Liuboml: In the Footsteps of Lost Manuscripts

We continue our exploration of places where handwritten manuscripts were once kept. This time, we arrived in Liuboml, a town in the Volyn region.

Despite its small size and population of around 10,000 people, Liuboml is listed among Ukraine’s "Historical Settlements." The town has a long history, with the first recorded mention dating back to 1287, and it was founded by Prince Volodymyr Vasylkovych.

We visited Liuboml at the invitation of the local History Museum. Our city tour was led by Oleksandr Dmytrovych Ostapiuk, the museum’s chief custodian, who generously donated his personal collection—originally started by his father—to the museum’s archives.

Our first stop was the Church of St. George, which once housed a church library. Prince Volodymyr Vasylkovych is known to have donated 34 handwritten books to this library. Naturally, we were eager to explore the church and sincerely hope that some of these books have survived.

Next, we visited the Church of the Holy Trinity, which, according to historical records, also housed ancient books.

Thus, our journey across Ukraine continues, as we research the places where handwritten manuscripts were created and preserved—manuscripts that we now have the honor of returning to Ukraine in the form of facsimile editions.

We extend our gratitude to the staff of the Liuboml History Museum and their patrons for the invitation, the fascinating tours, and their warm hospitality!