Arabic manuscript of memoirs about Khmelnitsky and lost Royal Gate exposed at St Sophia

The "Sophia of Kyiv" has exposed a unique book of the XVIII century, which describes the ancient Kiev as it was seen by foreign tourists and reveals the mysteries of our history: what Hetman Khmelnitsky treated his guests with and what the shrines looked like, reports Segodnia.

The book is accessed until September 12, after which it will be hidden from prying eyes. The book is written in Arabic and presents the only Arabic-language source on Ukraine. Slightly burnt manuscript was accidentally discovered in the late XIX century by the Ukrainian orientalist Agatangel Krymsky during a scientific expedition to Syria and Lebanon. The scientist kept it in his archive, and later the book got into the hands of his post-graduate student Omelian Pritsak.

The book described in detail the events of 360 years ago. The famous traveller of that time, the archdeacon Paul of Aleppo, who accompanied the Patriarch of the Orthodox Arabs Macarius, recorded his experiences.

Unique is the episode of the meeting of the Patriarch with Bohdan Khmelnitsky in 1654 in Bohuslav. "As it turned out, the Patriarch presented a lot of interesting things to Khmelnitsky: a fragment of the stone with the Lord’s blood, brought from Golgotha, boxes of different soap, dates, candies, carpets and coffee. This information is unique, because it is the only source which states that the Hetman was a connoisseur of coffee," – says a leading researcher of the reserve "Sophia of Kyiv" Igor Netudykhatkin.

The banquet arranged by Khmelnitsky for the travellers is also described in the book. "A silver cup of the highest grade of horilka was immediately brought to the table, from which in turn he treated the guests. Salted fish cooked in clay pots was also served up," – continues Netudykhatkin.

The book describes in details the Saint Sophia Cathedral, restored by Peter Mohila in the XVII century, in particular, the iconostasis of the Cathedral now lost. "The Royal Gate is five cubits high. On one of the doors a silver stork is depicted: with a beak it hurt itself in the side, with the blood running on its chicks. On the left side is the icon of St. Sophia. At the bottom hyenas and a big-nosed devil holding a bow and arrows in his hands are depicted," – noted in the book.

The researchers of the reserve explained that due to such detailed descriptions it is quite possible to restore the lost icon. However, it needs large funds. The travellers also described dinner at the Kiev-Pechersk monastery. The guests were first treated to a jam made of fruit, spices and brandy, and then served meatless meals: baked crêpes and mushrooms followed by beer and wine from their own vineyards.

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