Russian Athos is the southern neighborhood of ancient Kiev. It was here that the light of the Christian faith, brought by the Apostle Andrew the First-Called, first shone from the heights of the hills. Here, in 1071, the Church of God appeared, built by Vsevolod Yaroslavovich, the grandson of the baptist of Russia, Prince Vladimir. The prince loved to hunt in these places, and therefore this area was called the Menagerie. But true glory came to her much later, when he announced the hills with the sound of his bells the Ioninsky monastery built here.
The first settlers in the holy place
In 1860, he found here refuge Hieromonk Vydubychi Monastery - Jonah. The fame of his humble and righteous life soon spread to the surrounding villages and became known in Kiev itself. From then on, an endless stream of pilgrims reached him. The pious father refused no help. To whom he helped with wise counsel, and to whom by fervent prayer. Very many, having visited the old man, went under his spiritual care.
Soon two more monks joined him - Hilarion and Gabriel. The three of them lived, prayed to God, helped the people who came with what they could. There is a legend that the elder Jonah was able to see the Blessed Virgin Mary twice, who appeared here with a host of saints, blessed this place and commanded to erect a holy monastery here.
Later, when Holy Trinity Ioninsky Monastery was settled here, the church built on the place where the footprints of her feet remained in the snow reminded of the miraculous appearance of the Queen of Heaven. And it is not surprising that over time this monastery became one of the centers of the spiritual life of the country, because it was built with the blessing of the Mother of God.
But before he raised the domes of his temples to the sky, the Ioninsky Monastery, it took a lot of time and work to its creators. Despite the piousness of such a thing, his opponents were too zealous, among officials, and even among the clergy. So Father Jonah had to limit himself to building a small monastery at Vydubychi Monastery.
Pious sacrifice
But the Blessed Virgin Mary not only blessed the creation of the monastery, but sent down help in this good deed. To do this, she elected the wife of the Kiev governor-general, Princess Yekaterina Vasilchikova, who was the spiritual daughter of the elder Jonah. The pious woman became a generous donor. For the needs of the future monastery, she wrote off her country estate as a gift, and in addition to it a large amount of money.
But the benefactor did not stop there either. According to the laws of those years, the imperial decree was necessary for the establishment of the monastery, and Vasilchikova went to Petersburg. It should be noted that she had a strong ally - Metropolitan of Moscow Filaret. This outstanding religious figure went down in the history of Russian Orthodoxy as the smartest and most educated person of his time.
The miracle that influenced 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 wanting to engage in bickering with anyone, Alexander II postponed the decision of the question for an indefinite period. And then a miracle happened, because it was not without reason that the Most Holy Theotokos consecrated the slopes of the Kiev hills with their appearance.
The refusal to establish a monastery was announced by the sovereign just on the eve of the day when the terrorist Karakozov attempted him at the exit from the Summer Garden . Only thanks to a happy accident, or rather, to the Providence of God, did the emperor remain unharmed. Seeing 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 this the brethren became preoccupied with their own arrangement - the construction of residential cells. So, in fact, the commandments of Christ were once fulfilled . In 1871, a stone temple was erected.
His main throne was consecrated in the name of the Holy Life-Giving Trinity, and the side 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. The widely used name of the Holy Ioninsky monastery appeared only after the blessed death of the elder, and then the monastery was called the Holy Trinity.
The spiritual and economic life of the monastery
Over time, the monastery developed a widespread economic life. Various workshops for the manufacture of church utensils for their own needs and for sale were created. In addition, among the monks there were skillful joiners, coopers, blacksmiths and other artisans who carried out orders from Kiev. This craft, as well as abundant donations from the parishioners, provided the inhabitants of the monastery with everything necessary for life and prayer service. By the way, many of the surrounding residents, while working for hire in the monastery, thereby gained a livelihood.
But the main thing why the Ioninsky Monastery is famous today and what made it famous during the life of the Monk Jonah is the endless spiritual works of the brethren. In his conversations with the monks, the holy elder likened the monastery to the shovel, with which the Almighty removes human souls from the hellish darkness. The influence of the abbot himself extended far beyond the walls of the monastery. Such was the result of his work in the field of old age - the highest monastic feat.
The trouble that befell the monastery after the revolution
With the coming to power of the Bolsheviks , difficult times began for the monastery. In 1918, extensive construction work was planned on the site where the Holy Trinity Ioninsky Monastery is located. For the implementation of the project, the demolition of monastery buildings was supposed. But, as in previous years, the intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos was saved - at the site of future work, landslides occurred due to the presence of underground galleries throughout the territory. The plot was found unsuitable for construction, the monastery was saved.
Before the revolution, construction of the highest bell tower in Russia was undertaken on the territory occupied by the Trinity Ioninsky Monastery. Its height was to reach 110 meters. But in the very first post-revolutionary year, the construction not yet completed was destroyed by the explosion. Of course, there could be no talk of restoring her. Soon, repression began against the inhabitants of the monastery. Rector Archimandrite Filaret was sent to jail. The empty monastery premises have been used by the new government for economic purposes for many years.
In a short period from 1942 to 1949, monastic life was restored, but then again interrupted for a long forty years. Some of the monks became inhabitants of other monasteries, and some were forced to hide, fleeing the persecution of the atheistic power.
The revival of the monastery
And only with the advent of perestroika did the Ioninsky monastery begin its revival. The service, which had not been held in its walls for so many years, finally became the reality of the new time. And although the temple building itself was closed, it was carried out right on the porch. The choir of the Ionian Monastery sang in the open air in the rain and in severe frost. The huge work of restoring the monastery lies behind the monks and laity. 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, catechesis courses, and many more useful and necessary institutions opened their doors to everyone. Particular attention is paid to work with youth. The youth of the Ioninsky monastery (as they call it here) are spiritual conversations over a cup of tea, held every week. It is difficult to overestimate their importance in the Christian education of young people.
The monastery is waiting for its guests
Under its hospitable shelter, the revived Ioninsky monastery is pleased to welcome people of all ages. How to get to it? You can use the trolleybus or minibus number 14. They go straight from the Kiev railway station. The final stop will be the Botanical Garden. If you get your own transport, then the route will easily tell you the scheme of city highways.