Zverinetsky cave monastery in Kyiv. Zverinetsky Monastery

As is known, all the most ancient Kyiv monasteries were initially underground, and only later, with an increase in the number of inhabitants, did they “come out of the ground.” There is evidence of 45 caves located in Kyiv and its environs - on small space about a hundred miles along the Dnieper, from Mezhyhirya to the village of Monastyrki.

Some of them have survived to this day. And of course, the most famous of them are the Near and Far Caves of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, about which almost every resident of Russia and Ukraine has heard something, at least half an ear. But today I want to tell you the mysterious story of the Zverinetsky Cave Monastery, which begins even before history Pechersky Monastery, one of the first monasteries to be founded Kievan Rus(1051). According to some researchers, the Zverinetsky caves date back to the late 800s - early 900s. In addition, today only in these caves are fragments of galleries preserved, untouched by modern restorers. That is, in today’s post you will see caves dug by hermit monks a century (!) before the baptism of Rus'. There is also an assumption that the legendary library could have been kept in these caves. Yaroslav the Wise. Interesting? Then let's begin!

02 . Zverinetsky caves are located in the historical district of Kyiv Zverinets, near the National Botanical Garden. N. N. Grishko NAS of Ukraine. But getting to them is quite tricky. You need to enter the territory of the Botanical Garden (you may be asked to pay for entry) and turn left from the fountain and walk along the alleys for a long, long time to the garden fence. Find a gate there, call the icon shop by phone and wait for the monk guide. He will open the gate and lead you into the monastery territory to the entrance to the caves. On the official website of the monastery there is a passage diagram and, of course, a telephone number for contact. But, for example, in this moment, the site is blocked by the hosting provider.

03 . Even with the printed diagram, Lena and I got a little lost. First we went to the Holy Trinity Monastery of John, which is also located on the territory of the giant Botanical Garden. Then we followed a group of pilgrims who led us back to the ticket office. But then we found the right alley and now Father Leonty comes to meet us. It is still completely unclear what the monastery actually looks like; a paved path goes down somewhere, and all around there are only modern high-rise buildings mixed with elite cottages. By the way, Leonty was the name of the first abbot of the Zverinetsky Monastery. Some researchers identify him with Saint Leonty of Rostov. And in the epics about Alyosha Popovich, it is said that he is “the son of priest Leonty of Rostov.”

04 . We begin to go down and the domes of the monastery Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary appear, and a few meters to the right we can see the Church of All Reverend Fathers of Zverinetsky. These are all new models and construction works they are still ongoing there. The most attentive ones will see the bell tower of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra on the horizon.

05 . The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, built in the ancient Russian style, was founded literally in 2007.

06 . The second temple - the church in the name of All Saints of Zverinetsky was built in the Byzantine style and is an above-cave temple.
Pay attention to the cross-rook on its dome (the subject of hot holivars on these Internets of yours).

06 . Patio.

07 . Behind the fence is someone's cottage.
On the fence is a plan diagram of the Zverinetsky caves.

08 . The diagram is larger.

09 . So, let’s take another look at the surrounding views before descending into the dampness of the dungeons. Since ancient times, the so-called Menagerie was located on the wooded hills south of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. This area received its name from the princely “animal catches” in the local dense forests, which were abundant in game. You can see well and far from here.

10 . The “Artel in Honor of the Archangel Michael”, consisting of Andrey Odaynik, Yaroslav Kolomiychuk, Sergei Yaromenko, Vitaly Choka, Sergei Volnin, Oleg Knysh, Dmitry Gorash, worked on the modern painting of the Zverinetsky Monastery. The photo shows the entrance to the cave complex.

11 . As a person who is keen on history, many of which are believed to have been carved “in the image and likeness” of the more ancient Kyiv caves, I involuntarily began to compare what I saw with what I had seen earlier in the cave monasteries of the Voronezh and Belgorod regions.

12 . First of all, there is a huge difference in the soil. On the Don it is snow-white chalk, and on the Dnieper it is clay loess.
Subjectively, it seems to me that digging caves in clay is somewhat easier than cutting in chalk.

13 . Remember what I wrote above about the activities of restorers? This and the previous photo clearly shows what the caves were like originally, before they were lined with bricks and painted. At the same time, I note that part brickwork in the Zverinetsky Caves is very ancient and was already present when the caves were discovered in the 19th century.

14 . But the most important difference is, of course, the presence of locules. Loculi (literally “towns”) are the most common form of burial, common to many famous catacombs. This is a horizontal niche in the wall where the deceased was placed. Thus, the location of the tomb niches in the Zverinetsky caves differs significantly from how they are arranged in the caves of the Pechersky Monastery. The niches of the Zverinetsky tombs lead deep into the wall and represent a relatively small opening, sufficient only for the passage of the relics placed in it. In the Pechersky Monastery, niches are located along the walls, for more easy access to the relics. This method burials are of later origin and borrowed from the West. In the Don Caves, offhand, I remember single burial niches along the walls only in and in.

