Kiev, Pokrovsky monastery (women), Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate: description, history

In 1889, on the banks of the Dnieper river, the city became the cradle of Russian Orthodoxy, was founded Pokrovsky monastery. Kiev has always been famous for the Holy monasteries, but this one was special. Since its opening it has become not only a hotbed of spiritual life, but also the unique medical center, has not been equal in the country. After long years of neglect of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate returned to the parishioners of this Shrine.

Forced departure in Kiev

The Story of this monastery began with a sad event occurred in 1881 in St. Petersburg. Grand Duchess Alexandra Petrovna – a woman of deeply religious and pious-was forced to leave the capital because of the breakup with her husband, Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich, a man of very licentious morals. If her meaning of life was the fulfillment of the commandments, he is above all put sense gratification, which indulged in beyond measure.

Ever parting with him, she moved to Kiev. Pokrovsky monastery was the embodiment of her long-standing dream-the creation of women's monastery, which was conceived not only as a spiritual center but also as a medical institution for the poor. According to the plan of Alexandra Petrovna, Junior medical staff of the hospital was to become the sisters of the convent-nuns and novices, and the medical office she had planned to attract health professionals of high qualification.

Monastic Foundation

To implement the planned Grand Duchess donated his entire fortune and the remaining sum was contributed by her relatives. After the opening of the monastery in 1895, work on the extension of renovation of buildings lasted twenty years. Over the years the monastery was constructed more than thirty buildings of various purposes.

Recommended

Berry prediction. What dreams blueberries?

Small berries in the dream – sign of tears. About this my grandmother said, and not to believe them impossible. They are also on their own experience has repeatedly convinced of the veracity of the interpretation. And what a dream blueberry? Wh...

What need for the baptism of girls? Find out!

In your family has a girl. Parents always a lot of questions. How she is a man? What name is she more fit? What need for the baptism of girls? Try to deal with several of them.Name at baptismcurrently shown on TV a lot of TV series and various movies...

Himself protection prayer from evil people

So it turns out that modern man, with all his technical knowledge, quite a broad Outlook and the ability to understand such things, about which a few generations ago people could only dream of, or does not think, is absolutely helpless before the for...

Among them was the temple building, a room for parochial schools, dormitories, buildings, which housed the icon-painting and gold embroidery workshops, as well as a hotel for pilgrims and nursing cells. In addition, the monastery operated an orphanage for the blind and the infirm.

Medical centre

But the main brainchild of Alexandra Petrovna was the hospital at the time the best in the city. Kyiv has always been at the head of the scientific progress, this was easy enough to find among his medical professionals are good and knowledgeable professionals for a convent hospital. Its buildings housed medical and surgical wards, outpatient Department and pharmacy where all in need can receive free medicines.

Svyato-Pokrovsky monastery (Kiev) had a therapeutic centre equipped with the most advanced at the time equipment. To the credit of most Alexandra Petrovna and the chief physician of the clinic Nikolay Viktorovich Straw. Thanks to their efforts in the monastery hospital began to operate the country's only x-ray machine.

The Figures speak for themselves

The Preserved statistical data covering the first decade of the monastic hospital. During the period from 1893 to 1903 inpatient treatment were 5030 patients in the Department of surgery was conducted 2288 operations, and employees of the hospital pharmacy was given to low-income patients more than 5, 000, 000 drugs for free.

At the end of the XIX century on the donations of members of the Reigning House was built additional building of therapeutic offices and clinics. It is possible to increase a daily intake of patients up to 500 people. Often the Grand Duchess Alexandra Petrovna personally assisted in the operating room, what special training. She died in 1900 in the walls created by her works of the monastery.

St. Nicholas Cathedral

After her death the work on the expansion and renovation of the monastery continued. Continued VN. Nikolaev – architect, many of his works adorn Kiev. Pokrovsky monastery became a place of realization of his new project − building of the St. Nicholas Cathedral, built in pseudo-Russian style. He also belongs to a number of other constructions are also made in the spirit of antiquity. By the way, the preliminary design of the Cathedral personally, was the son of Alexandra Petrovna – Peter Nikolaevich. As a mother, he was a man deeply religious and devoted to Orthodoxy.

The post-revolutionary woes

When they came to power the Bolsheviks, they are across the country EN masse closed religious centers. The scene of this atheistic folly has become and Kiev. Pokrovsky monastery was liquidated, and its work stopped. It was opened only during the occupation, when at the request of Archbishop Anthony (Abashidze), and the nuns of Epistimia (Samoilenko) the Germans have permitted it services.

In 1943, when the invaders were expelled from the city, on the territory of the monastery until the end of the war was a hospital, and in the early postwar years – the infirmary. Soon was established the Committee for the restoration of St. Nicholas Cathedral, have received during the fighting, considerable damage.

Restoration work was engaged many famous experts andthanks to their efforts, by may 1949, work on the restoration of the interior of the Church was completed. However, should the face gave only the interior, the outer façade is not much changed. The government of the Republic was allowed to carry out only cosmetic repairs, thus prohibiting to restore demolished before the dome.

The Revival of the Holy monastery

And only decades later, when gone is the ridiculous restrictions imposed by the authorities, Cathedral of St. Nicholas appeared before the eyes of the people of Kiev to its former splendour. Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate has made great efforts to return people to the Shrine. As a result of works conducted in the period 2006-2010, the roof of the Cathedral of the newly crowned dome. He returned to his former place of bells, and the ringing floated above the ground, welcoming his solemn sounds of "Mother of Russian cities” − Kiev. Pokrovsky monastery has regained its original appearance.