Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. Opening of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra: how it happened

The Russian-Ukrainian church dispute has moved from the purely spiritual to the property sphere.

Speaking on July 31, 2018 on the “Direct” TV channel, the head of the UOC of the Kiev Patriarchate, Filaret, said that after the recognition of the unified Ukrainian Orthodox Church, both the Kiev Pechersk and Pochaev Lavra will be transferred to it, reports UKROP with reference to Vesti-UA.

“The Moscow Patriarchate does not have any property in Ukraine. Take, for example, Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, Pochaev Lavra – whose property is it? Property of the Ukrainian state. And the state transferred its property for use to the Ukrainian Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. But when the Ukrainian Church is recognized here, the Lavra - both one and the other - will be transferred to the Ukrainian Church,” explained Patriarch Filaret.

The answer to Patriarch Filaret on behalf of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate was given by the press secretary of this organization Vasily Anisimov: “Filaret, excommunicated from the church for numerous church crimes, can only dispose of the property that they, schismatics, themselves created - for example, a temple somewhere built." “Filaret’s statements are completely absurd and ridiculous from a legal point of view,” said Anisimov, and to prove the rights of the Moscow Patriarchate to real estate in Kiev, he resorted to analogies: “Each property has its own history, this is a legal term, and everyone knows perfectly well that if your the house was taken away and you were moved in, then this house will later be returned to your son, but not to everyone who wants to receive it. And what does autocephaly have to do with it anyway?”

Autocephaly undoubtedly has something to do with it, because if we consider the Kiev Pechersk Lavra not only as an Orthodox shrine and object cultural heritage, and as real estate, it is owned by the state of Ukraine, which has the right to dispose of its property, including transferring it for use to one or another organization. And Vasily Semenovich was in vain to remember about history, since the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra was created in 1051, and the town of Moskov was first briefly mentioned in the Ipatiev Chronicle in 1147, that is, almost a century later. So it is better for representatives of the Moscow Patriarchate not to touch history in this real estate dispute.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew the First, whose tomos Peter Alekseevich waited in vain, is an adult (78 years old) and seasoned man. He has complex relations with Moscow, since he has more than once taken an anti-Moscow position in the situation with the Estonian Orthodox Church, and in relation to the concept dear to the Kremlin’s heart, “Moscow is the third Rome,” which Bartholomew the First called “theologically untenable.” But the Ecumenical Patriarch clearly does not intend to quarrel with Gundyaev, or rather, with Putin. So Ukraine should not expect the coveted tomos of autocephaly in the near future.

Judging by polls by sociologists from the SOCIS service, 31.7% of Ukrainian citizens are in favor of autocephaly for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 20.7% are against it, 18.8% know nothing about it, and the rest found it difficult to answer. Ukraine, unlike Russia, is not an authoritarian state and there is no unity of opinion here, and there never will be. Therefore, Ukrainian politicians have a difficult choice regarding the church war. Since its continuation does not promise a quick victory, and it is also impossible to completely surrender the “church front”.

For Putin, this church war is beneficial in any case. When it worsens, he turns on his information tools at full power, which will shout to the whole world about the infringement of the rights of believers by the Bandera regime. If Kyiv retreats, the influence of Gundyaev’s fifth column will grow in Ukraine. Ideally, Ukraine's European choice should be accompanied by strengthening the secular nature of the state and a gradual decrease in the influence of any church on society. Unfortunately, during the war, the process of secularization of society is slowed down, so no changes are expected on the Russian-Ukrainian church front in the near future.

The Church, which for a long time did not have support from the state, has begun to receive it in recent years. And receive it in abundance. This situation has hit state museums hard, which are almost forcibly evicted from former places of worship and monastery buildings in many cities. It is easy to verify this by following the development of the conflict between the National Kiev-Pechersk Historical and Cultural Reserve and the church community “Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra”.

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) wants to get the entire Lavra at its disposal as quickly as possible. But many questions arise. And the main ones are: is there an urgent need for the transfer of the entire Kiev- Pechersk Lavra church community? Will this be beneficial to society? Will this harm the museum business? Why should there be a Theological Academy and Seminary on the territory of the Lavra, which have never been here before?

In the Slavic world, the Lavra is widely known as one of the most ancient Orthodox monasteries. It spreads over an area of 23 hectares and has 144 objects, of which 120 are architectural and historical monuments. Only 17% of all premises are used by the Reserve, 41% are owned by church organizations and 42% are occupied by other tenants. The majority of the latter belong to the departments of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Ukraine.

THE ROOTS OF THE CONFLICT

In connection with the 1000th anniversary of the adoption of Christianity in Rus', by resolutions of the Council of Ministers of Ukraine in 1988-1990, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church) was transferred for free use (and only for use. - Aut.) land, with buildings on the Far and Near caves. At the same time, the church agreed to complete, at its own expense, restoration work carried out by government organizations, and to continue to maintain in good condition architectural monuments and ancient caves. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church organized a new church community on the received territory, “Kievo-Pechersk Holy Dormition Lavra”, which currently considers itself the legal successor of the old Lavra community, although it has no grounds for this. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate also claimed the right to the Lavra. There is a conflict between different faiths over the ownership of the ancient shrine, into which the National Historical and Cultural Reserve has become involved.

Having secured the support of individual government officials, the Lavra monks have carried out a number of illegal seizures of museum buildings in recent years. All this happened at night, according to a clearly planned scenario and with the blessing of the abbot of the monastery. Having barricaded themselves from the inside, the church “raiders” no longer allowed anyone into these buildings. The police, called by the museum workers, did not even try to restore the rule of law.

