Holy Dormition Sviatohirsk Lavra (Cave Monastery), Sviatohisrk, Donetsk oblast

On March 12, 2022, around 10:00 p.m., the first airstrike was launched on the Holy Dormition Sviatohirsk Lavra, located in the city of Sviatohirsk, Donetsk region. As a result of the airstrike (the bomb was dropped near the bridge over the Siversky Donets River), several buildings on the territory of the Sviatohirsk Lavra were damaged. The buildings at the entrance to the Lavra were the most damaged. In particular, window panes were broken in all hotels. Hotel No. 9 with windows overlooking the embankment, suffered serious damage. One of the Lavra newest churches - the Church of Saint John the Russian was also damaged. It has damaged roofs, window and door units, and 100% broken windows. Facades and brick structures were damaged by shrapnel. Some buildings are completely broken and cannot be restored. The marble figure of the Mother of God, Abbess of the Holy Mountains, was also damaged, losing part of her hands and stick. Detailed information about the damage was published on the official website of the Sviatohirsk Lavra.

It is worth noting that the majority of the buildings on the Lavra territory are included in the list of architectural monuments of national significance and are under state protection. On March 12, 2022 itself, the majority of these objects suffered varying degrees of damage. Among these buildings are the following: the hotel of 1900 (building #9) on the embankment, as well as the West Tower of 1851, adjacent to it, which also suffered damage to the roof and facades. The main temple buildings of the Lavra - Assumption Cathedral, Intercession Church, which are also architectural monuments of the 19th century, were damaged. Fragments of a bomb were found inside the temples and on the territory. The Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of GOd with the refectory also stands without windows. The Lavra museum was also damaged, as well as the administrative building, in which, in addition to broken glass and doors, the destruction of the heating system caused partial flooding of the office premises. Damage was caused to the Cyril and Methodius stairs as well.

On May 4, 2022, around 7:00 a.m., another airstrike was launched on the Lavra. The Church of St. Righteous John the Russian, the hotel (building #9), the entrance building of the Lavra guards, the refectory with the Church of the Nativity of Virgin Mary were the most damaged. The suspended ceiling in the refectory collapsed from the shock wave. On May 5, 2022, the shock wave from the explosion in the city of Sviatohirsk shattered the rest of the window panels and the ceilings fell down in some buildings. On June 6-7, 2022, the intensity of artillery shelling in the city, as well as on the Lavra territory, increased. Again, a lot of damage was done to churches on the territory of the Lavra, hotels and commercial premises.

Later, the monastery repeatedly came under fire during the battles for the city of Sviatohirsk and surrounding settlements. According to the data published on the official website of the Lavra, only in July 2022, the territory and buildings of the monastery were shelled at least 7 times. In particular, on July 14, 2022, the Church of the Holy Intercession, built in 1850 and having the status of an architectural monument of national importance, was damaged. Shelling damaged the pediment and roof of the Church, destroyed the colonnade of the northeast side of the bell tower. On July 15, 2022, St. Nicholas Church, built on a rock in the 17th century, came under fire, its facade was cut by debris. In the beginning of October 2022, the Sviatohirsk community, on the territory of which the Lavra is located, was liberated by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In fact, from this time, active work on the restoration of the buildings of the Holy Dormition Sviatohirsk Lavra began.<!-- uk 12 березня 2022 р. близько 22:00 був нанесений перший авіаудар по Свято-Успенській Святогірській лаврі, що знаходиться у м. Святогірськ на Донеччині. Внаслідок авіаудару (бомба була скинута поряд із мостом через річку Сіверський Донець) було пошкоджено кілька споруд на території Святогірської лаври. Найбільше пошкоджено ті споруди, що знаходяться при вході у лавру. Зокрема, у всіх готелях вибито віконні шибки. Серйозних пошкоджень зазнав готель №9, вікна якого виходять на набережну. Один з найновіших храмів лаври - храм святителя Іоанна Руського також пошкоджено. У ньому пошкоджені дахи, віконні та дверні блоки, на 100% вибиті шибки. Осколками пошкоджені фасади та цегляні конструкції. Деякі будівлі повністю розбиті і не підлягають відновленню. Постраждала і мармурова постать Богородиці — Ігумені Святих Гір, втративши частину рук і палицю. Детальну інформацію про пошкодження оприлюднено на офіційному сайті Святогірської лаври.

Варто зауважити, що більшість будівель на території лаври внесені у список пам'яток архітектури національного значення та знаходяться під охороною держави. Уже 12 березня 2022 р. більшість з цих об'єктів зазнали різного ступеня пошкодження. До таких споруд належить готель 1900 р. (корпус №9) на набережній, а також Західна Вежа 1851 р., що примикає до неї, якій також завдано пошкоджень покрівлі та фасадів. Пошкоджено основні храмові споруди лаври - Успенський собор, Покровська церква, які також є пам'ятками архітектури ХІХ ст. Усередині храмів та на території виявлено уламки бомби. Церква Різдва Пресвятої Богородиці з трапезною також стоїть без вікон. Пошкоджено і лаврський музей, а також адміністративний корпус, в якому окрім вибитого скла та дверей, внаслідок руйнування опалювальної системи сталося часткове затоплення службових приміщень. Завдано збитків Кирило-Мефодіївським сходам.

