St. Ephrasinia (or Euphrosyne),Abbess of Polotsk, was namedPredslava in the world, and wasthe daughter of Prince GeorgeVseslavich. From her childhoodshe was known for her love ofprayer and book learning. Afterturning down a proposal ofmarriage, Predslava receivedmonastic tonsure with thename . With the blessing ofBishop Elias of Polotsk, she

began to live near the Sophia Cathedral, where she copiedbooks.

Around 1128, BishopElias entrusted St.Ephrosinia with the taskof organizing a women’smonastery. Setting outfor Seltso, the site of thefuture monastery, shetook only her holy books.At the newly constructedSavior-TransfigurationMonastery, the sainttaught the girls to copy

Sophia Cathedral

books, as well as singing, sewing and other handicrafts.

Through her efforts, a cathedral was built in 1161,which survives to the present day. St. Ephrosinia also founded amen’s monastery dedicated to the Mother of God. PatriarchLuke of Constantinople sent a copy of the wonderworking

Ephesus Icon of the Mother of God at herrequest. Shortly before her death, StEphrosinia journeyed on pilgrimage to theHoly Places with her nephew, David, andsister, Eupraxia. Shortly before her death, StEuphrosyne journeyed on pilgrimage to theHoly Places with her nephew, David, andsister, Eupraxia.

After venerating the holy places inConstantinople, she arrived in Jerusalem,

where at the Russian Monastery of the Most Holy Theotokosthe Lord granted her a peaceful end on May 24, 1173.

In 1187, St. Ephrosinia’s body was transferred to theKiev Caves Monastery. In 1910, her relics were transferred toPolotsk to the monastery she founded.

St. Ephrosinia of Polotsk was glorified in the RussianChurch as a patroness of women’s monasticism.

Established in 1120-es by VenerableEphrosinia of Polotsk. By her orderarchitect Ioan erected the SaviorTransfiguration Church, themasterpiece of Polotsk School ofArchitecture. This chirch is the onlybuilding of the XII century in Belaruswith original fresco paintingspreserved. The Savior TransfigurationChurch still houses the VenerableEphrosinia of Polotsk monastik cell.

Savoir Transfiguration

Church

Ephrosinia of Polotskmonastik cell

Ephrosinia of Polotsk

A fresco

The Cross was made in 1161by a jeweler from Polotsk, LazarusBogsha, by request of Evfrosinya, theabbess of Polotsk, and was used asan ark for keeping christian relics.

The basis is made of cypresstree, from above and below it iscovered with 21 golden plate withjewels, ornament and 20 silver platescovered with gold; the edge of theCross's front side is framed with athread of pearls.

the Belarusians restored theCross of Ephrosinia and placed it inthe Spaso-Ephrosinia Church in 1998.it has became one of the most sacredthings in Belsrus.

Cross of Ephrosinia

of Polotsk.

The St Ephrosinia the Savior Orthodox

Nunnery

The St Exaltation of theCross Cathedral (on thefront) was built in 1893-1897 in retrospectiveRussian-Byzantine style.

It houses reliquary with relics of St Ephrosinia of Polotsk.Pilgrims come here every day, crowds gather every year onJune 5th – the Venerable Ephrosiniaof Polotsk Day.

In 2000 the monument to StEphrosinia was opened in Polotsk.There always a lot of flowers by it.

The monument to St Ephrosinia of Polotsk

It is known that Samuel YemelianovichPetrovskiy- Sitnianovich was born in 1629 inPolotsk. In 1656 he became a monk namedSimeon of Polotsk. He wasa teacher, a writer, apoet and a preacher. His life may be dividedinto three periods: his service inBogoyavlenskiy Cloister in Polotsk (from 1656

till 1663); his work as a her of the tsar's children in Moscow (from1664 till 1676) and his enlightening activity after proclamation ofFedor as a tsar (from 1676 till 1680). Simeon promoted the creationof higher educational establishments in Russia.

He got his education in Kiev-Mogilyan college. He had a greatinterest in his studies and was one of the best students. He liked histeachers very much and was closely connected with them.

He got his education in Kiev-Mogilyan college. He had a greatinterest in his studies and was one of the best students. He liked histeachers very much and was closely connected with them. At thattime the head of the college was Innokentiy Gazel who had a greatinfluence on Simeon. Gazel taught philosophy and psychology. Hebased his lectures on «Composition of the whole philosophy» and«The treatise about soul». Simeon attended all Gazel's lectures withgreat pleasure and considered that the knowledge of psychology hehad received in the college helped him in his work with his pupils.

