On 16 July 1756, in the Carmelite Church of the Immaculate Conception in Berdychiv, Bishop Kajetan Sołtyk of Kyiv crowned the icon of Our Lady of Berdychiv with crowns sent by Pope Benedict XIV, before about 50,000 faithful. The icon was a sixteenth-century image of the Virgin holding the Christ Child, honoured as the Mother of God of the Snows, which the founder of the monastery had given to its church. That icon was lost in the war. The icon pilgrims pray before today was blessed by Pope John Paul II in 1997 and crowned in 1998.
Berdychiv lies in Zhytomyr Oblast, approximately 130 kilometers west of Kyiv. Its Carmelite church is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Roman Catholic bishops of Ukraine named it the All-Ukrainian Sanctuary of the Mother of God of the Holy Scapular. The icon in its sanctuary draws pilgrims seeking Mary's intercession and the peace of prayer.
The Catholic community of the city belongs to the Diocese of Kyiv-Zhytomyr, which was formed in 1998.
📜 History & Spiritual Significance
The story of Berdychiv's Catholic pilgrimage begins with the Discalced Carmelites. Janusz Tyszkiewicz, Voivode of Kyiv, founded their monastery in 1630 in thanksgiving for his release from Tatar captivity, and at the consecration of its lower church, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, he gave the church an icon of the Mother of God of the Snows long honoured in his family. Bishop Stanisław Zaremba of Kyiv, himself healed, examined the graces reported before the icon and declared it miraculous, and from then on pilgrims came to the sanctuary (the sanctuary's history).
Above the lower church the Carmelites raised an upper church, a basilica in the form of a Latin cross with a dome over the crossing, consecrated by Bishop Kajetan Sołtyk of Kyiv two years before the coronation.
At the Carmelites' request, carried by Bishop Sołtyk, King Augustus III and the Primate of Poland, Pope Benedict XIV sent jewelled crowns and a decree of coronation. The coronation gathered monks and nuns, clergy, soldiers and about 50,000 faithful.
The church's history was not without interruption. Following the partitions of Poland and the annexation of the region by the Russian Empire, Catholic institutions faced increasing restrictions. In 1866 the tsar confiscated the monastery, and the sanctuary passed into the care of diocesan priests.
The Soviet period brought even greater hardship. After a brief return of the Carmelites, the communist authorities took the sanctuary into state property: the upper church housed a museum of the revolution and of atheism, the lower church a cinema. In 1941, on the eve of the German invasion, the sanctuary was set on fire, and the icon of Our Lady of Berdychiv is thought to have burned with it. The church stood in ruins from then on.
In 1991 the upper and lower churches were returned to the Roman Catholic Church, and the Discalced Carmelites took up the rebuilding of the ruined sanctuary. A new icon of Our Lady of Berdychiv was painted. Pope John Paul II blessed it in Kraków in 1997, and on 19 July 1998, during the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Bishop Jan Purwiński of Kyiv-Zhytomyr crowned it with papal crowns in the Pope's name.
☩ Pilgrimage Sites in Berdychiv
Carmelite Church of the Immaculate Conception
All-Ukrainian Sanctuary of the Mother of God of the Holy Scapular
The main pilgrimage destination in Berdychiv is the Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Discalced Carmelite monastery, the spiritual heart of the city and the All-Ukrainian Sanctuary of the Mother of God of the Holy Scapular. This Baroque masterpiece houses the icon of Our Lady of Berdychiv, painted after the original was lost in the war and crowned with papal crowns in 1998.
🕯️ Feast Days & Celebrations
Feast of Our Lady of Berdychiv — Weekend after July 16
The principal feast of the sanctuary is kept each year on the first Saturday and Sunday after July 16, the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, with the Roman Catholic bishops of Ukraine and thousands of pilgrims.
Feast of the Immaculate Conception — December 8
The church's patronal feast is kept on December 8. The feast refers to Mary's own conception without original sin, the doctrine to which the church is dedicated.
