![Greek Catholic Church of Holy Trinity in Vilnius 01(js)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/Greek_Catholic_Church_of_Holy_Trinity_in_Vilnius_01%28js%29.jpg)
Monastery of the Holy Trinity ( uk, Монастир Святої Трійці, lt, Vienuolynas ir Šv. Trejybės cerkvė, pl, monaster św. Trójcy ) is a monastery built in
Vilnius
Vilnius ( , ; see also other names) is the capital and largest city of Lithuania, with a population of 592,389 (according to the state register) or 625,107 (according to the municipality of Vilnius). The population of Vilnius's functional urb ...
by the
Ruthenian Uniate Church
The Ruthenian Uniate Church ( Belarusian: Руская Уніяцкая Царква; Ukrainian: Руська Унійна Церква; la, Ecclesia Ruthena unita; pl, Ruski Kościół Unicki) was a particular church of the Catholic Church i ...
and
Grand Hetman of Lithuania
Grand may refer to:
People with the name
* Grand (surname)
* Grand L. Bush (born 1955), American actor
* Grand Mixer DXT, American turntablist
* Grand Puba (born 1966), American rapper
Places
* Grand, Oklahoma
* Grand, Vosges, village and c ...
Konstanty Ostrogski
Konstanty Iwanowicz Ostrogski (c. 1460 – 10 August 1530; lt, Konstantinas Ostrogiškis; uk, Костянтин Іванович Острозький, translit=Kostiantyn Ivanovych Ostrozkyi; be, Канстантын Іванавіч Ас ...
as a thanksgiving to the God for the victory in
Battle of Orsha
The Battle of Orsha ( be, Бітва пад Оршай, translit=Bitva pad Oršaj, lt, Oršos mūšis, pl, bitwa pod Orszą, uk, Битва під Оршею), was a battle fought on 8 September 1514, between the allied forces of the Grand Du ...
. It belongs to the
Order of Saint Basil the Great
The Order of Saint Basil the Great ( uk, Чин Святого Василія Великого, translit=Chyn Sviatoho Vasyliia Velykoho; la, Ordo Sancti Basilii Magni, abbreviated OSBM), also known as the Basilian Order of Saint Josaphat, is ...
and the
Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
, native_name_lang = uk
, caption_background =
, image = StGeorgeCathedral Lviv.JPG
, imagewidth =
, type = Particular church (sui iuris)
, alt =
, caption = St. George's C ...
.
The church is dedicated to the
Holy Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the F ...
. Beside this church, the monastery compound contains a fortified entrance gate, a university, a hotel complex for visitors, monastic cells including the Konrad's cell. The church is surrounded by adjoining four towers at each corner.
This monastery is associated with the
Union of Brest
The Union of Brest (; ; ; ) was the 1595–96 decision of the Ruthenian Orthodox Church eparchies (dioceses) in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth to break relations with the Eastern Orthodox Church and to enter into communion with, and place i ...
personalities like
Josaphat Kuntsevych
Josaphat Kuntsevych, OSBM ( – 12 November 1623) was a Basilian monk and archeparch of the Ruthenian Catholic Church who on 12 November 1623 was killed by an angry mob in Vitebsk, in the eastern peripheries of the Polish–Lithuanian ...
,
Archbishop of Polatsk who took vows here and spent first years of his monastic life, as well as a prominent reformer of the Basilian Order,
Veliamyn Rutsky
Joseph Velamin-Rutski (born as ''Ivan Velyaminov''; be, Язэп Руцкі, russian: Иосиф Рутский, uk, Йосиф Рутський, pl, Józef Welamin Rucki) - (1574 – 5 April 1637) was the Metropolis of Kiev and all Rus', M ...
.
History
The church
![Greek Catholic Church of Holy Trinity in Vilnius, Lithuania](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/Greek_Catholic_Church_of_Holy_Trinity_in_Vilnius%2C_Lithuania.jpg)
According to a legend, the first wooden church was built in the 14th century by Grand Princess
Uliana of Tver
Uliana Alexandrovna of Tver (russian: Юлиания Александровна Тверская; – 17 March 1391) was a daughter of Prince Alexander of Tver and Anastasia of Halych (daughter of Yuri I of Galicia). She was the second wife ...
