О stroh Academy National University
The Ostroh Academy museum was founded on the first of September, 1998. Its exposition tells us about the foundation of Academy, its activity at the end of the 16th In 1589 the Polish king Stephan Batorii granted Ostroh the right of self-governing under Magdeburg Law. There were many shops like smith, weapon, potler production. You can see them in this show-case. The marvellous icons were painted; the high beautiful towers were built in Ostroh. In the churches the special melody which was called the Ostroh melody appeared.
Ostroh was the residence of the prince Vasyl-Kostiantyn Ostrozkyi who was the famous politician, cultural and educational supervisor. According to the law, Ukraine belongs to Richpospolita, but de facto Vasyl-Kostiantyn Ostrozkyi was like a prince at this land. He was the richest polish prince and possessed many different posts ????. We don’t have to forget that he was Orthodox in the catholic state ?????. There is a deed which was personally signed by Vasyl-Konstiantyn. Only princes and people who got many victories in different battles while defending their motherland had the right to use stamp of red color. Vasyl-Kostiantyn was one of them; therefore, he was very popular. In 1576 Vasyl-Konstiantyn founded Ostroh Academy which was the first higher educational establishment in Ukraine and in the whole Eastern Europe. People who wanted to study could do this at Ostroh Academy and not to go abroad to the catholic universities.
His niece, princess Galshka Ostrozka, donated a large amount of money for the development of Academy. Her name is associated with legends and folk stories. Galshka’s life was depicted in many works. She was one of the most beautiful women of 16th century, but she wasn’t happy. After the murder of her first husband, Polish king forced 15-year- old Galshka to marry with 63-year -old man, but she refused to live with him as his wife. After this Lukash Gurka forced Galshka to live in the cold tower called Black Tower. She had been living there for 14 years until he died. Only in 1579 she returned to Ostroh and donated money for Academy. Likewise, the Kyivan noble woman Galshka Gulevychivna laid foundation of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. There are many portraits of Halshka Ostrozka in our museum.
The development of Ostroh Academy is connected with the special spiritual atmosphere of Ostroh in the 16th century. Ostroh Academy provided teaching of 7 subjects (Grammar, Rhetoric, Dialectics, Arithmetic, Geometry, Music, Astronomy) and several higher sciences (Philosophy, Theology, Medicine). It was very unusual for the Ukrainian educational establishments, but traditional for the Medieval European ones. The students were studying five languages (Slavonic, Polish, Old Jewish, Greek, Latin). The Academy was the first higher educational establishment to keep up the traditions of Byzantine and Western European cultures. The rebirth of the Ukrainian nation is connected with Ostroh Academy. The outstanding Ukrainian Historian Mykhailo Hrushevskyi wrote that the Academy was “the first light of the new education and new spiritual life”. It was “the revival in the true sense of the word”. In 1636 Ostroh Academe stop exist, but the re
Ivan Fedorov, who was one of the first printers, established the Cyrillic printing-house in Ostroh that was the best publishing house of that time. He published Greek-Slavonic ABC (1578), the first Ukrainian textbook, The New Testament (1580), The Collection of the Necessary Things by Tymophii Mykhailovych, the first index of old printed texts in the history of the Cyrillic printing, The Chronology (1581), by Andrii Rymsha, the first Ukrainian printed poetical work, Ostroh Bible (1581), the masterpiece of the Old Ukrainian printing and the first complete Slavonic Bible (Ostroh Bible was usually presented to outstanding and famous people. Now its price is nearly 2 mln. dollars).
As for polemical literature, the notorious page of Ukrainian culture, almost all its figures are connected with Ostroh Academy (Herasym Smotrytskyi ( the first rector of Ostroh Academy), Krystophor Philalet, Meletii Smotrytskyi, (a graduate of the Academy, the author of the first fundamental Slavonic Grammar (1619)). Mykhailo Lomonosov called it “the gates of learning”.
Among the teachers of Academy were Demian Nalyvaiko (a brother of Severyn Nalyvaiko who was in charge of the Cossaks peasant rebellion of 1593-1596), the Greek scientist and religious figure, a graduate of Padua Academy, Cyril Lucaris (the rector of the Academy, soon the Patriarch of Alexandria and later of Constantinople), the astronomer, mathematician, Doctor of Medicine, a graduate of Krakow and Padua Universites, Yan Liatosz, the Greek scientist and religious figure Emanuil Mashopulo and others.