On the eve of the 2004 presidential elections in Ukraine, the struggle between candidates for votes intensified significantly. Here we remembered again about the church, about its influence on the electorate. They did not skimp on promises. One “Orthodox candidate” promised to transfer the entire territory of the Lavra to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (MP), and the second - probably the religious buildings of the National Reserve “Sophia of Kiev” to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (KP). Museum complexes have essentially become hostages political struggle between contenders for the post of President of Ukraine. All this contributed to the division of the Ukrainian people not only along regional and linguistic lines, but also along religious lines. The Lavra was also prepared with an expensive gift - a huge bell, which was brought and thrown on the museum grounds near the Great Lavra Bell Tower. This came as a surprise to museum staff. He probably should have given his vote on the day of the inauguration of the new President. Who gave permission for its import, and even more so who will give the go-ahead for its installation, is still a mystery. So he has been standing alone on earth for two years now. The Tsar Cannon is probably waiting. Let's hope that there will be no problems with it, because the cap has already been donated.

TO BE OR NOT TO BE A MUSEUM?

With the loss of one “Orthodox candidate” in presidential elections The tactics of the Lavra monks changed. She became expectant. With the election of Viktor Yanukovych to the post of Prime Minister of Ukraine, the situation between the National Nature Reserve and the church community began to change sharply for the worse. On August 9, 2006, Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev signed and sent to the Prime Minister the proposals of the vicar of the Lavra, Archbishop Paul, to resolve the problems of the functioning of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve. All these proposals boiled down to one thing - the liquidation of state museums and the transfer of almost the entire territory of the Upper Lavra, together with the museum collections of the reserve, to the disposal of the monastery. In response there were timid protests from a number of public organizations, individual people's deputies and museum workers. However, this was just a voice crying in the wilderness. The state apparatus, having received the necessary instructions from above, will work, sadly, in the interests of the church, and not museum organizations.

Subsequent events only confirmed the assumptions. On September 28, a meeting of the City Council was held, at which an unexpected decision was considered and made to transfer three buildings under the operational management of the National Nature Reserve to the management of the existing church community. Until 1917, they housed hotels for pilgrims, and not cells, as was announced at the meeting. This happened on the eve of the 80th anniversary of the Reserve (September 29) and allegedly at his request. Such a gift from the Kyiv authorities to the state museum. There was no agreement from the latter on the issue of transfer, just as his representatives were not present at the meeting. But the issue was still voted on, although legally the Kyiv City Council did not have the right to do so. 154 employees and the scientific library of the Reserve may be on the street. This meeting was preceded by attacks in the press on the museum, whose activities were presented in a negative way.

The monastery's massive attack on museums did not end there. Speeches on radio and television followed, and appeals to the President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko and Moscow Patriarch Alexy. The so-called “Days of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra in Paris” and the visit to the UNESCO office by Metropolitan Vladimir were indicative. Of course, these events could not have happened without the help of government agencies. Such support for museums! That would be great! On the other hand, one can only welcome the holding of such days by the Orthodox Church in a Catholic country, which greeted the delegation very kindly, completely different from how the “Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra” met the Pope in Kiev. There is hope that the time will come when Christianity will become united again. And in this matter we need to start with ourselves, with the unification of Ukrainian churches into a single one, otherwise we will soon have several religious buildings of the same name on the same street, the priests and parishioners of which will be at enmity with each other. Church leaders must, in the end, realize that it was the church that tore Ukraine apart in 1596 and continues to tear it apart today, to the delight of its ill-wishers.

Alas, the same processes take place in the church as in society. You may continue to ignore the church business, but it really exists and is rapidly developing. Separate from the state. This is probably the main problem of the intense struggle for premises in the Lavra. You are convinced of this by carefully reading the proposals of the governor of the “Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra”. They well calculate how many dollars can be obtained for renting out the Lavra buildings on the upper territory. And this is a reproach to the National Nature Reserve. But government organizations renting premises in the Lavra can pay exactly as much as they are allocated money for this from the country’s state budget. Proposing to evict museums from the Lavra, and this is practically tantamount to the destruction of museums, Archbishop Pavel is not against leaving the technical staff of the National Reserve and the State Service for the Protection of National Cultural Heritage in it. As they say, kill all birds with one stone. That is, by placing the entire burden of preserving architectural monuments and communications on the state, receiving maximum income from the exploitation of the entire monastery.

Constant statements by representatives of the monastery that they can better preserve architectural monuments than the Reserve are without foundation. The economic activity of the monks in the lower territory confirms this. Reducing ancient caves to collapse, illegal construction in a protected area, destruction of paintings in the Annozachatyevskaya Church and many others negative phenomena should have been the subject of serious discussion by monument protection authorities. However... everything happens the other way around. The state directly began to finance repair work in the monastery, although this is prohibited by law. Religious organization, according to standard contract, approved by Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated October 29, 2003 No. 1699, is obliged to ensure the safety of religious buildings and their ongoing repairs. If monuments are kept in poor condition, the contract may be terminated unilaterally by the state organization. However, it is very difficult to apply such measures in practice, although, in some cases, it is necessary.

Actions by authorities that do not protect the interests of museums demoralize their workers. They lose confidence in their necessity and in the future. Yes, perhaps they have not done everything to preserve cultural heritage as they would like, but there is something for it objective reasons. To say that there are no problems in the reserve would be a lie. They have practically lost the function of protecting monuments and protected areas transferred to the church community, because many issues of joint coexistence on the same territory of the museum and the church have not been fully resolved by law. It so happened that the management of the National Nature Reserve is not able to fully implement its statutory provisions. This is the fault not only of the Directorate of the Reserve, but also of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, which pays little attention to the activities of this museum institution. The Decree of the President of Ukraine dated March 13, 1996 on granting the Kiev-Pechersk Nature Reserve national status (clause 2) provided for the approval by the Cabinet of Ministers of the personal composition of the supervisory board. However, such a council, which would be obliged to control the actions of the general director and help him in preserving the unique architectural ensemble and its proper use, does not operate now.

In recent days, someone has been persistently spreading rumors about the preparation of a resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers on the closure of the National Nature Reserve and all museums on the territory of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra and its transfer entirely to the church community.

I would like to hope that common sense will still prevail, because we should all have the same goal - to preserve the unique ensemble of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra for future generations. And it is possible. And for this it is necessary to reorganize the Reserve, resettle most of the tenants, restore monuments and underground communications, approve the concept further development museum complex on the same territory with the existing church community, the deployment of a new network of its own exhibitions and museums.

