Directorate of the Mukachevo-Carpathian Eparchy of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Uzhhorod Ukrainian Theological Academy, Augustyn Voloshyn Carpathian University and Photographic Art Association of Transcarpathia have presented on the 5th of October in The Carpathian FEC the photo exhibition «Rescue mission of the Ukrainian temple».
The exhibition was created based on materials from the joint project of the "Institute of Mass Information" and UNESCO, which are engaged in documenting and highlighting the damage inflicted by the Russian aggressors on cultural sites and objects in Ukraine. The goal of the exhibition is to demonstrate and inform the global community about the destructive consequences of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In the eastern part of Kyiv Oblast lies the small village of Lukyanivka, with the first written mention dating back to 1635. Before the full-scale invasion by Russian occupiers on March 1, 2022, its pride and guardian was the 19th-century Church of the Ascension, a monument of a Ukrainian wooden architecture. The church was built in 1879, using for its foundation bricks from the first church constructed in 1758. Every year in Lukyanivka was traditionally held a celebration in the church, during which flags and the large icon of the Holy Virgin Mary were carried in a church procession so the village was circled to create a spiritual defensive barrier against invaders. While most of these customs have faded into the past, the genetic memory of the people persists. It encapsulates the essence of the church festival – a protection against malevolent forces and mobilizes the residents to be united against enemies. When the occupiers realized that the source of the villagers' defiance and indomitable spirit lay within the church, on the evening of March 24, 2022, they fired upon the Church of the Ascension from a tank at close range. The wooden church turned to ashes, but the main objective – the destruction of the spiritual center of the village's residents, was not achieved by the occupiers. On the contrary, the raging fire became a catalyst for finding extra strength for a resolute counterattack, and on March 26, the aggressors were driven out of the village. Despite the scale of the battle, the protective mission of the spiritual center fulfilled its role: three Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers and one local resident lost their lives, although the casualties could have been incomparably higher. During the opening of the exhibition the Mukachevo and Carpathian Bishop, governing the Mukachevo-Carpathian Eparchy of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, the Right Reverend Viktor Bedj was saying: «Volodymyr Norba has been long and tirelessly organizing unique photo exhibitions, including those that shed light on the multifaceted aspects of the history of Ukrainian spiritual culture. In this spiritual dimension, the role of the Ukrainian Church is highly significant. And this is understandable. After all, the Ukrainian religious revival and construction within our state's territory are unfolding very successfully. The spiritually barren Rashist and Putinist is simply powerless before it. He can only demonstrate that he holds no value for any spiritual principles, which he can trample with his aggressive boots, displaying his plebeian disdain for other lives, nations, and states, particularly in Ukraine, where the bloody Russo-Ukrainian war of 2014-2023 is currently raging. In its fire, they want to burn even the foundations of the Universal Church. The exhibition of the master of photographic art, Volodymyr Norba, comprehensively showcased the crimes of the occupation by the godless Moscow-Putinist regime against humanity, mankind, spirituality, the Ukrainian people, the State of Ukraine, and the Ukrainian Church, showing contempt for everything Ukrainian. Therefore, the photographic artist Volodymyr Norba has excellently documented the fact of the malicious crime and the sneer of the godless Moscow henchmen». The refrain, given by the Right Reverend Viktor Bedj, have supported in their speeches Oleksii Kindrat, the head of the Public Council of the Transcarpathian Regional State Administration and Maryna Dub, rector of the Augustyn Voloshyn Carpathian University. Autor of the exhibition, Volodymyr Norba, is grateful for the assistance in creating the reportage to Volodymyr Bondar, the village elder of Lukyanivka, Pavlo Lysenko, the priest of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Ihor Krepak, the director of the Brovary Local Lore Museum and to the staff of the National Museum of History of Ukraine in World War II. The exhibition will last till October 18th, 2023.
Photo report by Jaroslav Makar.
Olha Norba, curator of the exhibition