The Bohdan Khmelnytskyi’s Grave in Subotiv and the Prospects of its Search

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to search for the burial place of Bohdan Khmelnytskyi and the possibility of finding his grave. The reason for the work was the statement of an employee of T.Shevchenko National University of Kyiv K.Bondar about the discovery of a crypt near the Church of St. Illia in Subotiv, in which the tomb of B.Khmelnytskyi may be located. The basis of this statement was the geolocation at a depth of 4 meters. In this the work author analyzes all known modern evidence of the funeral of B.Khmelnytskyi, the chronicle of Samovydets, S.Velychko and H.Hrabianka in order to confirm or refute the possibility of finding an unknown crypt and hetman’s grave under the Church of St. Illia.

The main conclusion is that there do not exist any modern evidence about the burial in the Church of St. Illia. It is only named as "market" church. Author studied the history of the historical tradition of the Khmelnytskyi’s tomb, the history of the searches of the grave and the research of the Subotivska and Mykhailivska churches during the 19–20 centuries, including the archival materials from of St. Petersburg (detailed "metric" compiled in the 19 century). It is concluded that the legend of the hetman’s grave in the Church of St. Illia has originated in the 19 century by the efforts of the priest R.Orlovskyi, who sought restoration work. The burial place was indicated at random. The historical memory of the Subotiv was absent because of the fate of the Right Bank, which survived numerous "hijackings" and resettlement. R.Orlovskyi conducted research of the Subotiv cellars, one of which, apparently, is a geolocation, found near the Church of St. Illia. However, Polish, Ukrainian and Russian sources do not confirm the legend of the desecration of Khmelnytskyi’s remains by S.Czarnecki. The most likely burial place is the St. Mykhail’s Church of Subotiv, which, rather than the St. Illia’s, can be called a "market". It was Tymish Khmelnytskyi who was buried there and at least until the end of the 19th century there existed the crypt, which has ever been explored by historians. Therefore, archaeological excavations at the site of the Church of St. Mykhail in Subotiv looks promising.