Goshiv Monastery in the village of Goshiv

In the Dolynskyi District of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, the Goshiv Monastery is located, built back in the 16th century. It was established on the basis of the Greek-Catholic Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, which rises on Yasna Hora in the village of Goshiv, and remains one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in Ukraine. It is considered one of the most magnificent religious and historical-architectural shrines in Western Ukraine.

History of Goshiv Monastery

The first mention of a male monastery in the area "Chornyi Dilo" dates back to 1464. Thanks to these monks, in 1570, a wooden church and monastery appeared here, which formed the basis of modern Goshiv. During Tatar raids, the church was burned, and the monks were killed. After some time, the shrine was restored by a local landowner.

However, this time the church did not manage to stand for long. It was destroyed by fire. Significant funds were needed for restoration, and the patron who helped last time had already died. According to legend, the abbot Josafat Lenchytsky was visited by the Mother of God, who provided advice and strength for the reconstruction of the church. The work was completed in 1772. When the number of parishioners and monks greatly increased, it was necessary to build a larger and more reliable stone church to accommodate everyone. It was constructed in 1842. This church still stands in Goshiv today. The monastery with 16 cells was built a little earlier – in 1833, according to the design of architect Mozer.

With the arrival of Soviet power, difficult times came for Goshiv Monastery. In 1950, it was closed, and the monks were arrested. The premises of the monastery were first turned into a children's home, and later into a recreation base for the "Pozitron" enterprise. The church was completely converted into a warehouse. Almost all church property was stolen, and during World War II, the library with many rare editions burned down, and most tragically – the miraculous icon of the Mother of God disappeared along with its vestments and crown. It has not been found to this day.

The monastery in Goshiv returned to the jurisdiction of the Greek-Catholic Order of St. Basil the Great in February 1990.

The very name "Yasna Hora" of the area where the monastery was located was given at the time of the appearance of the miraculous image of the Mother of God in 1737 – a copy of the well-known icon of the Czestochowa Mother of God, known throughout Europe. In honor of the monastery of the Paulist Fathers in Czestochowa (Poland), where this icon was kept and which was also called Yasna Hora, the new Ukrainian shrine began to be called the same. Ultimately, this name had a symbolic sound – as a place of the shining, unquenchable glory of the Mother of God through numerous graces manifested here.

Goshiv Icon

The path of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God, known as "Queen of the Carpathians", to the monastery on Yasna Hora was long. Initially, the owner of the shrine was the nobleman Andrii Shuhai, who purchased it as a copy of the Czestochowa icon. According to legends, when his house burned down, only one wall remained, on which the icon hung. Later, it passed into the possession of another nobleman – Hoshivskyi. It was in his house that the first miracle occurred – the icon shone with bright light and later cried. The then Metropolitan Anastasy Sheptytsky learned about this and recognized it as miraculous. In 1737, the image was transferred to the church, and since then it began to heal parishioners who prayed for recovery.

In 1937, on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of its transfer to the church, the icon was restored, the silver vestments of the Mother of God were replaced with golden ones and adorned with precious stones, and Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky renewed the seal of miraculousness on it.

After the original icon disappeared in 1950, it was replaced with a copy made in the 19th century. In 2009, Pope Benedict XVI blessed a golden crown for the Goshiv miraculous icon, and Goshiv Monastery was declared a great basilica and joined the great pilgrimage sites of the Mother of God worldwide.

Appearance of the Monastery

Goshiv Monastery is one of the first Ukrainian churches equipped with electronic bells. It was built in the classicist style with elements of late baroque. Inside, the church is decorated with paintings characteristic of the monumental art of Galicia in the mid-19th century. Some of the paintings on the walls of the church were restored by German artist-restorers to the form they had in the 18th century.

Next to the church is a spacious glass chapel, decorated with columns, a golden dome, and a copy of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God.

In Goshiv, since the late 1990s, there has also been a Greek-Catholic women's monastery of the Nativity of the Mother of God of the Sisters of the Holy Family.

You can reach Goshiv by bus from Ivano-Frankivsk towards Bolehiv. Goshiv is located in the suburbs of Bolehiv. Hours of operation: divine liturgies in the church take place on Sundays at 08:00, 09:00, and 11:00. On weekdays – at 09:00. Evening service is held daily at 18:00.

• EVERY MONTH ON THE NIGHT FROM THE 12TH TO THE 13TH, VIGILS ARE HELD
• EVERY FIRST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH AT 18:00, ADDITIONAL DIVINE LITURGY
• EVERY LAST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH AT 10:00, DIVINE LITURGY FOR THE SICK