Свято-Покровський Голосіївський монастир

       
        A brief historical reference on the Goloseevsky monastery
       
        Metropolitan Petro Mohyla(1647, 31^st of December/13^th of January) had been deeply impressed by the picturesque and secluded Goloseev suburbs of Kiev and acquired the piece of its forest with the little meadow. In a while the church in honor of the martyr John Sochava and several houses-cells for the brethren were built there. It was the beginning of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra’s suburban abode that would be soon called Goloseevskaya Pustin (the secluded place for praying or the hermitage). Over time the church was renamed in honor of the Life-Giving Spring Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. In 1910-1912 years the new stone church was arisen on the site of the old wooden one.
       
        Thus the Goloseev abode’s territory included the churches, monks cells, the summertime residence for the Kiev metropolitans, the home church in honor of St. John the Much-suffering (of the Kiev Caves), the hotel, the Lavra’s household farm and other buildings. In 1852 by blessing of the bishop St. Filaret (Amfiteatrov), metropolitan of Kiev and Galicia, that place was called the Holy Protection of Theotokos Goloseevsky Monastery.

The saint Hierarchs Petr (Mohyla) and Filaret (Amphitheatrov, 1857, December 21 / January 3), the Venerable Parthenius of Kiev (Krasnopevtsev, 1855, 17/30 March) and Aleksiy Goloseevskiy (Shepelev, 1917, 11/24 March), the Blessed fools-for-Crist Pheophilus (Gorenkovsky, 1853, October 28 / November 10) and Paisiy (Jarotskiy, 1893) carried the feat of spiritual asceticism in the Goloseev abode. All of them received the local veneration by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

In 1926, nine years after the October Revolution, the Goloseev abode was abolished. During the Soviet time all its churches and buildings, except the house for the metropolitan of Kiev, were destroyed. The three monks- priests, who labored at the monastery at different times, were martyred for Christ. Now they, the venerable martyrs Cassian (Kuzyk), Hippolytus (Semenov) and Philip (Bezuglyi), intercede for us near the throne of God.

During the World War II the defense line for Kiev crossed the Goloseevsky monastery and there were the heavy war fights. However, none of the projectile got in the monastic cemetery where the Venerable Alexiy Goloseevsky was buried. During the years of persecution and the terrible war time the little icon-lamp was permanently burning on his grave, and its unfading light called people who sought the light of heaven.

In 1993 the monastery was opened as the Kiev Pechersk Lavra’s hermitage (small secluded monastery). The Archimandrite Isaac (Andronicus) was appointed as its head. On the 4^th of October of the same year the relics of St. Alexiy Goloseevsky were discovered and the home church in honor of St. John Much-suffering was opened. In 1996, according to the Holy Synod’s decision, the Goloseevskay Pustin (abode) was declared an independent monastery. The church in honor of the Life-Giving Spring Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos and the monastic cemetery were restored; the new church was built on the place where the former metropolitan house used to be. Buildings for monks and administrative clerks, the abbot’s house with the home church in honor of the Holy Royal Martyrs, the hotel and other monastic premises have been also raised.

The devout parish of the Goloseevsky monastery makes great contribution in its revival. Our native land is full of reverend saints, and also it is abundant with kind-hearted people who deeply care about restoration of trampled shrines.