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.