Conflicts of assigned monasteries with masters who made iconostases

Did you know that Archimandrite of  Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra had to resolve conflicts between the assigned monasteries and masters who made iconostases?

In particular, one of such stories occurred in summer, 1720. Archimandrite Ioannicus (Senyutovych) got the letter from Prince Menshykov who demanded immediate money payment for the citizens of Yampil city (now - Sumy Region). They performed works for Svensk monastery, assigned to Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, under the supervision of Serhii Snitsar. In 1714, Yampil snitsars (masters of artistic carving) were hired by Svensk monastery hegumen Modest. The iconostasis of the Dormition Cathedral was planned to be expanded as part of the reconstruction activities. The masters were to receive 1,000 rubles for their work, but they claimed that they had been paid only 900 rubles. The snitsars went to the city of Pochep, where Menshykov stayed in 1720, and complained about the position of Svensk monastery administration. The Prince, in turn, began to force Ioannicus to resolve the conflict. How Archimandrite reacted, nobody knows. His answer did not survive.

Caption to the illustration:

1. Iconostasis of the Dormition Cathedral of Svensk Monastery. Photo of the 1930^s [Inv. № KPL-N-1244]

Hanna Filipova