Kiev-Pechersk Lavra: history, legends, miracles. Kiev-Pechersk Lavra

Rev. Nestor the Chronicler tells.

The God-loving Prince Yaroslav loved Berestovo and the Church of the Holy Apostles that was there, and kept many priests with it. There was among them a priest named Hilarion, a kind man, bookish and fasting. He walked from Berestov to the Dnieper, to the hill where now the old Pechersky Monastery, and there he prayed. There was a large forest here. Hilarion dug himself a cave in it, small, two feet deep, and, coming from Berestov, he buried hours here and secretly prayed to God. Then God put it in the prince’s heart to appoint Hilarion as metropolitan of St. Sofia, but this cave remains the same.

Around the same time there lived a certain man, a layman, from the city of Lyubech. And God put it in his heart to go wandering. He went to the Holy Mountain (Athos), saw the monasteries there and, having visited them all, fell in love with monasticism. And he came to one of the monasteries and begged the abbot to place a monastic image on him. He listened, tonsured him and gave him a name: Anthony. Having instructed him and taught him how to live as a monk, the abbot told him: “Return to Rus', and may the blessing from the Holy Mountain be with you! Through you, monks will multiply in Rus'.” He blessed him and released him, saying: “Go in peace.”

Anthony came to Kyiv and began to think about where he should live. He went to monasteries, but - as God willed - he did not like them. And he began to walk through the wilds and mountains, looking for where God would show him to live. And he came to the hill where Hilarion had dug a cave, and he fell in love with this place. He settled here and began to pray to God with tears, saying: “Lord! establish me in this place, and may the blessing of the Holy Mountain and my abbot, who tonsured me, be upon it.” And he began to live here, prayed to God, ate dry bread, and then every other day, and drank water in moderation; he dug his cave, and so he lived in constant labor, in vigil and prayer, not giving himself rest, neither day nor night. Then good people found out about him, came to him, brought him what he needed. And fame spread about him as a great man, and people began to come to him to ask for blessings and prayers. When Grand Duke Yaroslav reposed, and his son Izyaslav took power and sat down in Kyiv; – Anthony was already glorified in the Russian land. And Izyaslav found out about his life, and came to him with his squad to ask for blessings and prayers. Anthony became known to everyone, and everyone revered him. And the brethren began to come to him, and he received them and tonsured them. 12 brothers gathered with him; They dug a large cave - a church and cells, which are still intact in the cave, under the dilapidated monastery. When the brethren gathered in this way, Anthony began to tell them: “Behold, brethren, God has united you with the blessing of the Holy Mountain, with which the abbot there tonsured me, and I tonsured you. May there be a blessing on you, firstly, from God, and secondly, from the Holy Mountain! Then he said: “Live on your own now. I’ll appoint an abbot for you, and I’ll go alone to another mountain: I’ve already gotten used to being alone.” And he appointed Varlaam abbot, and he himself went and dug another cave in the mountain, which is now under the new monastery. There he died, having lived in virtue for 40 years, without leaving the cave, where his relics lie to this day.

Meanwhile, the brethren lived with their abbot in a cave, and when there were already a lot of them, they decided to build a monastery outside the cave. And the brethren and the abbot came to Anthony and said to him: “Father, the brethren have multiplied so much that it is impossible to fit in the cave. May it be God’s command and your prayer that we build a small church outside the cave.” And Anthony commanded them. They bowed to him and erected a small church over the cave in the name of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. And God began to multiply the monks through the prayers of the Mother of God. Then the brethren, in council with the abbot, decided to build a monastery. And again they went to Anthony and said: “Father, the brethren are multiplying, and we would like to build a monastery.” Anthony was glad and said: “Blessed be God for everything! May the prayer of the Holy Mother of God and the Fathers of the Holy Mountain be with you! And having said this, he sent one of the brothers to Prince Izyaslav to tell him: “My prince, God has multiplied the brothers, but the place is small. If only you would give us that mountain above the cave.” Izyaslav, hearing this, joyfully sent his husband and gave them this mountain. The abbot and the brethren founded a large church, surrounded the monastery with a fence, and set up many cells, and, having finished the church, decorated it with icons. This is how the Pechersky Monastery began.

It was called Pechersk because the brothers previously lived in a cave; This monastery came from the blessing of the Holy Mountain. When the monastery had already been built, and Varlaam was its abbot; Izyaslav built the monastery of St. Demetrius and transferred Varlaam there to the abbess, wanting to make his monastery higher and hoping for wealth. Many monasteries were established by kings, boyars and wealth; but they are not the same as those established through tears, fasting, prayer, and vigil. Anthony had neither gold nor silver, but he acquired everything through tears and fasting, as I already said. When Varlaam went to the monastery of St. Demetrius; The brethren, having consulted, went to Elder Anthony and said: “Appoint us an abbot.” He said: “Whom do you want?” And they said: “Whom God and you want.” And Anthony said to them: Who among you is more obedient, meek, and humble than Theodosius? Let him be your abbot.” The brethren were glad, bowed to the elder, and made Theodosius abbot over them; and there were 20 of them then. Having accepted the monastery, Theodosius introduced abstinence, great fasting and prayers with tears; and he received many Montenegrins and gathered brethren of 100 people. Then he began to look for the monastery charter. Michael, a monk of the Studite monastery, who came from Greece with Metropolitan George, was found here. Theodosius began to look for the rules of the Studian monks from him, and having found them, he copied them and established them in his monastery: how to sing in the monastery, how to bow, how to read the reading, and standing in the church, and the whole church order, and how to sit at meals, and what eat on what days - everything according to the regulations. Theodosius acquired this charter and introduced it in his monastery, and other monasteries adopted it from him; That’s why the honor of the Pechersk Monastery comes before all others. So Theodosius lived in the monastery, leading a virtuous life, observing the monastic rule, and received everyone who came to him. Then I, a thin, unworthy slave, came to him, and he accepted me. I was then 17 years old. And so I wrote this and put the year when the Pechersky Monastery began to exist.

Notes:

1. According to the ancient pronunciation pechera.
2. The chronicle tells all this under the year 1051.

Kiev-Pechersk Lavra- This is one of the first monasteries of Kievan Rus to be founded. One of the most important Orthodox shrines, the third Destiny Mother of God. Founded in 1051 by monk Anthony, originally from Lyubech, and his student Theodosius.
There is a deep spiritual connection between Holy Mount Athos and the Kiev Pechersk Monastery. Thanks to St. Anthony, the tradition of monasticism was brought to Rus' from Athos. According to legend, the abbot of the Athos monastery admonished St. Anthony with these words: “ May the blessing of Holy Mount Athos be upon you, many monks will come from you “. Therefore, it is no coincidence that the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery, at the dawn of its formation, began to be called The Third Destiny of the Mother of God And Russian Athos.
The prince gave the monastery a plateau above the caves, where beautiful stone churches, decorated with paintings, cells, fortress towers and other buildings later grew. Names associated with the monastery chronicler Nestor(author), artist Alypiy.
WITH 1592 By 1688 Kiev-Pechersk Monastery was a stauropegian of the Patriarch of Constantinople.
WITH 1688 Kiev-Pechersk Monastery received the status laurel and became Stavropegion royal and patriarchal of Moscow.
IN 1786 Kiev-Pechersk Lavra was subordinated to the Kyiv Metropolitan, who became its holy archimandrite.
In the Near and Far Caves of the Lavra rest the incorruptible relics of the saints of God, also in Kiev-Pechersk Lavra There are also burials of lay people (for example, the grave of Pyotr Arkadyevich Stolypin).
Currently, the lower Lavra is under the jurisdiction of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church(Moscow Patriarchate), and the upper Lavra is under the jurisdiction of the National Kiev-Pechersk Historical and Cultural Reserve. Currently Kiev-Pechersk Lavra is located in the center of Kyiv, on the right, high bank of the Dnieper and occupies two hills, separated by a deep hollow descending to the Dnieper.

Foundation of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra

IN XI century location area Kiev-Pechersk Lavra was covered with forest. Hilarion, a priest from the nearby village of Berestov, retired to this area to pray and dug a cave here for himself. IN 1051 Hilarion was installed as Metropolitan of Kyiv and his cave was empty. Around the same time, monk Anthony, a native of Lyubech, came to Kyiv from Athos. Monk Anthony did not like life in the Kyiv monasteries, and he settled in Hilarion’s cave.
Anthony's piety attracted followers to his cave, including Theodosius from Kursk. When their number increased to 12, they built a church and cells for themselves. Anthony installed Varlaam as abbot, and he himself retired to a nearby mountain, where he dug a new cave for himself. This cave was the beginning nearby caves, so named in contrast to the previous ones, distant caves. With the increase in the number of monks, when the caves became crowded, they built the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and cells above the cave. The number of people coming to the monastery increased, and Anthony obtained permission to use the entire mountain above the cave from the Grand Duke.
IN 1062 A church was built on the site of the current main cathedral. The resulting monastery was named Pechersky (oven- in Old Slavonic cave, underground dwelling). At the same time, Theodosius was appointed abbot. He introduced a cenobitic studio charter in the monastery, which was borrowed from here and other Russian monasteries. The harsh ascetic life of the monks and their piety attracted significant donations to the monastery.
IN 1073 A stone church was founded, completed and consecrated in 1089. Fresco paintings and mosaics were performed by Tsaregrad artists.