🛏️ Where to Stay
Berdychiv is a small city and its bookable inventory is correspondingly thin — four properties, all within walking or short driving distance of the monastery. The Carmelite friars name no guest house of their own anywhere on the sanctuary's website.
Hotel DejaVu (hotel) — The nearest hotel to the monastery, 610 m away in the city centre. Booking.com lists it under its Ukrainian name, готель ДежаВю. Reserve this hotel
Lupova Home (apartment) — Self-catering flat 1.3 km from the monastery. Reserve this property
Apartment Premium VIP (apartment) — Self-catering flat 1.4 km from the monastery, on the far side of the town centre. Reserve this property
Hotel Artur (hotel) — Hotel 4.2 km from the monastery, on the edge of the city. Booking.com lists it as Артур. Reserve this hotel
More hotels in Berdychiv on Booking.com →
Accommodation available to book near Berdychiv. Pilgrim houses and religious guesthouses are listed above — many take bookings directly and do not appear on booking sites.
🚗 Getting There
By Air: The nearest international airports are Boryspil International Airport (KBP) near Kyiv, approximately 140 kilometers east of Berdychiv, and Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International Airport (LWO), approximately 190 kilometers west. Both airports have connections to major European cities. From either airport, pilgrims can take a bus or train to Berdychiv, or arrange private transportation.
By Train: Berdychiv has its own railway station, served by Ukrzaliznytsya (Ukrainian Railways) from Kyiv's West Station (Kyiv-Vykhidna). Direct regional trains take approximately 2.5 to 3 hours, while faster services may require a transfer in Zhytomyr. The station is located approximately 1.5 kilometers from the sanctuary, accessible by local bus or taxi.
By Bus: FlixBus and other operators provide bus services from Kyiv's Western Bus Station to Berdychiv, with journey times of approximately 2.5 hours. Buses also connect Berdychiv with Zhytomyr, Khmelnytskyi, and other regional centers.
By Car: Berdychiv is accessible via the M06 highway, which connects Kyiv with Lviv. From Kyiv, take the M06 southwest toward Zhytomyr, then follow the H11 highway west to Berdychiv. The total driving distance from Kyiv is approximately 130 kilometers with a travel time of 2 to 2.5 hours. Parking is available near the sanctuary, though spaces are limited during major feast days.
Local Transport: Taxis are readily available in Berdychiv and provide the most convenient means of getting around the city. The sanctuary is centrally located and accessible on foot from most central accommodations.
🧭 Nearby Pilgrimage Destinations
Zhytomyr (45 km) — Home to St. Sophia, the co-cathedral of the Diocese of Kyiv-Zhytomyr, and the Diocesan Museum preserving Ukrainian Catholic heritage.
Kyiv (130 km) — Ukraine's capital contains numerous significant Catholic and Orthodox sites, including St. Sophia Cathedral, the Lavra caves, and the Cathedral of the Resurrection.
Lviv (190 km) — A UNESCO World Heritage city with the Armenian Cathedral, Latin Cathedral, and numerous Baroque churches that make it a major pilgrimage center in Western Ukraine.
Kamianets-Podilskyi (120 km) — The historic fortress city on the Smotrych River with the Dominican monastery and Church of the Assumption, offering both historical and spiritual significance.
📚 Further Reading
Books:
Fr. Jeffrey Kirby. A Journey to Mount Carmel: A Nine-Day Preparation for Investiture in the Brown Scapular of Our Lady — A novena toward the Brown Scapular, the devotion this sanctuary carries in its own title.
Online Resources:
All-Ukrainian Sanctuary of the Mother of God of the Scapular — The sanctuary's own website, kept by the Discalced Carmelites who serve the monastery.
Ukrainian Catholic Church Abroad — Resources and historical information about the Ukrainian Catholic Church, including its presence in Berdychiv.
🔗 Useful Links
Diocese of Kyiv-Zhytomyr — Official diocesan website with parish directory and news.
Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church — Main website of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.
Visit Ukraine — Official tourism website with information about traveling to Berdychiv and other destinations in Ukraine.
Ukrzaliznytsya — Ukrainian Railways for train schedules and bookings.
🪶 Closing Reflection
"Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled."
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