POCHAYEV, SKETE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, CHURCH AND SPRING OF ST. ANNA, KREMENETSKY CHURCH
08/18/2012 was on an excursion to Pochaev. I took advantage of the offer of the East-West tour operator, they offer excursions around Kiev and Ukraine. I can't say that the organization was without problems - the bus broke down both on the way there and on the way back. On the way there, the breakdown was so severe that 2 other backup buses were called for us (2 because they are smaller). And on the way back, “diesel oil” began to flow, I don’t know how serious it is - I listened seriously, but we reached Kyiv.
Considering the religiosity of this tour, I was a little annoyed by the talk that “probably something doesn’t let us go to Pochaev”....and “why doesn’t it let us go home then? ”...... that the buses are in a terrible state and not bad it would not be said to check and repair them before leaving.
Now the tour itself. You arrive immediately at the Pochaev Lavra early in the morning. Very fresh, beautiful, soothing, the atmosphere is special. Skirts can be borrowed free of charge at the entrance. There is enough time to bow to the shrines and do all the religious things.
Then they are taken to the Skete of the Holy Spirit - this, as I understand it, is also part of the Pochaev Lavra, but is located at a distance of 1.5 km. It is also a simple amazing place - you go to the frame along the beech-hornbeam alley. There are a lot of miraculous shrines, a monastery. The temple itself with domes in blue tones, which when you look through them at the white-blue clouds give the impression that you are already in paradise : ). There you can also draw water from a well, which was manually dug (if I may say so) in the rock. Its depth is amazing - we poured a mug of water from above and only after 16 !! ! seconds heard a characteristic sound - the water reached the waters of the well. There are specially plastic bottles nearby in the cap locker for 1 hryvnia. - buy and collect as much as you want - you don’t need to bring containers from Kyiv : ) by the way, there is self-service - you put money in the box, take the caps on your own, maybe especially if you are really poor and that’s 1 hryvnia. no, you can take it for free. It is better not to think about theft in such places, although there is a warning everywhere that you look after things - thefts happen often.
Then visit the Temple and the source of St. Anna. You need to swim in a nightgown below the knee with covered shoulders. You can buy on the spot - 45-80 UAH. Water say +7 somewhere. I was scared - I thought that my legs would cramp and I would not be able to get out. Therefore, I didn’t stand, I didn’t “get used” to the temperature. You need to cross yourself 3 times, plunge headlong and you can go out - clean, healthy : ) This is the only thing I could do - it's impossible to swim there, although 1 man, moreover, not young - swam! It didn’t take long, but I swam : )... but there was only 1 such one for the whole time while I stood and gathered my courage to go into the source. After swimming, you think - why should you be so afraid? Warm, fresh, joyful and you want more : ) You can also get some water from the source of St. Anna (not where they swim - there is a well and faucets on the other side of the temple) or you can buy bottles of water for 3 UAH. in the Temple.
Then a visit to the convent in Kremenets. Also Pts beautiful temple and a garden of blooming fragrant roses.
The whole tour lasts from 7 am to 4 pm. Lunch is provided. Because we were during the fast we were asked who observes and made observant fasting dinner. By the way, everything was delicious : )
It is also important to say - they say that in those parts, in principle, very clean, tasty water, which has healing, rejuvenating properties, and this is due to the presence of silicon in the rocky soil. Silicon is sold everywhere : ) There is information on the Internet about how to use it to get such wonderful water at home or in the country. Can be purchased.
But the main advice, whether a religious person or not, should be and it is very easy to achieve this there - switch to a wave of spirituality, forget about all worries for a while, thank God for giving me the opportunity to see such beautiful places with my own eyes, feel their atmosphere, feel the prayerfulness and their miraculousness, breathe in the aroma of clean and fragrant air and believe that this trip is a solid foundation for all the joyful and wonderful events and states that exist in the life of each of us and will happen again : )
