Dear friends!

We are pleased to know that publications of “Memories of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra”  photo project are popular with you.

We have recently got the letter from Maryna Chemerys, the citizen of Kyiv. She wrote that their family had a photo archive, large part of which was devoted to Kyiv and, in particular, to Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. The photos were taken by her father, Volodymyr Terentiyovych Chemerys. Ms Marina kindly allowed us to publish some of the photos from the “Lavra series” that were taken in the 1960s. She also provided brief information about her father.

Here is her story: “My father was fond of photography and it was one of his best hobbies from the age he was a schoolboy. He first lived in Bessarabka area. Then, in 1967, he moved to Holosiiv district. At that time, he was already taking pictures of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. Later, being a student, he started showing interest in old Kyiv. In those days he came across the book “Kyiv now and before” written by M.M. Zakharchenko. It was published by S.V. Kulzhenko in 1888 to commemorate the 900th anniversary of the adoption of Christianity in Russia. The book had a lot of photographs of Kyiv. This very fact inspired him to walk across the streets of old Kyiv with a camera and shot pictures of the city. In the photo collection made by Volodymyr Chemerys, there are some shots that were taken from the same angle as those, presented by M.M. Zakharchenko in his book.

“This is Dad. He says he was taking photos on Sunday. It was autumn time. All museums were open and full of visitors. Churches did not work, as you know. The church and other constructions in the Far Caves area were under repair. In general, it was a very nice time for walking. My mother and I were also there, but I don't remember anything, as I was very small”.        

Volodymyr Terentiyovych Chemerys was born on May 29, 1940. He is a mechanical engineer, the graduate of Kyiv Polytechnic Institute of 1962. He worked at the Institute of Electrodynamics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, in 1973 he got the PhD. He specialized in the field of renewable energy conversion processes. In 1980 he received the title of senior research associate. After retirement Volodymyr Chemerys continued teaching technical disciplines in Kyiv higher educational institutions. He published more than one and a half hundred scientific papers (several dozen of them in English), has almost three dozen copyright certificates, prepared 5 candidates of science. Volodymyr Chemerys is a full-fledged member of the International Organization of the Institute of Electrical Engineering Science and Electronics. He was amateur photographer.

A few words about the photos. They depict the well-known Lavra monuments and reflect the images the camera fixed more than fifty years ago. It is easy to notice the changes that have taken place over the years: wooden sheds, dilapidated outbuildings and pipes of coal-fired boilers have disappeared. At the same time, the Cathedral Square of Lavra is again decorated with the restored Dormition Cathedral.

Let us wish good health and long life to dear Volodymyr Terentiyovych. We invite all our readers to share their family photos taken in the territory of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.

In the next release of “Memories of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra” photo project we will tell you about the visitors of the Kyiv-Pechersk State Historical and Cultural Preserve in the far 60s of the last century.

Captions to the illustrations:

1. Trinity Gate Church. East facade

2. Church of St. Anthony and Theodosius of Pechersk and the ruins of the Dormition Cathedral

3. Great Lavra Bell Tower

4. View of the lower territory of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra from the Observation Platform

5. Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in the territory of Near Caves

6. View on the upper territory of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra from its lower territory

7. The Bell Tower of the Near Caves with the Observation Platform of the Upper Lavra in the background

8. The territory of the Far Caves. The Church of the Conception of St Anna

9. Repair work of the arcade and the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin

10. Far Caves. Lifestyle of locals

11. Kovnir Bell Tower in the Far Caves

12. Hill climbing and the Church of St. Anthony and Theodosius of Pechersk in the background

13. “Near Caves” street. Descent to the caves.

14. Church of the Resurrection

15. Ivan Kushchnik Tower. The intersection of Lavrska and Citadelna streets