15 . In addition to burial niches, there are also reclusive cells in the Zverinetsky caves. There are only seven of them, they are all the same shape and all are located on the same cave street where the cave church is located (more about it below). " The retreat cells have the inside shape of a large Russian boiling stove; its length is equal to the height of a person; at its mouth, sometimes freely, and sometimes with difficulty, a person can crawl through; in the middle of the floor of the niche a ditch has been dug along its entire length, knee-deep; On the sides of the niche, parallel to the ditch, there are two couches. Having climbed into such a niche-cell, the ascetic had the opportunity to sit freely on a couch, lowering his feet into the ditch; standing at the bottom of the ditch, the ascetic could even rise to his full height. On the opposite couch could be placed icons, lamps, holy books, vessels for water and prosphora. During the life of an ascetic, the ditch could serve as a bed for him to sleep, and after death as a grave."." (“Zverinetsky caves”, I. Kamanin, 1914)

16 . And here is the altar church, preserved from the Middle Ages. I'm glad they didn't paint it yellow paint. According to Kamanin's description: " The altar has a length of 4.50 meters, a width at the entrance of 0.80 and at the altar 2.20 m, and a height of 2 m. The altar and altar are located at a height of 1.10 meters from the floor. The height of the altar niche, gradually tapering upward like a cone, is 0.90 meters, the width at the base is 0.90 m and the depth, in turn, at the base is 0.60 m. The altar is also cone-shaped, has a height of 0.70 meters, width 0.60 m and 0.70 m deep (width and depth at the base). The niche for vessels, like a cone-shaped altar, has a height of 0.70 m, a width of 0.30 m and a depth of 0.30 m.."

17 . But let's leave contemplation for a moment current state Zverinetsky caves and slightly immersed in the historical wilds. As is known from the legend accepted by science, in memory of the baptism of Rus', the first Metropolitan of Kyiv, Michael, founded two temple-monasteries, both called Mikhailovsky: Zlatoverkho-Mikhailovsky and Vydubitsky. The chronicle reports that in 1070 Grand Duke Vsevolod Yaroslavich founded the church of St. Michael to the Vsevolozh Monastery on Vydobichi. In view of the fact that all the ancient Kyiv monasteries were initially underground and taking into account the geographical location of the described area, this old monastery, according to the same Kamanin, could not be located anywhere other than the Zverinetsky caves accidentally discovered in 1888. And they were discovered after almost 900 years of oblivion by Feodosia Vasilievna Matvienko, who lived nearby. One morning she heard a low rumble and saw a rainbow - its base rested on a fresh sinkhole that opened the entrance to the cave. Having penetrated downstairs with a candle, the woman and her neighbor, artist Dmitry Zaichenko, saw behind a half-buried wooden door diverging passages and many human remains, partly buried in cells, crypts and loculi, partly scattered where death found someone.

18 . According to historians I. Kamanin and N. Arkhangelsky, the reason for the destruction of the caves was the destruction of the monastery during one of the numerous raids of the Polovtsians or Tatars, who devastated the Russian land at that time. Based on the placement of human remains along the cave passage, and also taking into account the fact that the largest number of them were found along the exit, it can be assumed that during one of these raids the brethren went down into the caves for shelter. The enemies who attacked Kyiv could notice where the pursued disappeared; due to the narrowness of the caves, two or three people could repel enemy attacks for a long time; the latter, having lost hope of taking the persecuted alive, filled up the caves so heavily that the monks of the monastery who were fleeing in them were buried alive. Dying, they fell where they lost their last strength. Thus, the monastery existed for only a little more than one century.

19 . In 1911, the confessor of the Holy Trinity Monastery of St. John, located, I repeat, very close by, Abbot Valentin (Korotenko), having built himself a small hut in the caves, moved into it to guard the shrine and serve memorial services for the buried, as those who came there often requested V large quantities pilgrims. Next, Father Valentin decided to make the discovered dungeons accessible to pilgrims. The person who could organize and finance the cave work turned out to be Prince Vladimir Davidovich Zhevakhov, an official of special assignments under the governor general, a pious man, the future martyr Bishop Joasaph of Mogilev, who was executed in 1937. Thus, the beginning of a new skete of the Ionin Monastery was laid.

20 . On December 1, 1913, the Church of the Nativity, built above the caves, was consecrated Holy Mother of God(not preserved), and in March of the following year - a chapel in the name of St. Joasaph of Belgorod. Those buried in the Zverinetsky caves were canonized. The history of the discovery of the caves and the archaeological work carried out in them was devoted to the book by A. Ertel “ Ancient cave at the Menagerie in Kyiv" (1913) and the above-mentioned book by I. Kamanin "Zverinetsky Caves in Kyiv (their antiquity and holiness)" (1914). In January 1915, Prince Zhevakhov was appointed headman and trustee of the above-cave temples at the Menagerie, and in the spring and summer, work was carried out at his expense to strengthen the cave labyrinth. On March 10, 1917, Father Valentin suddenly died and was buried in caves near one of the entrances, where there were no ancient burials. In the photo, Abbot Valentin and Prince V.D. Zhevakhov at the entrance to the caves at the beginning of excavations in 1912.

