Hlynska Hermitage is a men's monastery of the Nativity of the Theotokos in the forests near Hlukhiv, close to the villages of Sosnivka and Shalyhyne. The name comes from the estate of the Princes Hlynsky, on whose lands the monastery was founded. In the 19th century, the hermitage was famous throughout the empire for its elder spiritual fathers. Today, the monastery belongs to the UOC (MP) and holds stavropegic status.
Monastery on the Hlynsky Lands
The exact time the hermitage emerged is unknown; local legends cite the year 1557. In late 1689, at the request of the monks of the Sofroniiv Hermitage, the patriarch assigned Hlynska Hermitage to their monastery. In 1703, by the will of Peter I, the monastery passed into the ownership of Hetman Ivan Mazepa. From 1764, the hermitage gained self-governance, and the 19th century became a time of its flourishing: the Hlynsky elders attracted pilgrims from across the entire empire.
Closure and Return
In 1922, the Bolshevik authorities closed the monastery. The miraculous Hlynska Icon was taken to the village of Shalyhyne, where it disappeared without a trace. On the monastery grounds, there successively operated a children's town, an agricultural artel, a collective farm, and an industrial enterprise. In 1942, during the German occupation, the monastery was revived, and after the war it was incorporated into the Moscow Patriarchate. Schema-archimandrite Ioann (Maslov) lived here — the author of the "Hlynsky Patericon" with 140 biographies of Hlynsky ascetics. On July 4, 1961, the monks were finally evicted, and the buildings were handed over to the Sosnivka boarding house for the disabled.
Revival
In 1994, the monastery was reopened. In 1997–1998, a near skete with the church-chapel of Joachim and Anna was created, in 1999 the gate church of the Iberian Icon was consecrated, and in 2002 — the Mykolaiv Church on the site of the completely destroyed churches of the Nativity and the Assumption of the Theotokos.
How to Get There
The hermitage is located in the forests between Hlukhiv and the village of Shalyhyne, near Sosnivka, in Shostka Raion.
What to Consider
The monastery lies just a few kilometres from the border with Russia. This area regularly suffers from shelling, and border communities may have entry restrictions. Before any trip, be sure to check the security situation and the decisions of the Sumy RMA; in case of danger, it is best to abandon the trip. Nearby, in Hlukhiv, are the Mykolaiv, Three Anastasias churches and the Local Lore Museum.
