Ukraine in the description

N.I. Zharkikh

In Ukraine, Macarius and Paul stayed relatively short, about 4% of their journey time (3.5 months from 82), and nowhere they made the long stops. The longest they stopped in Kiev – in two weeks that does not compare to a few months in the Iaşi. Both their meetings with Bogdan Khmelnytsky were short and had the character witness of honor. At a meeting in Boguslav Khmelnytsky in 1654 gave a dinner in honor of Makarius; there was given no details about meeting in Chygyryn in 1656. No lithurgies, which conducted Macarius in other countries (in the same Moldova), for Khmelnytsky he did not celebrated.

However, we can see that in the description to Ukraine paid much more attention – 10.7% of total volume (102 pages with 951, counting by Murkos' translation). Description contains detailed information on topography and natural conditions of the country, its economy, people's customs, about the military and political events.

Very carefully Paul noted number of parishes in each town and their names. Often these references are unique evidence of the existence of churches, most of which was destroyed in the time of Ruine. Just carefully recorded features of the architecture, these temples decoration. Paul did not miss the occasion to describe fortifications and other buildings, which he saw during the trip. Paul described the total 63 towns and villages in 6 regions of modern Ukraine (Vinnitsa, Kyiv, Odessa, Sumy, Cherkasy and Chernigov), making it an important source of local history.

As already noted, in the territory of Ukraine the distances in miles given almost everywhere. This suggests that in our country at that time were well established and measured transport routes, which was nearly to convert to regular mail traffic. It seems earlier researchers did not pay attention to this fact, and it is noteworthy, especially because it not based on traveler feedback, but on objective data on his diary.

Considerable interest is the outline of the history of Ukraine, outlined by Paul in two chapters (3 – 4) of 4 th book. This essay is not directly associated with the trip and is a unique for the entire work set-in episode. Paul put it at the very beginning of Ukraine trip, between description Dmytrashkivka and Haryachkivka Vinnytsia region. Of course, he gathered this information elsewhere (in Kyiv? In Gustynja?).

This historical essay breaks down into three parts: ancient history (from the baptism of Vladimir, in the transition of region under the rule of Poles), history of the Cossacks (from the end 16 – 1 half 17 century), history of the Bohdan Khmelnytsky's war. It contains a number of characteristic details that should serve as a guide in searching for sources:

• prince Vladimir was baptized by Macedonian emperor Basil;
• tsar Mikhail Fedorovich called the grandfather of the current king, Alexei;
• when poles entering the union, burned metropolitan and eleven bishops;
• characteristic errors in chronology, etc.

Surprisingly, none of the researchers who wrote about Paul and used his notes, not interested in this essay – which sources benefited Paul, where and from whom he received them, what was his own vision of events. All this – the next researchers issues.

Therefore, this description is extremely valuable source of knowledge for all aspects of life in the day Ukraine Bohdan Khmelnytsky.

In his description of Paul made a lyrical digression:

I wrote this whole story, making and recording of which would not afford for many! All my desire is to build during a life a monument to later found someone who would say: "May God have mercy on him" (Murkos, v. 3, p. 30.)

We can assume that his dream came true: he had erected a monument with his own hands, and many our contemporary remembers his kind words.

I express gratitude to Dmitri Vortman, who advised me carrying out any work on this and provided materials.

While working on an article I used the e-copy of Murkos' translation. I thank Princeton University (USA), which provided a copy for scanning, Google (USA), which performed scanning, and (Germany) server, from which I free downloaded these scans. The burden of Taras Shevchenko – we know its history only when we the "German" tell it for us – came true in this case by 300%. Neither Ukraine nor Russia are capable of their own to provide their societies with the information which society needs.