Raids and restoration of the monastery.

IN 1096 The monastery, which had not yet become strong, suffered a terrible attack. Orthodox shrines were looted and desecrated. we almost entered Kyiv itself.
IN 1108 under Abbot Theoktistus, the monastery was restored and expanded, new buildings appeared in it: a stone refectory along with a church, by order and at the expense of Prince Gleb Vseslavich.
The entire monastery was fenced with a palisade. At the monastery there was a hospice house, built by Theodosius to shelter the poor, the blind, and the lame. 1/10 of the monastery income was allocated for the maintenance of the hospice house. Every Saturday the monastery sent a cart of bread for the prisoners. With the relocation of the brethren to a large monastery, the caves were turned into a tomb for the monks, whose bodies were placed on both sides of the cave corridor, in the recesses of the walls. The monastery also belonged to the village of Lesniki. Theodosius dug a cave there for himself, in which he lived during Lent.
IN XI And XII centuries Up to 20 bishops came out of the monastery, all of them retained great respect for their native monastery.
IN 1151 The monastery was plundered by the Torks, a Turkic tribe that roamed the Black Sea steppes in the 10th-13th centuries.
IN 1169 the monastery was plundered during the capture of Kyiv by the united troops of Kyiv, Novgorod, Suzdal, Chernigov, Smolensk princes and the pagan steppe inhabitants who joined (Berendeys).
IN 1203 The Kiev-Pechersk monastery was plundered during the new devastation of Kyiv Rurik Rostislavich And .
IN 1240 The most terrible destruction of the Lavra occurred when Batu’s hordes took Kyiv and took possession of the entire southern Russian land. Some of the monks of the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery were killed and some fled. Disasters from the Mongol-Tatar invasion were repeated in Kyiv in 1300, V 1399.
IN XIV century The Kiev-Pechersk Monastery had already been restored, and the great church became the tomb of many princely and noble families.
IN mid-14th century Lithuanian expansion begins in most of the territory of modern Ukraine. However, despite the fact that the Lithuanian prince Olgerd, to whom the Kyiv lands were subordinate, initially professed a pagan faith, and then, after the adoption of the Krevo Union between Lithuania and Poland, the intensive inculcation of Catholicism began, the Pechersk monastery lived a full life during this period.
IN 1470 Kiev prince Simeon Olelkovich restored and decorated the great church.
IN 1482 Crimean army Mengli I Giray burned and robbed the monastery, but generous donations gave it the opportunity to soon recover.
IN 1593 The Kiev-Pechersk Monastery belonged to two cities - Radomysl and Vasilkov, up to 50 villages and about 15 villages and villages in different places of Western Russia, with fishing, transportation, mills, honey and penny tributes and beaver ruts.
WITH 15th century the monastery received the right to send people to Moscow to collect donations.
IN 1555-1556 the great church was renovated and decorated.
At the end 16th century Kiev-Pechersk Monastery received the status stauropegia Patriarch of Constantinople.
After conclusion Treaty of Pereyaslavl 1654 and the reunification of Ukraine with Russia, the tsarist government provided the largest Ukrainian monasteries, in particular the Lavra, with charters, funds, lands and estates. Lavra became Stavropegion royal and patriarchal of Moscow. For almost 100 years ( 1688–1786) the archimandrite of the Lavra was given primacy over all Russian metropolitans.

Attempts at reassignment

After the Union of Brest in 1596 An attempt was made to subordinate the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery, which was under the direct command of the Ecumenical Patriarch, to the Uniate Metropolitan of Kyiv, but the monks, led by Archimandrite Nikifor Tur, offered armed resistance. The second attempt of the Uniates to take possession of the monastery, in 1598, was also ineffective. The monastery also managed to defend its extensive estates by force from the Uniates.
In the context of the expansion of Uniatism, the Lavra became a stronghold of Orthodoxy in Southwestern Rus'.

Kiev-Pechersk Monastery in the 17th - 19th centuries.

IN 1616 p Under Archimandrites Elisha Pletenetsky and Zechariah Kopystensky, a printing house was founded in the Kiev Pechersky Monastery. The printing of liturgical and polemical books began.
Peter Mogila started a school in the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery, which was later connected with the fraternal school and served as the beginning of the Kiev-Mogila Collegium.
Hetman Samoilovich surrounded the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra with an earthen rampart, and Hetman Mazepa with a stone wall.
Under Peter the Great, the fortifications of Hetman Samoilovich were expanded and formed the modern Pechersk fortress.
IN 1718 the fire destroyed the Great Church, archives, library and printing house.
IN 1729 The Great Church was renewed.
IN 1731-1745 to the southwest of the Great Church the Great Lavra Bell Tower was built. The height of the Great Lavra Bell Tower together with the cross was 96.5 meters. The first work on the construction of the belfry began in 1707 with funds from Ivan Mazepa. The construction of the Great Lavra Bell Tower by the German architect G. I. Schedel was completed.
IN Great Church was miraculous icon The Dormition of the Mother of God, according to legend, was miraculously received by Greek artists in the Blachernae Church and brought by them to Kyiv. The relics of St. also rested in it. Theodosius and the 1st Metropolitan of Kyiv St. Michael and kept the head of the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir. In a niche in the northwestern corner of the church is the tombstone of Prince Konstantin Ivanovich Ostrozhsky. Under the altar of the Stefanovsky chapel there is a tomb. In the Theological chapel there was an icon of the Mother of God, in front of which Igor Olegovich prayed during his murder in 1147. In the middle part of the temple there were several tombs, including those of Metropolitan Peter Mogila, Varlaam Yasinsky and Field Marshal P. A. Rumyantsev. The sacristy of the Lavra contained Gospels, utensils and vestments of remarkable antiquity and value, as well as a collection of portraits. In the choir there was the Lavra's library and its documents. The former book depository probably burned down in 1718.
IN 19th century The Lavra consists of 6 monasteries:
1. The main monastery at the great church,
2. Hospital monastery,
3. Nearby caves,
4. Distant caves,
5. Goloseevskaya Hermitage,
6. Kitaevskaya desert.
Trinity Hospital Monastery founded in XII century Chernigov prince Nikola Svyatosha. The hospital monastery is located near the main Lavra gates.
Near and Far Caves, on the banks of the Dnieper, are separated from each other by a ravine and a mountain ridge. The relics of 80 saints rest in the Near Ones, and the relics of 45 saints rest in the Far Ones.
IN 1688 The Lavra was subordinated to the Moscow Patriarch, and its archimandrite was given primacy over all Russian metropolitans.
IN 1786 The Lavra was subordinated to the Metropolitan of Kyiv, who was given the title of its holy archimandrite. It was governed by a governor, together with the Spiritual Council.

January 25, 1918 The rector of the Lavra, Metropolitan of Kiev and Galicia Vladimir (Epiphany), was taken away and killed by the Bolsheviks.
After 1919 the monastic community continued to exist as an artel.
At first 1924 The Lavra was under the direct authority of Patriarch Tikhon.
At the All-Ukrainian pre-conciliar meeting (“renovationism”), held with November 11 to 15, 1924 in Kharkov, according to the report of the renovationist Kyiv Metropolitan Innokenty (Pustynsky), a resolution was adopted on the need to transfer the Kiev Pechersk Lavra to the jurisdiction of the All-Ukrainian Holy Synod (renovationism), which happened December 15, 1924.
September 29, 1926 VUTSIK and the Council of People's Commissars of the Ukrainian SSR adopted a resolution on “ Recognition of the former Kiev-Pechersk Lavra as a historical and cultural state reserve and its transformation into an All-Ukrainian museum town“. The gradual displacement of the monastic community by the newly created museum ended by the beginning of 1930 with the complete liquidation of the monastery. Some of the brethren were taken out and shot, the rest were imprisoned or exiled. The Lavra was destroyed.
The State Historical Library of Ukraine was located in one of the buildings (located there to this day). A museum complex was formed on the territory of the Lavra, which included the Book Museum, the Museum of Historical Treasures, etc.

Kiev-Pechersk Lavra during the German occupation.

During the German occupation of Kyiv, a police station was established in Lavra, where about 500 civilians were killed by the occupation authorities.
With permission from the German authorities, September 27, 1941 Monastic life was resumed within the walls of the Lavra. The head of the Lavra brethren was Schema-Archbishop (formerly of Kherson and Tauride) Anthony (Prince David Abashidze), a Lavra tonsure.
November 3, 1941 The Assumption Cathedral was blown up by the German occupiers (restored in 2000), which is indicated in the materials of the Nuremberg trials. Before the destruction of the temple, under the leadership of Reich Commissioner Erich Koch, a massive removal of the temple's valuables was carried out. The bombing of the Assumption Cathedral was carried out in order to hide traces of its looting, as well as in accordance with the Nazi policy of destroying national shrines in order to weaken the national identity of the conquered peoples.
The explosion of the cathedral was recorded by the Germans on film and was included in the official newsreel. In the mid-1990s, her footage was found in a private collection in Oberhausen and sent to Kyiv with the assistance of Dr. Wolfgang Eichwede ( Eichwede ), Director of the Research Center for Eastern Europe ( Forschungsstelle Osteuropa ) University of Bremen, which dealt with the problems of restitution. Thus, the German authorities knew in advance about the time of the explosion and gave their cameraman the opportunity to choose a safe point for spectacular filming. According to recently discovered archival documents and memoirs, the Germans themselves admitted their involvement in the destruction of the Assumption Cathedral. This is evidenced by the memories and confessions of a number of Nazi leaders and military personnel: Minister of Armaments Albert Speer, head of the religious policy group of the Ministry of Occupied Eastern Territories Karl Rosenfelder, Wehrmacht officer Friedrich Heyer, who had the rank of an evangelical priest, SS Obergruppenführer Friedrich Jeckeln, who directly supervised the bombing of the temple.

