Orthodox Monasteries of Ukraine

translate

Orthodox Monasteries of Ukraine

Orthodox Monasteries of Ukraine

A reference page for Athos Forum, arranged by region, with statistics, principal monasteries of Kyiv, Volhynia, Galicia, and the major lavras and convents of Ukraine.

Ukraine

Ukraine preserves one of the oldest and most important monastic traditions in the Orthodox world. From the Kyiv Caves Lavra, cradle of East Slavic monasticism, to the great monasteries of Volhynia, Galicia, Podolia, and the Carpathians, Ukraine contains some of the most influential Orthodox centres in Eastern Europe.

525+ Orthodox monasteries and convents in Ukraine
3 historic Orthodox lavras in Ukraine
200+ female monasteries and convents
6,000+ monastics in Ukraine before 2022

Ukraine contains the three historic lavras of Kyiv, Pochaiv, and Sviatohirsk. The greatest concentration of historic monasteries lies in Kyiv, Volhynia, Chernihiv, Galicia, and western Ukraine.

This page follows the same structure established for Russia, Romania, and the former Yugoslav lands.

Principal Monasteries of Ukraine

  • Kyiv Pechersk Lavra – Kyiv. Founded in the eleventh century; the cradle of East Slavic Orthodox monasticism.
  • Pochaiv Lavra – Ternopil Region. The greatest monastery of western Ukraine and one of the principal pilgrimage centres of Eastern Europe.
  • Sviatohirsk Lavra – Donetsk Region. Great monastic centre of eastern Ukraine.
  • St Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery – Kyiv. Historic monastery of Kyiv rebuilt after the Soviet period.
  • Maniava Skete – Ivano-Frankivsk Region. Historic Carpathian monastery and important centre of western Ukrainian monasticism.
  • Univ Lavra – Lviv Region. Major monastic centre of western Ukraine.
  • Holy Dormition Monastery of Zymne – Volhynia. Ancient monastery traditionally linked with Prince Vladimir.

Kyiv and Central Ukraine

  • Kyiv Pechersk Lavra – Kyiv. The oldest and most important monastery in Ukraine.
  • St Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery – Kyiv. Historic monastery and major symbol of Kyiv Orthodoxy.
  • Vydubychi Monastery – Kyiv. Ancient monastery founded by Prince Vsevolod in the eleventh century.
  • St Cyril's Monastery – Kyiv. Medieval monastery known for its church and frescoes.
  • Florivsky Convent – Kyiv. One of the most important women’s monasteries in Ukraine.
  • Intercession Monastery – Kyiv. Major convent founded in the nineteenth century.
  • Mezhyhirya Monastery – near Kyiv. Historic monastery with roots in the princely period.
  • Mhar Monastery – Poltava Region. Important monastery founded in the seventeenth century.
  • Gustynia Monastery – Chernihiv Region. Historic monastery associated with the Ukrainian Baroque period.

Volhynia and Western Ukraine

  • Pochaiv Lavra – Ternopil Region. The foremost pilgrimage monastery of western Ukraine.
  • Zymne Monastery – Volhynia. Ancient monastery associated with early Kyivan Christianity.
  • Kremenets Monastery of the Theophany – Ternopil Region. Historic monastery of Volhynia.
  • Dermany Monastery – Rivne Region. Important monastery and educational centre.
  • Korets Monastery – Rivne Region. Historic women’s monastery.
  • Hoshiv Monastery – Ivano-Frankivsk Region. Important monastery in the Carpathian foothills.
  • Maniava Skete – Ivano-Frankivsk Region. The “Ukrainian Athos” of the Carpathians.
  • Univ Lavra – Lviv Region. Ancient monastic centre of Galicia.
  • Krekhiv Monastery – Lviv Region. Well-known western Ukrainian monastery.

Chernihiv and Northern Ukraine

  • Yelets Monastery – Chernihiv. One of the oldest monasteries in Ukraine.
  • Trinity-Ilyinsky Monastery – Chernihiv. Historic monastery associated with the cave tradition.
  • Gustynia Monastery – Chernihiv Region. Important monastery of Left-Bank Ukraine.
  • Kozelshchyna Monastery – Poltava Region. Well-known pilgrimage monastery.
  • Mhar Monastery – Poltava Region. Major seventeenth-century monastery.

Eastern and Southern Ukraine

  • Sviatohirsk Lavra – Donetsk Region. Historic cave monastery and principal monastery of eastern Ukraine.
  • Monastery of Saint Nicholas at Sviatohirsk – Donetsk Region. Integral part of the Sviatohirsk monastic complex.
  • Odessa Dormition Monastery – Odessa. Important monastery on the Black Sea coast.
  • Monastery of Saint Elijah – Odessa Region. Historic southern Ukrainian monastery.
  • Inkerman Cave Monastery – Crimea. Ancient cave monastery traditionally linked with St Clement of Rome.
  • Toplovsky Monastery – Crimea. Historic women’s monastery in Crimea.

Female Monasteries and Convents of Special Importance

  • Florivsky Convent – Kyiv. One of the principal women’s monasteries of Ukraine.
  • Intercession Monastery – Kyiv. Important convent and pilgrimage centre.
  • Korets Monastery – Rivne Region. Historic female monastery of Volhynia.
  • Toplovsky Monastery – Crimea. Important women’s monastery in southern Ukraine.
  • Kozelshchyna Monastery – Poltava Region. Famous for its icon and women’s community.

Observations

  • The Kyiv Pechersk Lavra remains the foundational monastery of East Slavic Orthodoxy.
  • Pochaiv Lavra and Sviatohirsk Lavra are the two other historic lavras of Ukraine.
  • Western Ukraine preserves a dense concentration of monasteries associated with Volhynia, Galicia, and the Carpathian ascetical tradition.
  • Ukraine is notable for its cave monasteries, lavras, women’s monasteries, and the continuity of both Kyivan and western Ruthenian Orthodox monasticism.
  • Among the best-known monasteries internationally are Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, Pochaiv Lavra, Sviatohirsk Lavra, Maniava Skete, St Michael's Monastery, and Univ Lavra.

Prepared for Athos Forum. Subsequent sections may continue with Belarus, Moldova, Georgia, Greece and Mount Athos, and other Orthodox regions.

Average: 5 (1 vote)

Add new comment

Plain text

  • No HTML tags allowed.
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.