Girls are supposed to have cherished dreams about knights in shining armor. Where can they find ones today? At Ostroh Academy National University, it appears. This town, which is glorified in Ukrainian history, seems to uphold the knightly spirit owing to the enthusiastic efforts of the Ostroh Academy students who recently held the Knight of Ostroh competition, now an annual traditional cultural event. In the course of this contest the male students have the unique opportunity of demonstrating their valor, their ability to perform extraordinary acts, chivalrous spirit (even if on stage). This competition names the best male student and it is rooted in the Academy’s distant history, dating back to the mysterious 16th century when pitched battles were fought, when statesmen made their fateful decisions, when the Ukrainian language and culture were born in the land of Ostroh. Each contestant had to demonstrate knowledge of Ukrainian knighthood and its history.
On stage the contestants are to act as various historic personae. This year students from all Ostroh Academy faculties acted as Meletii Smotrytsky, Prince Janusz Ostrogski, Cyril Lucaris, Krzysztof Kosinski, and Konstanty Wasyl Ostrogski. The audience watched dramatic events in the life of these historic personae. The male students acting the parts were helped by their inborn actor’s and choreographic talents. They conveyed the knightly tradition using today’s scale of values.
The culminating point came when each contestant proclaimed the main point on behalf of his historic character. These ranged from love of one’s homeland to believing in oneself to Mona Lisa’s enigmatic smile that has remained captivating over the centuries, all misfortunes and ordeals notwithstanding. In a word, Ostroh students proved that the knightly spirit is still alive in Ukraine.
Viktoria Skuba is a fourth-year student at Ostroh Academy National University