Kiev-Pechersk Lavra after the liberation of Kyiv from German occupation.

After the liberation of Kyiv in 1943, the Soviet authorities did not close the Lavra. in B 1961 The monastery was closed during the “Khrushchev” anti-religious campaign.
IN June 1988 In connection with the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the baptism of Rus', by a resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Ukrainian SSR, the territory of the Far Caves was transferred to the newly created Pechersk monastic community.
The first rector of the recreated monastery was Metropolitan Filaret (Denisenko) of Kiev and All Ukraine (banned from ministry and defrocked in 1992), and the vicar was Archimandrite Jonathan (Eletskikh) (since November 22, 2006 - Archbishop (now Metropolitan) of Tulchin and Bratslav ).
WITH 1992 to 2014 The rector (hieroarchimandrite) of the Lavra was Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine Vladimir (Sabodan), whose residence is located on the territory of the monastery.
C 1994 the vicar of the Lavra is Metropolitan Pavel (Swan) of Vyshgorod.
Initially, the cathedral was a spacious refectory church of St. Anthony and Theodosius of Pechersk.
The Lavra also housed the Kyiv Theological Seminary and Academy, the publishing department of the Church.
December 9, 1995 President of Ukraine L. Kuchma issued a Decree on the restoration of the Assumption Cathedral. For the 950th anniversary of the Lavra, the cathedral was restored and consecrated on August 24, 2000.
IN 1990 The Lavra was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
IN 2017 as a result of a journalistic investigation, numerous changes to the original buildings were revealed with a change in the architectural style, which is contrary to UNESCO rules.

Necropolis of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.

A unique necropolis has developed in the Lavra. The oldest parts of it began to form already in the second half XI century. The first documented burial in the Great Church was the burial of the son of the Varangian prince Shimon (baptized Simon). In the land of the holy monastery, in its churches and caves, outstanding hierarchs, church and government figures rest. For example, the first one is buried here Kyiv Metropolitan Michael, Prince Theodore of Ostrog, Archimandrites Elisha (Pletenetsky), Innocent (Gisel). Near the walls of the Assumption Cathedral of the Lavra there was the grave of Natalia Dolgorukova (in monasticism - Nektaria), who died in 1771, the daughter of Peter the Great's associate, Field Marshal B.P. Dolgorukova. Famous poets dedicated poems to this selfless and beautiful woman, and there were legends about her. She was a generous benefactor of the Lavra. Also, the outstanding military leader Pyotr Aleksandrovich Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky is buried here. He himself bequeathed to be buried in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, which was done in the choir of the cathedral of the Assumption Church. An outstanding church figure, Metropolitan Flavian (Gorodetsky), who played a significant role in the life of the Lavra, is buried in the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross. In 1911, the land of the monastery received the remains of the outstanding statesman Pyotr Arkadyevich Stolypin. It is very symbolic that next to the Lavra, in the Church of the Savior on Berestov (this is an ancient city that was the summer residence of the Kyiv princes), the founder of Moscow, Prince Yuri Dolgoruky, is buried.

Temples and buildings on the territory of the Lavra.

– Gateway (above the holy gates of the Lavra) temple in the name of Life-Giving Trinity. Trinity Gate Church (Holy Gates) - the oldest surviving church (8);
– Annozachatievskaya Church (62);
– Great Lavra Bell Tower (14);
– Bell tower at the Near Caves (42);
– Bell tower at the Far Caves (60);
– Church of the Exaltation of the Cross (44);
– Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (10);
– Refectory Church of Saints Anthony and Theodosius (20);
– Church of “All Reverend Fathers of Pechersk” (46);
– Church “Life-Giving Spring” (56);
– Church of All Saints (26);
– Church and former hospital chambers of the Nikolsky Monastery (30);
– Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (58);
– Church of the Savior on Berestov (28);
– Church of the Resurrection of Christ (75);
– Annunciation Church (19).
On the territory of the Lavra there are also:
– Tower of Ivan Kushchnik;
– Fraternal corps;
– Former cells of the cathedral elders;
– Former house governor of the Lavra (16);
– Former economic building;
– Gallery leading to the Near Caves;
– Gallery leading to the Far Caves;
– Debosketovskaya (supporting) wall;
– Western Economic Gate;
– The building of the former metropolitan chambers (18);
– Kyiv Theological Seminary and Academy (68);
– Kiev Regional School of Culture;
– Kovnirovsky building (the building of a former bakery and bookstore) (25);
– Well of St. Anthony (54);
– Well of St. Theodosius (55);
– Building of the former printing house (24);
– Fortress walls;
– Painting tower;
– Metropolis;
– Onufrievskaya Tower;
– Monument to Nestor the Chronicler (74);
- Clock tower;
– Chapel;
– South Gate;
– The grave of Pyotr Stolypin.

Lavra (Greek Λαύρα - city street, crowded monastery ) - the name of some of the largest male Orthodox monasteries that have special historical and spiritual significance.
There are two laurels in Russia: the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius (since 1744, Sergiev Posad) and the Alexander Nevsky Lavra (since 1797, St. Petersburg).
In Ukraine, there are currently three Orthodox monasteries that are laurels: the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra (since 1598 or 1688, Kyiv), the Pochaev-Assumption Lavra (since 1833, Pochaev), the Svyatogorsk Assumption Lavra (since 2004, Svyatogorsk).
Stauropegia (from Greek letters crusaderism ) is a status assigned to Orthodox monasteries, laurels and brotherhoods, as well as cathedrals and theological schools, making them independent of local diocesan authorities and subordinate directly to the patriarch or synod. The literal translation of “raising the cross” indicates that in stauropegial monasteries the cross was erected by the patriarchs with their own hands. Stauropegial status is the highest.

Among the many attractions of the Moscow region, the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, a photo of which you will find in this article, occupies a special place.

Here, according to legends and chronicles, significant changes took place in the spiritual life of Russia, which was reflected not only in the completely unique appearance of the monastery, located on the territory of Sergiev Posad, but also in the natural landscape of this region.

This place is captivating Special attention, leaves no one indifferent thanks to the special spiritual note that permeates nature, architecture, lifestyle and thinking of the people inhabiting these places.

In contact with

History of the monastery

The city of Sergiev Posad, where the Holy Trinity Lavra of Sergius is located, is one of the largest cities in the Moscow region, a tourist and pilgrimage center in the region.

It begins the famous tourist route of the Golden Ring and this is no coincidence - it is from these places that Russian spirituality, wisdom and love of God grow.

Monastery during the time of St. Sergius of Radonezh

The pearl of the Russian land - the Trinity-Sergius Lavra traces its origins to the mid-14th century. The great Saint Sergius of Radonezh lived and preached here.

Sergius's parents were noble boyars who wanted to give their son a good education. At the age of seven, Bartholomew - this is what Sergius was named at baptism - was sent to study, but reading and science were not given to him. Often he sincerely turned to God with a request for reason to read. And the request came true - one day the youth met an elder monk, who blessed him and presented him with a piece of prosphora as a sign of God’s grace. Since then, literacy has been much easier.

Having taken monastic vows at the age of twenty-three, Bartholomew was given the name Sergius. He led a virtuous and quiet life in the dense forests. On a hill, near the Kochura River, with the help of other brother monks, the first temple of the monastery was built - Trinity.

News about Sergius spread throughout the area - monks and ordinary people began to come to him for prayer and support. More than once the community repelled the raids of the Tatars. Gradually the settlement grew, and a small settlement grew up near the ancient Russian city of Radonezh. At the request of his spiritual brothers, while continuing to lead a virtuous and austere monastic life, Sergius was named the first abbot of the monastery, called the Trinity Monastery.

This is interesting: Sergius of Radonezh had a significant impact on Russian history. With his blessing, Prince Dmitry (later Donskoy) won the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380. Rus', which at that time was under the Tatar-Mongol yoke and filled with internecine strife among the princes, needed spiritual unity and hope. The special spirit of the Trinity Monastery and the spiritual guidance of Radonezh made hopes for the return of the Russian land and its unity more visible.

Sergius’s prayers were perceived as miraculous, and news about him spread, attracting pilgrims and confessors to the monastery. The number of his students increased; subsequently, almost each of them founded a monastery, supporting the idea of ​​the unity of the Russian land, spirit and Orthodoxy.

Dying, Sergius handed over the monastery in 1392 to his disciple, St. Nikon, who preserved the spirit and spirit of the monastery, and also became famous as an outstanding builder of this beautiful monastery.

