print this page

Transcarpathia Monks Threatened with Prison for Digs

29.06.2007, [13:45] // Conflict //

Transcarpathia – The monks of St. Michael’s Monastery in the village of Hrushevo, southwestern Ukraine’s Transcarpathia Region, are accused of conducting unsanctioned archeological digs in the monastery and have been threatened with imprisonment. The monks justify their actions saying they have been blessed by the Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP). 1tv.com.ua posted the news on 27 June 2007.

According to 1tv.com.ua, the monks from the village of Hrushevo are constructing a new monastery and are looking for the remains of the old one. Soon after they started digging, they found the foundations and a common grave. They assume those might be the remains of Mongol-Tatar invaders or victims of Protestants who in 1670 destroyed the monastery. The monks are sure they found the right way thanks to providence.

Archimandrite Stratonik, superior of the monastery, said: “The monks started digging from the cross and ran against the ancient foundation. The archeologists who had dug before did not find it as they dug deeper.”

“We keep what we find for the experts to make their assessment, even though they claim we are not specialists and what we take from the ground loses its historical value,” said Priest-monk Benedykt.

The Union of Transcarpathian Archeologists has condemned the actions of the monks. The experts insist that the digs stop immediately and the pit be covered with soil. They say that archeological finds require special treatment. It is necessary to keep them in packages made of specific material and send them to the laboratory right away. The superior of the monastery was given corresponding instructions.

Oleksandr Bandrovskyi, director of the Transcarpathia Department of the Archeological Institute of Ukraine, said that an expedition of Uzhhorod National University with Romanian archeologists found the church foundations in 1997. But since on these foundations there stands the newly-built Hrushevo monastery, it is not recommended to conduct digs, as the foundations of the ancient church have been ruined.

Today qualified archeologists are developing a dig plan and trying to find money for the effort. The Romanian government and the Hrushevo monastery volunteered to help with funds.

Source and previous related RISU news:

• http://www.1tv.com.ua/news/ukraine/07/06/27/13/14.html

• http://www.risu.org.ua/eng/news/article;16215/