Dear friends!

We continue to present cultural objects from the Fund collection of the Preserve. Today, within our “Artistic Heritage” column, you will get knowledge about the brocade phelonion vestment of 1719. (KPL-T-9, 140x200 cm).

Significant amount of sacred art objects in the collection of the Preserve were donated to monasteries and temples. The practice of church charity developed from the tradition of taking care of the House of God as the place where the liturgy is celebrated. Donations could also be associated with some significant event in the life of the charity provider, commemoration of relatives or expression of gratitude. Among the commonly donated things there were different types of clerical vestments, necessary for the completion of all Church sacraments.

The brocade phelonion of 1719 was made at the expense of the Bunchuk comrade Petro Ivanovych Kulyabka (? - early 1747) for the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. The Kulyabok family that lived in Lubny, took an active part in the life of the Orthodox Church. Archbishop Sylvester (Kulyabka), famous preacher and Rector of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (1740-1745), was Petro Ivanovych's son. His nephew was the Archimandrite of the Lubny Mgar Monastery, the future Saint Joasaph of Belgorod (Gorlenko).

The phelonion, given by Petro Kulyabka to the Dormition Cathedral, was sewn from French gold brocade and  woven with silver and silk floral ornaments. Due to the large amount of precious metal in the threads, this heavy
fabric was called “zolotoglav” (which comes from polish word «złotogłow» meaning gold woven fabric) and was rather expensive. The mantle (upper part) of the vestment is made of silver brocade, woven with silk flowers and edged with wide gold and silver lace. The value of the materials used indicated the high status of the benefactor and proved that he truly cared about the beauty of the Dormition Cathedral.