XV-XVI centuries – construction of stone buildings

In the XV-XVI centuries the monastery expanded significantly. Its center was the Trinity Cathedral, located on the site of the first wooden church, built during the life of Sergius. The cathedral is an outstanding monument of ancient Russian architecture - frescoes were painted by Andrei Rublev and icon painters of his circle.

Trinity Cathedral

The cathedral houses the holy relics of St. Sergius. The cathedral became one of the first stone buildings of the monastery, later it was joined by the Nikon Church with the relics of St. Nikon, the Serapion Tent with the holy relics of the monastery abbots who followed Nikon, a particle of the relics of St. Andrew the First-Called, the pectoral cross of St. Sergius of Radonezh and other shrines.

Pskov architects erected a one-domed church in the monastery in honor of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles. Today it is one of the oldest surviving churches - a monument of ancient Russian architecture from the period of fragmentation of Rus'. This church, which has the short name Dukhovskaya, houses the relics of Anthony of Radonezh, who became the abbot of the monastery with the blessing of Seraphim of Sarov.

Five-domed Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God

By order of Ivan the Terrible, the five-domed Church of the Assumption of the Mother of God was founded and built in the monastery - the most grandiose temple in the architectural appearance of the Lavra. Its prototype was the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin.

Interesting fact: under the impressive walls of the Assumption Cathedral is the Church of All Saints - this is an underground temple for the monks of the Lavra. On the western side of the cathedral you can see the tomb of the family of Boris Godunov, who left a significant mark on Russian history.

Until the middle of the 16th century, the walls surrounding the monastery were wooden. In ten years, from 1540 to 1550, new ones were built, brick walls with towers to repel military attacks. The monastery began to resemble a fortress and became an impregnable spiritual abode. Spiritual life was still in full swing inside the monastery; it became the largest Orthodox center that time.

Development during the period of the 17th - early 18th centuries

The time of troubles at the turn of the 16th-17th centuries only proved the inviolability of the monastery. Polish troops were unable to take the monastery for 16 months, defended by monks and a small military garrison. At the same time, monastic life was not disrupted - services were held, sacraments were performed. However, the events of the Time of Troubles forced the monks to almost double the thickness of the walls.

Royal Pilgrimage Palace – Halls

Since the time of Sergius of Radonezh, the monastery has been a place of pilgrimage for kings. Ivan the Terrible and Boris Godunov came here for advice and reflection. In modern times this tradition is not broken. A new royal pilgrimage palace is being rebuilt - the Halls, which stood in place of the royal chambers of Ivan the Terrible; the Hospital and Refectory Chambers, various buildings, and Sacristies are being erected.

Temple construction continues. At the end of the 17th century, on the square in front of the Assumption Cathedral, the Overkladeznaya Chapel was erected, installed over the miraculous spring, the Refectory Chamber and the Refectory Church, the gateway church of John the Baptist.

Interesting information: The monastery at almost all times provided not only spiritual support to Russian sovereigns, but also contributed a significant portion of income to the Russian treasury. Thus, Peter I borrowed money to wage the Northern War from the Holy Trinity Monastery.

The monastery continues to be a witness to Russian history - here in 1682, during the Streletsky rebellion, Princess Sophia and the princes Peter and John were hiding, here their fate was decided Russian throne and Peter I becomes the sovereign of Rus'.

Mid-18th century - reign of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna

The reign of Elizabeth I leads to the restoration of the monastery's former glory. The daughter of Peter I loved to visit these places, accompanying her visits with magnificent holidays and fireworks.

It was Elizabeth I who issued a decree in 1744 on the transfer of the Holy Trinity Monastery in Sergiev Posad to the highest status of a lavra. This emphasized the significance of the monastery in the spiritual landscape of Russia and confirmed its central place in the life of the Orthodox.

Mikheevsky Church

By order of the Empress, new temple buildings are being erected in the monastery - the Smolensk Church, the Mikheevsky Church, the Metropolitan's Apartments, and the famous five-tier bell tower.

At the end of the 18th century, an obelisk was erected on Cathedral Square, commemorating the services of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra to the Fatherland. During this period, the Lavra continues to be recognized as a spiritual stronghold of the Fatherland.

The beginning of the twentieth century - fate during the revolution

Until 1917, the life of the Holy Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius can be called active - it carried out spiritual and educational missions, it was the largest pilgrimage center in Tsarist Russia.

In 1919, after the revolutionary events, the monastery was closed and its property was nationalized. The monks are expelled along with the governor of the monastery. At the same time, the new government is aware of the historical and cultural value of the monastery.

To preserve the heritage and save it from looters, a commission is being created that is designed to evaluate the property of the Lavra from the point of view of its artistic and historical value. The commission included deeply religious people who not only described and evaluated, but also did everything possible to preserve the spiritual heritage.

It is important to know: After the nationalization of the Lavra's property, monks became the new caretakers and watchmen. A huge amount of work was undertaken to preserve the heritage and especially the relics of St. Sergius. For many years, some of the relics were hidden; everything was done to prevent them from being desecrated and destroyed.

In the 1920s, a museum was opened here, which later acquired the status of anti-religious. The main struggle unfolded around the relics of St. Sergius, which for several decades were exhibited as the main exhibit of the museum. The Zagorsk Museum of History and Local Lore, as the place was now called, gradually deteriorated, the buildings were destroyed and lost their original appearance, many buildings were rebuilt into living quarters, schools and warehouses.

The end of the twentieth century - the beginning of restoration

The Lavra resumed its spiritual activities in 1946, becoming at the same time an artistic and architectural reserve and a monastery. IN Soviet time it combines monastic life with the life of a museum, welcoming tourists and pilgrims.

Since the 1970s, Councils have been held here, which have become a new stage in the revival of the active spiritual life of the monastery. Already by the 40s. In the 20th century, architectural structures became very dilapidated.

After the end of the war, major restoration work began to restore the architectural and artistic heritage of the Lavra, which took more than 30 years. In 1993, the Lavra was included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.

Modern life of the monastery

The Lavra today is a branched system based on the monastic structure. It includes one of the largest monasteries in Russia, a theological academy, a seminary, an icon-painting and regency school, a pilgrimage center with a hotel and refectory, workshops and much more.

The largest Orthodox publishing house operates on the territory, and theological work is carried out. At the same time, the Lavra is ready to receive visitors almost around the clock; local and away excursions, divine services and sermons are organized.

The life of the monastery and cultural reserve is illuminated by the official website, revealing full information about the scope of activity, features of receiving pilgrims, etc. A significant role in the monastery is given to spiritual and educational work - this is noticeable both during a live visit and after getting acquainted with the site.

Attractions

Trinity-Sergius Lavra preserved a large number of unique masterpieces of architecture of the 15th-18th centuries.

Collected in one place, they clearly illustrate historical eras and architectural styles.

On the territory of the monastery there are more than thirty buildings, each of which has significant artistic and historical value. Let's turn to the main architectural pearls of the monastery.

Trinity Cathedral

This white-stone single-domed cathedral is the oldest stone temple building in the ensemble, erected in 1422-1423. instead of a wooden church, illuminated by the Rev.

Its structure is fully consistent with the churches of this period: the walls of the temple end with keel-shaped zakomaras with kokoshniks. The helmet-shaped dome is built on a high drum in the shape of a tower with narrow windows. The walls of the temple are decorated with a laconic monochrome pattern.

The interior of the Trinity Cathedral deserves special attention. It represents an engineering innovation of that time, created in violation of traditional ancient Russian canons in favor of the idea of ​​​​aspiration upward.

Initially, the frescoes of the cathedral were painted by Daniil Cherny and Andrei Rublev, but in the 17th century they were covered and rewritten.

The iconostasis is of enormous artistic value - icon painters of the Rublev school worked on its creation together with its founder. This beautiful light iconostasis consists of 40 icons and was the first multi-tiered one in Rus'.

Take note: The sacred shrine for the relics of Sergius is made of silver with gilding; above the shrine there is a canopy built on pillars made of 400 kg of pure silver. The order to create the canopy and shrine was made by Anna Ioannovna in the second third of the 18th century.

For him, Andrei Rublev wrote “Trinity” in 1422, which today can be seen in the State Tretyakov Gallery. The main treasure of the cathedral is the tomb with the holy relics of the saint and some of his belongings.

Assumption Cathedral

One of the most expressive buildings of the Lavra - the Assumption Cathedral - was erected by decree of John IV in 1559-1585. The five-domed, laconic and at the same time elegant appearance of the cathedral is crowned with azure and gold onion-shaped domes with stars.

Made according to the canons of Vladimir-Suzdal architecture, the temple demonstrates a white stone arched-columnar belt. The arrangement of the Assumption Church was carried out under Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich; outstanding icon painters of the 17th century - Simon Ushakov, Dmitry Grigoriev and representatives of their icon painting school - worked on the frescoes and iconostasis.

Interesting fact: The azure domes of the Assumption Cathedral with stars indicate a connection with the Mother of God and the Nativity of Christ, whose birth was marked by the Star of Bethlehem.

On the western side, on the porch of the cathedral, Boris Godunov and his family are buried. After the destruction of the porch, a white stone tent-tomb was erected over the burial.

