Khreshchatyk Monastery: The ‘Second Athos’ Of Bukovina, The Cave And The Relics Of Saint Kuksha Of Odessa

Khreshchatyk Monastery in the Chernivtsi region of the Dniester canyon is called the “second Athos” of Bukovina: a monastery of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, founded on a karst hill above the river where, by legend, icons of the Saviour appeared. It is the resting place of Saint Kuksha of Odessa (+1964), a renowned 20th-century confessor-elder who in the 1950s laboured here in prayer. Today it is an active men’s monastery of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. [2][5]

At a glance

Full name: Holy Cross-Exaltation (Khreshchatyk) Men’s Monastery.
Location: village of Khreshchatyk, Chernivtsi district (former Zastavna region), Chernivtsi Oblast — on a karst hill above the Dniester canyon, ~60 km from Chernivtsi.
Founded: by tradition — late 17th century by monks of the Maniava Skete; the masonry church is dated 1765–1768.
Holy places: the wonder-working “Khreshchatyk” Saviour icon, St Kuksha’s cell and his resting relics, the karst cave, the healing spring.
Saints: St Kuksha of Odessa (Velichko; †1964, canonized 1995) — here in the 1950s; relics in the Exaltation cathedral.
Status: an active men’s monastery of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

History of Khreshchatyk Monastery

The legend of the appearing icons

The founding is tied to the legend of the cross-shaped radiance over the karst hill: on the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and on the night of Saint John the Theologian the local dwellers saw a miraculous glow and on the rock found icons of the Saviour — hence the name Khreshchatyk (“the crossed one”). To the springs beneath the hill cures were attributed, and monks of the Maniava Skete settled here at the end of the 17th century. [2][6]

The church of the Talpa brothers, 1765–1768

The first masonry Exaltation church was built in 1765–1768 by the brothers Talpa, masons from Hotin, near an older wooden shrine. On this spot, at the resting of St Kuksha, a cross of 1740 survived. The church in Bukovinian Baroque style with thick mortar-and-stone walls became the heart of the shrine. [1][2]

Joseph II and decline

In 1774, when Bukovina joined Austria, the monastery was affected by the reforms of Joseph II: the Habsburg secularization of 1781–1787 emptied the hermitage. The question of return dragged through the 19th century: only in 1882, after the healing of the Chernivtsi bishop’s nephew (the future metropolitan Vladimir Totoeskul), the hermitage was restored. [1][3]

The 20th century: Romanian rule and St Kuksha

During the Romanian rule (1918–1940) the monastery flourished: in 1915 the Russian troops had burned the hermitage’s archive, but already by a 1931 synodal decree of the Romanian Orthodox Church the monastery received status, and in 1933 monks returned. In 1950–1960 St Kuksha of Odessa (Velichko) laboured here — his bans and prayers made Khreshchatyk famous as the “second Athos”. In July 1960 the brotherhood was moved to Pochaiv, and in 1962 the hermitage was closed. [2][5][3]

Restoration

In 1989 the monastery was returned to the Church, and in 1991 it came to life again. In 1991–1998 the community built the Exaltation cathedral, the lower church of the Dormition and the chapel of St Kuksha at his resting place; the cave was restored too. The monastery operates within the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. [5][6]

What to see

Exaltation cathedral (1991–1998) — the main church with the relics of St Kuksha and a copy of the “world-creation” icon.
The old church of the Talpa brothers (1765–1768) — with the cross of 1740 and the wonder-working Khreshchatyk icons.
The cave of the karst hill — where the icons appeared; a chapel stands at the entrance.
St Kuksha’s cell and the chapel at his resting place.
The healing springs beneath the hill — the most popular pilgrimage point.
The Dniester canyon panorama from the monastery walls.

Practical information

Address: village of Khreshchatyk, Chernivtsi district, Chernivtsi Oblast (road through Zastavna; ~60 km from Chernivtsi).
Getting there: from Chernivtsi — bus/taxi to Khreshchatyk; by car — via the Chernivtsi–Khotin road.
Services: daily liturgies; Saturday night services of St Kuksha; feast days of the Exaltation.
Cell visits: by prior arrangement with the pilgrimage service.
Dress code: skirt/headscarf for women, covered shoulders for all — a strict observance community.
Nearby: Khotin fortress (20 km), Kamianets-Podilskyi (45 km) — perfect for a two-day Bukovina trip.
Photos: interiors and relics — with permission of the abbot.

Frequently asked questions

Why is Khreshchatyk called the “second Athos”?

The nickname spread in the 1950s thanks to the spiritual labour of St Kuksha of Odessa: his hesychastic ethos and the monastery’s cave-cell character reminded monks of Athos. [5]

Who founded the monastery?

By tradition, monks of the Maniava Skete at the end of the 17th century; the masonry church was built by the brothers Talpa in 1765–1768. [2][1]

Where are the relics of St Kuksha?

They rest in the lower church (chapel of St Kuksha) in the Exaltation cathedral; they were transferred in 1995 after his canonization. [2]

What is special about the karst cave?

According to legend icons of the Saviour appeared there; a spring is inside, and access to the cave follows the monastery’s rules. [4]

Is the monastery active?

Yes — an active men’s monastery of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine with a myriad of pilgrims [3][5].

Conclusion

Khreshchatyk is the place where Bukovina “lifts up the hills unto the Lord”: a karst hill above the Dniester, the Exaltation church of the Talpa brothers and the candle of St Kuksha have burned here for three centuries. For every traveller along the Dniester canyon, Khreshchatyk is a must-stop on the way between Chernivtsi and Khotyn. [2][6]