Taking Leave of Kyiv

In a few hours I will be on a plane for Prague, and then connecting to another flight to the Holy Land. My time in Ukraine has, as before, been much too short to see and do all that would. This nation holds a special place in my life's experience, and I hope to return again. I have been inspired by the lives of many young law students who are as bright and hopeful as any young people I have met in the world. I have been thrilled to visit some of the great cultural treasures of the world. I have continued to learn all that I can about the history of this nation, its people, its religions and its culture. This has also been a place where I have made several major decisions in my life and have embarked on several new projects. For example, it was here in 2007 that I made the decision to start running again, which has reaped great blessings in my life as I have begun to attain robust health. For all of these reasons, Ukraine is sacred to me. And so, I can join with my friend Taras Shevchenko in affirming:

Світе тихий,

краю милий,

Моя Україно!

Cathedral of St. Sophia

Today I visited the Собор Святої Софії, or Cathedral of St. Sophia. It's foundations date to at least 1011--almost exactly 1,000 years ago! Named in honor of the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople and patterned after the older St. Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod, it is on the list of World Heritage Sites and is probably the finest surviving example of Kievan Rus architecture. The name, of course, refers not to a specific Saint named "Sophia" but to "Wisdom"--not wisdom in the general sense, but the Holy Wisdom, a distinct attribute if not a distinct personage of Diety.

The original cathedral structure has 5 naves and 13 cupolas--there are now 19 cupolas including the additions built from the 16th century forwards. But the central, 11th century core is intact with all of its murals and mosaics, including the central, golden mosaic of the womanly figure of "Holy Wisdom" in the main dome.

Visitors are permitted to climb one of the circular corner staircases to the upper galleries, where almost every square foot of wall and ceiling space is filled with fantastic murals and mosaics. Among the unique panels I studied were murals of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem, of most of the Old Testament Prophets, of many stories from the New Testament, and historical murals showing Volodymyr's marriage to his Christian wife, Anna, in Constantinople, of their journey to Kyiv, of the baptism of the Rus in the Dnipro, and of their laying the foundation for St. Sophia's. I was particularly struck by a mural of Adam and Eve making a burnt offering on a small altar and then conversing with an angel, by another mural of "the Ancient of Days" appearing before a throng of people, and above all, a huge mural in the central northern tower depicting God the Father seated on a throne, with vivid lightning and clouds, surrounded by twenty-four kings who are laying their crowns on the ground before Him. This last mural is monumental in size, easily thirty feet wide and more than twenty feet high. There are also several towers in the upper levels filled with art treasures taken from the old St. Michael's Cathedral before it was destroyed in the 1930's.

On the ground level of the Cathedral the original 11th century arches, murals and floor mosaics are still plainly visible. St. Sophia's is reportedly the most complete example of 11th century church architecture in the world.

I spent about two or three hours inside the Cathedral itself, drinking in the spirit of the place, and marveling at the beautiful preservation of the building and its treasures after 1,000 years of use.

During the Soviet era, the building was confiscated but spared destruction as it was named as an architectural and cultural museum. Upon the fall of the Soviet Union, various churches lay claim to it, including the Ukrainian Orthodox, the Russian Orthodox and the Greek-Catholic Churches. Although all groups have been allowed to hold selective services here, no group has been given the right to hold regular services. On my prior visit to Ukraine, Olga Kupriyevich pointed out to me the grave of Patriarch Volodymyr of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Kyiv-Patriarchy, who is buried outside the gates of St. Sophia's. Apparently after the Patriarch died in 1995 his followers sought to inter him inside the walls of St. Sophia's, but were denied access. Riot police were called to prevent the burial, and a bloody clash took place. At least two people were killed and dozens injured in the violence that ensued. For these reasons, St. Sophia's remains a kind of universal symbol of Orthodoxy, but is not tied to any specific denomination. Like Jerusalem, the place is holy to several faiths and millions of believers.

