About KIEV:

11th Century model of Kiev with the original settlement lower left and walled city on the hill overlooking the Dnipro

One of the most beautiful cities in central and eastern Europe, Kiev rests where more than 5,000 years of troubled history have left their marks of prosperity and famine, deep wars and shallow peace, rich culture and bankrupt evil. Beginning around 3,000 B.C. with the development of the Tripolian culture, wave after wave of pagan cultures battled each other for supremacy.

Evidence indicates that the region of Kiev has a long history of struggle, violence, and hardships. Each time there is a traumatic event in a region, a painful wound is created. If that wound is not cleansed through forgiveness and restoration, it creates a spiritual and social illness that can affect a region for centuries. Kiev’s ancient history reveals many such events.

Kiev is known as “the mother of Russian cities”. Architect Vikentiy Khvoyka discovered an ancient settlement when preparing a building site in what is now the Pidol area of Kiev’s north side in 1893. It contained the remains of wooden dwellings, mammoth bones and stone tools. Scientists concluded that people lived there between 20,000 and 15,000 B.C. during the Paleolithic era.

Memorial to Kiy, Scheck, Khoriv, and Lybid, founders of ancient Kyiv

The oldest known fortification in Kiev territory is Kudriavets, a site from the Tripoliye culture of about 3,000 B.C. About one hour south of Kiev on the Dnipre River is a village in which an ancient temple to the goddess Diana was built some 4,000 years ago. The northernmost Scythian settlement, Khotov, existed around 500 B.C. near Kiev.

This city was supposedly predicted by the Apostle Andrew himself to become a great city filled with churches, and was founded by the Polianian Prince Kiy and his two brothers and sister, Scheck, Khoriv, and Lybid in 482 A.D. As a result, it has a rich culture of survival and greatness, but also untold layers of spiritual oppression and darkness that hold almost 99% of its residents in hopeless and meaningless bondage.

The Kiev region has thousands of years of history. Much of the history is filled with invasions, tragedy, and hardship. Every such event leaves a wound, scar, or curse. Such things leave a city in spiritual bondage. Here are just a few of the many important events that took place in Kiev since its founding in 482 AD.

• Pechers'ka Lavra and monastaries with the famed Bell Tower overlooking the Dnipro River

     6th – 10th Century: Pagan worship.
•   882: Conquest of Kiev by Prince Oleg.
•   945: Prince Igor killed.
•   964 – 965: War with Khazars.
•   980 – 1015: Rule of Prince Vladymir
•   988: Orthodox Christening of Kiev.
• 1169: Bogolubsky’s attack on Kiev.
• 1240: Batu Khan captures Kiev.
• 1362: Kiev annexed to Lithuania.
• 1482: Khan Mengly-Gyrei sacks Kiev.
• 1569: Kiev falls to Polish rule.
• 1686: Tsar of Moscow rules Kiev.
• 1918: Bolsheviks capture Kiev

Space does not allow the listing of so many more major events that Kiev endured over the centuries

Many people believe that there are multiplied layers of spiritual darkness and oppression that affect Kiev’s well being of social health. Healing is still available for the city today. “PrayKIEV” desires to see that oppressive atmosphere lifted.

Only courageous, passionate, strategic, authoritative prayer will break through the spiritual darkness that hides the light of the Gospel and dominates the minds of the people.