Bell tower

The bell tower became a significant and famous building of the reserve. Refined and slender, it was erected by order of Elizabeth I in 1740-1770. according to the project by I.Ya. Schumacher and D.V. Ukhtomsky in the Russian Baroque style.

The height of the five-tier bell tower is 88.04 meters, it is one of the highest in Russia. Decorated with graceful columns and pilasters, richly decorated with vases, clocks and crowned with a gilded dome. The tiers of the bell tower have bells, the oldest of which was cast under Abbot Nikon in the 15th century.

In the 20-30s of the twentieth century, almost all the bells were removed, many were broken and re-cast. Today there are bells removed from the Cathedral of Christ the Savior at the beginning of the 20th century. All of them form part of the belfry. In addition, the largest bell in modern Russia hangs here, raised to the bell tower in 2004. Its weight is 72 tons.

Small churches and other buildings

Literally everything that the Lavra architecture represents is of significant artistic value.

Nadkladeznaya Chapel

On Cathedral Square in front of the Assumption Cathedral stands the Nadkladeznaya Chapel, installed here in memory of the miracle of healing. The monk Paphnutius, praying near a local spring, received his sight. The source can still be seen in the chapel today; in the summer its water is discharged under the canopy above the cross.

The Smolensk Church is interesting, where the miraculous icon of the Smolensk Mother of God is located. This temple absorbed the style of Russian Baroque and Classicism. This church is another evidence of the miracle of healing. Impressed by this, Elizaveta Petrovna orders the founding of a temple. The paintings and interior decoration of the church date back to the 19th century.

The stone fortifications of the Sergius Lavra are original.

Initially they were wooden, but were reconstructed into brick ones. Their length is more than a kilometer, thickness - 3.5 m, height - up to 6 m. The walls were crowned with 12 towers with various combat capabilities. Thanks to the fortifications, the monastery more than once became a fortress, protecting not only the monks, but also the residents of Sergiev Posad.

The towers - Red, which is the main entrance to the monastery, Pyatnitskaya, Lukovaya, Vodyana, Kelarskaya, Pivnaya - are quite strong defensive structures with different architectures.

Information for tourists: The name of the towers of the Lavra fortress wall is associated not only with the names of saints. Many names were given due to the everyday life of the monastery. The Onion Tower was named so because of its proximity to the vegetable garden. Beer - for the proximity of breweries, Carpenter - for the proximity of carpentry workshops.

Of particular importance are the Metropolitan's chambers, where the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' stays today.

Notable is the Gate Church in honor of the Nativity of John the Baptist, built with donations from the Stroganov family. This example of Naryshkin Baroque architecture from the late 17th century is striking in its colorfulness and elegance of forms, but it has been reconstructed more than once. Today the temple has been restored and given its original appearance.

Shrines of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra

Relics of the founder of the Lavra - Sergius of Radonezh

Let's briefly list the most important ones:

• the holy relics of the founder of the Lavra - Sergius of Radonezh;
• his things that were used during divine services - vessels, the abbot's staff, particles of monastic vestments;
• pectoral cross ik venerable;
• miraculous icon of the Mother of God of Smolensk;
• a piece of the relics of St. Andrew the First-Called;
• holy relics of the abbots of the monastery of Serapion, Joasaph;
• relics of St. Anthony of Radonezh;
• the first shrine of St. Sergius;
• the relics of St. Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow;
• tombs of the Patriarchs of All Rus' Alexy I (Simansky) and Pimen (Izvekov) and many others.

Information for pilgrims and tourists

How to get there

The reserve is the central point of Sergiev Posad. You can get to it by train - from Yaroslavsky station. By regular bus - from the Shchelkovo bus station. The travel time to the monastery from the bus and railway stations does not exceed 15 minutes.

Where to stay

Pilgrims are offered rest in hotels on the territory of the Lavra (men can stay for free in a hospice house); other visitors are offered guest houses and hotels in close proximity to the holy places - from 5 to 15 minutes on foot.

Rules of conduct on the territory of the Lavra

Entrance to the territory is free. Small donations at the door are welcome.

When entering the territory of the Lavra, you must follow simple rules common to all Orthodox Christians. Women are advised to come in modest clothing that covers the body and cover their heads. It is necessary to avoid trousers, shorts, short skirts, and bright makeup. Men take off their hats when entering the monastery.

On the territory there are refectories and monastery shops with Lenten cuisine and baked goods.

Service Schedule

Main services on weekdays:

5.30 – general prayer service at the relics of St. Sergius;

6.15, 6.30, 9.30 – liturgies – Assumption, Trinity, Refectory churches.

Funeral services - after the early and late liturgy:

9.00, 13.00 – custom prayer services (except Mondays);

17.00 – cathedral prayer service with akathist to the Mother of God (Friday) – Trinity Cathedral;

From 8.30 to 20.30 – prayer services with an akathist to St. Sergius – Trinity Cathedral.

Confessions are held until 10.30 in the St. John the Baptist Gate Church.

Sundays and holidays:

17.00. – all-night vigil;

5.30, 6.30, 8.30, 9.30 – liturgies – Assumption, Trinity, Refectory churches;

from 5.00 to 6.15 and from 8.30 to 20.30 - prayer services to St. Sergius - Trinity Cathedral;

17.00 – cathedral prayer service with akathist to St. Sergius (Sunday) – Trinity Cathedral.

Confessions are held until 7.30 and after the end of the all-night vigil in the Church of St. John the Baptist.

For several centuries, the Trinity-Sergius Lavra has attracted pilgrims and visitors. Even during the time of its founder, people flocked here for support and protection. Today, the Lavra equally warmly welcomes all guests - from the curious to those who seek to come here with prayers.

By visiting the Lavra, you can plunge into the atmosphere of unhurried sincerity, deep thoughts, feel or rediscover yourself. After all, it was here that for many centuries people felt the closest connection with God.

Look interesting video about the Trinity-Sergius Lavra:

On the high slopes of the right bank of the Dnieper lies the Assumption Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, majestically crowned with golden domes - the inheritance of the Most Holy Theotokos, the cradle of monasticism in Rus' and the stronghold of the Orthodox faith. The ancient Tradition of the Church says that the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called, during his journey with Christian preaching to the lands of the Scythians, blessed the slopes of the Dnieper. He turned to his disciples with the words: “Do you see these mountains? The grace of God will shine on these mountains, and a great city should be here, and God will build many churches.” Thus, together with the first churches of Kievan Rus, the Lavra monastery became the realization of the prophetic words of the Apostle.

In the Orthodox world it is defined after Jerusalem and Mount Athos in Greece. Everything here is shrouded in mystery: caves, churches, bell towers, and most of all – people’s lives. It is hardly known to a wide circle, for example, that the Russian hero Ilya Muromets and the founder of Moscow, Yuri Dolgoruky, are buried on the territory of the Lavra. The number of saints, incomparable to any other monastery, and the amazing myrrh of their incorruptible relics continue to attract millions of pilgrims here.

Over the thousand years of its existence, the Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra has acquired many incredible stories. Truth mixed with fiction, the miraculous with the real. But before we get to the legends, let's look at history. The land here is truly holy and prayed for.

The lands on which the huge territory of the Lavra later spread were known back in the 11th century as a wooded area where monks retired to pray. One of these monks was priest Hilarion, from the nearby village of Berestovo. He dug himself a cave for prayer, which he soon abandoned.
Centuries have passed. In the 11th century, monk Anthony returned to the Kyiv land. He was originally from the Chernigov region, took monastic vows on Mount Athos, where he intended to stay. But Anthony had a sign - to return to his homeland and serve the Lord there. In 1051, he settled on Berestovaya Mountain in a cave, which the priest Hilarion dug for his prayers and solitude. Anthony's ascetic life attracted monks: some came to him for a blessing, others wanted to live the same way as him.
A few years later he had students - Nikon and Theodosius. Gradually the brethren grew, expanding their underground cells.
When the brethren gathered 12 people, Anthony appointed Varlaam abbot over them, and he himself moved to another mountain, where he again retired to an underground cell. Later, an underground labyrinth arose on this mountain - the current Antoniev or Near Caves. The brethren, led by Varlaam, first erected a “small church” over the original cave, and in 1062 they built a church in honor of the Mother of God. At the same time, Prince Izyaslav Yaroslavich, at the request of the Monk Anthony, gave the monks a mountain above the caves, which they fenced and built up, creating the so-called Old Monastery. From that time on, the monastery became above ground, the caves began to serve as a cemetery, and only ascetic ascetics remained to live in them.
It is from the caves that the name of the monastery – Pecherskaya – comes from. The year of its foundation is considered to be 1051, when the Monk Anthony settled here.

Assumption Cathedral in a painting by Vereshchagin, 1905

Soon the Monk Varlaam was transferred by Izyaslav Yaroslavich to the princely Dmitrievsky Monastery, and the Monk Anthony “installed” another abbot - Theodosius of Pechersk, under whom the number of monks increased from twenty to one hundred and the first (Studio) monastery charter was adopted. Under Theodosius, Prince Svyatoslav Yaroslavich donated the land on which the Assumption Cathedral was founded (1073). Around the stone church, under the next abbot Stephen, the first wooden structures of the New Monastery arose - a fence, cells and utility rooms. At the beginning of the 12th century. The stone Trinity Gate Church and refectory formed the original architectural ensemble of the Upper Lavra. The fenced space between the New and Old monasteries was partly occupied by vegetable gardens and orchards, and partly by the dwellings of the monastery artisans and servants; here is St. Theodosius of Pechersk organized a courtyard for the poor and sick with the Church of St. Stephen.

