The Kyiv Pechersk Lavra or Kyievo-Pecherska Lavra (), also known as the Kyiv Monastery of the Caves, is a historic lavra or large monastery of Eastern Christianity that gave its name to the Pecherskyi District where it is located in Kyiv.
Since its foundation as the cave monastery in 1051, the Lavra has been a preeminent center of Eastern Christianity in Eastern Europe.
Etymology and other names
means cave, which in turn derived from Proto-Slavic *реktera with the same meaning. is used to describe high-ranking male monasteries for monks of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Therefore, the name of the monastery is also translated as Kyiv Cave Monastery, Kyiv Caves Monastery or the Kyiv Monastery of the Caves (from ').
History
Foundation and early history
The Primary Chronicle contains contradictory information as to when the monastery was founded: in 1051, or in 1074. Anthony, a monk on Mount Athos, originally from Liubech of the Principality of Chernigov, returned to Rus' and settled in Kyiv as a missionary of monastic tradition to Kyivan Rus'. He chose a cave at the Berestov Mount that overlooked the Dnieper River and a community of disciples soon grew. Prince Iziaslav I of Kyiv (1024–1078) ceded the whole mount to the Anthonite monks who founded a monastery built by architects from Constantinople.
In 1096 the monastery was plundered by the Cumans. Later it fell victim to the Mongolian invaders, and in 1416 was burned down by forces of Golden Horde ruler Edigey, being rebuilt only in 1470. Mayors of Kyiv, members of the szlachta and Cossack starshyna, as well as church hierarchs also found their burial place in the monastery.
According to a legend published by polemicist and preacher Joannicius Galiatovsky, in 1630 the monastery was besieged by a Polish army, but the Holy Mother of God protected its monks by turning a "fiery rain" against the invaders.
Despite the patronage of powerful figures, including Ivan Mazepa and Raphael Zaborovsky, the Annexation of the Metropolis of Kyiv by the Moscow Patriarchate in 1685 started a process of subjugation of the monastery to Russian imperial authority. In 1722, by the decree of Peter I of Russia, the Metropolis of Kyiv was lowered in status to an archbishopric, which made it equal to other subdivisions of the Russian Synodal Church. In the following years, Russian religious traditions, axiology and language were imposed on the Orthodox Church in Ukraine.