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Dormition Cathedral
Cathedral of the Dormition of Theotokos
Успенський собор
The Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Location	Kyiv, Ukraine
Denomination	Ukrainian Church
History
Dedication	Dormition of the Mother of God
Architecture
Architect(s)	Theodosius of Kiev (originally)
Style	Ukrainian Baroque
Groundbreaking	1073
Completed	1078
Historic site
Immovable Monument of National Significance of Ukraine
Official name	Успенський собор з автентичними залишками ХІ-ХVII ст.
Type	Architecture
Reference no.	260088/1

The Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, also referred to as the Holy Dormition Church (Temple) or the Great Church, is the main cathedral of the monastery complex. At times of the Kyivan Rus (Ruthenia), the cathedral also served as a necropolis for the Kyivan princes.

History

The original church was wooden and was built as early as 1062 on initiative of Theodosius of Kiev. In 1073-1078 it was rebuilt out of stone. The construction was primarily financed by Sviatoslav II of Kiev. According to the Kyiv Caves Patericon, several Byzantine masters arrived from Constantinople. Also, several legends exist related to construction of the church, particularly one connected with a Varangian warrior Šimon (Shimon).

The cathedral was damaged on several occasions and had to restored. In 13th century it was damaged by the 1230 Kyiv earthquake and the 1240 siege of Kiev by Khan Batu. The cathedral was restored in 1470, but in 1482 it was damaged again during the Crimean raid of Meñli I Giray. It was eventually restored again. In 1718 it was damaged during a Kyiv city fire. In 1729 cathedral was restored in Ukrainian Baroque and expanded. In September of 1744 in cathedral were blessed to be wed Peter III of Russia and Catherine the Great.

Built in the 11th century, the main church of the monastery was destroyed during the World War II, a couple of months after the Nazi Germany troops occupied the city of Kyiv, during which the Soviet Union conducted the controversial 1941 Khreshchatyk explosions. Withdrawing Soviet troops practiced the tactics of scorched earth and blew up all the Kyiv bridges over Dnieper as well as the main Khreshchatyk street and Kyiv Pechersk Lavra. The destruction of the cathedral followed a pattern of Soviet disregard for cultural heritage, as they previously blew up the ancient St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery nearby in the 1930s.

In 1928, the monastery was converted into an anti-religious museum park by the Soviet authorities and after their return no efforts were provided to restore the church. The temple was finally restored in 1995 after Ukraine obtained its independence and the construction was accomplished in two years. The new Dormition Church was consecrated in 2000.

Gallery

• Illustration from the book "Conversations of Saint John Chrysostom" (1623)
• Top view from west to east (2015)
• Back side with the Refectory Church in the background
• Dormition and Refectory churches side by side
• Dnieper-side or eastern side of the Cathedral and the Belfry
• The 1911 photo of the Cathedral
• Cathedral ceiling in front of iconostasis

References

1. The Kyiv Pechersk Lavra Dormition Cathedral. www.symeon-anthony.info.
2. ^ "1941: уничтожение Успенского собора в Лавре". BBC News Україна (in Russian). 2016-11-03. Retrieved 2023-06-02.
3. Гогун, Александр (2021-09-20). "Вандалы-орденоносцы. Как Красная армия взрывала Киев". Радио Свобода (in Russian). Retrieved 2023-06-02.

External links

• Holy Dormition Cathedral. www.gpsmycity.com
• Dormition Cathedral of the Kyivan Cave Monastery. www.encyclopediaofukraine.com
• Assumption Cathedral. www.loc.gov

v t e Kyiv Pechersk Lavra
Churches	Dormition Cathedral Refectory Church All Saints Saviour at Berestove Exaltation of Cross Life-Giving Spring Nativity of the Virgin Conception of St. Anne Gate Church of the Trinity
Other constructions	Great Lavra Bell Tower Near Caves Far Caves St. Nicholas Monastery Debosquette Wall Lavra fortification (Ivan Kushchnyk Tower)
Miscellaneous	Typography Theological Academy and Seminary

50°26′06″N 30°33′25″E / 50.435111°N 30.557028°E / 50.435111; 30.557028

• Churches in Kyiv
• Eastern Orthodox cathedrals in Ukraine
• Kyiv Pechersk Lavra
• Churches completed in 1078
• 11th-century Eastern Orthodox church buildings
• Revival architecture in Ukraine
• Church buildings with domes
• 1078 establishments in Ukraine
• Ukrainian Baroque church buildings