Dear Friends!

Take a trip to our virtual museum during your coffee or tea break and make your #quarantinediscoveries!

Admire unique cultural assets of the Museum Fund of Ukraine!

Dipping into the past opens before us an endless flow of events in the lives of peoples. And prominent figures, endowed with the power of spiritual will and faith, fulfill their historical purpose. Among such persons is Joasaph Krokowski the Metropolitan of Kyiv, Halych, and All Rus (circa 1648–1718). He is famous as the builder of the Kyiv-Brotherhood Collegium (since 1658 the institution had the status of an academy, confirmed in 1694 and 1701). The Metropolitan Joasaph held the position of rector of the Kyiv-Mohyla Collegium, was Hegumen of Pustynno-Mykilsky and Kyiv- Brotherhood monasteries, and was elected Kyiv-Pechersk Archimandrite in 1697.

During his tenure, Joasaph Krokowski took care of the construction and decoration of many Kyiv churches, in particular, the improvement of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. In his time, with the financial support of Hetman Ivan Mazepa, monastery walls with towers and the Church of All Saints were built. At the expense of Pavel Hertsyk, the Colonel of Poltava, the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross was built in the Near Caves. The archimandrite made a lot of efforts to build the Lavra printing house. About 40 books were published here with his direct support.

An artifact associated with Joasaph Krokowski is stored in the Preserve collection. It is a silver embossed plate, crafted in the late 17th century by the master from German city Danzig (modern Gdansk, Poland). The plate is round, with a wide side, decorated with a twisted acanthus stalk; large bunches of fruits and flowers, made in high relief.

During the Hetmanate period, among the Cossack foremen and clergy there was a practice of decorating goldsmith's works with their own coats of arms. Thus, in the center of the presented plate there is an engraved image of the coat of arms framed by the wreath. The characters I. K. A. P. are engraved around the coat of arms. They mean Joasaph Krokowski Archimandrite of Pechersk. A magnificent German goldsmith’s work with the coat of arms of the archimandrite was kept in the Pustynno-Mykylskyi monastery.

The item was restored in 1988 by I. Igumenov. For over 20 years, a unique work of decorative art has been waiting for a wide presentation, and today it is presented to your attention!

1. Portrait of Joasaph (Krokowski). First half of the 18th c. КПЛ-П-220.
2. Plate. Late 17th c. Silver, chasing, engraving, Ø 25,5 cm. КПЛ-М-6753.

Let’s #stayathome and discover the beauties of the Preserve’s collection together!

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