In the book “Materials for the Geography and Statistics of Russia, collected by officers of the General Staff”, Grodno Governorate, 1863. There is a mention and description of the Torokany Monastery. Near the town of Antopol, 39 versts from the city of Kobryn, on flat and treeless terrain stands the Torokany Epiphany Orthodox Monastery, built at the beginning of the previous century. The northern wing adjoining the front pavilion was constructed by the local ktitor (church warden) Agafia Piasoczynska, wife of the Wolyn castellan, while the remaining wings were built in 1757 by the monastery authorities. The church dedicated to the Epiphany of the Lord (up to 100 square sazhens), single-altar with twotowers on the front façade and fresco-painted sacred images, was erected in 1780 at the expense of the Pinsk and Turow Uniate bishop Gedeon Daszkiewicz. In the bell tower located in the left tower there are 3 bells. Until 1839 the monastery belonged to the Uniates and was maintained from the income of the estates Torokany, Czikina, and Losince, which (as of 1841) comprised 250 households, 1,911 souls, and up to 275 voloks of land (5,376.25 dessiatinas). In 1839 the Torokany Monastery was reunited with Orthodoxy, and by the Highest decree of 25 December 1841 it was assigned to the 3rd class (effective 1 January 1842). The staff provided for an abbot and 12 brethren; for the monastery’s maintenance (salaries, heating, lighting, repairs, etc.) 1,540 rubles were allocated, plus an additional annual fund annuity of 16 rubles 20 kopecks. By the same decree, the estates belonging to the monastery — Torokany, Czikin, and Losince — were transferred on 14 March 1842 to the administration of state properties. At the same time the monastery was granted 100 dessiatinas of land: 9 dessiatinas 196 sazhens of manor land, 54 dessiatinas 2,016 sazhens of arable land, 29 dessiatinas 456 sazhens of hay meadow, and 6 dessiatinas 360 sazhens of inconvenient land. In 1858 the monastery received, in addition to the above land, another 103.86 dessiatinas of forest in the Budy Liachonicze tract, of which 14.30 dessiatinas are inconvenient swamp. The monastery land is cultivated by the staff servants and hired labourers. For the tillage and harvesting of the arable land (calculating per dessiatina: 9 workers with plough, 5 with harrow, 8 reapers, and 2 workers with horses for carting), 750 horse/ox workers and 360 foot workers are required. For mowing and harvesting hay (per dessiatina: 3 mowers, 2 rakers, and 2 carts) another 150 foot and 60 horse workers are needed — in total up to 800 workers with horses and up to 500 on foot. With a sixfold harvest the monastery obtains 100 quarters of winter grain, 100 quarters of spring grain, 40 quarters of potatoes, and up to 4,500 poods of hay. Capitalising this income at an average price of 3 rubles yields 1,200 rubles from the land. The monastery keeps about 60 head of livestock, including 4 horses and 33 head of cattle. The livestock can yield up to 200 rubles per year (calculating 8 rubles per pood of butter). In round figures the monastery’s economy brings in up to 1,500 rubles annually; together with state support the total income exceeds 3,000 rubles silver. Deducting repair costs (10 %) — 155 rubles — and the seed portion (one-sixth) — 200 rubles — leaves approximately 2,000 rubles for the brethren. With this sum the monastery maintains 4 monks, up to 4 priests attached to the monastery (sent by the diocesan authorities), 2 novices, and 9 monastery servants. Thus the maintenance of each brother costs 160 rubles silver.

References and materials used in the post:

• Materials for the Geography and Statistics of Russia, collected by officers of the General Staff", Grodno Governorate, 1863