i8o ST. TRIPHON'S MONASTERY 



of the Pechenga Monastery in 1589/ This document, written in 

 the ancient Norwegian language, is in the shape of a booklet in 

 quarto ; and contains a list of the victims who perished during the 

 devastation carried into the North of Russia by the Swedes. On the 

 fourth page of this document is a list of the brethren massacred by 

 the Swedes. At the head of it appears the name of Abbot Gouri and 

 three hieromonks, Pachomius, Joseph, and Jonas. The fourth and 

 fifth pages are occupied by names of the remaining brethren who 

 were killed. On page six begins the list of labourers who were 

 in the monastery, and probably of pilgrims ; of these fifty-one names 

 are entered. Page seven concludes with the following note : — 



" All of them were burnt by the Swedes simultaneously with the 

 monastery. And they also destroyed by fire all buildings, the church, 

 most of the property, the cattle-shed, and the mill. They also burnt 

 a settlement called Vikin, which was the harbour of the monastery, 

 with all the boats and other vessels ; and any boats that remained 

 they hewed to pieces. In this manner not a building of the 

 monastery remained excepting the bath-house which stood a little 

 way off, and two earthen huts on two islets which the Swedes were 

 unable to reach. — Vardoehuus the 7th August 1590." 



In all probability this document was a report sent by the 

 Governor at the time from Vardo to the Danish nobleman N., 

 Commandant of the Castle from 1587 to 1596. In 185 1 this 

 document was returned to Norway at the time when all matters 

 of the Danish Secretary's Archives were transferred to the Norwegian 

 State Archives. 



The destruction of the Pechenga Monastery occurred in the reign 

 of Theodore Joannovich during his war against the Swedes. On 

 hearing the news, the pious Tsar was deeply moved ; and gave orders 

 that, for the sake of greater security, the monastery should be trans- 



^ According to Eussian sources, this destruction occurred in 1590, but according to the 

 Danish document in 1589. The difference is explained by the fact that in Kussia, until 

 the time of Peter I., the New Year began on the ist September, and not on the ist January 

 as in Western Europe. 



