Experience of the Charitable Activity of Women in Education

of Ukraine of the 17th Century

 

Olena Yuriyivna Ilchenko (Poltava, Ukraine)

 

Summary. The sense of the notion “charity” is analysed in the article; the experience of the known philanthropist Rayina Mohylyanka-Vyshnevetska in the educational branch of Ukraine of the 17th century is reflected.

Keywords: Rayina Mohylyanka-Vyshnevetska, charity, charity in education, monasterial school, historical experience.

 

Problem in its general view. The transformation of the national life in the conditions of globalization, all-embracing world scales of activity, connections, relations and crossing borders have stipulated the necessity of overthinking the valued reference-points and strategies of the human life. New demands require the adequate modernisation of the educational system, which today perceptibly has need in the expansion and strengthening of the financial base, the capital material investments both from the side of the state, and non-state structures. For this reason the notion “charity” in Ukraine is the sign of today, although it has the ancient history as the phenomenon.

The history of the Ukrainian charity is the part of the national past. The Russian researcher L. Lavrenenko notes: “In the history of the civilization this activity in its different forms of display was always present, it is impossible to imagine the human life without it” [4, p. 249]. The sources of the charity are indissolubly related to the origin of the Ancient Rus State in the 9th century and the claim of the Christianity as the state religion (in 988) when the grant of help to the ill and weak people became one of the forms of realization of the Christian commandment of love to the near people.

Today the wide enough sense is laid in the notion of the charity — from the ordinary material support of the beggar layers of the population (poor people, orphans, invalids and others) to “voluntary activity on the creation and transmission of the financial, material and spiritual values for the needs satisfaction of a man, social group or social stratum” [10]. The Encyclopaedic Dictionary of the 19th century by the “Brokgaus-Efron” printing-house determines “charity” as “displaying sympathy to the near people and the moral debt of the prosperous people to hurry for help to the poor ones”. [12, p. 55]. The explanatory dictionary by V. Dal characterizes the personality of a philanthropist as “who makes good for the others” [2, p. 94].

We examine the charity as the activity which is formed on the public bases and the private initiative and is realized by the physical or legal persons. It has such substantial signs: 1) presence of the publicly meaningful aim; 2) the willing, unselfish organized character of the work; 3) “the high moral principles, the public level of understanding the necessity of realization of the programs of social rehabilitation of those categories of the population, which require support” [3].

Analysis of the publications. The first attempts to investigate the problem of the charity historically appeared in the Russian Empire in the second half of the 19th century. In that period the activation of the philanthropic movement took place that had been predetermined by the development of the capitalist relations and forming the enterprise stratum, which, concentrating the powerful capitals in their hands was that social force which potentially provided the material pre-conditions for the increase of the charity. Among the researches which represent the considerable historical value for us, we select the works by P. Georgiyevsky (he has distinguished the general issues of the charity, described the state support system of the socially not protected layers of the population); by М. Dmytriyev (he has investigated the history of development of the charity in the Ancient Rus and the Russian Empire, conducted its division into the periods, analysed the Russian legislative base in relation to the philanthropic activity); by V. Kartamyshev and К. Pobedonostsev (they have studied the organization of the community care as one of the types of the philanthropic activity in the Russian Empire at the end of the 19th — at the beginning of the 20th century, defined its main tasks, the sources of funding, described the forms of help granting); by Ye. Maksymov (he has researched the charity as the social phenomenon, distinguished its basic directions: the watching over the adults and children; the medical care and the health protection; the philanthropic support of the educational sphere); by Ye. Myunstenberg and V. Rosher (they have originated the progressive idea of combining the efforts of the public and private initiatives) and others.

The historiography of the problem is supplemented by the works of the known Ukrainian researchers, the investigators of a particular region V. Antonovych, D. Bagaliy, М. Hrushevsky, М. Kostomarov and others, which to some extent have lighted up the national traditions of the charity, in particular, the philanthropic activity of the Hetmans of Ukraine, the Cossack higher officers, the rich cossacks and others.

Among the modern scientists the question of the charitable activity in the context of the general historical development is actively raised by the both Russian and Ukrainian scholars. In particular, the attention of the Russian researchers comes into the pedagogical (Т. Kazovska, N. Pavlova, О. Stepanova and others), historical (L. Voit, L. Gatilova, Т. Kononova and others), culturological (О. Kochnov, О. Polyakova, О. Radzetskaya and others) and sociological (О. Voronova, A. Petrova, L. Temnikova and others) aspects of the problem.

The works by the Ukrainian scientists Yu. Guzenko, О. Donik, Т. Kurinna, A. Naradko, S. Polyarush, A. Surovtseva, N. Tovstolyak and others, who have examined the becoming and development of the structures of the state guardianship, the public charitable associations, lighted up the experience of the philanthropic practices in the educational branch, exposed the role of the art patronage in Ukraine etc. became the valuable addition to the study of the history of the native charity. The doctoral thesis by N. Seyko “Charity in the field of education of Ukraine (the 19th — the beginning of the 20th century)” (2009) and by О. Druganova ”Development of the private initiative in the education of Ukraine (the end of the 18th — the beginning of the 20th century)” (2009) are the detailed researches on the entitled issue.