The national reserve must be preserved! This is in the interests of the entire Ukrainian society. It is it that can, and is obliged, to ensure the safety of the entire architectural complex of the ancient Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, included in the UNESCO lists of world cultural heritage, with the full support of the state and the church.

1) Its place among other Russian monasteries and its significance in the history of the Russian church and the Russian people. The Kiev Pechersk Lavra, rightly, occupies an outstanding place among all monastic monasteries Orthodox Russia. This position was created not only on the basis of historical tradition, but also on the actual significance that this monastery had in the history of Russia. The Kiev-Pechersk Lavra undoubtedly belongs to the palm among all Russian monasteries that existed, before and now exist, not only because it was truly the first truly Russian folk monastery (in the proper sense of the word) in Russia, according to the time of its origin, but also in terms of the amount of spiritual benefit that it brought to the Russian people and which immeasurably exceeds the merits of all other later Russian monasteries for the benefit of the Russian people and state. True, our later monasteries undoubtedly served their great service for the Russian people. But they all worked, so to speak, on a field that was already partly cultivated, or, according to at least, significantly cleared of weeds. The founders of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra were the first warriors on the great Russian field, the first workers in the field of spiritual education and upbringing of the Russian people in the broadest, even all-embracing sense of this expression. The later monasteries, even those who, by the will of God, were ordered to work in the uninhabited countries of great Russia, among impenetrable swamps and forests, already had before them a ready-made model in the form of the ascetic life and activities of the original Russian monastery - the Kiev Pechersk Lavra . This one example greatly facilitated their work, especially in moral terms. Merits and glory of Kiev Pechersky Monastery inspired the later Russian monks in their high service to society, aroused and strengthened their energy, illuminated the path for them to achieve the high goal of their calling. Particularly remarkable is the comprehensiveness of the feat and service with which the Kiev Pechersk Lavra acquired the palm in all respects among Russian monastic monasteries and created its glory. All later monasteries became famous for their activities primarily in one particular field: either teaching, or educational, or missionary, or church-political, and the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, especially in the first period of its existence, was equally famous in all these respects. It was then the true focus of Christian educational activity among the Russian people, the center of all Russian Christian education. The Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, with the radiance of high moral deeds revealed to the Russian people by its first monks, provided powerful assistance to the Christian sun that rose over the Russian land under St. book Vladimir, to dispel that fog, that darkness that then surrounded the Russian land, illuminated so far only on its peaks. Thanks to its exceptional position among Russian monastic monasteries and significance, the Kiev Pechersk Lavra made a deep and irresistible impression not only on the contemporaries of its origin, but also on their distant descendants. That greatest power of the human spirit, which the first Russian monks, the best representatives of Holy Rus' in all respects, showed to the world, in the underground, cave Kiev monastery, irresistibly attracted and now attracts hundreds of thousands of Russian people to the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra to worship its numerous and wonderful shrines. This power did not diminish or weaken in the least even at a time when the appearance of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra had temporarily lost its original beauty, when the monastery churches and walls lay in ruins, when the Lavra itself, together with Kiev and all of Western Russia, was under alien dominion. On the contrary, during the period of alien rule in South-Western Rus' (first Tatar-Mongol, and then Polish-Lithuanian), the glory and power of moral charm of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra shone for the Russian people even brighter and stronger than before: then it was the true focus in which the best and strongest rays of Russian folk faith, morality and education merged. And now the Kiev Pechersk Lavra is the most glorious and beloved among all Russian monastic monasteries a place of pilgrimage for our pious Russian people. Kyiv is its own high value“Russian Jerusalem” has in the eyes of the Russian people thanks to the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra and its shrines.

2) Foundation and initial structure of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. The foundation of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra was laid in the middle of the 11th century. Rev. Anthony. He was a native of the city (now town) Lyubech, Chernigov region. Having gone to the Orthodox East, he visited Mount Athos, in one of the monasteries of which he took monastic vows. Upon returning to Russia, Rev. Anthony planned to found his monastery and chose a place for it 3 versts from the (then) city of Kyiv downstream of the river. Dnieper on its high bank. Here he first settled alone in a cave, which Hilarion, the priest of the neighboring grand-ducal village of Berestova, dug for himself and which remained free after Hilarion’s election in 1051 as Metropolitan of Kyiv. Glory to the exploits of St. Antonia spread among the surrounding population, and people began to gather to him, looking for places for solitary exploits. Among others, to Rev. St. Anthony appeared (about 1055–1056). Theodosius, who became the real organizer of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. Rev. Theodosius was born in the city of Vasilevo (now Vasilkov), Kyiv region. When he was still young, his parents moved to Kursk, where Rev. Theodosius spent his childhood and youth. After the death of his father, Theodosius remained in the care of his mother, who dearly loved her son and wanted to see him as the heir to his father's estate. But the reverend himself Theodosius, by natural disposition, sought to withdraw from the world. His several attempts to escape from under his parents' shelter to Kyiv were warned and upset by his mother. But in the end, Rev. Theodosius still managed to secretly leave for Kyiv. Here he appeared to Rev. Anthony, who, after a short hesitation (due to the special youth of the person who asked), accepted him into his brotherhood. Meanwhile, the reverend himself. Anthony, who always strived for solitude and a contemplative ascetic life, left the original cave, which took the form of an underground cave monastery, and retired to the nearest mountain, where he dug a new cave for himself. Soon a new small monastic brotherhood was formed around it, which led an ascetic life in caves now known as neighbors, or Antonievs caves Over the former brotherhood, which remained in the caves in which the venerable man originally labored. Anthony and who are now known by the name distant or Feodosievs caves, Rev. Anthony appointed Varlaam abbot. When was this last one taken? book Izyaslav as abbot for the Dimitrievsky monastery he founded, the cave brotherhood elected, with the consent of the Rev. Anthony, by his abbot, Rev. Feodosia. At this time there were only 20 monks in the monastery, who, by origin, belonged mainly to upper classes Russian society. Rev. Theodosius began to accept into the monastery all Russian people in general, not excluding ordinary ones, under the condition of their sincere disposition towards monastic life, and soon gathered up to 100 monks. Rev. Theodosius introduced a strict charter in his monastery, modeled on the Greek so-called. Studio. Rev. Theodosius, with the blessing of Rev. Anthony and with the permission of the leader. book Izyaslav, moved the monastery to a nearby mountain, to the place where it is now located. The Monks Anthony and Theodosius expressed their last concerns about the improvement of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra by laying the stone church in the name of the Dormition of the Most Holy One in 1073. Mother of God. The Venerable died in 1073. Anthony, and on May 3, 1074 the Rev. died. Feodosius. The structure of the great monastery church was continued by the successors of Rev. Theodosius - hegumens of Pechersk: Stefan, Nikon and John. It was built by Greek craftsmen, who brought with them the icon of the Assumption Mother of God, which still constitutes the greatest shrine Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. In 1077 the church was ready in rough form and remained in this form until 1083. In this last year Greek masters appeared and began decorating the church with mosaics, frescoes and icons. The Russian student of the Greek masters, Rev., also took part in the painting of icons for the great Lavra church. Alypius icon painter. By 1889, the church was completely finished and on August 14 of the same year it was consecrated by Metropolitan John of Kyiv. With consecration great church, the initial structure of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra ended.

