No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. (Luke 8, 16)
Sanctity is a testament of the true love of God in people’s hearts. It has always been the source of light that gathered Christian church community. The early Christians drew strength and determination from the prayer meetings and meals at the tombs of saints. The name of such a first commemorative meals was also symbolical - Agape – celebrating of Love and Holy Bloodless Sacrifice of Eucharist in which remembrance for those who have already left this world to be near the Father was united with the Holy Community of Bread and Wine, and the commemoration of the Last Supper of the Lord.
The cult of saints was formed on the basis of veneration of the martyrs that were the first witnesses of Christ\'s Good News and were ready to suffer and even die for their beliefs. In the early Christian tradition was formed a kind of martyrdom law formulated by St. Gregory the Theologian: while being concerned about the persecutors and deprived, do not gain a feat by yourself, but when you are acquired to feat – you cannot retreat, because the first is audacity, and the second - cowardice.
Ukrainian history reminds of the early Christians times - from the first feat of martyrs Boris and Glib, who with humility were martyred by their own brother, and over the history of the martyrs of Tsarist times when Ukrainian culture was persecuted and destroyed as well as people that represented this culture, as the composer Artem Vedel or Cossack Hetman Petro Kalnyshevsky, and to a wide range of priests, writers, artists and public figures of the twentieth century who suffered during the Soviet occupation, and heroes of Heaven’s Hundred (Nebesna Sotnia) that were killed while facing the danger during the Revolution of Dignity. Finally, our friends continue to die in Eastern Ukraine while restraining Russian agression with patience and often unarmed.
Lacking our own state, Ukrainians did not have the opportunity to commemorate the martyrs of Ukrainian culture. Although thanks to them traditions of Ukrainian sacred art, literature, music and public history were vividly developing. But for there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. (Luke 8.17). Today we more than ever need this recollection. Thus, we are united in the light of our heroic ancestors. Actually, Quiet Light of Ivanka Krypyakevych-Dymyd is a reminiscence and testimony of this matter.
In artist’s words, the project includes “Five squares, 1m*1m, acrylic on canvas and represents the figures of poets, artists, soldiers, musicians and priests who have passed the Apocalypse of tests by their lives on the Ukrainian soil. Some of them I knew personally: Fr. Ivan Hrynyoh, Ivan Svitlychny, Zenoviy Krasivskyi, bishops Pavlo Vasylyk and Volodymyr Sterniuk, and Fr. Artemiy Tsehelskyi (my grandfather). These people continue to shine and to give witness through the distance of time. This is soft light of the Presence: YOU ARE NOT ALONE!”
The project is very personal, indeed. Artist in it, as well as her painting skills and creativity are intentionally faded into the background, giving way to a bright and courageous characters of personalities represented. Figures of Ukrainian martyrs in visions of Ivanka do not have canonical halo, or the classic red that often appears in the iconography of martyrdom. There are, rather, images of people in a quiet and infinite light of God\'s love that does not need our veneration, as, mainly, the recollection. Despite the modest simplicity of color, our attention is drawn to the precisely painted individual faces and attributes that identify the nature of their services. An important part of images consists of inscriptions - names create certain informational background and encourage to a deeper appreciation of the persons depicted. The witnessing of the truth is emphasized by the presence of angels. They glorify God with heavenly music with composers and musicians, defend the truth along with military and political leaders, as warriors of the heavenly host, create picturesque images of the Divine world with the artist, and are spreading the word of God along with writers and poets in the world. Light is tranquil, but dynamic and active too. And, despite the attempts of the authorities to hide it under a bushel, it gradually penetrates the darkest nooks of Ukrainian society and transforms everything in light of Transfiguration.
Marichka Tsymbalista