The independence of the monastery from the princely authority (unlike other monasteries) contributed to the fact that already at the end of the 11th century. it became not only the most authoritative, largest and richest monastic community in Rus', but also an outstanding cultural center.
The monastery played a significant role in the development of Ukrainian culture - the construction of churches improved the skills of architects and artists, and the first printing house in Rus' was founded here. Famous chroniclers, writers, scientists, artists, doctors, and book publishers lived and worked in the Lavra. It was here, around 1113, that the chronicler Nestor compiled the “Tale of Bygone Years” - the main source of modern knowledge about Kievan Rus.
Chronicles and lives, icons and works of sacred music were created here. The illustrious names of St. were well known. Alipia, St. Agapita, St. Nestor and other monks. Since 1171, the Pechersk abbots were called archimandrites (at that time this was the rank of the eldest among the abbots of the city). Even before the Mongol invasion, approximately 50 Pechersk monks became bishops in different cities of Rus'.

At the beginning of the eleventh century, the then monastery gradually turned into a center for the spread and establishment of the Christian religion in the territory of Kievan Rus. In connection with the defeat of Kyiv by the hordes of Khan Batu, the monastery fell into decay for several centuries, like the whole life of Kyiv, and only in the 14th century did the revival of the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery begin.

In 1619, the monastery received the very influential and serious status of “Lavra” - the most important and largest monastery at that time.
The Greek word “lavra” means “street”, “built-up city block”, from the VI century. “Laurels” were the name given to the populous monasteries of the East. In Ukraine and Russia, the largest monasteries also called themselves laurels, but this status was given only to the richest and most influential monasteries.
Already by that time, two cities were in the possession of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra - Radomysl and Vasilkov. By the end of the eighteenth century, the Kiev-Pechersaya Lavra became the largest church feudal lord on the territory of what was then Ukraine: the Lavra’s possessions included seven small towns, more than two hundred villages and hamlets, three cities, and, in addition, at least seventy thousand serfs, two paper factories , about twenty brick and glass factories, distilleries and mills, as well as taverns and even stud farms. In 1745, the Lavra Bell Tower was built, which for a long time was the tallest building on the territory Russian Empire and still remains one of the symbols of the monastery. At the end of the 17th century, the Lavra was subordinated to the Moscow Patriarch and, as a result, the archimandrite of the Lavra received the so-called primacy over all other Russian metropolitans. In 1786, the Lavra came under the Kyiv Metropolis. As a result, by the end of the 19th century, the Lavra, in addition to the property listed above, had 6 monasteries at its disposal, which was a very impressive and, practically, record figure.

In the XIX - early XX centuries. The architectural ensemble of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra acquired completeness. Covered galleries to the Near and Far caves were arranged, and the territory of the caves was surrounded by a fortress wall. Several residential buildings for pilgrims were built on the territory of the Gostiny Dvor, a hospital, a new refectory, and a library. The Lavra printing house remained one of the most powerful Kyiv publishing houses, and the icon-painting workshop occupied a prominent place in art.
At the beginning of the 20th century. The Kiev-Pechersk Lavra consisted of about 500 monks and 600 novices who lived in four united monasteries - the Pechersk monastery itself, St. Nicholas or Trinity Hospital, in the Near and Far caves. In addition, the Lavra owned three deserts - Goloseevskaya, Kitaevskaya and Preobrazhenskaya.

None of the Russian sovereigns ignored the Kiev Pechersk Lavra: Alexei Mikhailovich and Peter the Great, Catherine II, Anna Ioannovna, Nicholas I and Nicholas II, Alexander I, Alexander II, Alexander III, Pavel, Elizabeth...
In 1911, the land of the monastery received the remains of Pyotr Arkadievich Stolypin, an outstanding statesman of the Russian Empire.

After the October Revolution of 1917 The most difficult times in its history began for the Lavra.
After the Bolshevik victory, the monks tried to adapt to new conditions. In April 1919, the Kiev Lavra agricultural and craft labor community was organized, consisting of approximately 1,000 clergy, novices and monastic workers. Part of the Lavra's agricultural property was transferred to the community. Other property, both movable and immovable, was seized during several nationalizations during 1919-22. The huge monastery library and printing house were transferred to the All-Ukrainian Academy of Sciences. In 1922, under pressure from the new government, the Lavra Spiritual Cathedral ceased its activities, but the monastic community continued to function.
In 1923, the Museum of Cults and Life began to operate on the territory of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. At the same time, a disabled town was organized here, the leadership and residents of which actually robbed the monks. In 1926, the territory of the Lavra was declared a nature reserve, and the creation of a huge Museum town began here. The monks were finally expelled from the ancient Orthodox shrine in 1929.
Enormous damage to architectural and historical values ​​was also caused during the Great Patriotic War. Patriotic War. The main religious building of the country, which survived the Tatar-Mongol invasion, Lithuanian and Polish rule, and the endless wars of the Russian Empire, failed to escape Bolshevik barbarism. In 1941, the Assumption Cathedral was blown up by Soviet underground workers. Only a part has survived church wall. This is a huge loss for the Ukrainian people.

During the occupation of Kyiv, the German command allowed the monastery to resume its activities. The initiator of the renewal was Archbishop Anthony of Kherson and Tauride, known in the world as the Georgian prince David Abashidze. It was he who at one time was the rector of the seminary from which young Joseph Dzhugashvilli (Stalin) was expelled. The “Leader of Nations,” however, respected the elder and did not interfere in the affairs of the revived Lavra. Therefore, the Soviets returned their “government” after Stalin’s death - during the era of Nikita Khrushchev, who distinguished himself by the oppression of religion.
In June 1988, in connection with the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Kievan Rus and, accordingly, to the resolution of the Council of Ministers of the URSR, the newly created Pechersk community was transferred to the territory of the Far Caves, the so-called. “Lower” Lavra, with all above-ground buildings and caves; and in 1990 The territory of the Near Caves was also transferred. The Kiev-Pechersk Lavra Nature Reserve cooperates with the monastery, which was awarded National status in 1996. In 1990, the complex of Lavra buildings was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Already during the times of independent Ukraine, using ancient construction techniques, specialists managed to recreate the main Lavra temple. In 2000, the Assumption Cathedral was consecrated.

...We are standing near the Holy Gates. Now this is the main entrance to the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. In the old days there was a sign: after passing through the gate, a person received remission of half of his sins. But if suddenly a parishioner stumbled, it was believed that he had too many sins, and they were dragging him down. Adjacent to the gate is the Church of the Holy Trinity, built in the 12th century at the expense of Prince Nikolai Svyatoshi. By the way, he became one of the first Kyiv princes to take monastic vows at the Lavra. He also founded a hospital here for infirm brothers...

Trinity Gate Church is one of 6 monuments from princely times that have survived to this day. She, too, has undergone changes and now has features of Ukrainian Baroque, like Sophia of Kiev. It contains a wonderful iconostasis from the 18th century, looking like amazing golden lace, shining with reflections of the sun. It's hard to believe that this beauty was cut from simple tree.
The entrance to the monastery passes through the gates of this church. They say that once upon a time priests-goalkeepers stood here and from a distance they sensed a man who was walking with evil thoughts. They brought them back, asking them to think about it and come next time. Before passing through the church arch, you must bow low to the holy monastery, and only after that, go inside and dissolve in the architectural grandeur.

We pass through the Holy Gates and find ourselves on the territory of the Upper Lavra. Opposite Trinity Church bathes in golden glitter sun rays recreated Assumption Cathedral.
It seemed to people that such a beautiful temple could not be built by ordinary human hands, so the people composed many poetic legends about it.

Architects from Constantinople appeared to the Monks Anthony and Theodosius. They said that they had a vision of the Mother of God and an order to go to Kyiv to build a temple.
“Where will the church be located?” - they asked the Monks Anthony and Theodosius. “Where the Lord will indicate,” they heard the answer. And for three days, dew and heavenly fire fell in the same place. There, in 1073, the Assumption Church was founded. At the same time, the Varangian governor Shimon came to the elders and donated a golden crown and belt for the construction of the cathedral. He also spoke about the miraculous appearance of the Mother of God and about the order to give valuables for the construction of the temple. Subsequently, the Varangian converted to Orthodoxy, becoming Simon at baptism, and was buried in the Lavra (his great-great-granddaughter, Sofya Aksakova, also found her final refuge here). A few years after those miraculous events, the temple was built, and the Byzantine architects, like the icon painters who painted it, took monasticism here.
The Assumption Cathedral was known as the heart of the Lavra. Many famous people were buried here, for example the Monk Theodosius. Initially, the elder was buried in his cave, but three years later the monks decided that it was not right for one of the founders of the monastery to lie there. The relics of the saint turned out to be incorrupt - they were transferred and buried in the Assumption Cathedral.