, a spouse of the Grand Prince
Algirdas
Algirdas ( be, Альгерд, Alhierd, uk, Ольгерд, Ольґерд, Olherd, Olgerd, pl, Olgierd; – May 1377) was the Grand Duke of Lithuania. He ruled the Lithuanians and Ruthenians from 1345 to 1377. With the help of his bro ...
. The church was built in place where in 1347 the Algirdas noblemen Antony, Johan, and Eustachy died as the first martyrs for Christian faith and the first Christian saints in the
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state that existed from the 13th century to 1795, when the territory was partitioned among the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Prussia, and the Habsburg Empire of Austria. The state was founded by Li ...
.
The first stone church of Holy Trinity with a belfry was built by
Konstanty Ostrogski
Konstanty Iwanowicz Ostrogski (c. 1460 – 10 August 1530; lt, Konstantinas Ostrogiškis; uk, Костянтин Іванович Острозький, translit=Kostiantyn Ivanovych Ostrozkyi; be, Канстантын Іванавіч Ас ...
in 1514 as a token of appreciation for a victory of Polish-Lithuanian forces over Muscovite troops near Orsha (
Battle of Orsha
The Battle of Orsha ( be, Бітва пад Оршай, translit=Bitva pad Oršaj, lt, Oršos mūšis, pl, bitwa pod Orszą, uk, Битва під Оршею), was a battle fought on 8 September 1514, between the allied forces of the Grand Du ...
). The original church was built in Gothic style. In first half of the 17th century to the church were added three chapels. In 1609 on an edict of the
King of Poland
Poland was ruled at various times either by dukes and princes (10th to 14th centuries) or by kings (11th to 18th centuries). During the latter period, a tradition of free election of monarchs made it a uniquely electable position in Europe (16t ...
Sigismund III Vasa
Sigismund III Vasa ( pl, Zygmunt III Waza, lt, Žygimantas Vaza; 20 June 1566 – 30 April 1632
N.S.) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1587 to 1632 and, as Sigismund, King of Sweden and Grand Duke of Finland from 1592 to ...
the church and monastery was transferred to the Basialian Order.
[Yurko, I. ]
About Ukrainian church in Vilnius (Про українську церкву в Вільнюсі)
'. "Pohlyad". 12 December 2015
The first chapel ''Annunciation of the Holy Theotokos'' was built on the funds of
Janusz Skumin Tyszkiewicz Janusz Skumin Tyszkiewicz ( lt, Jonušas Skuminas Tiškevičius) (1570–1642) was a noble of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, a politician, a sponsor of Baroque music and a writer (1610+). He held numerous political offices, including voivode ...
and was located to the right from the main entrance. In the chapel's
crypt
A crypt (from Latin ''crypta'' "vault") is a stone chamber beneath the floor of a church or other building. It typically contains coffins, sarcophagi, or religious relics.
Originally, crypts were typically found below the main apse of a chur ...
were buried father of the founder, Theodor Skumin-Tyszkiewicz (d.1618), the founder himself, and his wife, Barbara Naruszewicz (d.1627). In the chapel is preserved her marble gravestone, a work of Italian masters. Nowadays in the chapel are constantly held liturgies in
Byzantine rite
The Byzantine Rite, also known as the Greek Rite or the Rite of Constantinople, identifies the wide range of cultural, liturgical, and canonical practices that developed in the Eastern Christianity, Eastern Christian Church of Constantinople.
Th ...
.
The second chapel that is located to the left of main entrance called ''St.Luke'' was built in 1622 on the funds of Eustachy Korsak-Hołubicki, a big supporter of the Union (
Union of Brest
The Union of Brest (; ; ; ) was the 1595–96 decision of the Ruthenian Orthodox Church eparchies (dioceses) in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth to break relations with the Eastern Orthodox Church and to enter into communion with, and place i ...
). Beside its founder, in the crypt underneath the chapel rest his sons Ivan and Grigori. To this noble family of Korsaks belongs archimandrite the Basilian monastery of Vilnius
Rafajil Mykola Korsak, later – a proto-archimandrite of the Basilian Order, Metropolitan of Kiev for Eastern-rite Catholics.
The third chapel is called ''Exaltation of the True and Life-creating Cross of our Lord''. The founder of this chapel with a family crypt was a scribe of Grand Duchy of Lithuania Jan Kolenda in 1628.
In the church survived valuable tombstones. Unique landmark of the Renaissance epoch in Lithuania is a tombstone of Vilna
Burgomaster
Burgomaster (alternatively spelled burgermeister, literally "master of the town, master of the borough, master of the fortress, master of the citizens") is the English form of various terms in or derived from Germanic languages for the chief m ...
