Icon image "Our Lady of Pochaev"

We present to you a series of icons from the Spanish manufactory Credan SA.

In 1975, the small manufactory Creaciones Dangel was transformed into the company CREDAN, without forgetting the craftsmanship created by a carefully selected team of people. Since then, Credan products have been known and admired worldwide.

The quality of the raw materials used (including 24-karat gold), refined design, and incredible elegance have made the company's clients the most influential people from around the world.

The production process is time-consuming and meticulous to ensure an amazing appearance and craftsmanship, and the raw materials meet the highest quality standards — from gold, silver, and copper to carefully selected wood.

We would like to introduce you to the exceptionally beautiful iconography of saints by Credan SA.

The Lavra of the Dormition of the Mother of God in Pochayiv, briefly Pochayiv Lavra (Ukrainian: Почаївська Свято-Успенська Лавра) – an Orthodox monastery in Pochayiv, in the Kremenets district of Ternopil Oblast in Volyn (Ukraine). It is under the jurisdiction of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate with stauropegic rights. The most important center of Orthodox monastic life in Volyn and the second in all Ukraine after the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. One of three Ukrainian Orthodox monasteries with the status of lavra (within the entire Moscow Patriarchate, five monasteries hold this title).

Single monks-anchorites settled on the hill as early as the 12th century. After 1240, the place where the monastery was founded was already considered by the local population as a site specially chosen by the Mother of God. In 1597, thanks to the financial support of Anna Hojska, an Orthodox cenobitic monastery was established in Pochayiv. The benefactress donated the Pochayiv Icon of the Mother of God, venerated in the Orthodox Church as miraculous. Between 1604 and 1651, the monastery was led by Hegumen Job, later a Orthodox saint. During his leadership, the monastery was an important center for opponents of the Union of Brest. According to Orthodox tradition, in 1675, the monastery was miraculously saved from a Turkish invasion through the direct intervention of Mary.

In the 18th century, the monastery adopted the union and was administered by the Basilian order until 1833. During this period, most of the existing monastery buildings were constructed, including the main Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God in Rococo style, and the veneration of the Pochayiv Icon of the Mother of God spread across the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (it was then present not only among Eastern Christians). In 1773, this icon was crowned with papal blessing. The Basilian monks operated a printing house in Pochayiv publishing various prints. They were also the first to refer to the monastery as a lavra.