3) Brief outline of the history of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. During its centuries-long, more than eight-hundred-year existence, the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, which shared the common historical fate of the Russian church and the Russian people, underwent many important changes, as a result of which its current state emerged. From this side, the history of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra can be divided into the following periods: 1st) 1089–1240, 2nd) 1240–1362, 3rd) 1362–1687, 4th) 1687 –1786 and 5) 1786 to the present. 1) During the first period of its existence, the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, being under the protection of the great princes and enjoying the love of the entire Russian people, continued to develop internally and with outside grow and strengthen. It is not known exactly when and under what circumstances (according to the tradition of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra itself, it was led by Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky and at his initiative), it already at that time acquired the rights of patriarchal stauropegy and the name of the Lavra, and its abbots acquired the title of archimandrites . At the same time, partly through purchase, but mainly through voluntary donations from princes and other benefactors, the Kiev Pechersk Lavra acquired large real estate estates and other extensive facilities . The abundance of funds gave her the full opportunity to show extensive public charity and at the same time get a job herself. After 1106, the former Chernigov prince Nicholas the Svyatoshey, who took monastic vows at the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, built a hospital monastery with a church in the name of the Most Holy. Trinity; in 1108 a stone meal was arranged in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra; in the second half of the 12th century. the monastery was surrounded by a stone wall. In addition, in 1109, in the graveyard of the great church at its southwestern corner, the body of Princess Eupraxia, daughter of V., was buried. K. Vsevolod Yaroslavich, and a chapel was built over her ashes. But at the same time, the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, sharing the fate of Kyiv, was subjected to disasters and devastation as a result of internecine wars of Russian princes, or attacks of foreign enemies. So, for example, on June 20, 1096, the Polovtsians invaded the monastery, robbed the church and monastery. In 1240, Batu completely destroyed the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, turning the monastery into ruins. Some people think that after Batu’s pogrom, only the walls of the great church, the small Church of the Baptist, attached to it, and the Trinity Church on the holy gates survived. 2) During the next period (1240–1362), the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra was, it seems, all the time, in desolation, just as Kyiv itself was deserted at that time. The Pechersk monks lived in the surrounding forests and caves, gathering in the monastery only to listen to the service, which was performed in the small surviving church of the monastery. 3) With the transition of Kiev and with it the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra under the rule of first the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, and then, after the unification of Lithuania with Poland in 1386, the Polish kings, the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra began to gradually recover, rebuild and restore its former internal, and external device. The gradual restoration of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra took place amid many unfavorable conditions. Its destruction by the Tatars continued, for example, in 1399 and 1416. In 1470, the great church of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra was restored from ruins by the governor of Kiev, Prince S. A. Olelkovich, and in 1480, Prince. Yu. S. Golshansky confirmed the rights of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra to own some lands with a letter of grant. The Kiev Pechersk Lavra began to settle down, but not for long. On September 1, 1482, the Tatar Khan Mengli-girey ravaged Kyiv and with it the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, which after that was deserted again. In the 16th century, thanks to the emergence of the Cossacks in the south of Russia, which took the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra under their protection, the latter again began to gradually, albeit slowly, recover and settle down. Her financial situation, especially with the abundant sacrifices in her favor from various benefactors from among Western Russian zealots of Orthodoxy, was at that time, one might say, even satisfactory. Most of all she now suffered from arbitrariness and interference in her internal affairs on the part of the Polish kings and the Polish government in general. For this reason, a wide field opened up for all sorts of searches, intrigues and struggles over the lucrative archimandrite’s place in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra on the part of various nobles who were looking for this rank, attracted not by an internal disposition to monasticism or a desire to work for the benefit of the monastery, but exclusively by “ spiritual bread,” that is, its wealth. That is why among the archimandrites of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra in the 16th century. Sometimes unworthy persons began to appear, causing various disturbances in the monastery. WITH late XVI c., when church union was introduced in Western Russia, intensified attempts by the Latin-Uniate party began to attract the Kiev Pechersk Lavra to the side of the union. Fortunately, at the same time, outstanding zealots and fighters for Orthodoxy appeared at the archimandrite site of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra (for example, Elisha Pletenetsky, Zechariah Kopystensky, Peter Mogila, etc.). thanks to which the Kiev Pechersk Lavra is now one of the main lamps and strongholds of Orthodoxy in Western Rus' and the center of the struggle for the Russian faith and people. This direction of activity of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra was due to the emergence of educational institutions in it in the form of a printing house, school, etc., as well as the revival of book publishing, which had a polemical character. Important for the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra in its struggle for its independence and for the fact that all this time it was a stauropegian patriarch, that is, it was under the protection of the Patriarch of Constantinople. Since 1654, i.e. since the annexation of Little Russia to the Moscow state, the beginning of a new direction in the life and activities of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra has been marked. She, in the person of her archimandrites, is now beginning to take an active part in the church-political life of Kyiv and the entire South-Western region, which was gradually passing practically and legally under Russian rule. Following the subordination of the Kiev Metropolis to the Moscow Patriarch and the annexation of Kiev to Russia (in 1685–1686), the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra was made (in 1868) the stauropegy of the Moscow Patriarch and then the new life of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra began.