The cathedral was decorated with ancient Russian frescoes and fragments of mosaics, complex modeling, wall paintings executed by outstanding masters S. Kovnir, Z. Golubovsky, G. Pastukhov; images of historical persons - kings, princes, hetmans, metropolitans. The floor of the temple was covered with mosaic patterns, and the icons were contained only in silver vestments covered with gold. The unique structure served as a tomb for the Kyiv princes, high clergy, educators, philanthropists and other outstanding compatriots. Therefore, the significance of the Assumption Cathedral can hardly be overestimated: it was a real stone treasury, keeping within its walls the history of our people.

Next to the recreated cathedral are the St. Nicholas Church with a dome studded with stars, and the Great Lavra Bell Tower, erected in 1731-44. It was built by the German architect Johann Gottfried Schedel. I planned to complete it in three years - but it took me 13 years! I was very proud of this work of mine - and for good reason. The large bell tower (96 m high) is popularly called the “Kyiv Leaning Tower of Pisa” due to its slight slope. However, thanks to the 20-meter massive 8-meter-thick foundation buried in the ground, the Lavra Tower, unlike the Italian one, is not in danger of falling. Before the appearance Eiffel Tower The Great Lavra Bell Tower was considered the tallest building in Europe.

To the right of the Assumption Cathedral is the Refectory Church with a refectory chamber, thanks to which a huge number of believers can attend the service. In the center of the room, like a huge gray cloud, hangs a “chandelier” donated by Nicholas II - a chandelier weighing 1200 kg.

And we follow further - to the Lower Lavra, to the most mysterious places - the Near and Far caves.
In the old days, even serious historians claimed that the caves from the Kiev Pechersk Lavra stretch all the way to Chernigov! Others said that the Kiev Lavra is connected with the Pochaev Lavra by caves.
All this is from the realm of idle speculation. But, of course, there were some secrets! In the first years of Soviet power, archaeologists persistently searched for treasures here. They didn’t find it, but the atheists themselves admitted that in some corners of the caves, water suddenly poured on their heads, or a pillar of fire rose.

The monks prayed in the cramped earthen shelters of the first caves, and many were buried here. By the way, the relics of St. Anthony were never found. It is believed that they are “under the radar.” According to legend, Anthony was giving parting words to his brothers when an unexpected collapse occurred. The brothers tried to eliminate him and take the monk out - but flames burst out...
Many monks became hermits: they closed the entrance to their cell, receiving only food and water through a small window. And if the bread remained untouched for several days, the brothers understood that the recluse had died.

The hermit monks who lived here in ancient times were buried in underground cells, and gradually the caves turned into a monastery cemetery. The deceased was washed with exposed parts of the body, folded his arms over his chest and covered his face. After this, it was forbidden to look at the face of the deceased (that is why even today the faces of saints resting in caves are not opened). Then the body was placed on a board and placed in a specially dug niche - a locula. The entrance to it was closed with a wooden barrier or walled up. According to the Studite Charter, the burial ritual continued three years later, when the locula was opened and the bones, cleared of flesh, were transferred to the kimetiria ossuary. Then the body was placed in crypts dug in caves and walled up, and the burial place was covered with an icon or a wooden tablet with an inscription about the deceased. The relics of canonized ascetics, preserved incorrupt, were dressed in brocade vestments, placed in special, mostly cypress tombs, and placed in the corridors for worship. Of the 122 relics resting in both caves, 49 date back to the pre-Mongol period.

Relics of St. Elijah of Murom of Pechersk

By the grace of God, there are many monasteries and places on Christian land where the incorruptible relics of ascetics and martyrs glorified by the church are preserved as the greatest shrine. But there is no other place on the planet where such a number of holy relics are kept as in the Lavra.
When visiting the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, pilgrims, pilgrims and tourists first of all try to visit the caves. The place is very unusual. The caves have many passages, some of them are as tall as a person, and in some places they are so low that you have to bend down. Even now, when the walls are reinforced and illuminated, it is a little creepy to walk there alone. And it is simply impossible for us today to imagine the life of monks, living for years in darkness and silence, alone with themselves and God...
Now the labyrinths of the Near and Far caves are complex system underground corridors 2-2.5 m high. The depth of the Near caves is 10-15 m, the Far ones - 15-20 m. Monks have been digging them for centuries. The total length of the dungeons existing under the Lavra is enormous. But those that served as the dwelling of ascetics, a monastic cemetery and a place of worship are open to visit.

In the 16th-17th centuries, the Near Caves were a complex system of corridors, consisting of three main streets. Inside this settlement, under the thickness of the earth, there were two churches: the Presentation of the Virgin Mary into the Temple, considered the most ancient, and St. Anthony of Pechersk. Somewhat later, a third one was built - St. Varlaam of Pechersk. The monastery fraternity has always been tirelessly building, and after the earthquake in 1620, when part of the labyrinths collapsed, underground architects made repairs to them, and strengthened the cave street with bricks. In the 18th century, the floors in the caves were made of cast iron slabs, which still serve well today. In the 19th century, the brethren added new iconostases to the existing ones, and dressed the holy relics in the tombs in expensive brocade and silk outfits, embroidered with gold and silver threads, river mother-of-pearl and beads.

It must be said that scientists have more than once conducted research into the Lavra dungeons and relics. Archaeologists, historians, doctors, and biologists worked in the caves. Mostly people with an atheistic upbringing and far from the church. But the results of experiments and observations so amazed the researchers themselves that many of them believed in God. After all, they themselves proved that the relics of saints have unique properties inexplicable by science.
After a series of experiments, Kyiv scientists realized that the power of the Holy Spirit is real! That grace and healing come from icons, that the pectoral cross protects from evil forces, and the relics of saints heal people and speed up the growth of plants.
Specific and striking examples have repeatedly convinced that saints hear, help, heal, admonish, perform miracles and console. Reverends hear those of us who address them as if they were alive, who are familiar with their lives and firmly believe in their help. And to strengthen faith, the saints of Pechersk can generously reward and surprise the petitioner with a miracle.

There are many wonderful things in the laurel! Downstairs, in the Life-Giving Spring Church, a prayer service is held every morning. After it, parishioners can put on a hat consecrated on the relics of St. Mark the Grave Digger (XI-XII centuries). Blessed Mark dug both cells and graves for his deceased brothers. The Lord granted him unprecedented power: one day he fell ill and was unable to dig a grave for the deceased monk.
And then Mark, through another monk, conveyed a request to the deceased: they say, brother, wait until you depart for the Kingdom of the Lord, the grave is not yet ready for you. Many witnessed the miracle; some ran away in fear when the dead man came to his senses and opened his eyes. The next day, Mark said that the monastery for the newly deceased was ready - at the same moment the monk closed his eyes and died again.
Another time, Mark asked the deceased monk to lie down in the cave and pour oil on himself, which he did. The monastery still houses an artifact - the cross of Mark the Grave Digger: it was hollow inside and the monk drank water from it. Even in the last century, parishioners could kiss it; now it has been transferred to the funds of the Lavra Nature Reserve.

Our path is to the Far Caves. If you go down from the Annozachatyevskaya Church, you can follow the route to the Far Caves. Some of its branches are closed to the public. But here the relics of 49 saints are exhibited, and some of them have uncovered hands, and you can see the incorruptible relics. The oldest underground churches are located here: the Church of the Nativity of Christ, the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Theodosius of Pechersk.
It was believed that the soul would certainly receive forgiveness of sins and go to heaven if a person was buried in the Lavra. Whether this is true or not is unknown. But the miraculous myrrh-streaming of the relics of the righteous placed in tombs made of cypress wood is known far beyond the borders of Ukraine. The phenomenon is truly mysterious: a world-healing substance containing up to 80% living protein is released from dry flesh. Without seeing it, it's hard to believe it. So pilgrims go to the caves to venerate the holy relics and see the amazing myrrh.
In 1988, when the Kiev Pechersk Lavra restored its prayer activities, the monks noticed that from that day on, the heads and relics of the saints in it had been myrrh-filled! Then the myrrh was collected in bowls - there was so much of it! Apparently, the Higher Powers reacted this way to the return of the church’s shrines.
IN Russian history When the Bolsheviks destroyed hundreds of churches and killed tens of thousands of priests, the heads and relics of saints in the Kiev Pechersk Lavra did not show myrrh.

The names of the 24 saints resting here are unknown, but it is known that here are the relics of Ilya of Murom, St. Nestor the Chronicler, author of the Tale of Bygone Years, the relics of St. Longinus and Theodosius of Pechersk, and the head of Pope Clement. It was presented to Prince Vladimir on the occasion of his adoption of Christianity.
The bodies of the dead monks buried in the caves did not decompose, but were mummified. Even today, after 1000 years, the preservation of some of them is impressive.
Scientists at the Kiev Pechersk Lavra have never found an answer why even the dried corpse of an ordinary person is not at all fragrant, but near the relics of the holy righteous there is no smell of decay or decomposition, next to them there is a fragrance. Science can never comprehend this mystery; you just have to believe in it.

