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Published: October 26th 2008
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When we got to Kiev station we hopped into a Marshrutka to go back to Alena and Aunty Olga's house (04/08/08). Aunty Olga paid for my Marshrutka as I did not have any grivna (Ukrainian currency = 1G = apprxoimately 0.25AUD). The Stetsenko residence was in this cool green apartment block with a nice garden outside. Their flat had high ceilings like from Stalinist type architecture. Here I met Tom, the Stetsenko family cat.
Me and Alena went out in the afternoon with a few of her friends - also Max who was like a brother to Alena and I had heard alot about. We met Max in the centre and his girl friend. We also met another friend of theirs Irina. We were shortly joined by Igor before we left to see the sights of Kiev. As we walked Alena, Igor or Irina took turns in explaining the sights to me. We walked past some beautiful architecture including the Ukrainian modl (where you would go to get your apostilite stamp).
When we got to the main square we decided to get a beer. Another friend of Alena's joined us - her name was Tanya. Tanya was an accountant -
04/08/08
Kot Tom. she had just come from work. We had some lemon ice cream whilst some of the others got beer then me and Alena had an alco pop. We went and sat in a park near McDonalds. After chatting Max and his girl, Tanya and Irina had to go so we walked them back to their respectable transports.
Me, Alena and Igor went and sat in a park and talked for a bit. Then as it got closer to the evening we went to a jazz club. It was free entry and one of Alena's mates Jean joined us. Jean had a job making credit cards!
The show was quite good, this girl sang and some others on the stage played instruments. There were some guys near our table drinking and cheering alot. After the show me, Alena and Jean went to the metro. Before we went to bed Aunty Olga said she would take me sight seeing the next day.
Which she did. We went to the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. The oldest church in Kiev the caves were initially constructed around 1051. Its still a male monastery. The Venerable Anthony is credited with founding the monastery when he
settled in one of the caves that is now part of the Far Caves (also called the Caves of Theodosius). This occurred most probably in the year 1051 which is the traditional date for the foundation of the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery. As the community grew to twelve monks new cells were excavated. Among those who joined Anthony in the early years were Theodosius and the Venerable Barlaam. In 1057, Anthony, who desired a life of seclusion, named Barlaam as the first hegumen (abbot) and withdrew from the community to new cave in a hill that today is part of the Near Caves (also called the Caves of Anthony). Anthony initially found the churches as a place to pray.
Aunty Olga told me our great grandmother walked over a year period from Penza to Kiev to the Lavra. The reason for doing so was because a priest had told her that the kids (I'm presuming her younger brother and sister as she did not have any at this stage) would get better if she did so. Being a virtous religious woman she decided to do so. It was quite a distance although at the time it was a popular pilgrame to
walk the 1000+km to this holy site. In fact whilst we were at the Lavra I heard someone getting a tour in English and being told about the pilgrimages that took place to the site.
Anyways so after my great grandmother (or my great grandmothers sister in law) made it to the site she ran out of money and decided to get a job at the Lavra. Whilst she was working there the wife of a land owner near by met her. She liked my great grandmothers sister, thought she was a nice tidy, virtuous girl and decided to hire her as a cleaner for her house. The land owner was quite well off as she was the wife of a general. So my great grandmothers sister took the job.
Whilst she was cleaning and doing house chores for the land owner's wife she met her son, a young dashing general. Sparks flew and shortly thereafter they fell in love. They got married. The young generals brother, whose name was Boris, later met Alexandra Nikolaivna (my great grandmother) and they got married. My great grandmothers sister in law was quite a well off woman now and she did
not have to make a pilgrimage to see her family. So when she went home to see her mum and how her younger brothers and sisters were doing she ended up taking a train there. She ended up moving to Kiev for good as this was were she had found her life and her husband. Though she was quite religious in her early days this ceased to be important later in life.
Aunty Olga described her as a stern woman. I saw photographs of her and she did look stern but then I guess most people from her life time seemed stern in photographs. Anyways after walking around the churches and taking some illegal photographs inside the 12th century churches we made our way down to the caves. We got a tour of the caves, and on the way down we saw the garden of the monks. Inside the caves was quite dark and the roof was not so tall. In fact I could see how someone living here might feel disorientated from the world. There were a few icons we kissed and serkoficus' with important monks buried there (with only their hands visible to kiss). It was quite
small and I could see how the monks would lose track of time being here. There were also solitude rooms there for prayer and I could see how it was holy but for me it did not feel like a comforting spiritual place and I don't think I would want to get stuck down here.
I walked around with my candle - well most of us did on the tour but as it got to closing time they turned the electricity back on so I put my candle in one of the candle holders. We saw the famous icon then went up to the church. Unfortunately me and Aunty Olga were not let into the church - me because I didn't have long sleeves to cover my arms and Aunty Olga because she didn't have a skirt. I did want to go inside though. The singing was simply amazing. I think it was the best Orthodox Choir I had heard in my life. It was amazing really.
I wanted to get closer to it - unfortunately due to me ill timed clothing attire I could only but stand and listen outside. I brought an oberok - a special religious
ring with save and protect on it - It was only 14 Grivena. This was great cause I had lost the previous one at Thirroul beach with Jared. After this we made our way to Victory Park which was not too hard by foot. We walked through the park and looked at the awesome statues, the old tanks and the helicopters. I even climbed on some even though it wasn't permitted. But they weren't all being watched by authorities so it was allowed right???
And we saw mother liberty or mother victory which sort of reminded me of the statue of liberty.
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