DOI: https://doi.org/10.20535/2307-5244.46.2018.136719
Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute
The article investigates the publishing and educational activities of the 17th
century political and cultural leader Petro Mohyla.
In December 1627, Petro Mohyla, one of the most educated figures of his time,
was elected as an archimandrite of the Kyiv-Pecherskaya Lavra. During almost
20 years till his death, he was the head of the book-publishing business in Ukraine
and the Lavra worked as the printing house.
At Mohyla”s time, the book publishing was different from the previous period,
as the authority of the Slavic publications was growing. However, along with Slavic
publications, various Polish editions also were published. In 1631, the “Triod Cvitna”
and several scientific works in Slavic and Polish languages were published. At
the Kyiv-Pecherska Lavra publishing house, the special attention was paid to the book
design. With the noticeable Western influence, it established a harmonious combination
of European artistic styles and local national traditions. In 1630, in honor of
Petro Mohyla, the Lavra publishing house printed a poetic panegyric, and the second
panegyric was published in 1633. In 1644 it published the book “Lithos”, which
was one of the most important polemical, journalistic and historical works of the 17th
century. In 1646 the ethnographic work of “Velyky Trebnik” was published.
In 1658–1659, Elijah engraved the text of “Kyiv-Pechersk Patericon”,
which was published after the death of Petro Mohyla.
Petro Mohyla, whose name had never disappeared from our memory, was also
famous because of the fact that the first higher educational institution of Kyiv-
Mohylanska Academy was named by him, and Petro Mohyla put a lot of effort into
its establishing. With the death of Petro Mohyla (December 31, 1647), the era
of prosperity of the Pechersk printing house had ended.
Keywords: history, Petro Mohyla, Kyiv-Pecherska Lavra, educational activity,
publishing, publishing activity.
