Monastery of St. Onuphrius

Located among meadows by the Bug River, the Monastery of St. Onuphrius is an ideal place for a stroll and exploration of beautiful chapels outside the noisy parts of the city. Its very center is the Church of St. Onuphrius with the collection of very valuable icons of which the most important one comes from the 15th century. It contains the relic of St. Onuphrius placed in the hollowed opening.

The Chapel of Sleep of the Blessed Virgin Mary is situated in the direct proximity while the Chapel of St. Spirit is located slightly farther. The third wooden chapel and the hermitage of monastics can be spotted on the right bank of the Bug River. There is also the obelisk commemorating victims of the Union of Brest from 1596 next to the monastery. It was then when the Chełm's diocese convert to Catholicism keeping its Eastern origins. Despite this change, the monastery operated as an Orthodox church until the 18th century. After World War II, it was the only male Orthodox monastic order in Poland. The legend says that the location for the foundation of the monastery was shown by the icon of St. Onuphrius which had been floating on the river. Another interesting story concerns the icon which was stolen in 1990 and regained by monastics for a large ransom.

On 24th and 25th June, thousands of followers come to the monastery to celebrate the Day of St. Onuprhius in Mass, night vigil at 3 AM, and procession with hundreds of candles through the Bug's meadows.