Among the graduates of Academy were Petro Konashevych Sahaidachnyi, hetman of the Zaporizka Sich Army, Iov Boretskyi, the first rector of Kyiv Brotherhood College, Jelysei Pletenetskyi, the Archimandrite of the Kyiv-Pecherska Lavra, the writer Meletii Smotrytskyi, Zakharia Kopystenskyi, the author of the famous “Palinodia”, the famous church and cultural figure Isakia Boryskovych and others. This people founded the Kyiv-Bratska School, the mother of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, and the first 5 rectors of KMA and this school were the Ostroh Academy graduates.
Ostroh Academy ceased its activity in 1636. However, the type of higher educational institution formed here was transferred to Kyiv and from there to Moldova and Moscow. The Chronicles of Ostroh Academy revival in independent Ukraine began in 1994 with the Decree “About the Foundation of Ostroh Collegium” ratified by Leonid Kravchuk, the President of Ukraine. Ostroh Academy was awarded with the status of University on January, 22, 2000 and with the status of National University on October 30, 2000. According to the Decree of Leonid Kuchma, Ostroh Academy National University passed under the patronage of the President of Ukraine and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on August 23, 2003.
Ostroh Academy National University has five Colleges.. Nearly 2000 students are studying here. The revival of the Academy can be compared with the revival of our country. During the Orange Revolution more than 70 per cent of our students stood up for their rights and freedom in Kyiv. Ukrainian Diaspora plays a big role in the process of Ostroh Academy renovation. For example, there is International Aid Foundation of Ostroh Academy in the USA. Different projects of our university are donated by this foundation (computer classes, the first virtual library in Ukraine and others).
In their free time our students develop their talents. There is the Cultural Center at Ostroh Academy where students can go dancing, singing or acting in the theatre. Our students go in for different kinds of sport with great pleasure. Every year they take part in different sport competition. Among them there are volleyball, football, tennis, running. All these cups were presented to the winners. ??????
Ostroh Academy National University was awarded with the 27th International prize “For Quality” and Golden Star “For Achievements in Management”. In 2006 the University was recognized by the Minister of Science and Education of Ukraine with the Certificate for Innovation Development in Education and Modern Pedagogic Technologies and others diplomas.
This exhibition (show-case) is devoted to the person, whowas the first one to propose the renovation of Ostroh Academy at the beginning of 90s. This is P.Z.Andruchov. Famous Ukrainian historian M.P. Kovalsky, who was born in Ostroh helped him a lot. The whole page of modern history of Ostroh Academy is devoted to these people. The one of this institutions was ceased by
In 2000 Victor Yushchenko visited our University and presented many splendid coins. Now the collection of coins isn’t very big, but some of them are connected with the history of our university, for example this rings?????. Academy has its own publishing-house. We continue Ivan Fedorovuch work. These books were presented in different book exhibitions and were given the first prizes. Ostroh Academy collaborates with the Universities in the USA, Canada, and Poland. Besides studying our students do voluntary work.
On these pictures you can see the monasteries and churches of Western Ukraine. There is a safe of Erih Kokh who was an assistant of Hitler. He had a residence in Rivne, but now his safe belongs to Academy. That is all I have to tell you about the history of Ostroh Academy. I hope that you liked it. You can have a look at the exibits and we will continue our excursion.
The Cathedral
We are in the Fedir Ostrozskyi Cathedral. This building belonged to the Kaputsyn’s monastery in 18th century. It was eracted by an architector Antonio Fontana (1750 – 1778). In 1832 the monastery was closed because of the Polish people rebellion against the Russ Prince. The monks were thrown away out of here. As the monks were moving to another town, Ostroh people were kneeling along their way. In such a way they tried to thank the monks for their love, kindness and mercy. There were the Saint Kyrylo and Mefodii Cathedral (1865-1931), the Kaputsyn’s monastery some years before The Second World War, sport hall after 1945, the Ecclesiastical Hall of Ostroh Academy. As I have said, Fedir Ostrozskyi Cathedral is here now. The walls of building are decorated with the icons which are presented by our grandaunts. This is a great message of thanks for the knowledge and experience. Some icons belong to the Ostroh publishing center of the beginning of XVIII century. They are priceless now.
