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Dormition Cathedral, Kyiv Pechersk Lavra

Coordinates: 50°26′06″N 30°33′25″E / 50.435111°N 30.557028°E / 50.435111; 30.557028
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Dormition Cathedral
Cathedral of the Dormition of Theotokos
Успенський собор
The Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Map
LocationKyiv, Ukraine
DenominationUkrainian Church
History
DedicationDormition of the Mother of God
Architecture
Architect(s)Theodosius of Kiev (originally)
StyleByzantine (originally)
Ukrainian Baroque (since 1729)
Groundbreaking1073
Completed1078
Official nameУспенський собор з автентичними залишками ХІ-ХVII ст.
TypeArchitecture
Reference no.260088/1
The Great Church of the Kyiv Monastery of the Caves by Vasily Vereshchagin (1905)

The Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, also referred to as the Holy Dormition Church (Temple) or the Great Church, is the main cathedral of the monastery complex. At times of the Kyivan Rus (Ruthenia), the cathedral also served as a necropolis for the Kyivan princes.

The Dormition Cathedral is an important landmark of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra National Zapovednik (historic site).

History

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The original church was built on initiative of Theodosius of Kiev in 1073-1078.[1] The construction was primarily financed by Sviatoslav II of Kiev.[2] According to the Kyiv Caves Patericon, several Byzantine masters arrived from Constantinople. Also, several legends exist related to construction of the church, particularly one connected with a Varangian warrior Šimon (Shimon).[3]

The cathedral was damaged on several occasions and had to restored. In 13th century it was damaged by the 1230 Kyiv earthquake and the 1240 siege of Kiev by Khan Batu. The cathedral was restored in 1470, but in 1482 it was damaged again during the Crimean raid of Meñli I Giray. It was eventually restored again. In 1718 it was damaged during a Kyiv city fire. In 1729 cathedral was restored in Ukrainian Baroque and expanded.

Built in the 11th century, the main church of the monastery was destroyed during the World War II, a couple of months after the Nazi Germany troops occupied the city of Kyiv, during which the Soviet Union conducted the controversial 1941 Khreshchatyk explosions. Withdrawing Soviet troops practiced the tactics of scorched earth and blew up all the Kyiv bridges over Dnieper as well as the main Khreshchatyk street and Kyiv Pechersk Lavra.[4] The destruction of the cathedral followed a pattern of Soviet disregard for cultural heritage, as they previously blew up the ancient St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery nearby in the 1930s.[5]

In 1928, the monastery was converted into an anti-religious museum park by the Soviet authorities and after their return no efforts were provided to restore the church. The temple was finally restored in 1995 after Ukraine obtained its independence and the construction was accomplished in two years. The new Dormition Church was consecrated in 2000.[4] Within the Dormition Cathedral is located the Church of Saint John the Baptist.

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  • Illustration from the book "Conversations of Saint John Chrysostom" (1623)
    Illustration from the book "Conversations of Saint John Chrysostom" (1623)
  • Top view from west to east (2015)
    Top view from west to east (2015)
  • Back side with the Refectory Church in the background
    Back side with the Refectory Church in the background
  • Dormition and Refectory churches side by side
    Dormition and Refectory churches side by side
  • Dnieper-side or eastern side of the Cathedral and the Belfry
    Dnieper-side or eastern side of the Cathedral and the Belfry
  • The 1911 photo of the Cathedral
    The 1911 photo of the Cathedral
  • Cathedral ceiling in front of iconostasis
    Cathedral ceiling in front of iconostasis

References

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  1. ^ Києво-Печерська Лавра. Велика церква Успіння Пресвятої Богородиці (Успенський собор). ukrainaincognita.com
  2. ^ Успенський собор. www.kplavra.kyiv.ua
  3. ^ The Kyiv Pechersk Lavra Dormition Cathedral. www.symeon-anthony.info.
  4. ^ a b "1941: уничтожение Успенского собора в Лавре". BBC News Україна (in Russian). 2016-11-03. Retrieved 2023-06-02.
  5. ^ Гогун, Александр (2021-09-20). "Вандалы-орденоносцы. Как Красная армия взрывала Киев". Радио Свобода (in Russian). Retrieved 2023-06-02.
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50°26′06″N 30°33′25″E / 50.435111°N 30.557028°E / 50.435111; 30.557028

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