21 . In 1921, near one of the entrances to the caves, the historian, paleographer and archivist Ivan Mikhailovich Kamanin was buried in the crypt according to his own will. Its crypt is deepened into a hill; one wall, lined with bricks, is located directly in the cave.

22 . Caves from the west side, 1914.

23 . In the caves, cypress boards from tombs, slate slabs and plinths, remains of felt and leather shoes, ceramics, etc. Ancient Russian drawings and inscriptions have been preserved on the walls, incl. the famous Zverinetsky cross, which has become popular in Kyiv Orthodox symbol. If you see such a sticker on a car in Kyiv, it means that it has been blessed. Those who wish can purchase souvenirs (T-shirts, mugs, passport covers, etc.). In the photo there is a crypt with an icon and the heads of the menagerie of monks. They write that some of them stream myrrh, but I did not see, and I did not open the vessels.

24 . Historical documents did not convey to us the names of the dead monks. No one would have recognized them if it were not for the inscriptions preserved on the clay soil of the cave passages and the unique synodik inscribed above the altar of the cave altar, consisting of eight names of the menagerie abbots. The first abbot and, apparently, the organizer of the monastery, as already said, was Leonty. The subsequent abbots of the Zverinetsky Monastery were Markian, Mikhail (later Bishop of Yurievsky), Sophrony, Mina (later Bishop of Polotsk), Clement, Manuel and Lazar. In addition to the names of the menagerie abbots mentioned in the altar synodik, inscriptions over the niches-tombs of Theodore Kalika, Andronik Pechernik and John have also been preserved.

25 . Modern inscription on the wall: " Is it possible that the 21st century will not appreciate this rarest monument of Russian antiquity as little as the 20th century, which underestimated it?"However, I am getting ahead of myself. In 1933, the abbot of the monastery, Archimandrite Philaret, was killed, the following year, 1934, the Zverinetsky monastery was closed, and its above-ground temple was blown up. The lands of the monastery, along with the caves, were divided between the Botanical Garden and private development. During the fascist occupation, local residents hid here. However, after the war, the entrances to the caves slowly disappeared and were forgotten. The Zverinetsky Caves were remembered again only in the 1990s, when they were opened by the Underground Kyiv society.

26 . In 1993, at the Department of X-ray Radiology of the Kyiv Medical Institute, studies of the relics located in the Zverinetsky caves were carried out. These studies dated the burials to approximately the 10th-12th centuries. In addition, it was shown that all the people whose relics were preserved in the Zverinetsky Cave Monastery suffered during their lifetime from diseases that affect the body in conditions high dampness and cold. Since 1997, in the newly built cave temple in the name of the Archangel Michael, celebrations began Divine Liturgy. In the 1990s, the Zverinetsky Caves were revived again as a monastery of the Trinity-Ioninsky Monastery. And finally, on July 9, 2009, by decision Holy Synod Ukrainian Orthodox Church In the Zverinetsky caves, a monastery in the name of Archangel Michael was revived. But the history of the caves does not end at the present moment: at the corner of Pogrebalnaya Street, behind a ten-meter-high marl blockage, a pipe-hole emerged into a void that has been inaccessible for almost 800 years. And in total, georadar studies showed up to a kilometer of unknown passages under Menagerie - this is more than the Zverinetz and both Lavra caves combined.

27 . And for dessert - the yellow pilgrim bus. And not from anywhere, but from Voronezh! During my week in Kyiv, I only saw three cars with Russian license plates, and here was such an unexpected greeting from the Motherland. True, as far as I understand, these people visited only the neighboring Holy Trinity Monastery of St. John, and apparently were not aware of the Zverinetsky Caves. Unlike you. So don't switch. There will be a lot of interesting things in the Kyiv series of reports.

I remind copy-pastors that when reprinting photographs and text active reference to the source is required.
Print and electronic media must contact me in advance.

The capital city is rich in monuments of antiquity and. However, it happens that not all of them receive the attention of tourists. Therefore, if you have walked around the entire capital and are wondering what else, then you should discover Zverinetsky caves.

Many Kiev residents and guests of the capital like to spend time at the Friendship of Peoples. However, not all guests of this wonderful green zone of our capital are located in historical area, known as the Menagerie.

Almost from the very beginning of the Kyiv state, the wooded hills south of the place where today it proudly rises became a favorite hunting ground - a “menagerie” - of the rulers of Kyiv. And during the reign of Prince Vsevolod (son of Yaroslav the Wise), the summer residence “Red Court” was built in this picturesque corner.

Unfortunately, it is unknown when and how the Temple of God appeared on the territory of the Menagerie. The ancient chronicles did not preserve direct references to this event. However, most historians are inclined to believe that the settlement of the hills by monks occurred in the 11th-12th centuries, during the Christianization of Kievan Rus. And the stone St. Michael’s Church, which today has turned into the Archangel Michael’s Zverinetsky monastery, was founded by Prince Vsevolod in 1070 in the “Vsevolozh Monastery on Vydobichi.” At least that's what The Tale of Bygone Years says.

