According to the Patericon of the Caves, the foundation of the Uspensky Cathedral was accompanied by numerous signs that preceded the construction of the church. The temple was built with donations from the Varangian voivode Shimon, who had converted to Christianity. He brought a golden belt and a golden crown from his family’s Crucifix icon to Saint Anthony.

This very golden belt was used as a measure to calculate the proportions of the church under construction: 20 belts wide, 30 belts long, and 50 belts high, including the dome. Shimon can be considered one of the first benefactors who contributed to the construction of the Uspensky Church. Later, he became the first person officially recorded in the Patericon of the Caves as being buried in the monastery’s main temple.

The second sign was the arrival at the Caves Monastery of Byzantine architects, who had been called by the Mother of God herself. She commissioned them to build the church in Kyiv, giving them an icon with Her image, the relics of seven martyrs, and funds for three years of work. The relics were to be placed beneath the foundation of the church, while the icon would become the temple’s sacred image. The future appearance of the cathedral was revealed in the sky to the master builders. Through the prayers of Saint Anthony, a miraculous sign pointed to the site of the future church.