Othanasius Braha and his son Antony with a coat of arms, Cyrillic inscription and rich floral ornament dated 1576. Draws attention a tombstone of Jelenski sisters with sentimental inscription which comes from 1758.
In 1670 significant funds to renew the church contributed
Great Hetman of Lithuania
Great may refer to: Descriptions or measurements
* Great, a relative measurement in physical space, see Size
* Greatness, being divine, majestic, superior, majestic, or transcendent
People
* List of people known as "the Great"
*Artel Great (born ...
Michał Kazimierz Pac
Michał Kazimierz Pac (; 1624 – 4 April 1682 in Vokė near Vilnius) of the Gozdawa Coat of Arms, was a Polish-Lithuanian nobleman and a member of the Pac family. He was a son of Piotr Pac (c. 1570-19 July 1640, Lithuanian Court Treasurer 163 ...
and Great Treasurer Hieronymus Kryszpin-Kirchenstein, particularly towards the altar of Saint
Josaphat Kuntsevych
Josaphat Kuntsevych, OSBM ( – 12 November 1623) was a Basilian monk and archeparch of the Ruthenian Catholic Church who on 12 November 1623 was killed by an angry mob in Vitebsk, in the eastern peripheries of the Polish–Lithuanian ...
.
The
Basilian monks
Basilian monks are Roman Catholic monks who follow the rule of Basil the Great, bishop of Caesarea (330–379). The term 'Basilian' is typically used only in the Catholic Church to distinguish Greek Catholic monks from other forms of monastic li ...
were banished from the monastery in 1821 and the wing of the men's monastery was converted into a prison.
Between 1823-1824,
Romantic poet
Adam Mickiewicz
Adam Bernard Mickiewicz (; 24 December 179826 November 1855) was a Polish poet, dramatist, essayist, publicist, translator and political activist. He is regarded as national poet in Poland, Lithuania and Belarus. A principal figure in Polish Ro ...
and other
Vilnius University
Vilnius University ( lt, Vilniaus universitetas) is a public research university, oldest in the Baltic states and in Northern Europe outside the United Kingdom (or 6th overall following foundations of Oxford, Cambridge, St. Andrews, Glasgow and ...
students, members of the
Filaret Association The Filaret Association (also translated as ''filaret(e)s'', ''philaret(e)s''; pl, Zgromadzenie Filaretów, ''Towarzystwo Przyjaciół Pożytecznej Zabawy'', ''filareci''; from the Greek ''philáretos'', "lovers of virtue") was a secret student org ...
were imprisoned in the monastery for their engagement in secret organizations fighting for the
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and, after 1791, as the Commonwealth of Poland, was a bi-confederal state, sometimes called a federation, of Crown of the Kingdom of ...
independence from the
Russian rule.
Vilna icon of Theotokos Hodegetria
![Greek Catholic Church of Holy Trinity in Vilnius 06(js)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/Greek_Catholic_Church_of_Holy_Trinity_in_Vilnius_06%28js%29.jpg)
The fate of Vilna icon of Theotokos Hodegetria (Theotokos of Vilna) that for two centuries (1715—1915) was located in the church of Holy Trinity is unknown. According to a legend, the icon was written by St.
Luke the Evangelist
Luke the Evangelist (Latin: '' Lucas''; grc, Λουκᾶς, '' Loukâs''; he, לוקאס, ''Lūqās''; arc, /ܠܘܩܐ לוקא, ''Lūqā’; Ge'ez: ሉቃስ'') is one of the Four Evangelists—the four traditionally ascribed authors of t ...
and for long years it was an ancestral relic of Greek emperors in
Constantinople
la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه
, alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...
. It is believed that a niece of the last Byzantine Emperor,
Sophia Palaiologina
Zoe Palaiologina ( grc-x-byzant, Ζωή Παλαιολογίνα), whose name was later changed to Sophia Palaiologina (russian: София Фоминична Палеолог; ca. 1449 – 7 April 1503), was a Byzantine princess, member of ...
who married the
Great Prince of Muscovy Ivan III of Moscow
Ivan III Vasilyevich (russian: Иван III Васильевич; 22 January 1440 – 27 October 1505), also known as Ivan the Great, was a Grand Prince of Moscow and Grand Prince of all Rus'. Ivan served as the co-ruler and regent for his blin ...
