Zarvanytsia: The Marian Spiritual Center, The 1867 Miraculous Icon, A Minor Basilica And A Visitor Guide

Zarvanytsia is a village on the Strypa River in Ternopil Oblast — and at the same time the Zarvanytsia Marian Spiritual Center, the worldwide Marian pilgrimage centre of the UGCC often called the “Ukrainian Lourdes.” Every year hundreds of thousands of pilgrims come here to the miraculous Icon of the Mother of God of Zarvanytsia and the healing spring beside which, according to tradition, the Mother of God appeared in 1240. In 2019 the Cathedral of the Mother of God of Zarvanytsia received the honorary status of a minor basilica. [2][4][7]

At a glance

Type: Marian Spiritual Center — the sanctuary of the Mother of God of Zarvanytsia, a parish church and a monastery of the Studite Fathers.
Location: village of Zarvanytsia, Ternopil district, Ternopil Oblast, on the bank of the Strypa River.
First written mention: 1458.
Tradition: the fall of Kyiv to Batu’s hordes in 1240 and a monk healed beside the spring.
Main shrines: the miraculous Icon of the Mother of God of Zarvanytsia (crowned 1867), the healing spring, the chapels.
Indulgence status: granted by Pope Pius IX in 1867.
Central church: Cathedral of the Mother of God of Zarvanytsia (consecrated 2002; a minor basilica since 2019).

History of Zarvanytsia

The tradition of the monk and the spring (1240)

According to popular tradition, in 1240, after Batu’s hordes destroyed Kyiv, a monk of the Kyiv Caves Lavra fleeing the attackers reached the unknown lands above the Strypa River. Wounded and exhausted, he prayed for the Mother of God to take him under her protection — and fell asleep. The tradition says that on waking he saw above the spring an icon of the Most Holy Mother of God with the Child Jesus, shining with light. Having washed his wounds in the water, the monk recovered; he built a cave cell and a small chapel for the icon here, and named the place where sleep had “snatched” (in Ukrainian, zarvav) him Zarvanytsia. [2][5][8]

Another tradition links the origin of the community with Serbian monks: a village called “Serbanytsia” supposedly grew around their wooden Trinity church and later became Zarvanytsia, while a Studite monastery arose on the holy site. To the same tradition belongs the tale of Prince Vasylko of Terebovlia, who, healed beside the spring, ordered a church built in thanksgiving at the spot now called “Bilyi Kamin” (White Stone). [7][8]

From the first mention to the benefactor Mionchynsky

The first written mention of Zarvanytsia dates to 1458; the church here is known to have existed by 1564. The village belonged to the comital Mionchynsky family: Pyotr Mionchynsky, the voivode of Chernihiv, who had received special graces through the miraculous image, became the most generous benefactor of the Zarvanytsia church. [3][5]

During the Turkish incursions of 1672–1699 Zarvanytsia was devastated: the church and monastery (the “kliashtor”) were burned, and many villagers and monks were killed or taken captive. The miraculous icon was saved and moved to a new wooden church in the centre of the village; the kliashtor survived until the First World War. [5][7]

The Icon of the Crucified Saviour and the indulgence of 1742

The second great shrine of Zarvanytsia is the Icon of the Crucified Saviour, whose history goes back to 1728. According to tradition, in 1740 the pious farmer Stefan Rysan saw a radiance in the field — and there people found the image of the Crucifixion. Metropolitan Athanasius Sheptytsky himself came to Zarvanytsia and in 1742 proclaimed the Crucifixion icon miraculous and the church of the Holy Trinity a place of pilgrimage; he personally composed a prayer to this icon. [1][6]

During the fire of 1754 the church burned down, but the miraculous image survived. That same year, with the help of Count Mionchynsky, a new stone church of the Holy Trinity was built — from the stone of a castle in Polisiuky destroyed by the Turks; a wooden pulpit, brought from Italy by oxen, survives to this day. It is in this church that the miraculous Icon of the Mother of God of Zarvanytsia is kept today. [3][5]

The coronation of 1867 and pilgrimage status

In the mid-19th century the cult of the shrine took on a universal dimension. In 1867, through the efforts of the pastor Fr Porfyriy Mandychevsky, the icon of the Mother of God of Zarvanytsia was solemnly crowned, and thanks to the efforts of Cardinal Ivan Simeodi, Pope Pius IX granted Zarvanytsia the status of an indulgenced pilgrimage place. From that time on, indulgence pilgrimages in Zarvanytsia became regular, and the stream of pilgrims has never run dry since. [2][3][7]

Two world wars and the atheist terror

During the First World War the monastery and part of the village burned down; the miraculous icon, damaged while hidden, was restored in 1922 by the famous artist Petro Kholodny (the Younger). Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky helped rebuild the shrine, and in 1930 he sent Redemptorists to Zarvanytsia for pastoral care. [3][7]