On a personal level, after today's lengthy visit, I feel as tied to St. Sophia's as to any other site in Ukraine. Part of its fascination and attraction for me is its deep antiquity, and undoubtedly part is a feeling of family connection, as I am a direct descendant of Yaroslav and his queen, Anna, who laid the foundation for the place. But beyond that, there is something spiritually potent in this special place dedicated to the Holy Wisdom.

The Rebirth of St. Michael's of the Golden Domes

Yesterday I bought a large book of historical photographs (mostly nineteenth century) of Kyiv. Included are several shots of the monastery of St. Michael of the Golden Domes, which is less than 100 paces from my apartment. Reading about these historical photographs as well as reading my new book about the Cathedral of St. Volodymyr, which I wrote about yesterday, the long tragic and ultimately triumphant story of St. Michaels has become clear in my mind.

Pictured above is the front of the main Cathedral from the base of the belltower. Pictured below is the rear of the Cathedral with the smaller refectory chapel of St. John the Theologian on the left. The entire monastery is enclosed within high walls. There is also a magnificent bell tower fronting on the public square. This gives the reader some sense of the layout of the complex.

The monastery was founded in about 1050 A.D. and the original church, on the site of the present Cathedral, was built after 1100. This original church was reportedly the first church in Kyiv to have gilded domes--hence the name "St. Michael of the Golden Domes." The monastery became a magnet for generations of pilgrims, chiefly because the relics of St. Barbara were housed here. In my new book I have a nineteenth century picture of thousands of pilgrims climbing the steep hillsides in long lines beneath the statue of St. Volodymyr and on up to St. Michaels. St. Barbara's relics were brought to Kyiv from Constantinople in 1108 by the wife of Sviatapolk Iziaslavych's wife in a silver reliquary. As I wrote yesterday, during the Soviet era, these relics were removed to St. Volodymyr's Cathedral, where they remain to this day.

(Incidentally, I had an interesting experience yesterday during the hour or so I stood alone in St. Volodymyr's near St. Barbara's relics. They are now preserved in a sarcophagus-like container housed beneath a magnificent golden canopy with marble steps. I saw several people walk up the steps to view the relics, so I thought--why not. I went up the steps for a brief view. As I quietly walked back down the steps I was accosted by a most officious gentleman who asked me (in Russian) if I was a Christian. "Yes," I said. "Then why don't you make the sign of the cross? You must always make the sign of the cross as you approach or walk away from sacred things!" He was not pleased with me. I, of course, did not want to be disrespectful, but did not heed his demands that I make the sign of the cross--I could only think of Daniel and his companions who refused to pray as directed by Nebuchanezzar when they heard the sound of "the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, dulcimer and all kinds of music.")

The Golden Domes were pulled down and the Cathedral destroyed by the Soviet's in about 1936, and a new administrative complex for the Ukrainian S.S.R. was built on the ruins. Apparently there were tennis and volleyball courts on the actual site of the Cathedral. The monastic buildings just north of the Cathedral were apparently party offices--my friend Wilfried Voge told me that his wife remembers attending social events there as a child. After the collapse of the Soviet Union the Cathedral was rebuilt on the ancient site.

The little chapel dedicated to St. John the Theologian, which was built in 1713, is the original structure and survived the Soviet desecration of the monastery. It was used as a locker room for the Soviet sports complex on the site during the dark years of Soviet rule.

There is, of course, a lesson in all of this--that nothing is irrevocably lost. The new Cathedral is now the centerpiece of a thriving, vibrant and joyful monastery, which has apparently become the training seminary for many of the nations Ukrainian Orthodox priests. Although not an ancient structure, the new Cathedral is most beautiful inside.

A Love-Hate Relationship with Kyiv's Marshrutkas

I love almost everything about Ukraine--but I'm not so sure how I feel about the Marshrutkas.

