Refectory Church of Saints Anthony and Theodosius of the Caves with the Refectory Hall
The Refectory Church of Saints Anthony and Theodosius of the Caves, together with the Refectory Hall, is one of the most prominent structures of the Upper Lavra and the youngest church in the monastery complex.
The tradition of refectory halls in monasteries comes from the Studite Typikon, which prescribed communal meals for the brethren. For this purpose, special buildings — refectory halls — were built next to churches.
At the end of the 17th century, a Baroque refectory church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul was built on the territory of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra. At the end of the 19th century it was dismantled, and a new church in honor of Saints Anthony and Theodosius of the Caves was erected in its place.
The new structure was built in the Neo-Byzantine style with elements of Neo-Russian architecture, which makes it noticeably different from most of the site’s other monuments. This reconstruction became one example of how Ukrainian architectural traditions were gradually displaced by imperial artistic models.
The design of the complex was created by architect Volodymyr Nikolaiev. Oleksii Shchusev participated in the interior decoration at the beginning of the 20th century, and a significant part of the murals was painted by the outstanding artist Ivan Yizhakevych, who came from an old Cossack family.
It is he who created the images of the Venerable Fathers of the Caves that adorn the Refectory Hall. At the same time, the artist was working on murals in other Lavra churches and taught at the Lavra Icon-Painting School.
During World War II, the Refectory Church was damaged by the explosion of the Dormition Cathedral, but was later restored. Today it remains one of the key churches of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra and an important part of its historical ensemble, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
How to visit the Refectory Church
The Refectory Church of Saints Anthony and Theodosius of the Caves is an active church of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Services and festive liturgies are held here regularly.
The church is located on the territory of the Upper Lavra at 21 Ivana Mazepy Street.
The Refectory Church can be visited with the general ticket of the National Reserve “Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra,” which grants entry to the grounds and access to view the open monuments and museum sites. During services, entry to the church is free.
General ticket price:
- 260 UAH;
- 130 UAH — concession ticket.
For those who want to learn more about the history of the church and the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, thematic tours are offered. In particular, the Refectory Church is included in the routes “The Lavra: A Mosaic of Centuries” and “Kyiv Pechersk Lavra: A Thousand Years of Ukrainian History.”
Advance booking for tours:
+38 (044) 406-63-75
+38 (066) 728-03-27
For up-to-date information on the schedule of services and festive liturgies, please check the official resources of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra.
