Manyavsky Skete

The oldest Orthodox monastery in the Carpathians, the Maniavsky Skete, stands just outside the village and has earned the popular name of Ukrainian Athos. This comparison is not accidental, as the Maniavsky Skete was founded by monks from this Holy Mountain. For centuries, the skete was not only an important religious center, but also a cultural, educational, and even industrial center. The holy place with healing spring water is located in the picturesque Carpathian intermountain with a healing microclimate and primitive wildlife near the village of Manyavy , Bohorodchany district, Ivano-Frankivsk region (45 km from the regional center). It has long been one of the most frequently visited places in Prykarpattia. Pilgrims come to Maniava, and tourists come here. It's always crowded, and some extraordinary force attracts people here like a magnet.

One of the most famous historical monuments in Prykarpattia is the Maniava Skete, which is almost four hundred years old and located in the picturesque Carpathian intermountain. This ancient monastery was founded in 1608, but dates back to 1240. This is the time when the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra was destroyed and two of its monks (Ionikiy and Pakhomiy) took holy water with them and went in search of a spring of equal power. They found such a spring here in Manyava, at the Blessed Stone. It is about 830 meters from the monastery. And it is there that the healing water drips. The current Maniava skete, which stands on the outskirts of the village, has existed only since the beginning of the seventeenth century. The original monks' home, a cave skete, is a little further and higher up. Behind the former monastery lake, in a narrow mountain gorge, in the valley, there is a giant burial ground with a cave niche - the Blessed Stone. According to legend, two Kyivan traveling monks settled here seven hundred years ago. The famous Maniavsky Skete is the Blessed Stone, according to believers, a place of prayer and purification from impurity, the first dwelling, a hermitage, where "the first apostles of the Carpathian Pidhiria settled" (I. Franko. Works in 20 volumes. - K., 1951, vol. IV, p. 36), according to I. Vahylevych in 1281. The "Blessed Stone" is an amazing work of nature, a 10x3 meter block of rock with a grotto. The natural niche in the rock is about 4 meters wide, 1.5 meters high, and cuts 2 meters into the mountain. According to folk legends and the statements of some historians, it was from this place that the Maniavsky Skete began its God-pleasing history. Water has been flowing from this stone for centuries.

In 1281, the Holy Cross Exaltation Monastery was founded on the site of the "Blessed Stone". Written evidence of the founding of the monastery as a monastic community dates back to 1608. The founders were Galicians Ivan Vyshensky and Job Kniahynetsky, both natives of Athos, which means Holy Mountain in Greek.The Holy Cross Exaltation Monastery of Manyavske originates from the Skete of Manyavske. It was at this time that monks came to the Maniava Mountains as preachers of the faith of Christ and founders of the skete monastery. This monastery was founded to the northeast of the present one, at a distance of about 820 meters, in the holy place of the Ukrainian Carpathians in the area of the "Blessed Stone".

Legends

The Maniavske Skete has long been shrouded in legends and tales. One of them says that in the 13th century, monks came to this place to escape the raids of the Crimean Tatars. Stopping at a large stone, they drank water from the spring. Its taste reminded the travelers of the sacred waters of Athos, so they decided to stay here. Later, the stone from which the spring came was called "Blessed". It is not far from the hermitage, about a kilometer northeast of the Holy Cross Monastery.

Another legend says that the remains of Ukrainian Hetman Ivan Vyhovsky, who was buried here with his wife Olha, are located on the territory of the Maniava Skete, but their graves have not yet been found.

What you can see

The decoration and real gem of the Manyavsky Skete was the Bohorodchany iconostasis, which was created by the artist Yov Kondzelevych in the late 17th century. Today this work of iconographic art is kept in the National Museum of Lviv. Many other historical objects can be seen there:

1. Icon of the Mother of God "Abbess of Manyavska" and the miraculous icon of the Mother of God Odyhytria from the 18th century.
2. Tombstone from the graves of the first abbots of the Skete, Job and Theodosius.
3. Maniava Waterfall is one of the most beautiful Carpathian waterfalls, 20 meters high.

History of the Maniava Skete

The history of the Maniava Skete began at the dawn of the 17th century, when a humble man named Job Knyahynytskyi arrived in this cozy and picturesque place. His way to Maniava was from neighboring Tysmenytsia through the distant Athos. After serving on the Holy Mountain as a monk for 12 years, he was forced to return because of the deplorable state of Orthodoxy in Galicia. After living for a long time in Univ, Uhunytsia, and Derman monasteries, the monk decided to leave his brethren and students and searched for a place to pray. He eventually found it where the Batters River (now Skytets) flows into the Manyavka, and stayed to lead an ascetic life.

Soon he was found by the "orphaned" Hungarian disciples, who were gradually joined by other followers and supporters of monastic life. Some stayed with Kniahynyckyi in the forest, making cells for themselves in the neighborhood, while others he sent back to Uhornyky. The numerous brethren periodically invited a priest to celebrate the Liturgy. Later, a church in honor of St. John the Baptist was built on this site.

The year 1611, when the first cell of the Velykyi Skhid monastery was built, is considered the time of the monastery's foundation. A year later, a new church appeared here, which was consecrated on the day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Soon Job, seeing the strength of the brethren, handed over the abbacy to his closest friend Theodosius and retired. Theodosius built for him a small cell in a forest hermitage, called the Skytik. There Job Kniahynytskyi lived the last few years of his life. The founder of the monastery died in 1621.

Over time, the Skytok gained a large flock, benefactors, and supporters who contributed to its development, provided land, and protected it. The monastery was truly powerful. But in 1676 a terrible disaster happened. On their way to attack the Polish king near Zhuravno, the Turkish army destroyed everything in their path. Only ruins remained of the Maniavsky Skete, and only a handful of monks escaped. It was they who, having recovered a bit, began to restore the mutilated monastery.

In 1700, a difficult period in the life of the Skete began. In fact, it remains the only Orthodox monastery in western Ukraine. Although it did not suffer outright persecution for its faith, it lost a number of privileges and subordinate monasteries. The number of monks decreases to 30. In 1772, the first partition of Poland took place, as a result of which the Skyt together with Galicia came under the rule of Austria-Hungary. It existed for another thirteen years, and in 1785, by order of Emperor Franz Joseph, it was closed.

After the restoration of 1980-1990, a historical and architectural museum was organized here, which is listed in the World Museum Directory and registered by the International Association of Museums.

In 1998, prayer was heard again in Manyava as new monks came here. And thanks to their efforts and the work of many people, the monastery is operating again.

The village of Manyava is located 27 kilometers from the Nadvirna railway station. There are minibuses from here to the village. You can also order a taxi.