SPIRITUAL TOUR UKRAINE 7 DAYS

Today we will proceed our acquaintance with the city of Chernivtsi. With our guide, you explore this former most eastern cultural centre of Austro-Hungarian monarchy where once were more libraries than bakeries. You
visit the beautiful former residence of the Orthodox metropolitans of Bukovina and Dalmatia which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. On our way to the residence of Orthodox metropolians, we will have a
possibility to see Chernivtsi Synagogue. Our next highlight for today is the local cemetery, where are buried such prominent Romanians as philologist and teacher Aron Pumnul, historian and politician Eudoxiu Hurmuzachi,
folklorist – Ion G. Sbiera. After that, our guide will show you the former residence of Tzadikim from Friedman dynasty. Tzadikim a title in Judaism and especially in Hassidism a branch of Orthodox Judaism given to people
considered righteous. Our final highlight for today is Bancheny monastery, which is one the most recently built monasteries in the whole Ukraine. In the evening, we come back to Chernivtsi.

After breakfast, we will start our way. Our first highlight for today is St. John the Apostle monastery which is situated on the right high bank of the Dnister River from which you will see an exciting panorama of Zalishchyky town – the border between Galizia and Bukivina regions and the Dnister River canyon. Then we will proceed to the city of Chortkiv. During our city tour in the town of Chortkiv we will explore the local castle, the Town Hall and marvel at the magnificent St. Stanislaus Church and beautiful Church of St. Mary. In the late afternoon, we arrive in Pochaiv, where we stay for a night. Our main highlight for today is Zarvanytsia which is known for its icon of the Mother of God, believed to work miracles and is a popular site of pilgrimage. According to the legend in 1240 when the capital of Kyiv Rus Kyiv,was devastated by a Mongol invasion, one monk fled from the city. After a long and tiresome way he decided to stop in a secluded valley to drink water from a spring and pray to the Blessed Virgin. Having done so, and exhausted by the long travel, he fell asleep and saw the Mother of God. After awakening, he found the icon and decided to stay there and build a chapel for the icon.

After breakfast, we start our excursion to Pochaiv Lavra which for centuries has been a centre of various Orthodox denominations. It was founded in 13th century by the monks who fled Kyiv after it was sacked by the Mongol-Tatar troops. According to the tales, here to the monks appeared Holy Mother. During our guided excursion we will explore Dormition and Trinity Cathedrals visit the underground temple of St. Iov and explore holy places of Orthodox places. Four kilometres from the Pochaiv Lavra is located Holy Spirit Skete which is our next sightseeing spot. Further, we will drive to the village of Onyshkivtsi where is located famous St. Anna Spring and get acquainted with mysterious legends connected with it. Then we continue to the city of Kremenets where we visit Kremenets Monastery. In the late afternoon, we start our way to Lviv where we stay for a night.

After  breakfast,  we start our  acquaintance with  the city of Lviv once  the fourth largest city of  the Austro- Hungarian Empire and get acquainted more closely with the Christian traditions of the city of Lions and the whole Ukraine. Ukraine and particularly West Ukraine is known for the diversity of the Christian faiths as here are represented  Roman Catholic, Greek Catholic, Armenian, Ukrainian and Russian Orthodox churches. During our tour we will visit St. George Cathedral, which served as a mother church of the Greek-Catholic Church, Armenian Cathedral, Jesuit the Church and other prominent places of worshiping in Lviv. In addition, today we will have a possibility to see Lychakiv Cemetery – one of the oldest necropolises in Europe. Here you will find out more about the distinguished personalities who were writing the history of the city.

Early in the morning, we depart Lviv for the Carpathian Mountains. First stop at the old town of Drohobych, formerly the centre of the salt industry. There we will visit the 17th century wooden church of St George which is
one of the best preserved timber churches of Galicia. Not so long ago in 2013 it was enlisted to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites as one of 16 Wooden Tserkvas of Carpathian Region in Poland and Ukraine. Then we continue into the foothills of the Carpathians, we will stop at the Monastery of Hoshiv which is famous for its wonder making Mother of God icon. By the end of the 18th century “Monastic Chronicle’’ says about 117 records of the miraculous recovery, salvation, and other signs of powerful protection of the Blessed Virgin. Afterwards, we continue our way to Manyava Skete which is also known as Ukrainian Athos. Manyava Skete is famous for the apparitions of Virgin Mary, who according to the legends appeared here twice and for its miracle-working icon of Manyava. After that, our bus takes us to Kolymyia where we stay for a night.

After breakfast, we have an excursion around Kolomyia which is an unofficial capital of Hutsuls – ethno-cultural group which inhabits Ukraine and Northern part of Romania (particularly Bukovina and Maramures). During our tour, we will visit the museum of Easter Eggs where you will have a possibility to compare Ukrainian and Romanian traditions of easter egg painting. After that, our program comes to the end and you start your
way back home. We are sure that you leave Ukraine with unforgettable memories and the feeling, you have experienced something really special. You have spent in Ukraine the interesting week, got acquainted with its
culture and traditions and, we do believe, that you have a strong wish to come here once more again.We always welcome you here!