Viacheslav Olitskyi
Candidate of Historical Sciences (Ph.D.), Docent, Head of the Department of History of Ukraine,
Sumy State Pedagogical University, named after A.S. Makarenko,
Sumy, Ukraine
Е-mail: olitckyi@gmail.com
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000–0001–5518–5127
DOI: 10.17721/2522-4611.2025.52.6
THE MONASTIC COMMUNITY OF THE NATIVITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN OF THE GLINSKY DESERT UNDER THE CHALLENGES OF THE POSTWAR USSR
The article aims to comprehensively analyse the life and activities of the monastic community of the Nativity of the Virgin of the Glynsk Desert in the post-war USSR. The research focuses on studying the composition of the brotherhood, the specifics of its spiritual and economic structure, the role of elders in the formation of internal discipline and the upbringing of new generations of monks, as well as on finding out how the monastic community managed to preserve the Orthodox tradition and spiritual authority in society despite the control and persecution by the Soviet authorities. The article's scientific novelty lies in focusing not only on the history of the monastery as an institution, but primarily on the monastic community as a living spiritual and social organism. For the first time, a systematic analysis of the socio-demographic composition of the brotherhood, its living conditions, economic activities and spiritual practices has been carried out based on archival sources and the memoirs of pilgrims. The role of elders as moral authorities and spiritual mentors, who preserved the statutory tradition and formed a generation of new monks, is traced. Special attention is paid to the interaction of the community with laypeople and pilgrims, thanks to which the monastery turned into a significant spiritual centre, which, despite persecution by the Soviet authorities, preserved and transmitted the Orthodox tradition in society. The methodological basis is the principles of historicism and objectivity, which provide an analysis of the monastic community in the context of socio-political processes of the post-war USSR. The study uses general scientific methods – analysis, synthesis, comparison, generalisation and special historical methods – historical-comparative, historical-genetic, historical-typological, as well as microhistorical and historical-anthropological approaches to reconstruct the daily life of the brethren, spiritual practices and interaction of the community with laypeople. Conclusions. The monastic community of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary Hlyn Desert in the post-war period went from 12 monks in 1942 to over 65 inhabitants in the late 1950s, maintaining the continuity of the statutory life even in conditions of material hardship and administrative pressure. The monastery provided the brethren and pilgrims with its crops. It remained one of the few monasteries in the eastern dioceses of the Ukrainian SSR that had a self-sufficient economy. The elders played a decisive role in preserving the spiritual tradition, and they formed the spiritual order, educated new monks, and supported the laity. Mass pilgrimages testified to the considerable authority of the monastery among the faithful, which made it an important spiritual centre. The closure of the monastery in July 1961 was the result of a targeted anti-religious campaign. Still, the experience of the monastic community of the Hlynsk Hermitage testified to its ability to preserve Orthodox tradition and spiritual continuity in the era of Soviet totalitarianism.
Key words: Ukrainian Exarchate, Orthodox clergy, monastic community, monastic life, atheistic politics, spiritual guidance.
Received 1.09.2025.
Revised 16.09.2025.
Accepted 19.09.2025.
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