Hryts and the Icon

By Volodymyr Kish

The Orthodox Christian community in Canada has recently been abuzz over the visitation of the Icon of the Virgin Mary from the famous monastery in Pochaiv.  For those not familiar with the history of Orthodoxy in Ukraine, Pochaiv is located in Western Ukraine about fifty kilometres north of Ternopil and is host to the second largest Orthodox monastery in Ukraine, after the Pecherska Lavra in Kyiv.  The origins of the Pochaiv Monastery are uncertain with legends saying it was founded by monks from the Pecherska Lavra in Kyiv fleeing from the Mongol invasions during the Thirteenth Century.  Whatever the case, by the Seventeenth  Century, it had became a prominent Orthodox force in Western Ukraine, attracting many of those who objected to and were resisting the Union of Brest of 1595-96 that saw most of the churches in that part of Ukraine come under the rule of the Catholic Church.  Ironically, in 1720, when the Poles regained control of this part of Ukraine, the monastery was turned over to the Greek Catholic Basilian Fathers and it stayed Catholic for some seventy five years.

The Monastery is renowned as being the home of a famous miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary.  It is said that in 1675 when the monastery was besieged by a large Turkish and Tatar force, a large apparition of the Virgin Mary surrounded by angels appeared over the monastery, scaring away the invading army.  Since then, the resident icon has been credited with many miracles and is the object of a large number of pilgrimages there every year.  In 1773, the Pope recognized the icon as being miraculous.  This, interestingly enough did not stop the Orthodox Church from reclaiming the icon as their own when they regained control of the monastery in 1831.  Since then it has been revered by the Orthodox faithful in Eastern Europe as one of their most treasured sacred relics.

One would think that the visit of this famous icon to Canada would be well received by all the Orthodox faithful here, and all Ukrainians for that matter, except for two things.  It seems that it is not the original icon that is coming to Canada, but merely a copy.  Considering that there are already several copies of the icon already permanently located in North America, the visit loses some of its original lustre.

Secondly, the visit is being viewed by some in the Ukrainian Orthodox community in Canada as less of a religious event than a political one.  You see, the Pochaiv Monastery and the icon are currently under the control of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Moscow Patriarchate, said Church having been deeply embroiled since Ukraine became independent in a less than religious effort to eliminate its local Ukrainian rival, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kyiv Patriarchate.  Many Ukrainians view the Moscow Patriarchate as simply another branch of the Russian state whose not so secret aim is to recapture control of Ukraine and reconstitute a new Russian Empire. 

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Canada has been caught in a real dilemma since Ukraine became independent, as the Kyiv Patriarchate is not recognized as being “canonical” whereas the Moscow Patriarchate is.  Despite the fact that most of their Ukrainian parishioners are sympathizers, if not overt supporters of the Kyiv Patriarchate, the church hierarchy here must officially distance themselves from their true Ukrainian brethren, and support the Moscow Patriarchate.  When seen in this context, the visit of the icon is viewed by many Ukrainians here as being no more than a propaganda move by the Moscow Church to try and solidify their status with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Canada.

When I heard of this, I of course turned for clarification to my resident expert on all things Ukrainian, my cousin Hryts from the bucolic village of Pidkamin, which coincidentally, is a stone’s throw from Pochaiv.  In fact, if you stand on the hill in Pidkamin where its eponymous rock is located you can actually see the domes of the Pochaiv Monastery in the distance to the northeast.

“Hrytsiu,” I asked over the phone, “What do you make of the visit of the Pochaiv icon to Canada?”

“Well, I suppose she is as entitled to visit Canada as any other Ukrainian would” he opined.

“That’s not what I meant Hrytsiu,” I replied. “I was thinking more of the religious significance.”

I knew I was entering deep water when I heard him chuckling as he answered – “There is no religious significance, my young turnip!”

Nonetheless, I continued – “What do you mean Hrytsiu?”

“Well I would refer you to what the Holy Gospels say about the proper use and care of icons.” He replied.

“But, but…” I stammered back, “I don’t recall that the Gospels ever said anything about icons.”

“Precisely!” he shot back.  “Icons, monasteries, patriarchates, elaborate ceremonies and the like are all creations of Man and not God.  You want religious enlightenment – talk to God, not to walls and pictures. You will have more luck finding God in your soul than in some picture.”

As with most conversations with Hryts, I was left speechless.