There was a school theatre in the college. It was based onthe principle of using games in the process of studying. That schooltheatre was considered one of the main elements of upbringing.The teachers thought that recitation developed memory andimagination, public speech helped to master oratory which wasnecessary for an educated man. Simeon of Polotsk highlyappreciated the school theatre and its role in the process ofeducation and upbringing.

When he studied at the Jesuit's Academy in Vilno (1650-1654) Simeon wrote one of his first plays in the Polish language. Henever missed a chance to use the school theatre in his teachingactivities. In Polotsk he staged his short play «The herdsmen'stalks». He always tried to involve all his pupils, including the tsar'schildren, in such performances. At that time Simeon wrote manyplays. He wanted his plays to be «lessons » not only for children butfor their parents as well. No wonder, the main characters of hisplays were young people.

He arrived in Moscow in 1663 when he was 33. He was avery talented teacher and everyone admitted it. At first, in 1664,Simeon began to teach some pupils using the textbook of Latingrammar written by the jesuit Alvaretza from Portugal. In 1665 heworked in one of the first Greek-Latin schools in Moscow. He didn'tknow Greek well, but he knew Latin perfectly well, that's why hetaught the Latin language, grammar, logic, philosophy, rhetoric. In1667 Simeon was invited as a teacher to the tsar's son Alexey andthen Feodor became his pupil.

Later on Simeon supervised the studies of the tsar's daughter Sophiaand her brother Peter (his main teacher was Nikita Zotov). Simeonwas an experienced teacher that's why Alexey knew the Latinlanguage very well and Fodor was good at writing poems.

Simeon of Polotsk also wrote some textbooks and books forreading. In 1679 he wrote «The Bukvar» (The Alphabet) for theseventh birthday of Peter Alexeyevich. In the first lines of «TheBukvar» which were in the form of a verse he addressed to youngpeople who wanted to study. That verse was a real hymn to reading.Simeon considered a book as «a mirror of the soul».

In 1678 Simeon opened a printing-house which was calledVerkhny Moscow's printing-house. He employed a lot of talentedpeople such as the artist Simon Ushakhov, the engraver AfanasiyTrukhmenskiy, the writer Silvester Medvedev and others. Hepublished «The multicoloured Vetrograd» and « Sincere supper».

Simeon of Polotsk died in 1680.

In the former residential building of theEpiphany monastery, between the hallsof the Museum of the Belarusian Book-printing, there is an another museum –branch of Polotsk National Historical andCultural Museum-Reserve – theMuseum-library of Simeon of Polotsk.

It is decorated in the traditional manner of the interior of a medievalWest-European library: there are two-level wooden bookcases, bustsof scientists and philosophers, a reading room and a globe in thecenter of the hall (the biggest in Belarus).The exposition of the museumdescribes different periods of life andactivity of Simeon of Polotsk; it dwellson the earliest Polotsk period, theyears of studies in Kiev and Wilno andalso his life in Moscow.

A special emphasis in the exposition islaid on literary and publishing activities ofSimeon of Polotsk. The museum showcasesdisplay originals of Simeon’s books: “TheWarder of Power” (1753), “The Testament”(1680), “The Spiritual Supper” (1683); booksof the 17-18th centuries, copies of hismanuscripts, figured baroque poems. Theyalso contain contemporary research worksdevoted to life and activity of the famous sonof Polotsk. The museum was opened on the25th of March 1994. The exposition occupiesarea of 134 sq. m. 145 museum objects aredisplayed there. Besides it holds a part of thecollection of printed editions andscience library fund. There is areading room with tables for 10readers.

Simeon of Polotsk’s manuscripts and

publications

Dr. Skaryna was born into a family of awealthy merchant in the old Belarusian city ofPolotsk in 1490. He received elementaryeducation in his native town. From 1504 till1506 he studied at Krakow University. Hegraduated from the university with theBachelor's degree in philosophy and later, in1512, he successfully passed his examinations

at the university of Padua and got his Doctor's degree in medicine.He was a true Renaissance man - his intellectual interests embracedtheology, literature, linguistics, poetry, art, law, medicine, botany andprinting. It should be mentioned that he was a very educated man.He knew the Polish, old Jewish, Greek and Latin languages. He wasthe author of a number of admirable Byzantine-rite hymns andprayers, as well as of the first known examples of Belarusian verse.

