I concluded my morning's pilgrimage to Volodymyrs'ka Hill with a visit to St. Michael's Monastery of the Golden Domes. Inside a walled complex are several monastic buildings, a soaring campanille or bell tower, the small and unadorned but very appealing Church of St. John the Theologian and the beautiful Cathedral of the Golden Domes. The walls of the Cathedral as well as the outer wall of the entire monastery are of a light blue with gold and white trim. The domes themselves are spectacular. There has been a heavy snowfall this morning, and I noted that several Orthodox priests, most very young were shoveling snow on the stone plaza's surrounding the Cathedral, with the help of a large group of young men. It was interesting to see the youth and physical vigor of these Priests, so unlike anything I have ever seen in any of the ancient Churches in America. For many years my family owned a mountain cabin in the Wasatch Mountains near a Catholic monastery, and my father would often take us to watch the Catholic mass and purchase honey in the little store run by the monks. I was always impressed that the monks were almost all old men, with no young men among them. Here, however, the priests that I have seen all appear to be young men in the prime of life. I visited a little store selling icons and books, where I bought a Ukrainian Orthodox New Testament. I later went inside the Cathedral, where I was immediately struck by the very pleasant odor of burning wax. This was from the myriad of lighted candles placed by worshipers before the various icons. I also no
ted how there are no seats at all in the Cathedral, only areas for standing facing an ornate and beautifully decorated screen with both bas-relief sculpture work and brilliant, detailed and highly realistic paintings. One of the chief subjects of the artwork in the Cathedral is St. Michael himself, depicted in various scriptural settings, including in battle--the
Archistrategos--wielding a sword while mounted on a white horse and slaying a hideous dragon at his feet. The Archistrategos is more than angel--he leads the heavenly forces in slaying the adversary dragon--hence he is also a στρατηγός (
strategos) in the Greek sense of the word, a general. So struck was I by this image of the
Archistrategos that I actually purchased an icon from one of the monks in the Cathedral depicting Michael slaying the dragon. I was also very intrigued by the screen, which separates the public areas of the Cathedral from that which is the exclusive precinct of the Priests. This priestly region is large, as one can see over the top of the screen to the common ceiling. It brought to mind many thoughts and images from the Old Testament regarding the Temple of Solomon and its various discrete spaces, including spaces that were reserved only for what the Russian translation calls the Первосвященни
к (the "First Priest" or the "High Priest"), who entered beyond a barrier or screen into the most sacred precincts of the Temple to perform rites of Atonement or salvation, but then returned back through to bless and bring salvation to the people. I have been invited to participate in an Orthodox Mass early Sunday morning, at which time I may have additional insights. Outside the gates of the Monastery, in the shadow of the soaring Campanile, are two walls of striking murals, obviously new, depicting, among other things, the City of Kyiv and its religious history. I was very struck with one panel of this massive mural showing the Dnipro River the green hills of the City beyond, and overneath all a procession of angelic figures who are, as it were, watching out over the city with books, vessels, musical instruments and other objects in their hands.
I concluded my morning's pilgrimage to Volodymyrs'ka Hill with a visit to St. Michael's Monastery of the Golden Domes. Inside a walled complex are several monastic buildings, a soaring campanille or bell tower, the small and unadorned but very appealing Church of St. John the Theologian and the beautiful Cathedral of the Golden Domes. The walls of the Cathedral as well as the outer wall of the entire monastery are of a light blue with gold and white trim. The domes themselves are spectacular. There has been a heavy snowfall this morning, and I noted that several Orthodox priests, most very young were shoveling snow on the stone plaza's surrounding the Cathedral, with the help of a large group of young men. It was interesting to see the youth and physical vigor of these Priests, so unlike anything I have ever seen in any of the ancient Churches in America. For many years my family owned a mountain cabin in the Wasatch Mountains near a Catholic monastery, and my father would often take us to watch the Catholic mass and purchase honey in the little store run by the monks. I was always impressed that the monks were almost all old men, with no young men among them. Here, however, the priests that I have seen all appear to be young men in the prime of life. I visited a little store selling icons and books, where I bought a Ukrainian Orthodox New Testament. I later went inside the Cathedral, where I was immediately struck by the very pleasant odor of burning wax. This was from the myriad of lighted candles placed by worshipers before the various icons. I also no
ted how there are no seats at all in the Cathedral, only areas for standing facing an ornate and beautifully decorated screen with both bas-relief sculpture work and brilliant, detailed and highly realistic paintings. One of the chief subjects of the artwork in the Cathedral is St. Michael himself, depicted in various scriptural settings, including in battle--the Archistrategos--wielding a sword while mounted on a white horse and slaying a hideous dragon at his feet. The Archistrategos is more than angel--he leads the heavenly forces in slaying the adversary dragon--hence he is also a στρατηγός (strategos) in the Greek sense of the word, a general. So struck was I by this image of the Archistrategos that I actually purchased an icon from one of the monks in the Cathedral depicting Michael slaying the dragon. I was also very intrigued by the screen, which separates the public areas of the Cathedral from that which is the exclusive precinct of the Priests. This priestly region is large, as one can see over the top of the screen to the common ceiling. It brought to mind many thoughts and images from the Old Testament regarding the Temple of Solomon and its various discrete spaces, including spaces that were reserved only for what the Russian translation calls the Первосвященни
к (the "First Priest" or the "High Priest"), who entered beyond a barrier or screen into the most sacred precincts of the Temple to perform rites of Atonement or salvation, but then returned back through to bless and bring salvation to the people. I have been invited to participate in an Orthodox Mass early Sunday morning, at which time I may have additional insights. Outside the gates of the Monastery, in the shadow of the soaring Campanile, are two walls of striking murals, obviously new, depicting, among other things, the City of Kyiv and its religious history. I was very struck with one panel of this massive mural showing the Dnipro River the green hills of the City beyond, and overneath all a procession of angelic figures who are, as it were, watching out over the city with books, vessels, musical instruments and other objects in their hands. 
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