go to the Pechersky Monastery, because the Polovtsians wounded his legs. However, the saint became invisible and found himself in the Lavra. Miracles associated with his life, this does not end there. When several years later a Polovtsian came into the cave, who tortured the monk Nikon, he saw him alive. Immediately he accepted Christianity with his whole family.
• Eustratius the Martyr. He comes from a noble family who gave all his possessions and became a monk. During the Polovtsian attack, he was sold into slavery. Long tormented for his unshakable faith and was crucified on the cross. Miraculously lived another fifteen days, then thrown into the sea. However, the body inexplicably appeared in the laurel.

History of soviet time

From one thousand seven hundred and eighty-six, the caves of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra from the Moscow Patriarchate passed into the possession of the Kiev Metropolitan. In the Soviet period the monastery changed one status after another. Since September, one thousand nine hundred and twenty-six years of Ukrainian Soviet power, the territory of the laurels has been transferred to the state reserve. The formation of a museum town on the territory of the monastery led to its ruin. During the Soviet period, most monks were shot or sent to prison.

During the Patriotic War, the Germans allowed monks to live in a monastery, but in November they blew up the Assumption Cathedral of the Kiev-Pechersky Monastery, having managed to take out the jewels. Although now the story is misinterpreted, telling tourists about the explosion of laurels by Soviet partisans. This information was disproved when a record of the explosion made by the fascists for their own entertainment became available. Later, the fact of the explosion of the monastery by the Germans was proved by other researchers and scientists.

After the war, the monastery was no longer closed and was accessible to the people until the year nineteen sixty-one. Later a new wave of anti-religious views took off, and the monastery became more a museum than a shrine. Often tour guides conducted excursions through the caves and scientifically explained the state of those or other relics, but still Christians tried to kiss the remains and ask for protection from the saints.

A miracle for Orthodox Christians and inexplicable fact for scientists is the appearance of three myrrh-streaming chapters on the territory of the monastery of the Far Caves. Since the moment when the authorities allowed religious activity, the world began to stand out from the chapters. What is included in its composition, the scientists have not found out so far, only confirmed that it refers to a living organism and is not the result of chemical experiments.

The modern Kiev-Pechersk Lavra

The photos of the present and original church look practically the same. Modern authorities only restored the building in order to preserve its historical authenticity. In 1990, the entire territory of the laurels was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Since 1992, and to this day, the Kyiv Archdiocese Vladimir Sabodan is the sacred archimandrite of the monastery . A year after his appointment, work began on the restoration of the monastery. In 2000, the Cathedral of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra was rebuilt and consecrated.

In addition to the monastery, the Orthodox Academy, the printing house, here is the Kiev-Pechersky National Reserve. In his possession is the Upper Lavra. For children and benefits recipients free entry, the rest must purchase a ticket for a purely symbolic cost (two years ago the ticket was worth three hryvnia).

Tourists can see caves, chapels, graves, monks' cells, towers, walls, gates, educational and printing facilities, monuments, churches. By the way, on the official site of the monastery there is the possibility of virtual travel, which allows you to see the Kiev-Pechersky Monastery personally (photos of different sights are increased when you press a particular cursor).

The Lavra is unique with its historical value, religious shrines, wonderful legends, architectural sights for all people, regardless of faith and nation. The atmosphere of the monastery allows you to look at many things with different eyes. Many Christians claim that they return from there by other people. Is it a miracle of faith or the work of the subconscious, but holy places help to reconsider your life path.

Uspenskaya Kiev-Pechersk Lavra: all buildings

There are a lot of buildings on the territory of the monastery:

• The bell tower (Lavra, Far, Near);
• The temple of the Gate;
• Church (Trespass Gateway, Krestovozdvizhenskaya, Annozachatievskaya, Refectory, Annunciation, Christ's Resurrection, Savior on Berestove, Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Nikolskaya, "Life-giving Spring", "All Reverend Caves Fathers");
• Hospital buildings from the St. Nicholas Monastery;
• Wells of monks Anthony, Theodosius;
• Towers (I. Kushchnik, Paint, Onufrievskaya, Hourly);
• Corps (fraternal, economic, typographical, Kovnirovsky);
• Cells of the elders at the monastery;
• The houses of governors;
• Galleries of caves;
• Walls (DeBoskite, serfs);
• Gates (economic western, southern);
• Theological Academy, Seminary;
• Kiev School of Culture;
• Metropolis;
• Chapel;
• Monument to the chronicler Nestor;
• Tomb of P. Stolypin.

In addition to the architectural buildings of tourists are often interested in icons (the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, Borskaya, the Dormition of the Mother of God, Nicholas the Good, the Deliverer, Svenskaya-Pecherskaya, "Pecherskaya Praise"), the relics of the apostle Stefan, Metropolitan Paul of Tobolsk, the Kiev fathers Vladimir and Philaret, myrrh-streaming chapters. All these shrines are rich Kiev-Pechersk Lavra (photo with icons). The monastery is always crowded (daily services are held). To have time to examine everything, it is better to go there early in the morning.