Please, have a look at this icon. Its name is ‘Hrystos Pantokrator and Saint Stefan’. This icon has fantastic history. Firstly, you should know that the icons aren’t painted, but written. Secondly, there’s tradition of icons’ writing, when one canvas can be used two and more times. According to the orthodox religion the icon is saint, that’s why nobody can throw it away. At the beginning of the XVIII century Saint Stefan was written, nearly through 40 years another painter wrote Jesus Pantocrator. Through many years people forgot this story and were sure that this is the icon of Jesus. But in 1917 Russian solders destroyed the castle in Slavuta, where this icon was, shoot at it (more than 50 times). During next years the circumstances of being of this icon were very hard?????????. But, thanks God, one restorer found it and did everything to save it. It’s incredible, but at this icon two portraits are written one by one through 40 years. They are like one icon. Look at this place. The arm of Saint Stefan should be under the Jesus head, because it was written earlier, but, you see, it is other way round. Scientists can’t explain this fact. It’s incredible, but when soldiers were shooting at this icon none of the gun could hit the arm. This icon was presented to the University and we are proud of it. Under the Cathedral there are the caves where the monks were buried. There you will see the coffins with the Kaputsyn’s remains.
The Caves
Now we are in the caves of Kaputsyns’ monastery. It is worth saying that the leader of the Kaputsyns was Saint Frantsysk. Being a child he left his home and started searching for the truth and God. At first, he was derided and critisized. But some time later more and more people started taking his side. His motto was “Everything for people and nothing for me”. This monastery was founded in the middle of 18th century, but the caves had existed there before. Most of all, they were built in the 16th century as a branch of “town under-earth”, because Ostroh was attacked by nomads often at that time. But in these caves the monks were praying and after that buried their brothers. These caves are built in such a way that everyone must bent while entering them. The monks thought this was the bow to God. The mysterious atmosphere is here and a lot of people go to Ostroh to pray in this caves. You know monks were like saint people, and some warmth goes from their bones. Of course, it is impossible to feel this during one excursion, but some people visit our university only because of it. You can try to revise my words, maybe, you’ll be lucky. Famous Ukrainian historian Mykola Kostomarov wrote the article about these caves at the end of 19th century. At that time Russian soldiers wanted to get into these caves. They were sure that there is a treasure here. In one of the caves they had found only the coffin with the body of a pretty woman, who had died in 1633. This woman was like alive, but in 1-2 minutes there were only her bones because of air. She had very strong energetic, and people who had a weak energetic, felt it. For some of them these caves helped them to cure their diseases. There is a popular belief in our university. Because of such energy, conceived in this cave, your wishes can come true. So, you can revise. You can have a look here and we will continue.
You are in the “room of memory” of Ostroh Academy. This exhibition of our center is devoted to the history of the building, where we are studying. When the monks had left monastery, Countess Antonina Bludova opened the school for girls here at 1865. It was the first school of such a kind in Western Ukraine. This school was very famous; the girls from whole Russian empire were studying there. You can see the photos of it. They were presented by relatives of these pupils. These people took part in the process of renovation of our university. You can see the piano and the table made from oak. These things belonged to Ms Bludova. There is a well for monks. Its depth is nearly 20 m. Very interesting fact, that till 1994 nobody knew about this well. During the Soviet period there was the school and the bedroom for boys that were in this room. Pupils who had to sleep in this place were scared, because it was very cold for them and nobody could explain this. Only now, when we got to know about the well, we explain this. This is the model of the Kaputsyn’s monk. They were wearing the long brown clothes, the rope on the waist and the hood, which was necessary to wear for all the monks. This arch of 16th, made from stone was presented to the museum from Iziaslav. Its history is closely connected with Ostroh.
Now you can see our library where students prepare for the classes. In front of this building you can see the park where students and the guests of the Academy have a possibility to have rest. This library is the first virtual library in Ukraine and author of this project received the State Prize in Architecture in 2006. Our students will use the electronic libraries from all over the world free of charge. The cupola of the library is decorated with murals (м’юерел). They are of a different value, which helped to build the world of harmony. I think that the conditions for studying are very good and now students can use all the possible resources. Our library is one of the best Ukrainian libraries. So, our excursion came to the end. I do hope you like the history of Ostroh Academy. Thank you very much for your attention.