Yazlovets

Yazlovets ( _uk. Язловець, _pl. Jazłowiec) is a village in the Ternopil Oblast, Ukraine and a Roman Catholic pilgrimage center of local significance. It's located at around coord|48|58|N|25|27|E|type:city(600)_region:UA-61|display=inline,title, 16km south of Buchach and presently has around 600 inhabitants.

The settlement is said to have been established in the 13th century by Armenians fleeing their capital of Ani which was sacked by Mongols, although other sources indicate that Armenians began to settle here only by the end of the 16th century. First written mention comes from the 15th century, naming Yazlovets as the property of the Jazłowiecki (Yazlovetsky) noble family, a branch of the Buczacki (Buchacki) family from neighboring Buchach. The heirs of Yazlovets are recorded in history for their contribution to the defense of Europe against the Turkic invasion.

In the 16th century a stone church dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a monastery of the Dominican Order and a castle were constructed. In 1615 the Yazlovetskys issued privileges encouraging Armenian refugees from the Crimea to settle in Yazlovets, similar to those found in Kamianets-Podilskyi, which brought in increased income from trade. The towns prosperity lasted until 1676 when it was captured by the Ottomans and occupied for eight years.

In the 18th century Yazlovets was the property of successively Koniecpolski, Lubomirski and Poniatowski families. In 1718 the Pauline Fathers were invited to the town. In 1772 Yazlovets came under Austrian rule, the policies of Emperor Joseph II led to the closing of both monasteries. In 1810 the ruined Armenian church was restored, given to the towns Ukrainian community and consecrated to St. Nicholaus.

In 1863 blessed Marcelina Darowska established the monastery of the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the ruined castle donated for this purpose. The sisters ministered in education first in Yazlovets itself and then creating a network of rural elementary schools. The Statue of Immaculately Conceived Mother of God, consecrated by blessed archbishop Sigismund Felix Feliński in 1883 in the monasteries chapel and in 1939 crowned by the Primate of Poland August Cardinal Hlond with a crown conferred by the Holy Father Servant of God Pius XII, soon became known for graces granted through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin.

During World War I Yazlovets was heavily damaged by Russians in 1916. Later in 1919 a three day long battle was fought over the city by Poles and Ukrainians locked in a fratricidal conflict each trying to secure their statehood. The battle was won by Poles, as they believe with the help of the Blessed Virgin. However 20 years later the region fell under Soviet rule with the outbreak of World War II.

In 1945 the town was degraded to the status of a village and renamed to Yablonivka, or Yablonovka in Russian. The monastery was closed by communists in 1946. However following the collapse of the soviet union and the reemergence of independent Ukraine after half a century the original name was restored and the monastery was renewed. For safety the Statue has been moved in 1946 to Szymanów, near Niepokalanów about 20km from the Polish capital of Warsaw where it still remains, but a copy has been placed in Yazlovets. After the beatification of Marcelina Darowska by the Holy Father Servant of God John Paul II in 1996, the chapel of the Sisters in Yazlovets was proclaimed a Sanctuary of the Blessed Marcelina Darowska on September 1 1999 by the Latin Rite Metropolitan of Lviv Marian Cardinal Jaworski.

Notable people from Yazlovets

* Blessed Marcelina Darowska
* Jerzy Jazłowiecki Polish hetman
* Mikołaj Gomółka composer
* Osyp Nazaruk writer and politician
* Kornel Ujejski Polish romantic poet

External links

* [http://www.aerobiologicalengineering.com/wxk116/sjk/jazlow.html Jazlowiec - The town lost in history by Stanley J. Kowalski]