Scarina began his publishing activity in Prague in 1517. From1517 till 1519 he published 19 books under the common title «TheRussian Bible». The most important of his achievements was thetranslation of the Bible into the Belarusian language and printing it,first in Prague, and then in Vilno. Skarina's Belarusian Bible was thesecond work printed in his native Slavonic language. He wrote littlewhilst translating the Bible, but in the fashion of the day he hintedmuch, particularly in his superb engravings. Scarina was also skilled inthe art of heraldy. Like other translators at that time, he wanted «tomake knowledge available to people in their own language». He said,«I vow the Belarusian language will become a language of books, andnot only of speech».

At the beginning of 1520 Scarina went to Vilno where he founded thefirst printing-house. In 1522 he published «The Small TravellingBook» and in 1525 - «The Apostole».

Unfortunately, we know very little about the last years of Scarina'slife. It is only known that in 1530 Scarina was a private secretary and

a family doctor of the bishop of Vilno. In 1535 Scarina again went toPrague where he worked as a Gardener Royal to Ferdinand IHapsburg, King of Bohemia and later Holy Roman Emperor. It issupposed that Scarina died in 1541.

In the centre of Polotsk you can see amonument to Francisk Scarina. There isScarina's square in Minsk and the main streetof the city is named after him. Minsk is the seatof the international Francisk Scarina BelarusianLanguage Society, and the libraries of the cityhold a number of rare volumes of his printedworks.

Finally the first Belarusian book printer's sculpture appeared therewhere it should be - at the National Library, a new symbol of Minskthat was opened a bit later in 2006. Francisk Skorina's Monumentwas opened on 30 August 2005. At the bottom of this unique buildingis a 6 meters bronze and granite monument of Francisk Skorina.

The monument to Francisk Skorina at the National Library in Minsk

Ivan Cherski was born in Svolna, Vitebsk region,Belarus.

He was a paleontologist (osteologist),geologist, geographer and explorer of Siberia.

After the death of his father, DominikCherski, a rich landowner, Cherski was broughtup by his mother. He attended the Gymnasiumand the Institute for Gentry in Vilna. After the

outbreak of the Polish insurrection in 1863, Cherski ran away fromschool to join a rebel regiment, but shortly afterward became ill andwas captured by the Russians.

For taking part in the insurrection he was sentenced to exilein a penal army regiment stationed in Siberia. After six years ofservice in a battalion at Omsk he was released from the army in1869; his health was completely ruined and he was severelyneurasthenic.

Cherski stayed in Omsk for thenext two years, supporting himself bygiving private lessons. During his periodof forced army service he had devoted allhis free time to the study of science,especially the natural science. Anengineer named Marchevski and theowner of an extensive library, W.Kvyatkovski—both of whom were Polesliving in Omsk—helped him in his self–education, as did the Siberian explorer G.N. Potanin.

In 1871 Cherski obtainedpermission to settle in Irkutsk, where hewas helped by two Polish deportees, thegeologist A. Chekanovski and thezoologist B. Dybovski.

Cherski’s House in Svolna

until 1960s

The Model of House in Museum of Cherski in

Volyntsy

With their support he gained theposition of custodian of the natural sciencecollections in the Siberian branch of theRussian Geographical Society—the onlyscientific institution in Siberia. Not longafterward he began organizing severalexpeditions. Another exile of 1863, thechemist M. Hartung, also took part inthem. The purposes of these expeditionswere to carry out geological studies, tomake use of fossils and archeologicalmaterials, and to collect zoologicalspecimens, ethnological observations, andethnographical materials. From 1872 onCherski published the results of his studiesin the journals of the Russian GeographicalSociety; later he published in those of theRussian Academy of Sciences as well.

In the Museum of Cherski in Volyntsy

Within twenty years he presented some eighty articles, bulletins, andreports drawn from, studies that he had carried out, as well asseveral monographs. In 1879 he published a monograph concerningthe remains of Quaternary mammals that he had found in the caveNizhnyaya Udinska; and in 1891 a comprehensive paper on theremains of Quaternary mammals found during the Novosibirskexpedition of 1885–1886.

