Lutsk — Lutsk hosted the launch of a sacral image with authentic painting dating back to the 11th or the 12th century. It is one of the most ancient icons in Europe, and there are few icons of this kind in the world.
On the eve of the presentation, which took place in the Volyn Icon Museum, a brand name not only in Volyn but also in entire Ukraine, the restorer Anatolii Kvasiuk was … still working on the icon of Our Lady of Kholm. He has worked without vacations in the past years, and has gone without any days off for 18 months immediately preceding the presentation. He even admitted that he sinned by working on Sundays. The image of Our Lady of Kholm is the most important cause of his life, which has entailed the biggest expenses on his part. The icon bears nine centuries worth of paint layers. At times Kvasiuk could work for 10 hours with a scalpel and microscope only to clear an area of the size of the smallest coin. He has invented over a dozen tools to restore this image.
The restored icon was placed in a showcase bought specially for this purpose. It is made of reinforced glass by a well known German company and has a microclimate device installed. The icon is showcased in the form in which it has survived, with traces left by the nails of gold crowns it was crowned with and the body of the Holy Virgin pierced with a Tartar arrow and sword. Only 70 percent of authentic painting has survived, but there is no other icon in the world that would be preserved better. Anatolii Syliuk, head of the Volyn Museum of Local History (part of which is the Volyn Icon Museum), said that it was a “holiday of immense value” that the Ukraine-glorifying icon has been displayed before the world and one of the apostolic icons, once possessed by Kyivan Rus’, has returned.
This icon has always protected common people, which is often mentioned in legends and myths that appear in the icon’s history. The ancient image continues to speak with people in its language, the language of miraculous healing. There are numerous cross processions to the icon of Our Lady of Kholm on its worship day, held by various denominations.
This is the only case in Ukraine when a cross procession heads for a museum. In this regard Syliuk says that they put on display the original of the icon (of course, in a special showcase) each time, although the museum rules do not approve of this.
“But we could not refuse people worship of the original version to which people have been praying for centuries.”
THE ICON’S MYSTERIES
For the first time since it disappeared during the World War Two, the Kholm Icon of the Holy Virgin was displayed at the turn of the century, on the occasion of the World Congress of Kholm Residents, which was held in Lutsk. This event was preceded by a largely clandestine four-year restoration project carried out by Kvasiuk. The reason was that the Korobchuk family, the descendants of the Kholm Cathedral’s Priest Havrylo Korobchuk (he was deported during the Operation Vistula), brought the icon to Volyn and simply feared that somebody might steal it.
Den has already reported on the history of the icon and how it was saved in the article “Unique icon returns” on Nov. 6, 2009. Syliuk has also contributed to its rescue. He said that the Kholm icon’s existence is full of mysteries. It would appear before people and disappear again. The icon depositories were destroyed in the Middle Ages, and few icons of Byzantine painting have been survived in the world, including the Kholm icon. Therefore, after this acquisition the Volyn Icon Museum (and Lutsk) immediately entered the small number of the world’s museums that possess this kind of rarities.
Syliuk knew the secret of this icon from the very beginning when it was transferred for restoration to Kvasiuk in 1996. However, museum employees always have to take risks in order to receive a worthy item for exposition.
Syliuk understood that it would be difficult to go public with this icon. Above all, there was a fear that Poles could claim the sacred image, although in this case they would have to take back not only the icon but also the deported residents of the Kholm region. Any denomination in Lutsk could take the icon to its church. But it happened so, Kvasiuk recalled, that one of the main denominations to which Korobchuk had wanted to give the icon refused to accept it, saying that it is Uniate. And they considered Uniatism an ecclesiastic compromise on largely national grounds.
“Since the miraculous image came to our museum, many issues became easier to resolve. The museum employees are sure that the icon itself chose the hill in the heart of Lutsk. Soon the Volyn Icon Museum received new premises, and a separate room was set apart for the Kholm icon.”
Father Havrylo’s granddaughter, Natalia Nedilska, recalled that the transfer of the sacred image to the Ukrainian state by the Korobchuk family was legally registered at 6 a.m. at the oblast state administration — several hours before a possible note of protest.
EVERY ENGLISHMAN SHOULD SEE THE ICON. WHAT ABOUT UKRAINIANS?
The launch of the Kholm miraculous icon of the Holy Virgin became a sort of benefit performance for Kvasiuk. On that evening, this modest artist was in the center of everybody’s attention. Speaking about the meaning of the presented icon, he told me about the visit paid to the museum by a UK ambassador to Ukraine. He came from Kyiv specifically to see the rare icon after he had heard about it. Later he said that every Englishman should come to Lutsk in order to see it.
According to the will of the Korobchuk-Horlytsky family, which kept the icon for 55 years, the icon must not leave Lutsk. That is the reason why not only pilgrims are coming to see it, but presidents and premiers, too.
Kvasiuk was showered with expressions of delight and gratitude from representatives of the Volyn Oblast State Administration and colleagues. He also received two orders, one from each of the hierarchs of two Volyn eparchies (acknowledged as the honorable patrons of the restoration). Nonetheless, Kvasiuk has not yet attained recognition on the state level. He did not even hope for this after being paid only 2,500 hryvnias for his work, which became a sort of Golgotha for him. It is unfortunate the artist who has restored an object of national pride remains unrecognized. However, people bow down before the artist and express their gratitude to him.