4) Exactly for a century (1687–1786) she lives under the control of her archimandrites, elected (with rare exceptions, for example, Joseph of Orange) by the brethren, and under the supreme authority of first the Moscow Patriarch and his locum tenens, and then the Holy Synod . Despite the fact that at this time she had to endure several devastating fires, especially the fire of 1718, when all the churches and buildings (except for the Trinity Church on the Holy Gate), ancient letters, jewelry, a rich library and its archives became victims of fire , – despite this, the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra during the 18th century. updated, furnished, decorated and significantly increased its property and funds. 5) In 1786, the Kiev Pechersk Lavra was brought to a regular position, when many of its estates were taken into the treasury, and placed under the control of the Kiev Metropolitan, who received the title of Hierarchimandrite of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. From that time on, a new period began in the history of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, which continues to this day, and now, despite a significant reduction in funds due to the confiscation of property for the treasury, the pious zeal of the sovereigns and the reverent respect of the entire Orthodox Russian people for the Lavra shrine make it possible for the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra to Pechersk Lavra to maintain the external splendor and well-being of the glorious monastery at a level corresponding to its great historical significance.

4) Temples of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra and their shrines.

AND) Cathedral, or great church. It was built, under circumstances already known to us, by Greek craftsmen in the Byzantine style of the 11th century. In 1470 and 1722–1729 it was renewed, and although its original plan was retained, the facade underwent changes, especially the cornices, pediments and domes on the domes. At the same and other times, extensions were made to the original church on its northern and southern sides. Recently, the church was completely renovated - in 1879–1880, outside, and in the 1890s, inside. In addition to the main Assumption altar, there are also chapels: a) below: 1) Mikhailovsky, 2) Theological, 3) Trekhsvyatitelsky, 4) Stefanovsky, 5) Predtechensky (in the northwestern corner); b) at the top: 1) Andreevsky, 2) Ireobrazhensky, 3) Antonievsky and 4) Feodosievsky. The most important shrine of the great church and the Kiev Pechersk Lavra in general is miraculous icon Dormition of the Mother of God, located above the royal doors. In the great church of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra there are: an icon of the Most Holy. Mother of God, called Igorevskaya, since the prince prayed before her. Igor Olegovich before his murder by the people of Kiev in 1147, and St. relics in special crayfish: St. book Vladimir (chapter), St. Metropolitan Mikhail, Rev. Theodosius (under cover), all the Pechersk saints (particles) and Archdeacon Stefan; Under the floor in the Stefanovsky chapel lies the incorrupt body of Metropolitan. Tobolsk Pavel (Konyuskevich), and under the floor of the main (middle) church were buried the bodies of some archimandrites of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra and princes - its patrons; The bodies of many archimandrites and other eminent people were also buried in the graveyard near the church.

II) Refectory in the name of St. Anthony and Theodosius Church, located next to the great church, according to right side it was built in 1893–1895 on the site of the Peter and Paul Church, originally built in the pre-Mongol period and restored in 1720. The refectory Anthony-Feodosievskaya Church was recently painted inside with artistic painting. III) Annunciation Church at the Metropolitan House, construction began in 1904 and completed in 1905. It was built at the expense of Metropolitan Flavius on the site of the previous one, which was built in 1840 in a single-tier building adjacent to the abbot’s house, which until that time served as the main dining room in big holidays Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. Newly built Blagoveshch. the church, which at the same time replaced the Church of the Cross, which was located in the metropolitan house itself, consists of two floors and a choir, in which the following 4 altars are arranged: 1) the main one, on the second floor, in honor of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, consecrated on October 30, 1905; 2) on the lower floor, - in the name of St. Michael, the first Metropolitan of Kiev, was consecrated on November 1, 1905; 3) on the choir on the right - in the name of St. Flavian, Patriarch of Constantinople, consecrated 2 in 1905, and 4) on the choir on the left - in the name of St. Mitrofan, the first Bishop of Voronezh, consecrated on November 4, 1905 IV) Trinity Church on the holy gates, built in the pre-Mongol period and renewed by Hetman I. S. Mazepa at the end of the 17th century; The iconography of this church is especially remarkable, representing an interesting monument to South Russian church painting from the very beginning of the 18th century. V) Nicholas Church in the so-called the hospital monastery, located in the northwestern corner of the Lavra estate and founded in the pre-Mongol period; the church itself was built in the 18th century; it contains revered icons of St. Nicholas and the Great Martyr. Barbarians of ancient writing. VI) Hospital Church in the Name of the Icon of the Mother of God: “Quench My Sorrows” located above the above-mentioned St. Nicholas Church and was built in 1861 on the second floor of a large building built in 1860 VII) Church in the name of all saints, so-called. economic gate The Kiev Pechersk Lavra was built in 1698 by Hetman I. S. Mazepa. VIII) Church in the name of the icon of the Mother of God of All Who Sorrow, Joy of All Who Sorrow built in 1865 on the top floor of the stone building of the hospital for strangers, which is located outside the fence of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, in the courtyard. IX) Church of the Exaltation of the Cross above the entrance to the nearby caves of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra was built in 1700 X) Church in the name of all Pechersk saints, built in 1839 at the end of the gallery leading to the above-mentioned Church of the Exaltation of the Cross. XI) Sretenskaya Church, wooden, at the cell of the guardian of the nearby caves, built in 1854 XII, XIII and XIV) Anthony, Vvedenskaya and Varlamovskaya churches, located underground in nearby caves, and the first two of them were built in the pre-Mongol period, and the last in 1691 by the Kyiv Metropolitan Varlaam Yasinsky, the former archimandrite of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. XV) Nativity of the Virgin Mary Church, built in 1696 by the Kyiv colonel Konstantin Mokievsky, on the top of a hill, near the distant caves, on the site of a former wooden one, built in the pre-Mongol period. XVI) Church of the Conception of St. Anna, built in 1809–1811 above the entrance to the distant caves, on the site of the former Church of the Conception, built in 1679 XVII, XVIII and XIX) Annunciation, Nativity and Theodosius churches, built, probably, back in the pre-Mongol period (this is undoubtedly known about the Annunciation Church).

