My spiritual journey to the cave monastery...

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I love to be in places of spiritual strength.
It was a beautiful warm autumn day when the luxury of nature reached its height!
And the striking contrast between the rigor of the stone structure and the freedom of the outside has forever left the wonderful memory that happens when I visit Cave Monastery in Rozhirche - autumn tune of my soul...

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I found out about a cave monastery in the village Rozhirche accidentally, planning a business trip to the small town Stryi, which is located near the Carpathians, and immediately felt a strong urge of the soul to visit this amazing mistic place! I read about this unique monument of history and nature in the reviews of travel lovers who shared their impressions on Google. The monastery is located on the southeastern outskirts of the village Rozhirche, Stryi district, Lviv region, Ukraine.
It is one of the most interesting and mysterious places in the Carpathian Rocks. Ancient legends say that monks from the Kiev-Pechersk monastery lived here. We arrived in the village Razgirche by bus, which departed from the town Stryj for about half an hour and friendly people showed us the direction to the foot of the mountains, which is already part of the Skole district. It takes about two kilometers to reach the slopes of the mountains. The rock monastery will not have to be searched for long, because it is not at the top of the hill, but at its foot. But even its location, according to the stories, protected the monks from the raids of the Tatars. It was the Tatars who, according to the same legends, were the reason for the appearance of the rock monastery. It is said that several monks fled from Kiev hundreds of kilometers to the Carpathians, and settled here in caves.

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In the thickness of the main rock massif three caves, which are located on two levels, are knocked out. There are two rooms on the first, and one on the second (which leads to the stairs). In most publications, the lower large cave is considered the living room adjacent to the pantry, and the upper cave is considered a monastery church. The living room is a spacious room measuring 9 × 7 and 3.5 meters high. It gradually expanded with the construction, and as a result, approximately 20 people could live here. A number of openings were cut into this large room: a door with windows on both sides and ventilation from above, and another window on the side.

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After ten minutes of staying in this mysterious place, I feel the amazing energy flow that is rising to me ...
We go with excitement in our souls into these stone rooms, which have ancient inscriptions and images and reflect on eternal values.
In such places of spiritual power, which are filled these caves, I always feel grateful to the Creator for everything I have in life: for my children, for health, for the modern world, filled with opportunities ...

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On the walls you can see many ancient inscriptions, strange hieroglyphics, the meaning of which I do not understand. Historical stories about this place date back to the 15th century, but it is believed that it is much older!

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My daughter Victoria has reached the age when a person becomes interested in spiritual places and we are both here today)) She is now climbing the stone steps to the second floor of a cave monastery where there is a church! It's a little scary because the stairs are smooth and our feet are slipping!

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After spending some time in a cave where monks once lived, prayed and led their amazing ascetic way of life in stone rooms, we went out into the sunny autumn forest.
This is how great the cave monastery is, where my daughter Victoria is. This is the second floor where the monastery church is located.

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We left the church and climbed to the top of the church, which offers beautiful views of the village of Razgirche. Autumn in the Carpathians is especially magical! I'm worried because the rock is smooth and Victoria is coming to feel that special moment of being at the highest level )

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On the left, a path up the cliff rose, that led to two rocks that looked like two harsh guardian angels. I read on Wikipedia that these rocks are the gates on the side of the forest that once protected the monastery from the attacks of the Tatars!
Here at last we see two rocks that really look like gates! This is an exciting moment as we approach! My imagination depicts the old times when riders on stones rode here. Terrible and formidable invaders ... But I think these stone angels stopped them and the almighty power unknown to them turned them from here to the other side!

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We climb up to the two rocks that are the gates of the mountains in this cave monastery.
We come close and I notice the amazing structure of this rock.

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I do not know how to describe it: time made the stone look like a sieve - many holes, as if there was a strong hail and strange patterns were formed!
I stand between the rocks and measure the distance between these rocks. I do not reach for them with my hands. I'm comfortable here. I feel the warm and positive energy of this power.

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The sign of thanksgiving and prayer is not only on the rock, but on the tree I see the image of the cross. This is a true masterpiece of woodcarving. And as long as this tree lives, people will come here and feel the spirit of the monk who did it!

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I sat down to sit on the stones, generously covered with red autumn leaves warmed by the sun. I'm fine here. And Victoria climbs a tree to be even closer to the blue sky of a magical autumn.
Old trees, overgrowth moss give us a pleasure! I feel happiness traveling by new, still unknown places of my Ukraine!

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