Holy Trinity Ionin Monastery

Russian Afon refers to the southern neighborhood of ancient Kiev. It was here from the height of the hills for the first time that the light of the Christian faith, brought by the apostle Andrew the First-Called, shone. Here in 1071 God's church appeared, built by native grandson of the baptizer of Rus of Prince Vladimir - Vsevolod Yaroslavovich. The prince liked to hunt in these places, that's why this place called the Zverinets. But the true glory came to her much later, when the Ioninsky monastery built here called out the hills with the sound of its bells.

The first settlers in the holy place

In 1860, Hieromonk Hieromonk Vydubitsky Monastery-Iona-was found here. The glory of his humble and righteous life soon flew around the surrounding villages and became known in Kiev itself. From that time on, an endless stream of pilgrims reached for him. Nobody refused to help a pious father. Who helped wise advice, and who and hot prayer. Very many, having visited the elder, went under his spiritual care.

Soon joined two more monks - Hilarion and Gabriel. They lived all three of us, prayed to God, helped the coming people who could. The legend that the elder of Jonah honored the Holy Mother of God twice, who appeared here with a host of saints, has blessed this place and ordered the erection of a holy monastery here.

Later, when the Holy Trinity Monastery of Ionia was settled here, the miraculous appearance of the Queen of Heaven resembled a church built on the spot where footprints of her feet were left in the snow. And it is not surprising that this monastery eventually became one of the centers of the spiritual life of the country, after all it was built with the blessing of the Mother of God itself.

But before he raised the Ionian Monastery to the sky of his cathedrals, it took a lot of time and labor for its creators. Despite all the pleasurable nature of such a thing, opponents proved to be too zealous, both among officials and even among the clergy. So it was necessary to father Iona to limit construction of a small monastery at Vydubitsky monastery.

The pious sacrificer

But the Most Holy Theotokos not only blessed the establishment of the monastery, but sent down help in this good work. For this, she elected the wife of the Kiev governor-general, Princess Ekaterina Vasilchikova, who was the spiritual daughter of the elder Jonah. A pious woman became a generous sacrificer. To the needs of the future monastery, she wrote off her country estate, giving her a large sum of money.

But even this did not stop the benefactor. According to the laws of those years, an imperial decree was needed to establish the monastery, and Vasilchikova went to St. Petersburg. It should be noted that she had a strong ally - Metropolitan of Moscow Filaret. This outstanding religious figure entered the history of Russian Orthodoxy as the most intelligent and most educated person of his time.

A miracle that affected the will of the emperor

However, the idea of creating a new monastery was met very coldly, both among the higher clergy and in the aristocratic salons of the capital. Not wishing to join anybody in wrangling, Alexander II postponed the decision of the issue for an indefinite period. And then a miracle happened, for it is not without reason that the Most Holy Mother of God sanctified the slopes of the Kiev hills with its appearance.

The refusal to establish the monastery was announced by the emperor just on the eve of the day when he was assassinated by the terrorist Karakozov at the exit from the Summer Garden . Only thanks to a lucky chance, and more correctly to say - to the Providence of God, the emperor remained unharmed. Having seen this command from above, he immediately changed his mind. Thanks to this miracle, the new monastery, which later became known as the Ionian Monastery, adorned the Christian world.

The construction of the monastery

When all the formalities were settled, the construction of the monastery began. A characteristic detail - first of all, a hospital, an orphanage and a school were built. And only after that the brothers took care of their own arrangement - the erection of residential cells. That's how the commandments of Christ were actually fulfilled . In 1871 a stone church was erected.

His main throne was consecrated in the name of the Holy Life-giving Trinity, and lateral limits: one in honor of the icon of the Mother of God of the Three Hands, and the other in the name of all the saints. Widely used now the name of St. John's Monastery appeared only after the Blessed Elder's death, and then the monastery was called Holy Trinity.

Spiritual and economic life of the monastery

Over time, the monastery expanded its economic life. Various workshops were created for the manufacture of church utensils for their own needs and for sale. In addition, among the monks there were skillful carpenters, coopers, blacksmiths and other craftsmen who carried out orders of the people of Kiev. This fishery, as well as abundant donations of parishioners, provided the inhabitants of the monastery with everything necessary for life and prayer service. By the way, many surrounding residents, working for hire in the monastery economy, thus found a means of livelihood.

But the main thing, what is glorious Ioninsky monastery in our days and what was its glory during the lifetime of the Monk Jonah, is the endless spiritual works of the brethren. The holy elder in conversations with monks likened the monastery to a shovel, which the Almighty raps people's souls out of the hellish darkness. The influence of the abbot itself stretched far beyond the walls of the monastery. This was the result of his work in the field of eldership - the highest monastic deed.

The misfortunes that befell the monastery after the revolution

With the coming to power of the Bolsheviks , hard times began for the monastery. In 1918, extensive construction work was planned on the site where the Holy Trinity Ioninsky Monastery is located. To implement the project, the monastic buildings were to be demolished. But, as in previous years, the intercession of the MostHoly Mother of God saved - on the site of future works there were landslides caused by the presence of underground galleries throughout the territory. The site was declared unfit for construction, the monastery was saved.

Before the revolution, the construction of the highest bell tower in Russia was undertaken on the territory occupied by the Troitsky Ioninsky Monastery. Its height was to reach 110 meters. But in the first post-revolutionary year, the uncompleted construction was destroyed by the explosion. Of course, the restoration of her speech could not be. Soon repression began against the monks of the monastery. Archimandrite Filaret was sent to prison. Deserted monastic premises for many years were used by the new government for economic purposes.

In a short period from 1942 to 1949, the monastic life was restored, but then for a long forty years again interrupted. Some of the monks became residents of other monasteries, and some were forced to hide, fleeing from persecution of the God-struggling power.

Revival of the monastery

And only with the onset of perestroika began its revival of the Ionian Monastery. Service, which for so many years was not conducted within its walls, was finally a reality of the new time. And although the very building of the temple was closed, it was held directly on the porch. The Choir of the Monastery of St. John sang in the open air and in the rain and in severe frost. A huge work to restore the monastery lies behind the shoulders of monks and laymen. Now the temple in its pristine beauty strikes the eye with the beauty of wall painting and decorative design.

As in previous years, the Sunday school, catechetical courses, and many other useful and necessary institutions opened their doors for everyone. Particular attention is paid to working with young people. The youth of the Ioninsky Monastery (as it is here called) is a spiritual conversation over a cup of tea, held every week. Their importance in the Christian upbringing of young people is difficult to overestimate.

The monastery is waiting for its guests

Under its hospitable shelter I am glad to receive people of all ages the revived Ioninsky monastery. How to get there? You can use a trolleybus or a fixed-route taxi No. 14. They go straight from the Kiev railway station. The destination will be the final stop - the Botanical Garden. If you get your own transport, then the route will easily tell you the scheme of city highways.