Caves of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. The greatest landmark of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, reverently revered by the Russian people, thanks to the saints who rest here. the relics of the Pechersk saints are made up of its caves - neighbors And distant. We know their origin. The Kyiv caves are arranged like a labyrinth, so diverse and complex that it is very difficult for a person unfamiliar with their location to find a way out of them without an experienced guide. These caves are not the work of nature, but the work of the ancient Pechersk ascetics, whose bodies rest here incorruptible for several centuries. Since ancient times, the Kyiv caves have made an irresistibly strong impression on their visitors. Therefore, they were often the subject of heated polemics between Orthodox and Latin Uniates. The main subject of controversy was the incorruption of the relics located in the Kyiv caves. “The quality of the soil is not the reason for this,” Orthodox polemicists of the 17th century usually argued, “other bodies placed there turned to dust, but the Pechersk saints were awarded incorruption for the holiness of their lives and special love for God.” Started by Rev. Anthony and Theodosius, cave asceticism continued after them for several centuries. The Pechersk ascetics were by no means “cave people,” as others think. On the contrary, the Pechersk ascetics were bearers and embodiments of the principles of the highest moral perfection, exponents of the victory of the spirit over the flesh. Cave asceticism was by no means idleness; on the contrary, it was the expression and fruit of the highest tension of a strong, high and pure religious and moral life activity, the content of which was: constant prayer, strict fast, exhausting physical labor and a continuous struggle of the spirit with evil and passions. Since ancient times, when the Kiev Pechersk Monastery was brought to the surface of the earth and moved to its present place, the Kyiv caves became a cemetery for monks. For eight centuries, due to earthquakes and other reasons, the Kyiv caves were subjected to the destruction of Russian kings and queens, emperors, Little Russian hetmans, Russian nobles and clergy. Here many precious gospels, crosses, chalices, panagias, sakkos, vestments, mitres, bishop's staffs and other things are collected and kept in exemplary order. The most ancient things in the Lavra sacristy are a handwritten gospel and censers from the 16th century, and all other things date back to the 17th and 18th centuries.

5) Printing house of Kiev Pechersk Lavra. In a special building located to the east of the great Lavra church, directly opposite its altar, and built in 1720, there is a printing house of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, which represents one of the most important organs of a wonderful and highly beneficial for the entire Russian Orthodox people and even for all Orthodox people in general Christianity educational activities of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. This printing house was established by Archimandrite Elisha Pletenetsky (1595–1624), who acquired the Stryatino printing house left after the death of the nobleman Theodore Balaban († May 24, 1606). The question of the beginning of book printing in the printing house of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra is hitherto piety and church rule.” This lofty goal was achieved by the printing house of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra through the printing and distribution among the Orthodox people of some of the polemical works that defended Orthodox faith from various accusations and attacks on her from the Latin Uniates, in Polish, which was then the state language in the region, and in the Old Russian languages, for the most part and predominantly church liturgical books and patristic works, which provided the Orthodox people with healthy and pure spiritual food and confirmed him in piety. The printing house of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra predominantly pursued and implemented this lofty goal from the beginning of its existence until 1688, and during all this time it, together with the Lavra itself, was under the blessing of the Patriarch of Constantinople and under the influence (until 1654 actual and until 1686 . only legal) rights and laws of the Polish-Lithuanian state. From the end of the 17th century. and during the 18th century. The educational activities of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra printing house were expressed in the printing and distribution among the Orthodox Russian people mainly and even almost exclusively of church liturgical books in Slavic and partly in Greek and other foreign languages. During all this time, the printing house of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, being under the direct control of the archimandrites with their “capitula”, or later the spiritual council, independent of the Kiev metropolitans, was “under the blessing” and management first of the Moscow patriarchs, and then, from 1721, of St. Synod, who especially carefully monitored that the printing house of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra “did not print any books other than the previous church editions, and these latter were printed in perfect agreement with the Great Russian and Moscow models.” This guardianship, it must be said, greatly and unnecessarily constrained the printing house of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. The printing house of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra was in this position until 1786. Having become on April 10, 1786, together with the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, under the authority of the Kiev metropolitans, who now received the title of holy archimandrites of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, its printing house already in the next 1787 received the important right to print, in addition to Slavic church liturgical books, various works in Russian and other various foreign languages. This right, which was actually expressed in the discovery of the so-called. academic printing house at the printing house of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, brought a significant revival to the activities of the Lavra printing house. Since that time, under high patronage and strong defense its sacred archimandrites, the printing house of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra began to gradually expand and improve in all respects until it reached its present state. Now the printing house of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra occupies a rather spacious 2 1/2-story building (two floors along the facade, from the great church, and three floors from the Dnieper side), in the lower floor of which there is a steam engine, which provides heating for the entire building and drives the machines , printing and lathe machines, in the middle - several (7) improved speed printing machines and hand presses, and in the top - a drying machine, lithography, chromolithography and woodcut printing. And now the printing house of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra prints mainly church and liturgical books, which are used by a significant part of the churches of our fatherland and the entire Orthodox Slavic world, as well as books of Holy Scripture, church history, moralizing and partly teaching aids. The Kiev Pechersk Lavra donates a considerable part of its products, which in terms of the beauty of the font, the elegance of the decoration and the goodness of the paper are equal to the publications of our best printing houses and even surpass them, to the poor churches not only in Russia, but also in Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, Mount Athos and etc.

