Time and communicative code of pilgrimage to the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra (the second half of the 18th century)

Abstract

The article deals with the time and communicative characteristics of pilgrimage to the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra in the second half of the 18th century. The analysis of material donations made by pilgrims during the mid-70’s - the mid-80’s of the 18th century, allowed to identify two waves of pilgrimage activity: the first was made in May-June and the second – in August, which coincided with the activity of visiting other holy places of Kyiv. It was found out that in the Near and Far Caves pilgrims left donations: near relics; for sending prayers and typing into the list; wallet money and money for sprinkling; money for candles. In addition, in the Near Caves they gave offering near the exit from the cave labyrinth. It was established that the all sums grew during the peak of pilgrimage activity, but the proportionality between them varied throughout the year. The following categories of donations competed for the championship: in the month of less pilgrimage activity, the largest donations were collected for the sending of prayers and typing into the list. However, in the months, when the pilgrimage activity was high, the biggest share of the collected donates came from the relics.Different types of money donations allowed us to establish that communication around the relics of the reverend Fathers of the Caves was made through their direct honoring through worship and kissing, as well as through the order of the prayers and the recording into the cave list, sprinkling with holy water and probably drinking water from the cross of Reverend Mark Pechernik in the Near Caves.Taking into consideration the needs of the pilgrims, the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, equipping space around the shrines, corresponded to the specified set of “services” so that communication around the relics of the Reverend Fathers of the Caves provided to the pilgrims a sense of close contact with the relics and formed their religiosity.Keywords: pilgrimage, the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, 18th century.