The important place in the modern historiography is occupied by the personological researches, which open the whole layer of the problem of the charity and, in particular, help to find out the role of the Ukrainian national elite in the development of the domestic education, to expose the endowment of the known philanthropists in its development. For that reason, using the gender approach, we intend to expose the contribution of the known women-philanthropists to the development of the native education, science and culture; women which during the 17th century, that are characterized by the deep changes in the political, socio-economic and spiritual spheres of the society, at the same level with men have participated in the fight for the cleanness of the religious canons, for the national rights and traditions of the Ukrainian people, for the formation of the nationally-state institutions etc.

We dedicate this article to the interpretation of the experience of the known philanthropist of the 16th — the beginning of the 17th century — the princess Rayina Mohylyanka-Vyshnevetska; this is the purpose of our research.

Exposition of the basic material. Rayina Mohylyanka-Vyshnevetska (approx. 1589-1619) was originated from the Ukrainian princely family which at the root had attained the old Moldavian boyar family of Mohyla. She is the known in the history figure: Rayina was the daughter of the Moldavian owner Yeremiya Mohyla, the cousin of the Kyiv metropolitan Petro Mohyla, the mother of the outstanding statesman of Rech Pospolita and Ukraine — Yarema Vyshnevetsky, the grandmother of the Polish king and the Great Lithuanian Duke of the both peoples — Mihal The First Korybut Vyshnevetsky.

The history has reserved not much information about the life of the princess. It is known that Rayina’s father Yeremiya Mohyla (approx. 1555-1606) was one of the best Moldavia possessors and the constant defender of the Orthodox faith. In the times of his short rule (1595-1606) he was the sincere philanthropist and the patron of the Lviv Saint-Assumption Fraternity, the church and the community school [Левицький О. Раїна Могилянка. — К., 1887. — P. 3. — (In Ukrainian)]. At one time Yeremiya Mohyla founded the town Mohyliv-Podilsky. Rayina’s mother Yelyzaveta Chomortan-Lozynska (1572-1617) was a daughter of the Transylvanian senator. She differed from others in a deep religiousness and after her husband’s death, almost during 10 years, did not stop to care of the Lviv Saint-Assumption Fraternity and its community school, to which she helped financially and by her authority.

Probably such traction to the charity, patriotism and the loyalty to the Orthodox traditions were passed to their daughters, in particular, to the senior Rayina Mohylyanka (approx. 1589-1619), Vyshnevetska in marriage (we shall speak about her); to Kateryna Mohyla (approx. 1590-1618 (19)), Koretska in marriage (she supported the Lviv Saint-Assumption Fraternity, the church, the community school), to Maria Mohyla (approx. 1591-1638), Pototska in marriage (in her districts of Galychyna — Buchach, Chortkiv, Golden Potok and others — she supported the Orthodox schools and monasteries — the Manyavsk small secluded Monastery[1], the Zhyznomyrsk Monastery, the church of St. Mykola in Buchach) [6; 7; 11, p. 8]; to Hanna Mohyla (the years of her life are unknown), Przherembska in the first marriage, Charnkovska in the second, Myshkovska in the third, Pototska in the fourth (she supported the Lviv Saint-Assumption Fraternity, the church and the community school; in 1630 she merged to the registry of the Lviv brothers) [7, p. 3].

However we think that Rayina Mohylyanka-Vyshnevetska was the most known person among the women-philanthropists of the Mohyla family.

As it is known from the historical facts, in the age of 15 she was given in a marriage with one of the richest Russian princes, the head of Ovruch, afterwards Kaniv and Tcherkasy Mykhajlo Vyshnevetsky (the date of the birth is unknown — 1616). Except the small town Vyshnevtsa and many other estates in the Volyn and Kyiv regions, the large land possessions belonged to him to the left of the Dnieper River, which were named “Vyshnevechyna”. In the second fourths of the 17th century “Vyshnevechyna” consisted of more than 50 towns and villages [7, p. 4].

Prince Mykhajlo lived a not long life, by one of the versions he died because of poisoning in Moldavia by the sent monk during a participle; by the other — he returned with an ill from the Moldavian hike and died in three years. Therefore Rayina remained a widow early with very young children among which the eldest son Yarema was not more than 4 years old, and his sister Hanna — far fewer [7, p. 4].

After her husband’s death Rayina inherited the town Lubny with all the farms, estates and lands, and also the other towers and towns nearby. From this time the squabbles in relation to the right for possessing the beyond-Dnieper estates began, which was conducted until the death of the princess who died in the age of 30.

