Did you know that during the reign of Catherine II, people living in Lavra had to have special documents to travel abroad?

In 1769, Fedir Voyejkov, Governor-General of Kyiv, informed Lavra Archimandrite Zosim (Valkevych) that all people travelling abroad through the Kyiv province should get special documents. First of all, this referred to the residents of Lavra who lived within the lodgings of the Starodub Regiment. Besides, the rule was also applied to the local Old Believers, who often went to Poland to earn money. The first to get those special documents (passports) were the residents of the city of Vasylkiv, the villages of Novosilky (part of Oster sotnia – administrative and territorial unit), Sorokoshychi, Trebukhov and Losynivka.

Caption to the illustration:

1. Travelling document, beginning of the 18^th century.

Anna Filipova