Dear friends!

We continue our story about the revival of monastic life in Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra in the 1980s. Today we will talk about important events of the Monastery that took place in 1989.

The first of them happened on January, 26. It was the meeting of the Ecclesiastic Council of the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. As you know, the Ecclesiastic Council as the collegial governing body of Pechersk Monastery and the structure that united the heads of Lavra’s services, has been known since late Middle Ages. Thus, the resumption of the Monastery’s activities was another evidence of the revival of ancient Lavra traditions. The forum of the first meetings of the Ecclesiastic Council was rather small. Only 5 people took part in it. Among them there were Father Superior, Assistant Bishop, Treasurer, Cellar and Ritualist.

In August 1989, Archimandrite Eleutherius (Didenko, November 4, 1940 – May 5, 2016) was appointed the Vicar of Kyiv diocese. He became Father Superior of Kyiv-Pechersk Monastery and replaced Jonathan (Yeletsky), who had already been ordained the Bishop of Pereyaslav-Khmelnytsky. Archimandrite Eleutherius headed Lavra’s fraternity until January 1992.

Another solemn event that was celebrated in 1989 was associated with the 900th anniversary of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra (1089). On this occasion a prayer was said on August 28, 1989. The ceremony was held in the presence of the new Father Superior, the brethren of the Monastery and thousands of faithful believers. The service was organized on the Day of the Dormition of the Mother of God at the ruins of the Dormition Cathedral. That day paved the way for a new tradition that lasted until the reconstruction of the Great Pechersk Church. It involved the organization of the open-air services that were held periodically on the site of the main Church of Lavra.

In December 1989, the services were resumed in the Near-by Caves. On December 3, Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the main cave church of that part of the monastery, was consecrated.. At that time, the number of monks increased to 40 people (to compare: at the end of July 1988, their community consisted of 9 monks).

The year 1989 is also remembered for another event that took place on the territory of the Far Caves. It was not directly related to the monastic life of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra but became an important landmark in the process of the revival of the church life in Ukraine. In September, 1989, Kyiv Theological Seminary was opened in building № 53. With this, Kyiv theological schools, which appeared in Lavra as far as the times of St. Petro Mohyla, started operating.

Next release of “Memories of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra” photo project will be dedicated to the events that took place in the life of the restored monastery in 1990.

Captions to the illustrations:

1-2. First services in the restored monastery

3. Fraternal meal after the liturgy

4. Believers take on water from the destroyed St. Anthony’s well

5. Liturgy at the restored St. Theodosius’s well

6. Lavra brothers working in the bakery. First on the left – Fr. Arseniy, the second – Fr. Ignatius, one of the oldest monks

7. Rayisa Gorbacheva’s visit to Lavra (February 20, 1989)

8. Father Superior, Archimandrite Eleutherius standing near the reliquary with the remains of St. Pimen the Long-suffering

9. St. Theodosius of Pechersk Feast day (May 16, 1989)

10. St. Anthony of Pechersky Feast day (July 23, 1989)

11-14. Solemn liturgy on the occasion of the 900th anniversary of the Dormition Cathedral (August 28, 1989)

15. After the charity concert held to mark the 900th anniversary of the Dormition Cathedral. In the center - the first Father Superior, Bishop Jonathan. To his left is Yu. Kybalnyk, General Director of the Preserve. To his right - Archimandrite Eleutherius (August 27, 1989).

16. Conversation between spiritual and secular leaders. Yu. Kybalnyk, General Director of the Preserve and Bishop Jonathan are talking

17. Near the monument to the Slavic educators, Sts. Kyryl and Methodius. From left to right: O. Koval, Bishop Jonathan, V. Kolpakova, Archimandrite Sophronius, Fr. Spyrydon

18. Opening of the Kyiv Theological Seminary. (October 4, 1989)

Photographs were taken from the archives of the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra