Icon that left a country under fire now a symbol of global peace

Bishops and representatives of organisations involved in the icon project. Image: ACN

Source: Aid to the Church in Need

A Ukrainian icon created during the height of the conflict was solemnly blessed at a UK cathedral, having made it safely out of the country.

The icon of Our Lady of Victories, made with help from Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), was blessed yesterday (Tuesday, 7th October) at St Michael and St George's Roman Catholic Cathedral, Aldershot, Hampshire.

Eighteen months in the making, the icon had been safely transferred from a workshop in Lviv, in the west of the war-torn country.

Crucial to the project was an individual who cannot be named for security reasons.

As well as suffering injuries, which delayed the project, he narrowly escaped death when a bomb exploded 50 metres from where he was standing.

The man was ACN's point of contact for the project and played a critical role regarding the logistics and shipment of the icon.

The devotional artwork, which depicts the Blessed Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus, was commissioned by the UK Catholic Military Association (CMA), with financial support from the Catenians, the international organisation of Catholic laymen.

Captain Francis Osborn, Chairman of the CMA, said: "On being taken away from Ukraine to be brought to Britain, the icon was safely brought to the headquarters of Aid to the Church in Need, the charity who enabled the work. It means a tremendous amount that it has got a home in Aldershot and that that it will be seen by a lot of people, and they can benefit from it."

The service yesterday was led by Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski OBE, Apostolic Eparch of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Eparchy of the Holy Family of London, and Bishop Paul Mason, Roman Catholic Bishop of the Forces, who is based at the cathedral, which serves the Armed Forces.

Major General Chris Barry CBE, British Army Director of Land Warfare, read a lesson and a Ukrainian Greek Catholic choir sung while the icon was being venerated.

Just before the service, Commander James Francis, Royal Navy, said: "Today is the feast of our Lady of Victories who is the patron saint of the Catholic Military Association, and we are using the feast as an opportunity for the blessing of the icon that we've commissioned from Ukraine. It is a symbol of our prayer for peace.

"People risked their lives to get it here. It's really a sign of the ultimate victory of peace.

"It is a very moving icon, it portrays an intention that we are here as a force for good in the world. We have invested a lot of time in training Ukrainian troops and the opportunity to be in fellowship with them through this icon is significant."

Captain Osborn said: "We wanted something permanent as we are quite a new organisation and we really wanted something solid, a foundation that our members who are spread all around the country and the world, could look to for solace, reinforcement and encouragement. We settled on an icon because it's a really ancient way of showing faith. It's very visual and its beauty speaks right to the soul."

Artist Oksana Zhuravska painted the icon over the course of more than a year.

The workshop in Lviv continues the centuries-old traditions of well-known Ukrainian iconographers and is inspired by medieval masterpieces including Andriy Rublev's Holy Trinity.

Bishop Mason said: "Things like this provide a focus in the faith. I didn't know how many would come to venerate it but everyone wanted to queue and venerate it…

"It's something in art which helps you transcend [from] where you are into your faith, using the art to draw you in."

Bishop Nowakowski said: "Our Lady of Victories heralds the victory over death and captivity by evil that her son's death and resurrection has won for his sisters and brothers.

"We place those who are defending Ukraine and indeed Europe during this time of war under the protection of the Holy Mother of God as the patroness of Victory."

John Pontifex, head of press and public affairs at ACN (UK), said: "It is wonderful that a project that has been so many months in the making has finally made it through to completion, fulfilling the vision of the CMA and all of us to find a renewed focus for prayer and solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

"Work on the icon continued despite the war that has so deeply scarred the face of Ukraine and we pray that through the intercession of Our Lady of Victories peace and justice may come to Ukraine."