Baroque in the agro-town and miraculous icon: we go to Holy Christmas-Theotokos monastery in Yurovichi

There is one beautiful tradition in Polesie: in September, hundreds of Orthodox Christians go through the procession from Mozyr to the ancient town of Yurovichi. Lush celebrations are held in honor of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God, which has protected the local places for more than one century.

In the XVII century Jesuit monks settled in Yurovichi. The place was chosen not by chance: according to legend, it was “prompted” by the miraculous icon of the Mother of God, which they carried with them.

First, a small wooden chapel appeared on a high mountain, where, in fact, the icon of the Virgin was stored and services were performed. Both Catholics and Orthodox came to pray the image. The fame of healing, giving children and the successful resolution of problems after sincere prayers at the icon went thousands and thousands of kilometers. It is important that they went to the shrine not only with requests for help, but also with gratitude. Soon, due to donations, the construction of a stone monastery began in the town.

It took almost 40 years to build a large-scale architectural complex in the Baroque style with a church (on 11 altars!), a two-storey collegium and many farm buildings. So, on the territory there was a mill, a brewery, a stable, an orchard and much more. In the XVIII century, a primary school, a musical educational institution, a theater and a library were founded at the monastery. Real fact: even the inhabitants of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra walked with the procession in Yurovichi.

In 1773, the Jesuit Order was abolished by Pope Clement XIV. Yurovichi monastery in its heyday was seized in favor of the state commission of the Commonwealth. So gradually began his decline. Extensive land holdings began to be sold to landowners, and the buildings were transferred first to Capuchin monks, then to members of the Dominican Order, later to Bernardines. In 1832, when the Belarusian lands had already become part of the Russian Empire, the monastery was completely closed.

Three decades later, the church was transferred to the Orthodox and consecrated as the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin. Curiously, the common people did not abandon their shrine. As in previous years, people went to prayer and bow to the Yurovichi icon. The Poleshuks themselves spoke about the popularity of this place as follows: “Not only a smelly little tsarka people, but in agradzi there is no place for a finger vatknuts!”

With the advent of Soviet power, the situation changed. Within the walls of the former Jesuit college, an orphanage was arranged, and a castle was hung on the church. After the Great Patriotic War, the temple began to be dismantled into bricks. By the early 1990s, a once beautiful example of Baroque architecture had lost its roof, floor, and one of its walls

In 1993, the former monastery complex was transferred to the Orthodox Church. Why not Catholics? The fact is that at the beginning of the twentieth century, very few Catholics lived in these places. By the end of the century, the situation had not changed.

The restoration of the shrine is carried out with the full support of the state. The process is not quick, but it is understandable: it is important to preserve the historical and cultural heritage and at the same time adapt it to modern realities. Last year, the long-awaited consecration of the church in honor of the Nativity of the Virgin took place on the territory of the monastery.

- Now we see a beautiful cathedral, which was restored with love and care both inside and outside, said Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, Metropolitan Benjamin of Minsk and Zaslavl and reminded: This is due to the fact that at one time the President of our country approved the inclusion of the Yurovichi Monastery in the investment program. We hope that the work on the restoration of the monastery will continue and the shrine of the Gomel land will shine in its entirety.

Nowadays, pilgrims go to the monastery to pray at the list of the Yurovichi miraculous icon. Alas, in the XIX century, the original image was secretly replaced by its exact copy. The last Juravician priest Hugo Godzetsky did this before the monastery was closed. For a long time parishioners did not know about the substitution. The icon was kept for several decades in Rechitsa, and later was transported to the Krakow Church of St. Barbara, where it is still today.

infong@sb.by