Also, among many church historians there is an opinion that the Zverinetsky Cave Monastery appeared much earlier than the famous one. It is believed that the first cells on the slopes of the Dnieper were dug here by hermit monks. And soon into it amazing place those who wanted to devote their lives to serving God began to flock.

Perhaps, it was from those immemorial times that the Zverinetsky caves became one of the most famous places forces of Ukraine-Rus. And, despite the fact that with the advent of the above-ground St. Michael’s (Vydubitsky) monastery, most of the brethren left the underground cells, that Holy place was destroyed Tatar-Mongol yoke and fell into oblivion for almost eight hundred years, today it continues to attract pilgrims from all over our country. As well as curious tourists looking for where else to go and what to see in Kyiv.

The discovery of the caves of the Zverinetsky Monastery can be called a miracle. An urban legend says that in the 19th century, not far from the place where the temple is located today, a pious woman, Feodosia Vasilievna Matvienko, lived. One morning she was awakened by a low hum. And when she looked outside, she saw a rainbow, the base of which rested on a fresh sinkhole. Calling her neighbor, she went down into the mouth of the caves and behind a half-buried wooden door she discovered diverging passages and many human remains, partly buried in cells, crypts and loculi, partly scattered where death found someone. The archimandrite of the nearby Holy Trinity Monastery gave the go-ahead to explore the underground monastery. And so the Zverinetsky caves were rediscovered for Kyiv.

It is worth noting that the Zverinetsky Monastery was restored and opened to the public not so long ago. Shortly after its discovery, in 1913, the monastery of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra was partially restored on the territory of the Menagerie. However, in the wake of destruction, the temple was abandoned again. And it was reconstructed again only in 1997. Since 2006, the gradual restoration of the underground galleries began, and since 2012, the painting of the above-ground and underground temple complexes began.

Archangel Michael's Zverinetsky Monastery, as we can see it today, was founded in 2009. Today, on the territory of the monastery there is a cave church in the name of the Miracle of the Archangel Michael in Khoneh; the gate church in honor of the Council of the Reverend Fathers of Zverinetsky; and the Cathedral in the name of the icon Mother of God- “Joy to all who mourn.” Divine services are held both in above-ground and underground premises.

So, the ancient Zverinetsky monastery can boast amazing story, and a number of sacred relics, including the Venerated Icons of the Mother of God “Zverinetskaya”, “Quick to Hear” and “Joy of All Who Sorrow”, as well as the Relics of St. Zverinetsky fathers, and legends and traditions. Of course, skeptics may claim that even the miracle of discovering this places of power are just an ordinary geophysical phenomenon (the rumble was from a collapse, and the rainbow was caused by the refraction of light). However, pilgrims and romantics come here not only to feel the amazing aura of this shrine. There are rumors that the legendary library of Yaroslav the Wise may be hidden in the pavilions of the Menagerie hills.

Zverinetsky Cave Monastery, or as it is officially called - Archangel Michael's Zverinetsky Monastery, is a cave monastery in the historical area of ​​​​Kyiv Zverinetsky and is included in the register of archaeological monuments of national importance in Ukraine.

In October 1888, caves were discovered that are located next to. Their first visitor was Feodosia Matvienko, who, having descended into the dungeon, was horrified - inside she saw many human remains that were in different positions. The monks of the Ionin Monastery celebrated a memorial service for these people, and the rector, Archimandrite Jonah, blessed the exploration of the caves.

The remains of monastic clothing, crosses, paramans, church utensils, dishes and other household items of believers were found in it. Due to the death of the abbot of the Ionin Monastery, work on the development of the caves was delayed. long time stopped. In 1911, Abbot Valentin of the Holy Trinity Monastery built a hut near the dungeons and moved into it to guard the holy place. In addition, he served in this ancient monastic burial a memorial service for the monks who died there.

1 out of 10

In the fall of 1911, Father Valentin met the senior adviser to the Kyiv provincial administration, Prince Vladimir Zhevakhov, who helped in the exploration of the caves with his personal funds. As it turned out, this was one of the first monasteries in Rus' and it dated back to the 10-11th century. About 50 graves were found here in which there were approximately 100 buried, as well as many remains that lay on the floor in a chaotic manner and were not buried. Historians believe that the reason for the destruction of the monastery could have been numerous raids by the Tatars and Polovtsians. Judging by the placement of human remains along the cave passage, and also given that some of them were found near the entrance, it can be assumed that these monks took refuge in the caves during one of these raids.

The enemies who attacked the city could see where the monks had disappeared and filled up the entrance to the caves, thereby burying everyone who was there alive. People, dying of hunger, lack of air and thirst, fell into different places or remained in unusual positions - this explains the disorderly arrangement of the remains. Thus, after existing for about a hundred years, the Zverinetsky Cave Monastery ended its existence.

Interesting Facts:
- according to one version, the “Library of Yaroslav the Wise” may be stored in the caves of the monastery,
— After the revolution, Zhevakhov hid in the Zverinetsky caves, then he was caught and served 7 months in a Kyiv prison. After leaving prison, he became a monk and in 1926 received the title of bishop. In 1937, he was arrested by the NKVD and executed for opposing the regime.

