The eyes of the world are turning eastward this week, not only toward the Olympic Games in China, but more tragically to where many are expecting armed conflict to erupt between Russia and Ukraine. As of this writing, American citizens in Ukraine are being urged to leave for Poland or other NATO allies, and the United States government is removing its personnel from Kiev.
Near the northern Belarusian border of the roughly Texas-sized nation lies the Ukrainian city of Liubech. This region’s most esteemed son is Anthony Pechersky, alternatively known as Saint Anthony of the Caves or Saint Anthony of Kiev. Predating Padua’s patron saint by two centuries, Anthony of Kiev is widely considered the father of Slavic monasticism, which has played an absolutely central role in the spirituality of the East for a millennium.
Kyivo-Pechers’ka Lavra, or the Kiev Monastery of the Caves, is still revered as the site overlooking the Dnieper River, where Anthony returned from Mount Athos to his homeland to introduce and popularize ascetic monasticism in the region. As Christianity was still finding a foothold among the population at the time, Anthony served as a bit of an unwitting missionary, though his life was focused on austerity, simplicity and bodily mortifications more than itinerant preaching. As with many of the Desert Fathers, such as his namesake, Anthony of Egypt, people came to recognize his sanctity and made pilgrimages to visit him for spiritual and practical advice.
The church that was eventually erected at the center of the cave complex where Anthony’s followers lived a severely monastic life was dedicated to the Dormition of the Theotokos, or the “falling asleep” of the Virgin Mary, the “God-bearer,” which is closely related to, but not strictly speaking precisely identical with, the Western framing of the incident that we refer to as the Assumption. But John Paul II, always himself passionate about Eastern theological conversations and relationships given his Polish roots, employed the term as a fitting one for the end of Mary’s earthly existence (General Audience, June 25, 1997).
Unfortunately, this region’s recurrent waves of violent history led to the destruction of the original church during World War II. It was rededicated in the year 2000, and today the monastery complex is not only a place of prayer, but also one of the area’s most developed museums, which includes an extensive network of catacombs. It is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While a number of saints are buried in the complex, Anthony’s wishes that his body be returned to the earth in secret have been kept, and his relics were never found. One of the later monks, Nestor the Chronicler, did however manage to uncover those of Anthony’s closest disciple and friend, Theodosius of the Caves.
Pope Francis has called the recent developments in Ukraine “very worrying” and has encouraged the faithful of the East and West to pray for peace through the intercession of Christ’s Mother. He has at previous times begged for “reciprocal trust” and “reconciliation” among these rival nations. As Europe stands on the precipice of war once again, let us unite our prayers with those of the region that gave birth to a saint recognized by both Catholics and Orthodox that cooler heads might prevail, and the consciences of world leaders may be pricked, so as to cease making enemies out of close neighbors.
Originally from Collingswood, Michael M. Canaris, Ph.D., teaches at Loyola University, Chicago.
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