The term lavra is a name given to large, rich monasteries of
importance that enjoy special privileges and are cultural
centers in the regions they occupy. Among the noted lavras is
the Monastery of the Great Lavra on the Athos Peninsula. This
monastery, founded by the monk St. Athanasius the Athonite in
963, is the earliest and the mother monastery of the Athonite
communities. - Kiev Pechersk Lavra in Kiev, Ukraine. This
monastery, often called the Monastery of the Kiev Caves, was
founded in 1051 by Anthony of the Caves and Theodosius. -
Pochayiv Lavra (Pochaev) has for centuries been the foremost
spiritual and ideological centre of various Orthodox
denominations in Western Ukraine. The monastery tops a 60-metre
hill in the town of Pochayiv, Ternopil Oblast, 18 km southwest
of Kremenets and 50 km north of Ternopil. It was established a
lavra in 1833. - Trinity Lavra of St Sergius at Sergiyev Posad,
Russia, was founded in 1345 by Sergius of Radonezh, the most
venerated of Russian saints. Tsarina Elizabeth elev