This series of photos will introduce you to the Writing and Printing Department of the Lavra Museum of Cults and Life (part of the All-Ukrainian Museum Town) date from the 1920s and early 1930s.

The department's collection includes a part of the collection manuscripts and engravings from the Church-Archaeological Museum at the Kyiv Theological Academy, manuscripts, printed books and official documents from the sacristy of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, materials of the Lavra icon-painting workshop, a collection of cliches of the Lavra Printing House, examples of books from the library of the Archimandrite Philadelph (Pshenychnykov), the print worker of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, etc. The exposition of the Department, which was opened in 1929, introduced the visitor to the history of writing and book printing on a chronological basis. Rare examples of cuneiform writing of the Mesopotamia, Egyptian papyri, Greek parchment manuscripts of the 5th – 6th centuries, pages from the 10th-century Kyiv manuscripts written in Glagolitic script, the Nicomedian Gospel of the late 12th – early 13th centuries, a collection of old prints, including European editions of the 15th century, and a significant number of Ukrainian editions of the 17th-18th centuries, examples of musical notations, etc were kept there.

Until 1930, the Department was headed by Pavlo Popov, Ukrainian art and literary critic (1890–1971). The Writing and Printing Department was located on the premises of the former house of the Father Superior of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra (building Nr. 1).

Next week in the project “Memories of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra” you will be able to see historical photos dedicated to the tragic events in the history of this site date from early November 1941.

Picture captions:

1. Father Superior’s House (building Nr. 1) – The Writing and Printing Department of the All-Ukrainian Museum Town. The late 1920s – early 1930s [National Kyiv-Pechersk Historical and Cultural Preserve, inv. Nr. KPL-F-2551]

2. Father Superior’s House (building Nr. 1) – The Writing and Printing Department of the All-Ukrainian Museum Town. October 18, 1929 [Institute of Manuscripts of Volodymyr Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine, photo Nr. 285, file Nr. 2964]

3. Pavlo Popov, head of the Writing and Printing Department of the Lavra Museum of Cults and Life, and his wife Vera during the registration of museum exhibits. 1924 [Institute of Manuscripts of Volodymyr Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine, photo Nr. 285, file Nr. 2964]

4. Pavlo Popov, head of the Writing and Printing Department of the Lavra Museum of Cults and Life, and his wife Vera in the exhibition hall. 1925 [Institute of Manuscripts of Volodymyr Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine, photo Nr. 285, file Nr. 2964]

5. Visitors of the Writing and Printing Department accompanied by Pavlo Popov. The 1920s [Institute of Manuscripts of Volodymyr Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine, photo Nr. 285, file Nr.  2964]

6. Writing and Printing Department of the All-Ukrainian Museum Town. “Manuscript Hall”. May 1929 [National Kyiv-Pechersk Historical and Cultural Preserve, inv. Nr. KPL-F-9381]

7. Writing and Printing Department of the All-Ukrainian Museum Town. “Hall of the Kyiv Printing House of the 17th-early 18th centuries. May 1929 [National Kyiv-Pechersk Historical and Cultural Preserve, inv. Nr. KPL-F-9383]

8. Beginning of the first preface on behalf of Elisha Pletenetsky to the book “Conversations of John Chrysostom on the Acts of the Holy Apostles”, published in 1624 in the Printing House of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra [National Kyiv-Pechersk Historical and Cultural Preserve, inv. Nr. KPL-N-476]

9. Writing and Printing Department of the All-Ukrainian Museum Town. The late 1920s – early 1930s [National Kyiv-Pechersk Historical and Cultural Preserve, inv. Nr. KPL-F-9382]

10. Fragment of Elizabeth Petrovna's letter missive confirming the ancient rights and privileges of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. August 10, 1752 [National Kyiv-Pechersk Historical and Cultural Preserve, inv. Nr. KPL-N-669]

11. Writing and Printing Department of the All-Ukrainian Museum Town. “Hall of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra Printing House of the 18th-20th centuries”. May 1, 1929 [Institute of Manuscripts of Volodymyr Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine, photo Nr.285, file Nr. 2964]