December 23 - at the monastery patronal feast, and on December 22, in the Zverinetsky Archangel-Mikhailovsky Monastery, a small church was consecrated in the name of St. Joasaph of Belgorod and the Hieromartyr Joasaph (Zhevakhov).

Read about this amazing ancient holy place.

On a hill, not far from the center of the capital, among low houses with wooden fences and luxurious tall mansions lurks a quiet “corner of the Middle Ages” -

Because of the high fortress walls with numerous windows and rounded jagged towers, strict semicircles of church domes rise. Steep stone staircase behind heavy iron gates leads into a cramped monastery courtyard...

Bulky doors with massive iron rings instead of handles, ornaments with images of animals - wolves and lions - on the facades of buildings, prayerful silence and figures of the quiet monastery brethren. But hundreds of years ago there was neither a monastery nor mansions on the slopes of these hills...

XI century...

In the gloomy forests, near the walls of ancient Kyiv, one could often hear the sound of a hunting horn, the barking of dogs and the neighing of horses. Here are the rulers ancient city together with the warriors and governors, they went out on “fishing” trips - hunting wild boars, deer and aurochs. Already in those days, the lands abounded with game Kyiv princes got their name "Menagerie".

In order not to travel far from his capital city, Prince Vsevolod Yaroslavich ordered the Red Court to be built on these lands, which became his country residence. And a little later, near the place where the prince, after a successful hunt, feasted with his retinue, on the banks of the Dnieper, a church was founded in honor of the Archangel Michael.

Soon there appeared cells of the monastery brethren, a refectory and even a river pier. At the same time, the famous part of the monastery arose, which was located not at all at the top, but deep underground - Zverinetsky Caves .

The first hermit monks from Greece settled in the Zverinetsky caves long before the monastery of Prince Vsevolod grew on the slopes of the Dnieper. Local residents began to come to the caves for spiritual guidance, and soon the cave monastery grew and, like its earthly successor, was consecrated in honor of the Archangel Michael, the leader of the heavenly army.

Despite the fact that most of the monks of the Zverinetsky monastery settled in the cells of the patrimonial monastery, the caves remained inhabited until until the 13th century until, during the next raid on the outskirts of the princely city, nomads burst into the Zverinetsky caves... The schema-monks who lived in the caves were brutally killed, and the underground monastery was destroyed and littered.

Our days...

In close and cozy courtyard monastery we meet our guide - Hieromonk Chrysostom (Grischenko). Together with him, we slowly, step by step, delve deeper into the “monastic domain.”

Hieromonk Chrysostom (Grischenko)

The territory of the monastery is small - only 15 acres, on which the cozy building of the monastery brethren and two churches are located - in the Greek and Old Russian style.

Instead of candles and chandeliers, the temple is illuminated from the inside by working spotlights, and where the master's painting will soon bloom, high scaffolding. However, behind them you can already see parts of mosaics with the faces of the Savior and saints, made in the Byzantine style.

Day and night you can hear the screeching of drills, saws and the melodic tapping of hammers - teams of architects are working in the temple. The Belarusians smile at us warmly and the Georgians nod politely - both teams came to Kyiv, the cradle of Slavic Orthodoxy, to decorate the future temple. By the way, Hieromonk Chrysostom sees God’s plan in this.

This is not just a coincidence,” Father Chrysostom smiles. – After all, the trustee of our monastery, Hieromartyr Joasaph Zhevakhov, came from the ancient Georgian family of Javakhishvili, who consider themselves descendants of the ancestor of the Georgians - Kartlos. But the Hieromartyr Joasaph also had a direct connection to Belarus, since at one time he was first the bishop of Mogilev, then of Minsk. And we have two teams from these countries working here. Such accidents are not accidental.

Painting of the temple of the Zverinetsky monastery

The beginning of the twentieth century...

Hieromartyr Joasaph (Zhevakhov), also known as the bishop-martyr, was not at all a clergyman from a young age, but was known to his contemporaries as Prince Vladimir Zhevakhov.

Fate connected him with the monastery when half-buried cave temples were discovered during a landslide. It was there, at the excavations of an ancient shrine, that the curious prince met the inhabitant of the Ionin Monastery, Abbot Valentin.

The young aristocrat was so impressed by the abbot’s story about the holy place that he rented a plot of land near the caves and brought a team of professional archaeologists to the excavations. The prince allocated money for the construction of cave temple With monastic cells, which received the status of a monastery of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra.

During excavations, archaeologists discovered about two hundred ancient burials, an episcopal panagia and an image of the Virgin Mary written in metal plate. And in 1913, the monastery throne was consecrated in honor of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

But the peaceful life of the monastic brethren on the slopes of the Dnieper was cut short again - in the bloody year of 1917.

The Bolsheviks close the monastery. Some monks die at the hands of security officers who staged a real hunt for the clergy, some freeze in freight cars on the way to concentration camps, where they die from disease and hunger. The monastery is plundered - vandals take away precious vessels and knock off frames from icons. Many priceless relics disappear - at best they are sold to private collections, at worst they are desecrated and destroyed without realizing their value.

