Stauropegion Institute
Encyclopedia
The Stauropegion Institute was one of the most important cultural and educational institutions in western Ukraine
from the end of the 18th century until World War II
. For much of its history it was controlled by Galician Russophiles
.
in 1788 on the orders of Joseph II
, Emperor of Austria soon after Austria annexed Eastern Galicia, now western Ukraine, from Poland during the First Partition of Poland
. It was based on the Lviv Dormition Brotherhood, a Ukrainian Catholic
religious brotherhood.
Until the mid-18th century the Stauropegion Institute was the only large educational and cultural institution in western Ukraine. It operated a printing press, bound and sold books, maintained a scholarship fund, and published textbooks and spelling primers. In the mid-19th century the Institute was taken over by Galician Russophiles
and controlled by them until 1915. It was then controlled by the Ukrainophiles until 1922, when the Polish
government restored Russophile control over the Institute. From the late 19th century its publications were written in Iazychie
(a Western Ukrainian academic language that combined Russian, Church Slavonic, western Ukrainian and Polish speeech) before switching to the Russian language in the 20th century. The Stauropegion Institute was liquidated by the Soviet
authorities when they annexed western Ukraine in 1939
and its collection was transferred to the Lviv's branch of the Central State Historical Archives of the Ukrainian SSR
.
of Kiev
, Halych
and All-Tsardom of Russia
', the Lviv Chronicles, various royal Polish patents, grants, and charters from the years 1522–1767, 16th and 17th century documents from Moldavian princes and from the Patriarch of Constantinople, printed books from the 15th century and onward, and religious art.
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
from the end of the 18th century until World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. For much of its history it was controlled by Galician Russophiles
Ukrainian Russophiles
The focus of this article is part of a general political movement in Western Ukraine of the nineteenth and early 20th century. The movement contained several competing branches: Moscowphiles, Ukrainophiles, Rusynphiles, and others....
.
History
The Stauropegion Institute was founded in LvivLviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
in 1788 on the orders of Joseph II
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Francis I...
, Emperor of Austria soon after Austria annexed Eastern Galicia, now western Ukraine, from Poland during the First Partition of Poland
First Partition of Poland
The First Partition of Poland or First Partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in 1772 as the first of three partitions that ended the existence of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth by 1795. Growth in the Russian Empire's power, threatening the Kingdom of Prussia and the...
. It was based on the Lviv Dormition Brotherhood, a Ukrainian Catholic
Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church , Ukrainska Hreko-Katolytska Tserkva), is the largest Eastern Rite Catholic sui juris particular church in full communion with the Holy See, and is directly subject to the Pope...
religious brotherhood.
Until the mid-18th century the Stauropegion Institute was the only large educational and cultural institution in western Ukraine. It operated a printing press, bound and sold books, maintained a scholarship fund, and published textbooks and spelling primers. In the mid-19th century the Institute was taken over by Galician Russophiles
Ukrainian Russophiles
The focus of this article is part of a general political movement in Western Ukraine of the nineteenth and early 20th century. The movement contained several competing branches: Moscowphiles, Ukrainophiles, Rusynphiles, and others....
and controlled by them until 1915. It was then controlled by the Ukrainophiles until 1922, when the Polish
Second Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, Second Commonwealth of Poland or interwar Poland refers to Poland between the two world wars; a period in Polish history in which Poland was restored as an independent state. Officially known as the Republic of Poland or the Commonwealth of Poland , the Polish state was...
government restored Russophile control over the Institute. From the late 19th century its publications were written in Iazychie
Iazychie
Iazychie was a language used in nineteenth century by Ukrainian Russophiles to provide bridge between the local dialect and that of the standard literary Russian. Iazychie was used in their publications in East Galicia until twentieth century, when it was replaced with Russian...
(a Western Ukrainian academic language that combined Russian, Church Slavonic, western Ukrainian and Polish speeech) before switching to the Russian language in the 20th century. The Stauropegion Institute was liquidated by the Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
authorities when they annexed western Ukraine in 1939
Soviet annexation of Western Ukraine, 1939–1940
On the basis of a secret clause of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union , the Soviet Union invaded Poland on September 17, 1939, capturing the eastern regions of Poland , with Galicia and Volhynia, facing little Polish opposition and occupying the principal city of...
and its collection was transferred to the Lviv's branch of the Central State Historical Archives of the Ukrainian SSR
Ukrainian SSR
The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic or in short, the Ukrainian SSR was a sovereign Soviet Socialist state and one of the fifteen constituent republics of the Soviet Union lasting from its inception in 1922 to the breakup in 1991...
.
Collection
The Stauropegion Institute had a large endowment and owned several parcels of land and buildings throughout Lviv. It housed numerous important historical and cultural documents. The Institute's collection included the 12th century Horodyshche Apostolos, the 13th century Horodyshche Gospel , the The Book of the Soul Named Gold written by Peter Mogila, 17th century MetropolitanMetropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
of Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, Halych
Halych
Halych is a historic city on the Dniester River in western Ukraine. The town gave its name to the historic province and kingdom of Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia, of which it was the capital until the early 14th century, when the seat of the local princes was moved to Lviv...
and All-Tsardom of Russia
Tsardom of Russia
The Tsardom of Russia was the name of the centralized Russian state from Ivan IV's assumption of the title of Tsar in 1547 till Peter the Great's foundation of the Russian Empire in 1721.From 1550 to 1700, Russia grew 35,000 km2 a year...
', the Lviv Chronicles, various royal Polish patents, grants, and charters from the years 1522–1767, 16th and 17th century documents from Moldavian princes and from the Patriarch of Constantinople, printed books from the 15th century and onward, and religious art.