During my teaching trips to Ukraine I commuted to and from seven law schools in Kyiv, mostly by Metro, but occasionally by Marshrutka, or private bus. One of the schools, the National Aviation University, was some distance from the nearest Metro station, and so this required a long trip by Marschrutka. These were an adventure! Packed to the gunwhales with dour commuters, the traveler must pass the fare--two and a half hryven--from passenger to passenger up to the driver, who is the ultimate multitasker. He will be negotiating traffic, talking on two or three different cell phones, answering questions from passengers and all the while changing money arrayed in little cardboard boxes or envelopes on the console next to the driver's seat. It is absolutely insane. Also insane is the degree to which these buses will become packed with standing commuters--last week Tetiana and I rode a bus which had an advertised capacity of about 45 passengers--we counted something like 80! It is confusing to say the least, especially since the windows are usually caked with grime or fogged and iced over.

Yesterday I rode my last Marshrutka for this trip, and I didn't shed any tears of regret as I got off of that bus.

Final Lectures at Taras Shevchenko University and the National Aviation University

Today I lectured for the last time at the Taras Shevchenko University and the National Aviation University. The students at both institutions are bright and intelligent and promise to become superb advocates and attorneys.

At Taras Shevchenko I had lunch with my teaching assistant, Tetiana Rogozianska. She has a very bright future ahead of her. With her native intelligence, her great teaching ability, her ambition (not to mention her near-perfect English language skills) I expect to hear great things of her in the future.

Thus closes another chapter in my teaching adventures in Ukraine!

St Volodymyr's Cathedral

Today I was an hour or so early for my lecture at Taras Shevchenko University, and so wandered across the street to Патріарший кафедральний собор св. Володимира, or St. Volodymyr's Cathedral. This is the mother cathedral of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church--Kyiv Patriarchy (distinguished from the Russian Orthodox Church, as I have discussed elsewhere in this blog). I spent more than an hour inside, studying the neo-Byzantine architecture and the amazing interior mosaics, executed by a team of Venetian masters. This is the church that I visited briefly last week with my teaching assistant, Tetiana Rogozianska. After our lectures today, Tetiana and I returned for another visit, and she provided me with some amazing additional insights and I bought a little history of the cathedral in Ukrainian from the ikon shop, which I am trying to work out little by little.

The cathedral appears most ancient, but it actually was built in 1852 to commemorate the 900th anniversary of the baptism of the Kievan Rus by St. Volodymyr the Great. It is Volodymyr's statue overlooking the Dnipro at the site of the baptisms which has caught my special devotion and attention over the years. (Incidentally, I have recently been exploring my ancestry and find that I am a direct descendant of Volodymyr--but that is another story altogether). The cathedral is laid out as a traditional six piered Храм or temple, much like others I have seen at Pecherska Lavra and elsewhere in Kyiv.

Outside the appearance of the cathedral is most striking. The thing which has most caught my eye and captured my imagination over the years has been the amazing paint- and gold-work on the seven domes--a deep blue base filled with golden stars.

The interior of the cathedral is literally filled with colorful mosaics and gold accents which draw the eye up and up to the amazing light-filled cupolas more than 150 feet above the floor! The vast mosaics were created by a team of Venetian masters, and individual pieces by the artist Viktor Vasnetsov. I noted in the gold lettering high in the domes both Russian and Greek inscriptions. There are many, many panels depicting scriptural themes, including the Decalogue, the feeding of Elijah by the birds, the Creation (including a stunning portrait of the Father--not often seen in Orthodox Churches), and many scenes from the life of Christ and the Apostles from the New Testament.

During the Soviet era the cathedral survived essentially intact, with all of its interior artwork undamaged. The building served as a museum of religion and atheism. The cathedral was one of the only places in the entire U.S.S.R. where one could openly visit a working and largely intact Orthodox Church. In fact, some relics from other less fortunate churches were moved to St. Volodymyr's by the Soviets--thus the cathedral houses the relics of St. Barbara, a 3rd century martyr which were brought here from the desecrated Mykhailivsky Zlatoverkhy Cathedral (St. Michael's of the Golden Domes).