Many nobles are in a hurry to hide abroad - even seasoned military officers who have realized the futility of the fight against Soviet power are fleeing there. But the descendant of the Georgian princes does not even think about hiding. He takes monastic vows and is later ordained a bishop.

Having joined the ranks of the black clergy, the prince realized that he was signing his own death warrant, because the execution of a priest, and even more so a bishop in those years, was a matter of time. But Prince Zhevakhov, who took the name Joasaph, in honor of his distant relative, Bishop Joasaph of Belgorod, was no longer worried about worldly vanity.

He met the executioners who burst into his house in Mogilev calmly and without the slightest resistance. The future martyr was accused of organizing a terrorist cell of Trotskyists and preparing to blow up a government train as it passed through Belgorod.

The bishop was thrown into the dungeons of the NKVD - painful hours of torture and interrogation dragged on. The bishop's humility, combined with his steadfastness and fortitude, baffled even seasoned sadists - the bishop did not admit a single accusation, did not incriminate a single person and did not reveal a single secret, taking them with him to the grave.

On December 4, 1937, on the feast of the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple, Bishop Joasaph, with a straight back and straightened shoulders, went out into one of the courtyards of the city of Kursk. None of the residents of the surrounding courtyards paid attention to the shot. In those years, people were often shot...

And again our days...

It is curious that in the caves themselves there was preserved ancient church, and on one of its walls, near the altar, the names of the seven abbots of the monastery are written,” says Father Chrysostom, as we descend the narrow stairs deep into the monastery caves. – It turns out that in these caves there was already a whole monastery complex with its abbots.

Menagerie caves

The caves of the Zverinetsky Monastery are narrow and low, so sometimes we walk with our heads bowed so as not to touch the ceiling. The thickness of the darkness is barely diluted by the liquid flame of a candle. But it is also quite enough to see the cells of the hermit monks - tiny holes in the wall where you can only sit, lie or kneel.

The inhabitants of the cave temple slept in narrow potholes, clay ledges served as pillows, and dining tables– smooth surfaces of caves. The monks buried their brothers modestly - they did not knock together coffins, they simply laid a person in the ground between two boards, and placed a second, a third on the body of the first...

Piles of age-yellowed bones mixed with stones are visible from behind the bars in a narrow tunnel underground. There are also ceramic vessels here, from which the tops of skulls can be seen...

The underground shrine – the cave temple – looks majestic. A mysterious noise is heard in these narrow corridors- as if the echo of ancient prayers still wanders through the cave cells and tunnels along with the underground cold.

The temperature here is always the same, continues Hieromonk Chrysostomos, 12 degrees Celsius. Not hot, of course. But in summer it is cool, and in winter it is warm.

...At the end of the stone corridor, light appeared, and now we find ourselves at the top.

The world seems different after leaving the caves. The pale winter sky and fresh frosty air in the monastery courtyard take on many previously unfamiliar shades. The world around is blooming with a variety of colors.

You can’t help but wonder: “Did the inhabitants of the Zverinetsky caves breathe this air? Is this the sky that the brothers from the Archangel Michael Monastery saw above their heads? What thoughts came to them? And did they think about us - those who will live on this earth centuries later?..” Only the walls of the young temples and the vaults of the ancient caves at the Menagerie know the answer. Don't believe me? Ask them yourself...

...In the Zverinetsky Archangel-Mikhailovsky Monastery today, December 2013.

Photo by Sergei Ryzhkov and Bogdan Pridatko

Since ancient times, the capital of Ukraine has been famous for its temples and monasteries, attracting pilgrims from everywhere. Many say that a city that is “marked by the finger of God” and literally permeated with the spirit of Christianity brings a sense of harmony and tranquility to a person. The golden domes of numerous Kyiv churches attract the eye, surprising and bewitching tourists, and the architectural forms of numerous religious buildings give real aesthetic pleasure.

In the history of the city, a special place is occupied by such world-famous cathedrals as the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, which is the first Christian monastery in Rus', and St. Sophia Cathedral. The architectural ensemble of the first amazes tourists with its splendor, and in the second you can see unique frescoes, dating from the eleventh century. Both of these cathedrals are considered UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Kyiv is also called “Jerusalem of the Russian land.” After all, it is difficult to convey the intimate experiences that Orthodox Christians experience when they come into contact with the holy places of this ancient city. But not only Kiev-Pechersk Lavra or St. Sophia Cathedral The capital of Ukraine, and once of Kievan Rus, is famous. There are many other equally interesting temples and churches that everyone who comes here should definitely see. And one of them is the Zverinetsky Monastery in Kyiv.

How to get there

Those who decide to explore this attraction on their own can approach it from Michurina Street - to sections 20 and 22. After passing through the gate, you will need to go up to metal door. At the entrance to the Zverinetsky Monastery you should call and wait for the guide. You can also reach it through Botanical Garden, arriving by trolleybus No. 14 or buses No. 62 and 62K from the Pecherskaya metro station. You need to get off at the “Ulitsa Bolsunivskogo” stop. If you go by metro, you need to get off at the Druzhby Narodiv station. From there you can reach the Zverinetsky Monastery in Kyiv, whose address is Michurina Street 20-22, on foot in just fifteen minutes.