In 1944 the wooden monastic church was burned; two years later the remaining monastery buildings were destroyed, the chapel over the spring was demolished, the spring itself was fenced with barbed wire, and the Holy Trinity church was turned into a granary. Services were held secretly — in the forest or in private homes; people kept walking to the spring despite police cordons. The Icon of the Mother of God of Zarvanytsia survived, stored in the basement of a Lviv museum. The original Icon of the Crucified Saviour has still not been found; known copies exist, among others, in the Christ the King church in Philadelphia, and part of the image’s vestment was discovered by the Ternopil resident Viktor Chernov. [1][6][7]

The revived Marian Center: 1991–2019

1991 became the year of Zarvanytsia’s revival: with the blessing of Bishop Mykhailo Sabryha the restoration of the spiritual centre began — the chapel over the healing spring was rebuilt, the Trinity church was repaired and the miraculous icon returned, and the monastery of the Studite Fathers resumed its activity. [7][9]

In May 1997 the cornerstone was blessed for the new Cathedral of the Mother of God of Zarvanytsia, designed by architects Mykhailo Netribiak, Anatoliy Vodopian and Ihor Hebura. The church was erected beside the healing spring for the 2000th anniversary of the Birth of Christ; on 22 July 2002 the cathedral was consecrated by the Head of the UGCC, Cardinal Lubomyr Huzar, who celebrated the first liturgy there. The interior height to the dome’s centre is 28 metres. On 30 June 2019 the cathedral received the status of a “minor basilica.” [3][9]

Shrines and the spiritual centre complex

Miraculous Icon of the Mother of God of Zarvanytsia — in the Holy Trinity church (1754) in the village centre; painted in the mid-17th century, crowned in 1867 with the blessing of Pope Pius IX.
The healing spring — with a chapel and a water point; tradition says the Mother of God appeared here.
Cathedral of the Mother of God of Zarvanytsia (2000) — the central church of the complex, a minor basilica.
The Annunciation gate church — entry to the centre through three passages in the gate church.
The Way of the Cross — with stations through the forest (the “Ukrainian Jerusalem”).
The architectural composition of the icon of the Mother of God — on a granite pedestal in the centre of the square (sculptors O. Maliar, D. Pylypiak).
The Nazareth House — the only copy in Ukraine of the Mother of God’s home in Nazareth.

Zarvanytsia belongs to the European Marian Network, uniting the 20 most important Marian sanctuaries of Europe, and is a major ecumenical pilgrimage centre. [8]

Practical information for pilgrims

Getting there: Zarvanytsia village is about 25 km from Ternopil and 17 km from Terebovlia, above the Strypa River.
Largest pilgrimages: Dormition of the Mother of God (28 August) and Pentecost; hundreds of thousands of pilgrims yearly.
What to visit: the Cathedral of the Mother of God of Zarvanytsia, the Holy Trinity church (1754) with the miraculous icon, the healing spring with the bathing pool, the Way of the Cross.
Lodging: pilgrim houses operate at the spiritual centre; book ahead for indulgence feasts.
Spring water: can be taken home; the bathing pool is open in the warm season.
Dress: modest, as befits an active shrine; women should bring a headscarf.

FAQ

What does the name “Zarvanytsia” mean?

According to tradition, the place was named by the monk who fled Kyiv, whose sleep was “snatched away” (Ukrainian zar-vano) here after a prayer to the Mother of God. A lesser-known version derives the name from Serbian monks and the village “Serbanytsia.” [5][8]

What made Zarvanytsia famous?

The miraculous icon of the Mother of God (recognised as miraculous, crowned in 1867) and the healing spring; Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky himself spoke of the miracles recorded in the chronicles and of mass healings. [2][7]

Is it true that Zarvanytsia is called the “Ukrainian Lourdes”?

Yes — because of the mass pilgrimages, the miraculous icon and the healing spring; the centre also belongs to the European Marian Network of the 20 most important sanctuaries of Europe. [7]

What happened to the miraculous icons in Soviet times?

The icon of the Mother of God survived in a Lviv museum basement and returned to Zarvanytsia in 1991; the original Icon of the Crucified Saviour has not been found to this day. [1][7]

When are the main pilgrimages?

The most numerous pilgrimages are for the Dormition (28 August) and Holy Trinity; Zarvanytsia’s indulgence status dates from 1867. [2][7]

Conclusion

Zarvanytsia is a rare example of a place where tradition, document and the living stream of pilgrims were never finally broken: neither Turkish fires, nor museum basements, nor barbed wire stopped the people walking to their “Mother of Zarvanytsia.” Today a whole spiritual complex with a basilica-cathedral stands here, yet its heart remains that same spring above the Strypa where it all began. [7][9]