Tetiana told me that every Christmas and Easter a flame is brought from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem to relight the altars and in St. Volodymyr's, and from thence to relight all of the Ukrainian Orthodox churches throughout the country. She said that the transport of this flame is usually televised and publicized widely. So the individual candles of the surge of worshippers who come here--and in other churches--daily are lit and relit from the flame brought from Jerusalem. Since I will be in Jerusalem in a little more than three days, this detail appeals to me greatly.

Included here are several of Vasnetsov's most beautiful panels: a portrait of Russian Bishops, the arched representation of the Temptation of Eve in the Garden of Eden, the baptism of the Kievans in the Dnipro in 987 A.D., and the baptism of Prince (and later Saint) Volodymyr by a convocation of Byzantine Orthodox Priests.

Breathtaking Run Through 1,500 Years of History

This morning I ran ten complete circuits of a stunningly scenic route that led from my apartment on

Triokhsviatytelska Street, through the Volodymrska Hill Park, outside the monastery walls of St. Michaels of the Golden Domes, and then back down Triokhsviatytelska to the beginning. Total distance is about six to seven miles and took me just over an hour to complete. This run covers nearly 1,500 years of history, from the earliest founding of Kyiv to the present.

The run begins down a long double tree-lined path in the hill park which ends at the Victorian Gazebo and its breathtaking overlook. Along this long sylvan alleyway there are always many walkers, parents or grandparents with baby carriages or young couples. I often see older people feeding the birds out of their hands.

From the gazebo and its lofty prospect, you can see up and down the Dnipro for miles. See also the view of the Pishokhidnyi Footbridge in the background which leads to Trukhaniv Island. To the southeast there is an awesome view of the statute of St. Volodymr, the Baptizer. It was here that Christianity was first brought to eastern Europe and the first baptisms performed in the river below. And it was here in 1991, on the southeast corner of the statue, that a special event occurred which has sacred significance for my faith.

This is the view up the Dnipro from the gazebo, showing the bridges upstream and all of the docks and ships of the river.

The path then heads north from the gazebo past the gates and walls of St. Michaels. Here the golden domes are visible through the winter birch trees in the brilliant sunlight of a snowy morning.

There is a popular playground near the northeast corner of the monastery.

The upper terminus of the Funicular tramway is located next to the rear wall of the monastery near the playground. The lower terminus is adjacent to the Poshtova Ploshcha Metro station.

Next to the monastery on the north are several ministry buildings of the Ukrainian national government, including this flag draped edifice. It was behind this building that I took a picture of the sickle-and-hammer-emblazoned gates a few days ago.

This is the view along the route in front of St. Michaels, with the statue of St. Olga in the foreground and the grand tower of St. Sophia's in the near distance.

The front of St. Michael's is alive with brilliant murals on the outside of the monastery walls. This is me with a "cloud of witnesses" in the background "running the race that is set before me."

Finally, within a hundred steps of my apartment, this is the refectory gate of the monastery with the domes overlooking the walls. These gates front on Triokhsviatytelska Street and are literally across the street from my apartment!

I'll not find a more beautiful run anytime soon.

Mamadu and Me

This is my new friend, Mamadu, who works in the Hotel Kharkiv as a bellhop. He is from Senegal originally and is has been in Ukraine for the past four years studying economics. I have had several long discussions with him. He is from a large family of seven children in Senegal and has not seen his family in four years. He speaks Soninke, French, Arabic, English and Russian. He lived for four years in Cairo and is a devout Muslim. We discussed families, living abroad and education. He plans to return to live and work in Senegal.

Final Lecture with National Law Academy Students

Today I completed my final lecture and work session with the excellent students from the National Law Academy in Kharkiv. These students are attending the jury trial advocacy course on their own time, and not as part of the regular curriculum of their school, which requires an amazing level of dedication and work. They are all extraordinarily bright and have great promise as future advocates.