6) Library and archive of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. To the southwest of the great church of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra there is a large, tall and beautiful building representing the main bell tower of the Lavra. The bell tower of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra was built in 1731–1745. designed by the architect Shayden. Its height with the cross is 46 fathoms. On the outside it is decorated with columns of various architectural orders: Doric, Ionic and Corinthian. Inside, the bell tower consists of several tiers. The upper tiers are occupied by bells. The archives of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra are now located in the lowest tier. The files stored in this archive only begin in 1718. Earlier files were lost in a fire and only a few ancient documents survived, mainly in the form of copies. The archive is divided into several departments and is in order. In one of the middle tiers of the bell tower of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, which is a rather spacious and bright room, there is now library Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, moved here relatively recently from the choir of the great church, where it was previously located. The library of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra has a relatively new collection. Its ancient collection of books apparently perished in a fire in 1718. The current library, formed mainly according to the wills of the abbots, the learned brethren of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra and some third-party donors, consists of a fairly significant number of printed books and manuscripts. All manuscripts in the library of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra now number up to 429 nos. They came here partly from branch libraries that existed at the monasteries - the hospital, near and far caves and that survived the fire of 1718, but for the most part they were written after this year. According to the language of the manuscripts, the libraries of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra are divided into Slavic-Russian (276), Latin (133), Polish (4) and Greek (2), according to the material - into parchment (3) and paper (412), according to the time of writing - on a 14th century manuscript. (2), XV century. (5), XVI century. (up to 40) and others of the 18th and 19th centuries, in content - related to the Holy. Scripture, its interpretation and biblical history (18), to liturgics and canon law (66), to basic theology and philosophy (47), to dogmatic theology, moral teaching and asceticism (64), to accusatory and comparative theology (17), to patristics (74)', to preaching (11), to verbal sciences (43), to grammar and linguistics (3), to civil and church history, universal and Russian (65) and to spiritual education(9). The printed and handwritten collection of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra library has written catalogues; in addition, there is a printed description of the manuscripts (Prof. N.I. Petrova), and for printed books a printed catalog. In 1908, the first volume of the systematic catalog of books in the library of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra compiled by the current librarian of the Lavra, Abbot Mikhail (??) Styansky, was published. The first volume of the catalog contains 4,294 titles of books with theological content. In 1909, the Lavra library was significantly and significantly enriched, thanks to the fact that the highly Flavian, Metropolitan of Kiev, Holy Archimandrite of the Lavra, donated his extensive and valuable (??) collection to the Lavra. This latest collection contains over 8,298 (??) and 15,088 volumes of books of theological, church history, historical, literary, legal, philosophical and pedagogical content. This cathedral has very valuable publications, such as Polyglot, patrolology, etc. It has a very rich historical department, and especially Russian church history. The department of essays on church singing is also remarkable. Vysov(??), the consecrated Metropolitan Flavian built, at his own expense, with(??) a stone two-story outbuilding (between the metropolitan and viceroyal houses to house his library, which he donated to the Lavra. In the upper (??) the library itself is located, and the lower floor is occupied Lavra reading room, a new library was purchased and put in order for the (??) swarm.

7) Educational and craft institutions of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra charity her. The Kiev Pechersk Lavra, at its own expense, maintains a two-class parochial school, in which children are educated free of charge. It also has the following craft institutions: 1) painting school; 2) the gilding department of the same school; 3) workshops: metalworking, painting, carpentry, bookbinding and foundry (for printing). Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, fulfilling the behest of its founders and organizers - Rev. Anthony and Theodosius, still conducts very wide public charity: he maintains a hospital, a hospice, feeds many poor people every day, donates generously to public needs; for example, during the Russian-Japanese war (1904 and onwards), the Kiev Pechersk Lavra donated to the state and society a total of more than 100,000 rubles.

8) Monastic hermitages under the jurisdiction of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. The following deserts are now under the jurisdiction of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra: I) Kitaevskaya,II) Preobrazhenskaya and III) Goloseevskaya, located near Kyiv. IV) Kitaevskaya hermitage is located 9 versts from the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra downstream of the river. Dnieper, on its right bank. According to the tradition of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, the foundation of this desert dates back to pre-Mongol times and is attributed to Prince. Andrei Bogolyubsky, nicknamed “China”. The mountains surrounding the Kitaevskaya Hermitage are dotted with caves similar to the caves of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. In the 17th century There was undoubtedly a small hermitage in Kitaev. In 1716, the Kiev military governor, Prince. D. M. Golitsin restored the hermitage, building a wooden church in it in the name of St. Sergius of Radonezh and with her fraternal wooden cells. In 1767, on the site of a dilapidated wooden church, the current stone Trinity Church was built with two chapels - in the name of St. Sergius and St. Demetrius of Rostov. In 1835, a warm church in the name of the 12 Apostles with a fraternal meal and a stone bell tower were built here, and in 1845 a stone two-story fraternal building was built. In 1904, a church was built and consecrated in the same year in the name of St. Seraphim of Sarov to the fraternal almshouse of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, located in the Kitaevskaya hermitage. Next to the almshouse is the Lavra candle factory, which produces (???-vyya) candles for the needs of the Lavra and was moved here from the previous premises at the Lavra itself in one of the buildings of the current Lavra hospitable courtyard .

Until the 1870s, the Kitaevskaya Hermitage served as a burial place for the deceased monks of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. And when the Kitaev cemetery turned out to be insufficient, a new cemetery was built one mile west of Kitaev, in an area called Kruglik. To pray for the dead, a stone church in the name of the Transfiguration of the Lord was built here in 1873 and from that time the foundation was laid II) Preobrazhenskaya Hermitage. Some before that, in 1869 a wooden church was built in the name of the icon of the Most Holy. Mother of God “Recovery of the Lost” on the island of Zhukov, 4 versts from Kitaev, at the Lavra farm located here. III) 3 versts northwest of the Kitaevskaya desert is Goloseevskaya Hermitage. Initially, in this place, among a secluded and picturesque forest dacha, there was a farmstead of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. Another Met. Peter (Mogila) drew attention to the special beauty of the place and built a church here in the name of one of St. saints of his native Moldavia - John of Sochavsky and with her a house for himself, planted a garden and laid the foundation of a small desert monastery. The successors of Peter Mohyla took care of maintaining the latter, especially Archimandrite. Zosima Walkevich, who, after his dismissal from the management of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra in 1786, was given the Goloseevskaya Hermitage in charge for life. In 1845, Metropolitan. Filaret (Amphitheaters), who especially loved this hermitage, built in it the current stone Church of the Intercession with two chapels - in the name of St. John of Sochava and three saints. Currently, the Goloseevskaya hermitage serves as a summer residence for the holy archimandrites of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra - the Kyiv metropolitans.

