Today we begin a new series of interesting stories about the history of one of the most famous burials of the times of the Cossack era found in Kyiv-Pechersk Monastery necropolis.

Did you know that the arrest of Principal Scribe Vasyl Kochubey and Poltava Colonel Ivan Iskra, both buried in Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, significantly affected the fate of their relatives?

Kochubey’s mother, pani Paraskoviya, whom he left in Dykanka while fleeing from the people of Hetman Ivan Mazepa, sought refuge in the church, but was arrested at the order of Stefan Troshchynsky, the Colonel of Hadiach. Moreover, given the accusations of treason, Troshchynsky wanted to shoot the woman. To protect Kochubey’s mother and his wife from lynch, Mazepa ordered their release, but the Colonel transported those two women and Iskra’s wife to the Hetman’s capital, the city of Baturyn. There they stationed in Goncharivka homestead under the protection of Moscow riflemen. Both women lived there until Baturyn was captured by the troops of Prince Oleksandr Menshykov. They managed to survive thanks to the courage of the nun of the Novomlynsky convent, who changed their clothes into the monastic and conventional outfit and took them secretly out of the city. After that, they lay snug in their estates for some time, until they received a Pardon Letter from Prince Menshykov.

Captions to illustrations:

1. Portrait of Judge General Vasyl Kochubey. Unknown author. The 1st half of the 18th century. Poltava Vasyl Krychevsky Museum of Local Lore (inv. №: ZH-50, PKM-11341)

2. Baturyn massacre. Author - Oleksandr Ivakhnenko, 2000.