Ancient shrine of Kyiv.
September of this year again pleased with warm sunny days, and on the last weekend of the first autumn month I hurried to walk around the city and see the Church of the Savior opened the day before in Berestov.
In recent years, the church has been closed to visitors. Archaeological research, restoration and conservation were carried out there, aimed at the maximum preservation of it as a unique temple of Kievan Rus, which belongs to the architectural monument of world importance.
Church of the Savior in Brest after restoration
Church of the Savior on Berestov
On the hills covered with shady forests, in the days of Yaroslav the Wise, the Kiev-Pechersk monastery was born. It arose near the village of Berestove - the country residence of the Kiev princes.
Yaroslav the Wise, Sviatoslav Yaros Lavovych and Vsevolod Yaroslavovych, Volodymyr Monomakh liked to visit Berestov.
There, in Berestov, in 988, Grand Duke Vladimir Svyatoslavovich, returning from the Byzantine Korsun, where he received holy baptism, in memory of this event decided to build a church "on the architectural model of the Korsun church": " Volodymyr ordered to build a large stone church of the Holy Savior in Kyiv ».
The fireplace church, which later became the tomb of the Monomakhovich princes, was built near the prince's palace in 1113-1125. The daughters of Vladimir Monomakh Euphemia and Sophia are buried in it. According to chronicles, the son of Volodymyr Monomakh, the Kyivan prince and founder of Moscow Yuri Dolgoruky, was buried here in 1157: and tomorrow, Thursday, you will be laid to rest in the monastery of the Holy Savior. "
And in 1175 - his grandson Gleb.
Time and history did not spare the Church of the Savior: an earthquake in the thirteenth century. , the invasion of Khan Batu in 1240, which destroyed Kyiv, the decree of 1481, which forbade the repair and restoration of Orthodox churches, and in 1482 the invasion of the Tatar Khan Mengli-Girey ...From the original appearance of the Church of the Savior almost nothing remains.
Church of the Savior in Brest. Poster with the history of the temple
In 1640-1643, the ruined church was restored with his own money by Kyiv Metropolitan Petro Mohyla, as evidenced by an inscription on one of the walls:
After many years and the destruction of ungodly Tatars, the tyranny of God renewed humble Peter Mohyla, Archbishop Metropolitan of Kiev and Galicia and all Russia, Exarch of the Holy See of Constantinople, Archimandrite of Pechersk, in Christ.
He invited Athos masters to paint the ancient shrine.
Church of the Savior on Berestov
Church of the Savior in Brest
Church of the Savior in Brest
Church of the Savior in Brest
Church of the Savior in Brest
Church of the Savior on Berestov
Church of the Savior in Brest
Church of the Savior in Brest
Church of the Savior in Brest. The image of the Mother of God "Queen"
Peter the Great considered himself the receiver and successor of the affairs of Grand Duke Vladimir, who baptized Russia.
In the western part of the church above the arch you can see a plot of Greek painting dedicated to the Metropolitan of Kiev. The center of the composition depicts the Savior sitting on the throne in a bishop's robe. To the right of the Savior is the Mother of God, and to the left is the holy co-apostolic prince Volodymyr. In front of the Savior is the adored Metropolitan Petro Mohyla in holy attire. He holds in his hands the restored temple of the Savior and hands it to Christ.
Church of the Savior in Brest. Below is a story depicting Peter's Tomb
For centuries, no one could have imagined that ancient Russian frescoes are preserved under a thick layer of plaster, as the original paintings were whitewashed some time after the Mongol-Tatar invasion. Only in 1970, during the restoration works under the paintings of the seventeenth century, frescoes of the XI-XII centuries were accidentally discovered.
The Church of the Savior on Berestov is located behind the walls of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, but is considered part of the National Reserve. You can get to the church with a comprehensive ticket, which includes a visit to the Savior in Brest, the Great Lavra Bell Tower, Trinity Gate Church, exhibition "Revived Treasures of Kiev-Pechersk Lavra", exhibition of the legacy of the Ostroh princes, several exhibitions of art from the National Reserve.
The ticket price is currently UAH 80 (slightly less than EUR 3).
And I, inspecting the ancient shrine, go to the Lavra - thanks to the ticket I suddenly drew a very rich program. : )
