SVIATOHIRSK LAVRA

In the heart of the so-called Holy Mountains (chalk hills covered with forest), on the right bank of the river Dinets, in one of the most picturesque places of Donetsk Oblast (Sviatohirsk) a real gem of cultural heritage of Ukraine, Holy Dormition Sviatohirsk Lavra is located.

For several centuries, the attempts to find the exact facts about when and by whom the complex was built were unsuccessful. The first mention of the “monastery in the rock” is found in written sources in 1624. There are currently several versions about who created this place. One of the most popular is that the creators of the future Lavra could have been Kyiv monks who left the city of Kyiv after its destruction in the 13th century. Over the centuries, the monastery complex was repeatedly attacked, but each time it was gradually restored.

As a result of Russia's annexation of several regions in eastern Ukraine in 2014, more than 800 refugees have found the air raid shelter in the Lavra, one third of whom are children of all ages. Escaping from the war, they felt the enemy fire again on March 12, 2022, when a blast wave severely damaged the Lavra building. At the same time, several civilians were slightly injured and hospitalized.

On May 4, Russian troops launched a targeted attack on the Sviatohirsk Lavra, damaged the dormitory building where civilians lived at that time, as well as St. George's Hermitage. Several people were injured. Fortunately, no one was killed.

Despite the fact that Russia brings with it only destruction, pain and death, Ukrainians do not lose hope that after the victory of Ukraine Sviatohirsk Lavra will certainly be restored. The reconstruction of this sanctuary will symbolize the victory over darkness and the belief in a bright and peaceful future.