Hraniv Transfiguration monastery in Vinnytsia region in the 17th – 18th centuries

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to clarify the time and circumstances of the founding of the Hraniv Monastery, the features of its functioning, the establishment of the staff of its members in the 18th century, as well as the reconstruction of its architecture and economy with the involvement of new archival sources. The research methodology is based on the principles of historicism, objectivity, systematicity, analytical and synthetic criticism of sources. The author also used the historical-biographical method, which allowed reconstructing the biographies of the brethren of the Hraniv Monastery. The scientific novelty lies in the attempt to systematize materials on the history of the Hraniv Monastery, as well as highlighting its development and researching of members of its staff in the 18th century using new archival materials. Conclusions. The Hraniv Monastery arose around the late 1840s – the late 1850s of the 17th century, as a skete of Orthodox monks. When the monastic community grew, the monks turned to the local landowner Adam Mikołaj Sieniawski, who provided an oral order on the ownership of the lands on which the monastery was located, later this oral order was confirmed by Prince August Aleksander Czartoryski. In the late 20s – early 30s of the 18th century, the Hraniv Monastery entered the structure of the Union Church. This process was quite painful for the monastic community. The monastery probably once again underwent a process of changing its denominational affiliation against the background of social and religious movements in the Bratslav region in the 30s – 60s of the18th century. Throughout the 18th century, the monastery remained a small monastic center: in 1745 it was administratively subordinated to the Sharhorod Basilian Monastery and subsequently mainly five or six monks lived here, which reflects the modest financial situation of the monastery. The inventory of 1764 allows us to get an idea of the architecture of the monastery, the dominant of which was the three-domed wooden church of the Transfiguration of the Lord with a bell tower, as well as the monastery wooden building, which in the 60s of the 18th century replaced the cells made of clay. The document also provides detailed information about the monastery's land holdings, agricultural implements, testifying to the importance of the monastery in the religious and economic life of the local community and the region.