A Very Cold Monday

I ventured out a few times today, for my morning run, to visit St. Michaels, to shop for groceries, and later to browse along Andriysky Spusk.

It was bitterly cold all day, although the sun did come out now and then. I ran only about three miles, all in the Volodymrska Hill Park district of the city. On laps behind St. Michaels and past the Funicular, I was intrigued to watch an old man feeding the little birds out of his hand. He would stand very still with his palm upturned, and the birds would hover over his hand to eat bread crumbs. There were also many parents or grandparents out with little children in sleds.

I had a nice conversation with a woman in the refectory shop at St. Michaels, and bought a nice book on ikons.

In the afternoon I went to Andriysky Spusk, which is a sort of tourist trap in Kyiv, and browsed in the many outdoor art and souvenir booths. I was bare-headed and a woman came up to me and remonstrated that I needed a hat--actually I think she was trying to sell me one. I looked at a few navy and army caps with either Soviet or Ukrainian insignias, and wondered about their authenticity (or lack thereof). I didn't buy anything but did get a nice picture of some intricately wrought gates with (I'm sure) genuine Soviet insignias. These were behind the ministry building next door to St. Michaels.

St. Andrew's rises dramatically from the street, with dramatic gold trimmed blue domes. I love the dramatic exterior of St. Andrews, but it has a more ostentacious feeling inside than other Orthodox Churches--less worshipful, perhaps, more for show than for worship. I know people like that--they look very impressive, but somehow leave you cold when you take a look inside, as it were.

I returned home in mid afternoon to finish some laundry, to do a little grocery shopping and to pack for my evening train ride to Kharkiv.

Chance Reunion of German Missionaries

More than thirty years ago I lived in Germany for two years as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My first assignment in Germany was in a little branch of the Church in Duisburg-Hamborn, a heavily populated area at the confluence of the Rhine and Ruhr Rivers.

This afternoon I had a mission reunion of sorts, as I was invited to have dinner with Judge Steven Swift and his lovely wife Lorraine in the vicinity of the Lukyanivska Metro station. Judge Swift currently lives in Ukraine and has also lectured this year for the Leavitt Institute. Also at dinner was a longtime friend of Judge Swift, Wilfried M. Voge. We soon discovered in our dinner conversation that the three of us--Judge Swift, Wilfried Voge and myself--all served missions in the Germany Duesseldorf Mission as young men (although Steve and Wilfried preceded me there by more than a decade). I further discovered in the course of our conversation, that Wilfried actually founded the Hamborn Branch, where I first served. We had a long pleasant conversation about Germany and, of course, Ukraine. Wilfried's wife Meka is a native Ukrainian and they have deep ties to this nation--Wilfried having served as the President of the Kyiv Ukraine Mission of the church from 1996 through 1999.

After dinner Wilfried and I walked together from the Lukyanivska district all the way to St. Michaels. It was a pleasant and unexpected reunion.

Cold and Warmth on a Snowy Sunday

It was bitterly cold as I walked through the quiet streets of Kyiv this snowy Sunday morning. There was a light dusting of snow on cobblestones and roofs, and even the birds seemed to be hunkering down for one of the last winter storms of the year. I walked past St. Michael's, St. Sophia's, Taras Shevchenko University and the park on my way to church services this morning.

I attended the fast day services at the Pecherskyi Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which meets at Shota Rustaveli 16 with a small flock of Ukrainian members. The meeting was warm and inviting and I felt joyful in being among so many friendly strangers, singing and listening to the speakers. Fast day meetings include time for individual worshippers to express themselves, and during the meeting I suddenly felt the inexplicable desire to bear testimony in Russian, which I did to the delight of myself and many new friends I met this morning in the meeting. It was an incomparable experience. One of my new friends told me afterward that those in attendance could understand every word I said.

I returned to my apartment by Metro, using the old familiar Lva Tolstovo entrance for this first time this trip.