Cherski’s geological studies of 1877–1880 dealt with LakeBaykal; he published the results of these in several papers. Amonograph published in 1886 (with a geological map) synthesizes hisstudies on Baykal and included an attempt to explain the origin ofthat enigmatic lake.

In spite of the excellent results of his scientific work, for whichhe three times received the Gold Medal of the Russian GeologicalSociety, Cherski was forced to resign from his post in the Siberianbranch. In 1885, through the financial aid of J. Zavisha, a Warsawarchaeologist, Cherski was able to move to St. Petersburg. In the

course of his journey there he madeobservations from Baykal to the Urals;these were published in 1888.

In St. Petersburg, Cherski worked in thegeological museum of the RussianAcademy of Sciences. There he receivedextensive scientific observations fromSiberia—for the most part collected bypolitical deportees—which served himwell in writing his addenda to K. Ritter’sThe Geography of Asia, which appearedin two volumes (1893, 1895) afterCherski’s death. He was also engaged inpreparing for publication the diaries fromthe expeditions of Czekanowski, as wellas in putting in orders the geologicalcollections made during theseexpeditions.

The Memorial plaque on the native land of

I.D. Cherski on railway station in Svolno

It’s not far from our school. It’s about 5 km

This work awakened in him a deep interest in the great Siberian riversand a desire to continue the studies if Chekanovski. In the summer of1891 Cherski therefore began his last expedition to the north. Withhis wife, Marfa, and his twelve–year–old son, Alexandr, he traveled onhorseback from Yakutsk to Vierkhniokolymska. The server subarcticwinter brought the party to a halt and only at the end of May 1892was it possible to travel by boat down the Kolyma River. During thiswinter, however, the state of Cherski’s health deteriorated to such anextent that it became clear that he would be unable to lead theexpedition to its conclusion. He worked on detailed instructions forhis wife on the continuation of his studies and, despite weakness andexhaustion, continued his observations. On 25 June he had ahemorrhage and died; he was buried where the Omolon River Flowsinto the Kolyma, and his wife led the expedition to its end.

Cherski was responsible for the elucidation of the geology ofBaykal; for the discovery and elaboration of a rich fauna ofQuaternary mammals from Siberia and of Paleolithic occurrences ofgeological, man in this region; for the assemblage of valuable

zoological, and ethnographical collections; and for the first syntheticgeological cross section of Siberia from Baykal to the Urals. Amountain chain in the Zabaykalsk region and a range of hills innorthern Yakutia, on the upper course of the Kolyma, bear his name;Czerski Peak rises from the northwest shore of Lake Baykal, and thevalley of the Kandat River is also named after him.

The bust of Cherskiby A.V.Pekarev

Moisey (Marc) Chagall was born into a family ofa poor merchant in Vitebsk in 1887. At the ageof 20 he entered the art school of Ieguda Pen. Itwas there where Chagall gained experience andworked out his unique manner of painting. Andbesides the promising young artist inherited

some features of Pen's manner of painting. Chagall's main themewas: poor people and their mode of life. It should be mentionedthat Pen's art school was the best at that time and young artists hadbeen dreaming to study there.

After finishing art school Marc Chagall and his friend VictorMekler went to study to Petersburg. Chagall studies at the schoolheaded by N.Rerikh. He was one of the best students.

In 1909 he met Bella (Berta) Rosenfeld, a daughter of richjeweller from Vitebsk, and fell in love with her. His love inspired himto create splendid pictures and it started : bring fame to him.

He worked much at that time and was noticed by Maxim Vinaver,who granted Chagall the scholar ship of 125 francs a month tocontinue his studies abroad. Marc went to Paris. A.Akhmatova wrote,«He took his mag: Vitebsk to Paris ».

In Paris Chagall lived and worked alongside with other youngartists who had come from different contries to master painting. Andwe must admit later a lot of them became famous representatives ofthe French drawing school. He also got acquainted with P.Picasso,F.Lezhe and others. In one of his letters Chagall wrote, «In Paris Ineither looked for the addresses of Academies nor craved formeetings with professors. Generally speaking the city itself taughtme: streets, merchants under the open sky, boys in the cafes,peasants and workers. There was a wonderful free light above themall. It helped me to penetrate into the heart of the French painting.»He visited different exhibitions, museums and spent a lot of time byshop-windows with pictures.

Portrait of Chagall by Yuri Pen