, brought the icon to
Moscow
Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
. While unconfirmed, there exists another version that the icon was transferred to the Great Prince of Moscow from
prince of Halych who received it sometime ago as a present from Byzantine Emperors. Regardless of its past history, the fact states that Ivan III blessed his daughter
Helena of Moscow
Helena Ivanovna of Moscow (russian: Елена Ивановна; lt, Elena; pl, Helena Moskiewska; 19 May 1476 – 20 January 1513) was daughter of Ivan III the Great, Grand Prince of Moscow, and an uncrowned Grand Duchess of Lithuania and Quee ...
with the icon when he gave her out in marriage for the
Great Prince of Lithuania
The article is a list of heads of state of Lithuania over historical Lithuanian state. The timeline includes all heads of state of Lithuania as a sovereign entity, legitimately part of a greater sovereign entity, a client state, or a constitue ...
Alexander Jagiellon
Alexander Jagiellon ( pl, Aleksander Jagiellończyk, lt, Aleksandras Jogailaitis; 5 August 1461 – 19 August 1506) of the House of Jagiellon was the Grand Duke of Lithuania and later also King of Poland. He was the fourth son of Casimir IV Jagi ...
. The icon was brought to the capital of
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state that existed from the 13th century to 1795, when the territory was partitioned among the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Prussia, and the Habsburg Empire of Austria. The state was founded by Li ...
and received name of Vilna. In 1866 during restoration, it was discovered that the top level is egg based
tempera
Tempera (), also known as egg tempera, is a permanent, fast-drying painting medium consisting of colored pigments mixed with a water-soluble binder medium, usually glutinous material such as egg yolk. Tempera also refers to the paintings done ...
paint indicating very old origin of the icon. In 1915 at times of
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
during evacuation the icon was taken away from Vilnius and to this day location of Theotokos of Vilnius is unknown.
Archimandrites
* 1481–94
Macarius I of Kiev
* 1611
Josyf Veliamyn Rutsky
* 1614
Josaphat Kuntsevych
Josaphat Kuntsevych, OSBM ( – 12 November 1623) was a Basilian monk and archeparch of the Ruthenian Catholic Church who on 12 November 1623 was killed by an angry mob in Vitebsk, in the eastern peripheries of the Polish–Lithuanian ...
* 1625
Rafajil Korsak
Rafajil Nikolai Korsak ( be, Рафал Мікалай Корсак, uk, Рафаїл Корсак, pl, Rafał Mikołaj Korsak) (c. 1599 – 28 August 1640) was the " Metropolitan of Kiev, Galicia and all Ruthenia" in the Ruthenian Uniate C ...
Gallery
File:Vilnia, Trajeckaja. Вільня, Траецкая (I. Trutnev, 1870).jpg, The church in 1870
File:Vilnius orthodox trinity church 1896.jpg, The 1896 sketch of the church during the Russian occupation
File:Vilnius trinity josaphat.JPG, Depiction of St Josaphat, "And all will be together"
File:Vilnius trinity chapel2009.JPG, Interior of a chapel
File:HolyTrinityGate2.jpg, Inner gates and belfry
File:Tower of the Greek Catholic Church of Holy Trinity in Vilnius, Lithuania.jpg, One of the church's towers
File:Three Lithuanian Martyrs plaque in Vilnius.JPG, Interior of the church
See also
*
Cathedral of the Theotokos, Vilnius
The Cathedral of the Theotokos in Vilnius (; russian: Пречи́стенский кафедра́льный собо́р) is the episcopal see of the Eastern Orthodox Christian Metropolitan of Vilnius and all Lithuania.
In 1415 – 1795 it wa ...
References
External links
Informationat the Basialian Order of Saint Josaphat website
Informationat website of the
Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
, native_name_lang = uk
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, image = StGeorgeCathedral Lviv.JPG
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, type = Particular church (sui iuris)
, alt =
, caption = St. George's C ...
Video tour with Ukrainian commentaries YouTube channel of osbmeu osbm. published on 21 June 2014.
{{Authority control
Christian monasteries in Lithuania
Ukrainian Catholic monasteries
Monasteries of the Order of Saint Basil the Great
Ostrogski family
Churches in Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius ( , ; see also other names) is the capital and largest city of Lithuania, with a population of 592,389 (according to the state register) or 625,107 (according to the municipality of Vilnius). The population of Vilnius's functional urb ...