In the village of Verbka near Kovel stands the male skete of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist, opened in 2001 and subordinated to the Mylets Monastery. But the fame of Verbka was brought by another, older monastery — the Trinity Monastery, where Prince Andriy Kurbskyi was buried.
Trinity Monastery and Kurbskyi
The Trinity Monastery in Verbka is first mentioned in 1543, later it was transformed into a parish. The founder of the monastery is considered to be Prince Andriy Kurbskyi — a Muscovite voivode who fled to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and received estates in Volyn, including Kovel. He died in May 1583 in Kovel and was buried in Verbka. Only remnants of the monastery have been preserved.
Indulgence on the island
Local historian Oleksandr Tsynkalovskyi recalled that in the 1910s the biggest holiday in the village was the indulgence for Saint Nicholas at the church on the island. Peasants from the farthest corners of Polissia gathered here, merchants from Kovel came, as well as lirnyky and townspeople. They sold fabrics, embroidered shirts, necklaces made of corals, crosses, and coins, among which there were old Polish and Czech silver coins, and sometimes even Roman denarii.
Nearby
Kovel — the city once owned by Kurbskyi. More in the article Kovel District.
How to find
Verbka lies near Kovel, accessible by city transport or taxi.
