“Today there is a tendency in the world of attempts by private collectors to take ownership of spiritual and cultural treasures of its people,” stated UGCC Head in Lviv

Let us note that 2013 marks the centennial of the presentation of the gift by Metropolitan Andrey  (Sheptytsky) of the Lviv National Museum to the Ukrainian   people and the opening of the first exhibit.

The celebratory opening began with the song Hospody, syloyu Tvoyeyu [God, through Your Power], a work by the renowned Ukrainian composer of church music, Dmytro Bortniansky, performed by the  Dudaryk Lviv State Male Choir  under the direction of the Honored Artist of Ukraine, Mykola Katsal.  Then the audience was addressed by the Director of the Andrey Sheptytsky Lviv National Museum, Mr. Ihor Kozhan.  He described the historical past of the Bohorodchan Iconostasis.  In particular, he emphasized that in the year of the centennial of the gift of the museum to the Ukrainian people by Metropolitan Andrey (Sheptytsky), there is also the opening of a new chapter of excursion exhibitions -- the Bohorodchan Iconostasis.  This is a unique monument in Ukrainian culture, especially for Ukrainian sacred art.  “The Bohorodchan Iconostasis is one of the most beautiful pearls of the period of Early Baroque. This work by the famous artist Yov Konzelevych underwent a turbulent fate,” explained the museum director.

As is known, it took 7 years to complete the iconostasis – from 1698 to 1705.  It received its name from the location of its last stay – the town of Bohorodchan in Ivano-Frankivsk.  In 1916, during World War I, the German soldiers transferred the iconostasis to Vienna, where it was preserved in the Vienna Museum of Art and Religion.  In 1920, the iconostasis was transferred from Vienna to Warsaw.  Due to the efforts of Metropolitan Andrey (Sheptytsky) and Ilarion Svientsitsky, it was possible to attain the transfer by the Ministry of Cultural Relics of Rzeczpospolita of the iconostasis for preservation to the Lviv National Museum , where it is found today.

“This year UGCC and the Ukrainian people commemorate the centennial of the unusual and symbolic gesture.  My great predecessor, Metropolitan Andrey spent many years of his Archpastorship service in rescuing the spiritual treasures of our country.  A hundred years ago, everything that he managed to collect and rescue, he passed on to the Ukrainian people.  In such a manner, here in Lviv, the Lviv National Museum was founded,” noted UGCC Head, in explaining the significance of this centennial.

It is his conviction that this gesture of the Metropolitan is a lesson for us also in today’s world.  Since in the world now, we see an opposite tendency: these or those private collectors try to gain possession for themselves of these or those spiritual and cultural treasures of the people.

In conclusion, UGCC Major Archbishop noted that Metropolitan Andrey is directly connected to the rescue of this iconostasis.  In order to return this treasure to the Ukrainian people, Bishop Andrey provided his own funds as ransom.

“Today, the concern of Metropolitan Andrey continues. This iconostasis once again returns to the eyes, hearts, minds and conscience of the contemporary Ukrainian.  My gratitude to all who followed-up this deed of the Metropolitan by rescuing and recovering this iconostasis,” concluded he.

Also attending the event were the head of the Lviv Regional Administration, Viktor Shemchuk, head of the Lviv Regional Council, Petro Kolodiy, and  Lviv mayor Andriy Sadovyi.

The opening concluded with the prayer Our Father, sung by the Dudaryk Choir.  Afterwards all the attendees viewed the exhibit of the Bohorodchan Iconostatis.

Finally, UGCC Head spoke with Lviv journalists.  “We often say that we, Ukrainians, are a people who have been robbed of our history and cultural and spiritual treasures.  The Bohorodchan Iconostasis is evidence of the depth and height of our spiritual culture and its world class status.  Without exaggeration, one can say that this iconostasis really is a treasure bearing an all-national meaning at a world class level.  I would like the iconostasis to be returned to the church but his depends on Almighty God and on the goodwill of the National Museum staff,” said  His Beatitude Sviatoslav (Shevchuk) in conversing with representatives of  mass media.

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UGCC Department of Information