Sviatohirsk Lavra shows a unique archive video to mark 20th anniversary

Abbot of the Sviatohirsk Lavra at the relics of Hegumen Ioann Pokrovsky. Photo: svlavra.church.ua

March 9, 2024 will mark the 20th anniversary since the conferment of the lavra title upon the Sviatohirsk Monastery. For the first time, the press service of the monastery published archival interviews with the first ruling hierarch of the Donetsk Diocese and the hegumen of the Sviatohirsk Monastery.

The decision to confer the honorary status upon the Sviatohirsk Monastery was made by the Holy Synod of the UOC on March 9, 2004, in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra under the chairmanship of His Beatitude Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan).

On the eve of the Synod meeting, a filming crew of the Kyiv Diocese made a story about the revival of the monastery.

"Its task was to tell about the history of the ancient Holy Assumption Sviatohirsk Monastery and its current life, to show the importance of this monastery in the process of spiritual revival of Ukraine," the press service said.

Two interviews with the first ruling hierarch of the Donetsk Diocese, Bishop Alipiy (Pohrebniak), and the abbot of the Sviatohirsk Monastery, Archimandrite Arseniy (Yakovenko), were included in the story for the 20th anniversary event.

The hegumen of the Lavra, now Metropolitan Arseniy, spoke about the founding of the monastery, its development and destruction, the return of the main shrine – the Sviatohirsk Icon of the Mother of God, and the miraculous help that believers receive from local shrines.

The hierarch of Donetsk recalled his personal meeting with the Venerable Elder, Hegumen Ioann Pokrovsky, who predicted the revival of the monastery.

"After the service, we approached for a blessing, and with tears in our eyes, we complained to the elder about how difficult it was – we were not allowed in the church. The Father hugged us and said, 'Children, the time will come when churches and Holy Mountains will be opening. And the bells will be ringing so loudly that they will be heard all the way to Krasny Lyman! (a village in the Donetsk region – Ed)'" he shared.

The elder's prophecy came true in 1991.

"The Act of transferring the ownership of the Church of the Assumption Cathedral and economic buildings to the possession of the Church was signed," Bishop Alipiy added. "There were a lot of worries and concerns. It was very difficult to deal with (the revival of the monastery – Ed.), the issue was primarily related to financing. Millions were needed just to dismantle the Assumption Cathedral, where the theater was located then. There was so much work, but the Lord helped in our cause."

As reported by the UOJ, on February 25, 2024, the All-Ukrainian Cross Procession visited the Sviatohirsk Lavra.

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