Стаття присвячена одній з маєтностей родин Лизогубів і Кейкуатових – села
Бігача, а також Троїцькій церкві, що стоїть у цьому селі. Оскільки в літературі зустрічається кілька датувань цієї церковної споруди без посилання на першоджерела,
а це 1786, 1787, 1831, 1834 рр. й навіть 1839 р., то за документами Державного архіву
Чернігівської області спробуємо встановити точну дату закладки, спорудження й освячення храму с. Бігача.
The article deals with one of the estates belonging to the Lyzohub and Keikuatov families,
Bihach village, as well as the Trinity Church in this village. Since in the literature there are
several dates of erection of the church without references to the original sources, namely the
years 1786, 1787, 1831, 1834 and even 1839, the exact dates of laying of the foundation
stone of the Trinity church in Bihach village, its construction and consecration, and the time
when Bihach village became the property of the Lyzohub family, and then of the Keikuatov
family are determined by information given in the archival documents of the Public Record
Office of Chernihiv region.
Bihach village is situated not far from Chernihiv. It has been mentioned in the documents
since the second half of the 17th century and it was a part of Sedniv Sotnia (military unit
of size of about one hundred soldiers) of Chernihiv Regiment. According to the Universal
(decree) of Hetman Ivan Mazepa, Bihach village was given to Chernihiv colonel Yakiv Kindratovych
Lyzohub in the year 1689 as a sign of gratitude for participation in the second
Crimean campaign. Together with Bihach village, Lyzohub received another large village
Slabyn and 6 small villages: Shestovytsia, Zolotynka, Kozerohy, Andriivka, Hnylusha and
Sokolivka. Since then, the village has been passing down within the Lyzohub family through
inheritance until the 1780s. But since the 1780s, the fate of Bihach village has been tied to
Tatar-Russian princely family of Keikuatovs (Kekuatovs). Vadym Modzalevskyi in his «Little
Russian Book of Genealogy» indicates that in 1770 Hanna Yakivna Lyzohub got married to
prince Petro Ivanovych Kekuatov, the collegiate assessor. Perhaps at that time Bihach village
was transferred to the possession of the Keikuatovs as a wedding gift for Hanna, the daughter
of Yakiv Lyzohub, and Petro Ivanovych. And in the years 1786-1788 a new owner of Bihach
village built a new Holy Trinity church, although there was an old Trinity church.
The documents of the Public Record Office of Chernihiv Region have provided us with
a clear dating of this church. At the end of its construction, Petro Ivanovych appealed to
Berezyn Religious Authority with a request to consecrate the church. This correspondence
clearly indicates the dating of the church:
starting date of construction – June 30, 1786,
date of construction – May 19, 1788,
date of consecration – June 1, 1788.
The church was built in the style of classicism. It is single-domed, square in plan, brickbuilt,
whitewashed, and partly wooden.
In the north, south and in front of the antechurch, there are porches with gables arranged
on four paired columns. The broad staircase leads up there. Behind it there are three entrances
to the church building. Unfortunately, the church survived to this very day with losses: an open
gallery and a bell tower that was attached to the church were not preserved.
Archival sources do not name the architect, but the local tradition attributes the church
design to the prince Keikuatov himself, who was considered to be a talented architect. Since
1979, the Trinity Church has been an art memorial of national significance with the security
number of 1779. But, despite its high status of importance as of an art memorial, the poor
condition of the building lasts already for almost half a century.
The Trinity Church is not only an architectural monument, but also a historical monument
associated with Taras Shevchenko. Undoubtedly, he visited the church while staying at the estate
of Mykola Ivanovych Keikuatov (grandson of Petro Ivanovych Keikuatov) for two months: in
March and April of 1847. While his stay in Bihach village, Taras Shevchenko painted a portrait
of a princess Kateryna Feodorivna Keikuatova (Butovych), a wife of Mykola Ivanovych,
and executed portraits of their children in pencil – of Misha, Vira and Nadiia. The portrait
of K. Keikuatova is a masterpiece of the national painting and one of the outstanding works
of European painting of the first half of the 19th century. It is the last work of Shevchenko
before his arrest. In honor of Kobzar’s stay, a memorable sign was installed in Bihach village.