For the attention of pilgrimage groups arriving by bus: there is a passage and a U-turn near the temple Vehicle with a length of more than nine meters is very complicated. Therefore, it is better to park somewhere on Strutinsky Street and, going up the street. Michurin, walk to the cave complex.

general information

The Zverinetsky Monastery in Kyiv is located in the historical area of ​​the same name in the capital of Ukraine. It is included in the register of archaeological monuments of national importance for the country. Zverinetsky Cave Monastery has a thousand-year history. It was hidden in the dungeons located on the right bank of the Dnieper River. Humanity learned about the existence of this amazing and unique monastery almost a century and a half ago. However, it must be said that the secrets that the ancient Zverinetsky Monastery in Kyiv hides have not yet been solved.

Scientists have found references to the fact that a holy monastery is located on this territory in the chronicles of the Red Court, in which the son of Yaroslav the Wise, Vsevolod, lived. The name “Menagerie,” according to historians, is associated with the wooded area where this prince hunted. It is also known that in 1096-1097 of our chronology, as a result of a raid by nomads, a monastery was destroyed here. Judging by the human bones found in underground cells, both monks and local residents hid in underground caves during the attacks of the Mongol-Tatars, where their attackers often found them and walled them up alive.

The monastery also served as a refuge during World War II. This is evidenced by an inscription found by archaeologists on the wall, dated 1941. Currently, on the basis of the revived monastery of the caves of the same name, the men's monastery Zverinetsky Monastery functions here. It was founded in 2009. It is home to seven inhabitants: five monks and two novices.

Story

In 1888, a message appeared in one of the Ukrainian newspapers stating that on October 12 of that year a cave was discovered located next to the Holy Trinity Monastery on the Menagerie. It happened completely by accident. Eyewitnesses, according to chroniclers, said that an unexpected roar was heard, and then the entrance to the cave opened. The first visitor to the newfound monastery was Feodosia Matvienko. This pious woman lived not far from this place. A vision came to her many times in a dream: one end of a moving rainbow rested precisely on the place where the cave hole was formed.

Having learned about the discovery, Theodosia was the first to go downstairs. In the hole she saw numerous human remains. Some of them were buried in special niches, and the rest were scattered along the entire space of the cave, and in a variety of positions - apparently, the way death found them. Theodosia made a request to the brethren of the Holy Trinity Church to serve a memorial service for the souls of the people she found dead in the newly discovered cave. After listening to her story, the monks, with the blessing of Elder Archimandrite Jonah, went down to personally examine the cave.

In it, along with numerous human remains, they found fragments of monastic clothing, crosses, paramanas, leather belts of cassocks, church utensils and dishes. All these finds indicated that the sinkhole did not contain random human burials, but one of the ancient cave monasteries for which the city of Kyiv had long been famous.

Amazing discovery

It was here that a unique image of the cross, called “Zverinetsky”, was found. In its shape, it is very reminiscent of a schematic representation of the human body, since in addition to the usual base of crossed two lines, it also has two... “legs”.

For a long time, until 1912, the Zverinetsky Monastery could not be explored. The fact is that at that time its territory was at the disposal of the Artillery Department, so no money was allocated for its study. It was necessary to find a philanthropist who would be willing to finance research work. And fortunately, one was found. It turned out to be Prince Vladimir Zhevakhov. Having bought the land above the sinkhole, he received permission from the city government to excavate in the caves.

In 1912, work began. They were led by Alexander Ertel, a member of the Kyiv Society for the Protection of Ancient Monuments. Zhevakhov himself only supervised the work and financed it.

Almost immediately the caves became a place of pilgrimage. A huge number of people, gathering at the entrance to them, wanted to get into the ancient Zverinetsky monastery. The schedule of work had to be constantly changed, since the flow of pilgrims interfered with the researchers’ work. People came here even after the end of the study, until the thirties. Crowds of pilgrims stopped coming here only after the defeats and persecution of the Soviet regime began. In 1933, the rector of the skete, Archimandrite Philaret, was killed, and in 1934 the Zverinetsky Monastery itself was closed, and after its building was blown up. Access to the caves was opened again only after the nineties of the last century.

Revival of the monastery

When experts examined the relics found in the caves in 1993, they concluded that the latter dated back to the tenth to twelfth centuries. In addition, it was discovered that all those people whose remains were analyzed suffered during their lifetime from diseases that affect human body from prolonged exposure to cold and damp conditions. This was further proof that monks were hiding here. In 1997, the skete of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary was revived here, and already in 2009, the Archangel Michael Zverinetsky Monastery was established on its basis. Since then, religious services have been held here regularly. Everyone makes a pilgrimage to the caves and, of course, definitely visits the Zverinetsky Monastery. The schedule of services can be found in the temple or viewed on the official website of the temple.

