Saints of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church

New but Old Ukrainian Saints - the Venerable-Martyrs of Zverynetsky Monastery

In Kyiv, near the Monastery of the Holy Trinity founded by St Jonah of Kyiv are the remains of the "first Kyivan Caves Monastery" that archaeologists have determined pre-date the Lavra of Sts Antony and Theodosius and even the Baptism of Kyivan Rus'.

The Zverynetsky Monastery of Kyiv boasted many Holy Monks who lived in caves just as their later brothers of the Lavra did.

The Mongols destroyed this spiritual centre and it remained forgotten for centuries.

Work to unearth it began in the early part of the 20th century, but the Soviets put a stop to it.

In 1997, new archaeological digs at the site unearthed many relics of its monastic past including the remains of prayer ropes ("chotki"), monastic scapulars and others.

Finally, the inner monastic Church was uncovered and it was seen to contain a listing of the early Ihumens or Abbots of the monastery including: Leontius, Markian, Michael, Menas, Clement, Manuel and the Venerable Fathers Andronicus and Theodore.

The Relics of the Venerable Martyrs of Zelenetske were also uncovered, killed by the Mongols. These were collected and will be placed in a special reliquary at the unearthed monastery.

The Orthodox Church has numbered these Holy Monk-Martyrs among the Saints - after so many years of being forgotten by men, although they were always remembered by God. Three times in one month the Divine Liturgy is now celebrated in the old monastic Chuch there which is constantly being repaired. An icon of the martyrs, together with their akathist, is at: http://akafist.narod.ru/Z/Zv.htm.

They are called the "Kyivan Caves Fathers of Zverynetske."

The Choir of these Fathers includes:

The Venerable Ihumen Markian (Feastday: October 25)

The Holy Hieromartyr St Leontius, Bishop of Rostov (and possibly an ihumen of Kyivo-Zverynetske, Feastday: May 23).

Saint Michael, Bishop of Yuriyiv (and possibly an ihumen of Kyivo-Zverynetske, Feastday: September 6).

The Venerable St. Sophronius, Ihumen (Feastday: March 11).

The Venerable Manuel, Ihumen (Feastday: June 17).

The Venerable Clement, Ihumen (Feastday: November 25).

The Venerable Andronik, the grave-digger, of Kyivo-Zverynetske (Feastday: May 17).

The Venerable Theodore "kolyka" of Kyivo-Zverynetske (Feastday: February 17).

The Venerable John of Kyivo-Zverynetske (Feastday June 24).

The Holy Venerable Monk-Martyrs of Kyivo-Zverynetske, martyred by the Polovtsi, and "who are known by God" (Feastday: July 20).

Saint Menas, Bishop of Polotsk (and possibly an ihumen of Kyivo-Zverynytske).

Saint Lazar, Bishop of Pereyaslav, Ihumen of Kyivo-Zverynetse and of Vydubytske (Feastday: September 6).