Attractions of Krekhiv

The Krekhiv Monastery of Saint Nicholas of the Basilian Fathers is one of the most important shrines of Greek Catholics in Ukraine, a place of mass pilgrimages.

It was founded at the beginning of the 17th century by the monks of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, Yoil and Sylvester, in the caves of Mount Pobiyna among the wooded hills of Roztochchya.

In 1618, Stanislav Zholkevskyi issued a charter for the foundation of the Krekhiv monastery. At that time, the wooden Peter and Paul Church was already standing on the rock, and the Annunciation Chapel was near the cave. Construction of the monastery complex at the foot of the mountain soon began. The monastery was surrounded by defensive walls, the Transfiguration and Trinity wooden churches (later moved), the stone church of Saint Nicholas, a four-tier bell tower, and the monastery building were built on the territory. The walls of the monastery repeatedly served as a refuge for local residents during Tatar attacks. Bohdan Khmelnytskyi and Peter I visited it at different times.

During the Soviet rule, the monastery was closed, and a boarding school for mentally retarded children was placed on the territory.

The revival began in 1990. The Higher Theological Seminary of Basilian was located here.

Mass pilgrimages take place on May 22, the day of the transfer of the relics of Saint Nicholas. Pilgrims climb the "Way of the Cross" to the top of the mountain to the chapel of the Holy Sepulchre.

The Krekhiv healing spring is especially popular with tourists.

The wooden church of Saint Paraskeva in Krekhiv is a monument of Galician folk architecture. Reminiscent of the Church of the Transfiguration of the Krekhiv monastery.

The church dates back to 1724 according to an inscription on the central log cabin signed by master Ivan Khomyuk, however, there is an assumption that the church was renovated this year, and it was built approximately in the 17th century.

The main value is the unique six-tiered iconostasis with carved baroque royal gates by Vasyl Petranovych from the Krekhiv Monastery. Some icons date back to the 16th and 17th centuries.

Next to the church of Saint Paraskeva there is a three-tiered bell tower, which used to be a gatehouse.