Grottaferrata Monastery

Grottaferrata Monastery (also called Crypta ferrata). Founded in 1004 by Nilus of Rossano as an abbey of the Byzantine church rite; its residents are monks of the Basilian monastic order mostly of Albanian, Greek, and Italian origin. Only a few have been Ukrainian. Located 20 km southeast of Rome, the monastery contains valuable Medieval and Renaissance masterpieces, a large library of old books, and a book-restoration laboratory. Its printing shop, established in 1909, produces Greek and Slavic liturgical books that are used by the Ukrainian Catholic church.

[This article originally appeared in the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, vol. 2 (1988).]