4 травня 2022 р. близько 7:00 ранку завдано чергового авіаудару по лаврі. Найбільше пошкоджено храм святого праведного Іоанна Руського, готель (корпус №9), вхідна будівля лаврської охорони, трапезна з храмом Різдва Богородиці. Від ударної хвилі в трапезній обвалилася підвісна стеля. 5 травня 2022 р. ударною хвилею від вибуху у м. Святогірськ повибивало решту віконних шибок і в деяких будівлях посипались стелі. 6-7 червня 2022 р. інтенсивність артобстрілів по місту, а також по території Лаври збільшилась. Знову було завдано чимало пошкоджень храмам на території лаври, готелям та господарським приміщенням.

Пізніше монастир неодноразово потрапляв під обстріли під час боїв за місто Святогірськ та навколишні населені пункти. Згідно з даними, що оприлюднені на офіційному сайті Лаври, тільки в липні 2022 р. територія та будівлі монастиря обстрілювалися щонайменше 7 разів. Зокрема, 14 липня 2022 р. було пошкоджено Свято-Покровський храм, який було побудовано в 1850 р. та який має статус пам'ятки архітектури національного значення. Обстрілами було пошкоджено фронтон та дах храму, знищено колонаду північно-східної сторони дзвіниці при цьому храмі. 15 липня 2022 р. під обстріл потрапив Свято-Миколаївський храм, зведений на скелі в XVII столітті, його фасад було посічено уламками. На початку жовтня 2022 р. Святогірська громада, на території якої знаходиться лавра, була звільнена Збройними силами України. Фактично з цього часу розпочались активні роботи по відновленню комплексу будівель Свято-Успенської Святогірської лаври.

--> <!-- en On March 12, 2022, the first Air Force on the Holy Dormition Svyatogorsk Lavra, located in Svyatogorsk in Donetsk region, was affixed.As a result of the air strike (the bomb was dropped near the bridge across the Siverskyi Donets River), several structures were damaged in the territory of Svyatogorsk Lavra.The most damaged structures that are entry into the laurel.In particular, all hotels have window windows.The hotel # 9, whose windows are released on the waterfront, was seriously damaged.One of the latest temples of Lavra - the temple of St. John Rusky is also damaged.It damages the roofs, windows and door blocks, 100% knocked out windows.Facades and brick structures are damaged by fragments.Some buildings are completely broken and are not recoverable.The marble figure of the Virgin - the abbot of the Holy Mountains, losing part of the hands and a stick, was also injured.Detailed information about the damage was published on the official website of Svyatogorsk Lavra.

It is worth noting that most buildings in the Lavra are included in the list of monuments of national importance and are protected by the state.Already on March 12, 2022, most of these facilities were of varying degrees of damage.Such structures include the Hotel in 1900 (Corps # 9) on the waterfront, as well as the Western Tower of 1851, which is adjacent to it, which also causes damage to the roof and facades.The main temple structures of Lavra - the Assumption Cathedral, the Intercession Church, which are also monuments of architecture of the nineteenth century, were damaged.The fragments of the bomb were found inside the temples and in the territory.The Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary with a refectory also stands without windows.The Lavra Museum, as well as the administrative building, in which, in addition to the stamped glass and doors, the destruction of the heating system was partially flooding of office premises.Cyril and Methodius ladders were damaged.

On May 4, 2022, at about 7:00 in the morning, the next air strike on the Lavra was caused.The temple of St. Righteous John Rus, Hotel (Corps # 9), the entrance building of the Lavra security, dachable with the Temple of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, was most damaged.From the shock wave in the refectory, a false ceiling collapsed. On May 5, 2022, a shock wave from the explosion in Svyatogorsk killed the rest of the window windows and ceilings fell in some buildings. On June 6-7, 2022, the intensity of the shelling in the city, as well as in the laurel, increased.Again, many damage to the temples on the territory of Lavra, hotels and outbuildings were inflicted.

Later, the monastery repeatedly came under fire during battles for the city of Svyatogorsk and surrounding settlements.According to the data published on the official website of the Lavra, only in July 2022 the territory and buildings of the monastery were shot at least 7 times.In particular, on July 14, 2022, the Holy Pokrovsky Temple was damaged, which was built in 1850 and which has the status of a monument of architecture of national importance.The shelling was damaged by the pediment and the roof of the temple, destroying the colonnade of the northeast side of the bell tower with the temple.On July 15, 2022, the St. Nicholas Temple, built on a rock in the seventeenth century, was under fire, and its facade was cut off by debris. At the beginning of October 2022, the Svyatogorsk community, on the territory of which the Lavra is located, was liberated by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.In fact, active work on the restoration of the complex of buildings of the Holy Dormition Svyatogorsk Lavra began. -->