9) Administration of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. From the time of its establishment, the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, being under the main command of the Kyiv metropolitans, was at the direct disposal of its archimandrites, elected by the monastic brotherhood. But already in the second half of the 12th century. The Kiev Pechersk Lavra, according to the tradition preserved in it, acquired the rights of grand-ducal stauropegy and independence from the Kyiv metropolitans. In the second half of the fifteenth century. The Kiev Pechersk Lavra became the stauropegy of the Patriarch of Constantinople and continued to be governed by archimandrites, who were elected by the free votes of the brethren and representatives of secular society. In 1685, the Kiev Pechersk Lavra was temporarily entrusted to the authority of the Kyiv Metropolitan, who then submitted to the Moscow Patriarch. But in 1688, the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra was again removed from the power of the Kyiv metropolitans and recognized as the stauropegy of the Moscow patriarch, and with the establishment of the Holy Synod it was renamed his stauropegy. In 1786, the Kiev Pechersk Lavra was subordinated to the Kyiv metropolitans, who from that time began to be called its sacred archimandrites. Now the highest governmental and administrative power of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra belongs to the sacred archimandrite, who is assisted by the Spiritual Council, consisting of the highest members of the Lavra brethren, in charge primarily of judicial and economic affairs and having all the rights of public places. At the head of the Spiritual Council is a governor who bears the rank of archimandrite and has general supervision and leadership over all parts of the administration of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra.

Archpriest F. Titov

To the question Why is the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra so called?.. What is its historical significance?.. What kind of mummies of saints are there?) asked by the author @@@*****TANNI==ANNA*****@@@ the best answer is
link
The Kiev Pechersk Lavra is one of the first monasteries to be founded in Rus'. Founded in 1051 under Yaroslav the Wise by monk Anthony, originally from Lyubech. The co-founder of the Pechersk Monastery was one of Anthony’s first students, Theodosius. Prince Svyatoslav II Yaroslavich gave the monastery a plateau above the caves, where beautiful stone churches decorated with paintings, cells, fortress towers and other buildings later grew.
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.

Source: Kiev-Pechersk Lavra - one of the first monasteries founded in Rus'

Answer from Neuropathologist[active]
definitely the best question in the thread

Answer from Suck through[guru]
Kiev Pechersk Lavra is an Orthodox monastery founded in 1051.
The central attraction is the caves, in which for more than 900 years the incorrupt bodies of the founders of the monastery have rested - the Venerables Anthony and Theodosius, the healer Agapit, Nestor the Chronicler, Ilya of Murom, and the relics of other 118 saints of the Pechersk.
The community of monks they created soon attracted the attention of Prince Izyaslav, and he allowed them to build a monastery on the mountain.
The community gradually grew, and after the death of Anthony in 1073 it included 100 monks.
Theodosius, with the blessing of Anthony, introduced a strict charter in the monastery, modeled on the Greek studite one, moving the main monastery of the monastery to a nearby mountain.
Named Pechersky - from the word cave
Lavra is the name of the largest male Orthodox monasteries subordinate directly to the patriarch.

Answer from Malorossky[guru]
Never say or write PechYorskaya again.
This is what the previous patriarch said. By analogy with the Pechora Monastery in the Pskov region.
Lavra of PechErskaya. Because the monks lived in caves. (pecherakh - in the old way and as in the present
Ukrainian language). And the area of the city where it is located is called Pechersk with the emphasis on the second syllable.

About the new round of the Russian-Ukrainian church war and its prospects

The Russian-Ukrainian church dispute has moved from the purely spiritual to the property sphere. Speaking on the “Direct” TV channel on July 31, 2018, the head of the UOC of the Kiev Patriarchate, Filaret, said that after the recognition of the unified Ukrainian Orthodox Church, both the Kiev Pechersk and Pochaev Lavra will be transferred to it. “The Moscow Patriarchate does not have any property in Ukraine. Take, for example, the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, the Pochaev Lavra - whose property is this? Property of the Ukrainian state. And the state transferred its property for use to the Ukrainian Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. But when the Ukrainian Church is recognized here, the Lavra - both one and the other - will be transferred to the Ukrainian Church,” explained Patriarch Filaret.

Autocephaly, undoubtedly, has something to do with it, since if we consider the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra not only as an Orthodox shrine and an object of cultural heritage, but as real estate, then it is owned by the state of Ukraine, which has the right to dispose of its property, including transfer it for the use of one or another organization. And Vasily Semenovich was in vain to remember about history, since the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra was created in 1051, and the town of Moskov was first briefly mentioned in the Ipatiev Chronicle in 1147, that is, almost a century later. So it is better for representatives of the Moscow Patriarchate not to touch history in this real estate dispute.

As for obtaining autocephaly for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, this process turned out to be much longer and more difficult than expected by the Ukrainian authorities and in particular Petro Poroshenko, who promised the believers of the UOC of the Kiev Patriarchate a tomos of autocephaly on the day of the 1030th anniversary of the baptism of Rus'. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew the First, whose tomos Peter Alekseevich waited in vain, is an adult (78 years old) and seasoned man. He has a complex relationship with Moscow, as he has more than once taken an anti-Moscow position both in the situation with the Estonian Orthodox Church and in relation to the concept dear to the Kremlin’s heart, “Moscow is the third Rome,” which Bartholomew the First called “theologically untenable.” But the Ecumenical Patriarch clearly does not intend to quarrel with Gundyaev, or rather, with Putin. So Ukraine should not expect the coveted tomos of autocephaly in the near future.