Custodia in 90-th years
Life and Activity of the Order of Friars Minor in Ukraine. (XVI-XIX centuries)
The foundation of custodia of st. Archangel Michael in Ukraine in 1993 is connected with presence in this country of the order of Friars Minor Observants, which are called Bernardines in Poland. From 1518 Lvivska custodia of Franciscans in Ukraine was on the level with Krakivska, Posnanska and Vilniuska custodias. Russian Province of Order of Friars Minor in Ukraine was founded in 1628, when the Observant’s Province with the Residence in Krakiv were divided into four provinces: Lithuanian, Russian, Malopolska and Velikopolska. Russian Province is named Neporochnogo Zachattja Presvjatoi Divy Marij end its activity in 1630 and began it again in 1731 and existed to first division of Poland in 1772.
In that time, when Poland was in captivity (1772-1918) the division of Russian Province happened in consequence of the political conditions. From its cloisters, which were situated on the Austrian territories, appeared Galitska Province of St. John of Dukla. From cloisters on the Russian territories appeared Russian Province. This Province had two monasteries, which now belongs to Custodia. They are Zhitomir and Zbaragh. In 1816 Lithuanian and Russian provinces which united into Lithuanian-Russian Province. In 1841 the forced government founded the “state” cloisters, other monasteries were liquidated. Monks from liquidated monasteries were hanged into “state” cloisters. The last monk in Ukraine died in the “state” cloister in Isjaslav in 1910 year.
Returning of the Order. Life and Activity in XX century.
The Friars Minor returned to Ukraine after First World War. It was the time, when Galitska Province began the adoption of the cloisters of Russian Province.
After the Second World War, in consequence of establishment of new borders between Poland and USSR, under the pressure of atheistic propaganda, the Friars were to left monasteries on the territories which Poland had lost. But some monks had stayed. After departing of the priest Yatzek Bober and the friar Clet Bonar, the priest Martin Daghytski stayed in Ukraine.
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- This is the picture of the Church of St. John of Dukla in Zhytomir, which was reconstructed in 90th. A lot of people helped in reconstruction.
- Rather in details about the priest-franciscan, who worked in Ukraine in 40-th years, read in the section «First Steps»
- All other photos of the church before restorations and after are available from the section «Miscellanies > Illustrations»
- The whole list of documents, needed for the handing in an application of the entering, is available from the section «The Seminary»
The picture of the church of the Franciscans before revolution, the photo from an archive
The lodging of the church was used as the archive, school of dancing. The photo, before restoration.