However after her short life Rayina left the bright memory as the great patriot of Ukraine, its wisdom and brave protectress. As the Orthodox monasteries in Ukraine in the days of its enslavement by Poland were the only cells of the protection and dissemination of the paternal faith, the centres of education and culture, princess Vyshnevetska concentrated her charitable activity on the expansion of the network and support exactly of the monasteries. She has entered into the history as the founder and the donator of three known Orthodox monasteries — Gustynsky-Prylutsky, Ladynsky-Pokrovsky, Mgarsky-Lubensky [6; 7], as the patron of the known Ukrainian church figure, afterwards Kyiv metropolitan (1631-1632) Isaya Kopynsky [11], as the sincere contributor of the Manyavsk small secluded Monastery, the Lviv Saint-Assumption Fraternity, the Assumption church and the community school [8].

From the historical facts we get to know, that the first among the founded by Rayina Mohylyanka monasteries was the Gustyn, writing mentions about which are dated by March, 1614. On a request of Isaya Kopynsky, together with her husband she gave the land possessions to the monastery. “… The prince is very gracious, so his princess Rayina Mohylyanka is identically noble and pious, as they are the devout servants of the Christ”, — is said in the Chronicle of the Gustyn Monastery [7, p. 4]. Approximately after a half-year, in August of 1614 the monks of Gustyn got the second donation from the Vyshnevetsky on founding The Ladynsk small secluded Monastery in 10 miles from Gustyn [7, p. 4]. Rayina Mohylyanka was the “soul of building” the monastery, she supported it financially, sent people for a help, often visited the monastery personally.

The origin of the history of the Mgar Monastery is dated by 1619. Exactly in January of 1619 Rayina Mohylyanka, already a widow, by the special order provided the right on the development of the Mgar Monastery in her possessions to Isaya Kopynsky. “… She distributed the building materials which had been left after the realignment of the estate in Lubny, generously provided the new monastery with lands, fishponds etc.” [7, p. 6].

By a legend, Rayina was pointed to the place of founding the future monastery by the angels. Taras Shevchenko mentioned about this momentous event in his story “Twins”.

In addition, on a request by Isaya Kopynsky Rayina provided to him the new donative records in behalf on the beyond-Dnieper monasteries with the confirmation of the previous gifts. In the Pidgirsk small secluded Monastery she allowed to found a woman monastery, and the full Isaya’s sister — Olexandra — to become a superior mother there; she gave the Gustyn, the Ladynsk and the Mgar monasteries to Kopynsky in the whole lifetime management on the rights of a superior father; she charged him to manage all the parish churches in her Ukrainian estates with the submission of all the priests and clergy to him.

As already was mentioned, Rayina Mohylyanka had given the large-scale money donation to the Manyavsk small secluded Monastery in Galychyna.

The mentioned monasteries firmly stood on the watch of the Orthodox piety and never yielded on the concessions of the Catholics and the Unites. They played the outstanding role in the spiritual life of Ukraine, erect the culture of the people up, and gave them the education. For instance, at one time at the Gustyn Pryluky Monastery an elementary school operated [1]; at the Ladynsk Pokrovsk — a school-workshop of the embroidery and the needlework, afterwards woman school; the smithies, the cooperages and the potteries worked here [5]; at the Mgar Lubny Monastery — a school of the parish clerks functioned; a large library, an icon-painting and theological schools worked at the Manyavsk small secluded Monastery [9].

Rayina Mohylyanka did not find the functioning of these educational establishments, because she lived not long, 30 in all, dying because of an illness. Nevertheless, sacrificing the large-scale money and property on the development of the monasteries, the princess could foresee the activity at these educational establishments which in a prospect became the centres of education and distribution of the Orthodox faith and culture.

Conclusion. Prospects of the further scientific research. Thus, the figure of Rayina Mohylyanka-Vyshnevetska by herself shows the symbol of that time cultural and historical epoch, which to a great extent determined its educational, cultural and social processes. For this reason, the executed research does not exhaust out all the aspects of the selected problem. In particular, the experience of the other known philanthropists of the 17th century: Yelyzaveta Chomortan-Lozynska — in supporting the Lviv Saint-Assumption Fraternity and the Lviv community school; Hanna Goyska — in founding the Pochayivsk Monastery and a school there; Rayina Solomyratska-Goyska — in founding the Goysk Academy and a community school in Goscha; Galshka Gulevychivna — in organization of the Kyiv community school; Rayina Kozerad-Bogovytynovoya Yarmolynska — in founding the network of the Orthodox schools in Volyn; Sophia Chartoryiska — in founding the Peresopnytsk Monastery and a school at it for the peasant children, and many others — requires the subsequent study and analysis.

The revision of the experience of these known patriots will help to create the integral image of the history of becoming and development of the philanthropic activity of women in the education of Ukraine that in general will assist the modernisation of the modern educational field, which requires more and more expansion and strengthening of the material base.

 

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About the author:

Ilchenko Olena Yuriyivna — candidate of pedagogical sciences (Ph. D.), associated professor, postgraduate scholar of the Department of the General Pedagogics and Andragogy of Poltava National Pedagogical University named after V. G. Korolenko (Poltava, Ukraine).

 


[1] On April 13, 1619 on the territory of the Manyavsk small secluded Monastery in honour of her senior sister Rayina Mohylyanka Maria Mohyla began to build the Church of the Exaltation of the Honest Cross.