Unique finds

When the underground galleries were cleared, an ancient cypress icon of the Mother of God was found inside one of the cells. It is likely that this icon belonged to the metropolitan, whom Prince Vladimir brought from Korsun for the baptism of Rus'. Scientists know that he was Syrian. Metropolitan Michael baptized the people of Kiev and it is quite possible that it was he who founded the Zverinetsky Monastery in Kyiv. Photos that were taken by historians during excavations indicate that this cave monastery was devastated either by the Cumans or the Tatars. Many remains were discovered directly at the entrance to the caves and in the passages. Apparently, the invaders, having lost hope, simply buried it.

The revival of the temple began immediately after the war. The caves received the status of an Archaeological Monument. At the end of the nineties of the last century, the monks resumed services held in the cave temple, which is the Zverinetsky Monastery in Kyiv. A photo of the miraculous image of the same name, found in the dungeon, was published in one of the publications. This newspaper fell into the hands of a priest in one of the villages located near Kiev. With great surprise, the priest recognized it as the icon in front of which he said daily prayers to God. In 2000, the miraculous image was returned to the Trinity Church of the Ionin Monastery.

Zverinetsky Monastery: schedule of services

Since time immemorial, it has been generally accepted that the place where the Zverinetsky Caves are located is one of the holiest points for Ukraine and Rus'. And even despite the fact that with the construction of the above-ground St. Michael’s or Vydubitsky Church, part of the brethren left their underground cells, and the underground monastery itself was destroyed by the Tatar-Mongol invaders and consigned to oblivion for almost eight hundred years, today they continue to attract pilgrims who come here from all over our huge country. They are incredibly attracted by the amazing Zverinetsky Monastery in Kyiv with its history and mystery.

The schedule of services held within the walls of the monastery can be found on the official website of the temple. On Sundays at 7.15, and at weekdays At 6.30 am the Midnight Office is held here. You must arrive for Small Compline at 5:00 p.m. The thanksgiving liturgy is held in the Cave Church on Saturdays at 7.00 am. On Sundays at the same time Vespers and

Zverinetsky (Arkhangelo-Mikhailovsky) today is a huge complex. On its territory there is a cave church, consecrated in the name of the Miracle of the Archangel Michael, a gate temple and the Cathedral of the Icon of the Mother of God. Divine services are held in both above-ground and underground premises, which are part of the Zverinetsky Monastery complex. Schedule of services, as well as a list of all church holidays today can be found on his official website.

Shrines

The ancient Zverinetsky Monastery is interesting to contemporaries not only for its amazing history. There are also numerous sacred relics here. Among them are such revered icons as the image of the Mother of God “Zverinetskaya”, “Joy of All Who Sorrow”, “Quick to Hear”. Here are the relics of all the venerable fathers of Zverinetsky.

Tourist information

Zverinetsky underground caves are formed by three gallery-streets: Altarnaya, Pokhoronnaya (Nameless burials) and Bezymyannaya (unexplored burials). The cells, as well as group crypts, are completely lined with boards for security. They protect against collapses. The walls and loculi of Funeral Street were lined with bricks several years ago. Above this part of the underground passages there was at one time the foundation of the temple.

The total length of the streets is about one hundred and fifty meters. They are completely safe for tourists to visit. On the left side at the end of Altarnaya Street there is a locula with a burial, signed in the name of Theodore Kaleka, on the right is the cell of Andronik the Cave. In the temple above the altar, a list of eight abbots of Zverinetsky is carved in stone: Leonty (the founder of the monastery), Markian, Mikhail (later Bishop of Yuryevsky), Sophrony, Mina (later Bishop of Polotsk), Clement, Manuel and Lazarus.

Tourists can also come into contact with the life of the ancient inhabitants of this cave temple. The monks slept in narrow, cold pits, and clay pits served as pillows for them. Residents dined on tables that were smooth surfaces caves The menagerie monks buried their brothers very modestly: they simply laid a person in the ground between two boards, then they lowered the second onto the body of the first and then the third. Piles of bones, already yellowed from time to time, mixed in layers with stones, are visible from behind the bars in a narrow dungeon tunnel. Here you can also see ceramic vessels with human skulls peeking out. In the grave niche where Abbot Clement was buried, they found a small metal icon. It was covered with white enamel, which was supposed to protect the metal from corrosion. The icon depicts the image of the Mother of God “Hodegetria”. Subsequently, people discovered that it was miraculous and healed diseases. Here you can also see the relics of Michael, the metropolitan who, as already mentioned, inspired Prince Vladimir to baptize Kievan Rus.

They say that the philanthropist Zhevakhov, whose money the excavations were carried out, hid in the Zverinetsky caves after the revolution. True, he was later caught and spent seven months in one of the Kyiv prisons. After leaving prison, Zhevakhov became a monk, and in 1926 - a bishop. In 1937 he was arrested by the NKVD. A few months later, Zhevakhov was shot for opposing the regime.

Many legends and traditions are built around the underground cave monastery. Of course, it may seem to skeptics that the miraculous discovery of this place of power is just an ordinary geophysical phenomenon: supposedly the hum could be from a collapse, and the rainbow was caused by the refraction of light. However, both pilgrims and many romantic tourists come here precisely to have the opportunity to feel the amazing aura that this shrine has. There is talk that here, in the pavilions of the Menagerie hills, the legendary library belonging to Yaroslav the Wise could be hidden.