One of the unclear points is the Varangian Caves. The entrance there is now closed, although they are connected to the Far Caves. The place is considered dangerous due to landslides and landslides - and maybe for another reason! After all, even in good times, the Varangian caves were not in honor among the monks... There is a legend that long before the arrival of Anthony, these passages were dug by thieves and other dark personalities.
They robbed ships passing along the route “from the Varangians to the Greeks” and hid the goods in these dungeons.
There is a dark reputation about the Varangian caves. In the 12th century. Blessed Feodor settled here, distributing his wealth to the laity, and then regretting what he had done. The demon began to seduce him and pointed out the place in the Varangian nooks and crannies where the treasure was hidden. Feodor was about to flee with gold and silver, but the Monk Vasily kept him from sin. Fedor repented and dug huge hole and hid the treasures.
But the Kiev prince Mstislav found out about this and tried to find out from the elder the location of the treasure. Fedor died under torture, but did not reveal himself. Then the prince set to work on Vasily. The angry feudal lord shot an arrow at blessed Vasily, and he, dying, replied: “You yourself will die from the same arrow.” The elders were then buried in the Varangian cave. And Mstislav really died, pierced by an arrow. Later, many people searched for the “Varangian treasure” - some lost their minds, some even lost their lives. But the enchanted gold was never found.
...Over the thousand-year history of its existence, the Kiev Pechersk Lavra has acquired many myths and legends. How many spiritual exploits have the cells and walls of monasteries seen! How many people have witnessed the miracles of the Lord!

There are many museums and exhibitions on the territory of the Lavra. For example, in the Museum of Jewels you can see a priceless collection of historical treasures from the times of Kievan Rus.
A significant part of the Museum’s collections are products of decorative and applied art of the 16th-20th centuries: works of Ukrainian, Russian, Central Asian, Transcaucasian and Western European jewelers. There is also a unique collection of Jewish cult silver from the early 18th - 20s. XX centuries, as well as the works of modern Ukrainian jewelers.
The State Museum of Books and Printing of Ukraine is also very interesting. The museum contains rich treasures of the book culture of the Ukrainian people, about 56 thousand items. The exhibition covers the history of Russian books and bookmaking from the times of Kievan Rus to the present day; talks about the creation of writing among the Eastern Slavs, about the handwritten book of the 10th-16th centuries, about the origin of book printing in Europe, the beginning and development of Cyrillic book printing, about the publishing activities of Ivan Fedorov and about other outstanding creators of the Ukrainian book of the 16th-18th centuries.
Of great interest is the “Apostle,” published in Lvov in 1574 by the printing house of Ivan Fedorov, whose name is associated with the beginning of book printing in Ukraine.
Don't forget to check out the microminiature museum. Here you will see that very few people have the talent to shoe a flea....
The museum displays such exhibits as the world's smallest working electric motor, the size of which is less than 1/20 cubic millimeters and, it is difficult to imagine that this device is almost 20 times smaller than a poppy seed. Among other microminiatures presented in the Museum in the Kiev-Pechersk Reserve, there are no less interesting, unique and inimitable. Which? Come, watch, learn and be surprised!

It is difficult to imagine Kyiv without the unique beauty and grandeur of the architectural complex of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. If you were in Kyiv and did not see the Lavra, then you have not seen Kyiv.
And I really want to believe that the great shrine of Kievan Rus will be protected and preserved, so that our descendants can enjoy the unique monument of all Orthodox humanity. However, everything depends only on ourselves - on those who live today and now.

Photos taken from the Internet

Address: Ukraine, Kyiv
Date of foundation: 1051
Main attractions: Assumption Cathedral, Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Temple of the Icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow", Church of All Saints, Church of the Exaltation of the Cross, Warm Church in honor of all the Venerable Fathers of the Pechersk, Temple in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God "Life-Giving Spring", Refectory Church, Nearby Caves , Distant Caves
Coordinates: 50°26"06.3"N 30°33"24.0"E

The Kiev Pechersk Lavra is the center of Christianity and a shrine for the believing people. This place has centuries-old history, famous for its temples and beautiful places.

Today, the ensemble of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra consists of more than a hundred stone structures, about twenty churches and more than 40 architectural monuments.

View of the upper Lavra

History of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra

On the right bank of the Dnieper, the unsurpassed Kiev-Pechersk Lavra flaunts from afar, in the Pechersky district of the city of Kyiv, which is the oldest district of the capital. The name of the area is due to the fact that the first monks once lived here in caves (Ukrainian - “pechera”). The monastery was founded, according to historical data, in the 11th century. But the Pechersk Monastery received the name “Lavra” in the 12th century. The monastery, around the second half of the 11th century, became the largest architectural center in Kievan Rus. Tiling and mosaic workshops were located here. 100 years later, namely at the end of the 12th century, defensive ramparts and fortification ramparts with towers and loopholes were erected around the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.

General view of the Lavra

During the same period, the Trinity Gate Church was built on the territory of the monastery, which is one of 6 monuments of princely times that has survived to this day. The Kiev-Pechersk Lavra survived the Tatar-Mongol invasions, the years of the Second World War, as well as the most difficult periods of Lithuanian and Polish rule. However, despite the destruction and damage, the monastery survived and today is a historical and cultural reserve with an area of ​​28 hectares, where the relics of more than 400 saints are kept. Among the saints there are many famous architects, doctors, writers, and artists of Kievan Rus. For example, the relics of Nestor the chronicler - historiographer, author of "The Tale of Past Years" - are kept here. This is the only place in the world where so many shrines are kept.

Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Churches and temples of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra

Huge historical meaning has the National Reserve of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, where there are about twenty churches of different sizes and ages, differing in interiors and styles. The most famous are the Trinity Church, the Assumption Cathedral, which adorns Cathedral Square, and the Refectory Church. Also of interest is the main Lavra Bell Tower, from where the whole of Kyiv is visible at a glance. The Trinity Gate Church is located above the entrance to the Holy Lavra. There is a belief that in order to be cleansed from sins, you need to go through the gates of the church twice. The church was built at the beginning of the twelfth century. Despite the fact that the church is small, there are 120 biblical compositions on its walls.

Refectory Church of Saints Anthony and Theodosius

The architecture of the church is represented by multi-profile cornices, pilasters, and ceramic rosettes. And, of course, the beautiful blue dome of the church with golden stars is amazing. On the main cathedral square of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra stands the Assumption Cathedral, the construction of which dates back to the 11th century. Of course, at that time he looked completely different from what he looks like today. Then it was rectangular one-story building with one dome. The Moscow architect Vasiliev, after a fire in the 18th century, united all the buildings of the cathedral under one roof. The temple becomes a square, two-story building with seven gilded domes. The Assumption Cathedral contains up to three hundred burials of church and famous historical figures.

Trinity Gate Church

The Assumption Cathedral was the center of the entire great architectural composition of the Lavra, however, in early November 1941, when German generals and Slovak President Josef Tiso visited the Lavra, the temple was blown up and the cathedral was destroyed. In November 1998, based on available archival data, its reconstruction began, with funds raised by residents of the city of Kyiv, which was completed in 2000. Thus, today the Assumption Cathedral repeats an exact copy of the cathedral of the 11th century.

This cathedral is famous for its altar, with an absolutely wonderful iconostasis, 25 meters long and 22.5 meters high. There are several world-famous temple icons here, namely the icons of the Mother of God, Jesus Christ, and the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. There are about 69 icons in total.

Great Lavra Bell Tower

There are also other very interesting buildings on Cathedral Square. Here is the residence of the metropolitans who lived here until 1918 and the Church of the Annunciation. Now the residence building houses a museum dedicated to Ukrainian decorative and applied arts.

Next to the metropolitans' chambers there is a small building consisting of 2 floors. Previously, there was a refectory on this site, built at the end of the 19th century in the ecliptic style. Not far from the refectory, the Refectory Church was built, which today is not only a museum, but also a functioning church. This church is considered one of the latest buildings and is a large octagon-shaped room. The temple contains a very beautiful marble iconostasis and an icon of Anthony Theodosius of Pechersk.

All Saints Church

Another unique place of the national reserve is the main Lavra Bell Tower, the construction of which lasted from 1731 to 1745. The height of the bell tower is about 96 meters, the depth of the granite foundation is approximately eight meters, the thickness of the walls is seven meters, and the diameter is about 29 meters. The bell tower consists of four tiers, decorated in their own way. The huge dome of the bell tower has an area of ​​more than five hundred square meters, and the construction is completed by a cross, whose height is four and a half meters. In December 1903, a chiming clock was installed on the fourth tier of the bell tower, weighing 4.5 tons. The second tier housed the public library. The bell tower at one time was the tallest building in the city of Kyiv. From here you can really enjoy the view of part of the city, located on the left bank and, of course, the entire Lavra.

Church of the Savior on Berestov

Caves of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra

The man-made caves: Near and Far are considered a unique phenomenon of the reserve. This is the main attraction where the relics of the Lavra saints rest. In front of the entrance to the caves there is the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross, which has retained its original appearance to this day. Six small underground churches have been preserved in the caves of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. The total length of the caves and underground labyrinths is more than 500 m, the height is two meters, the width is more than one meter, and the depth at which they are located is from five to twenty meters. In the eighteenth century, the caves were fortified against collapses and were painted. There are iconostases made of gilded copper, and holy relics are kept in the tombs.

Return