Visitors will be able to learn more about the winter holidays by getting acquainted with the masterpieces of Ukrainian iconography and Western European engraving of the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as the history of the thousand-year-old St. Sophia Cathedral through the prism of music.
For the winter holidays, “St. Sophia of Kyiv” National Reserve, together with “Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra” National Reserve, presented a joint inter-museum exhibition project - “Cathedral of Divine Songs”, which became one of the key cultural events of the Christmas and New Year holidays.
This was reported by Vechirniy Kyiv (Evening Kyiv).
Visitors can look forward to:
- Acquaintance with unique artifacts: you will have the opportunity to see and “hear” ancient music manuscripts from the archive of the 18th century St. Sophia Monastery, as well as examine relics found in the underground sections of the cathedral.
- Meeting with legends: the exhibition features exhibits related to iconic figures who were involved in the musical dimension of the Baroque history of St. Sophia Cathedral, such as Hryhorii Skovoroda and Artemy Vedel.
- Stories and mysteries: the exhibition reveals the secret of the 17th-century “St. Sophia Carol” and introduces guests to the sound of the main icon of St. Sophia Cathedral - the temple image “Sophia the Wisdom of God” in the iconostasis, which not only depicts a musical instrument but also “encodes” a very specific song.
The exhibition presents masterpieces of Ukrainian iconography, Western European engravings of the XVII-XIX centuries, unique relics, ancient manuscripts, and exhibits related to iconic figures such as Hryhorii Skovoroda and Artemy Vedel, who were involved in the musical facets of the history of St. Sophia Cathedral in the Baroque period.
The exhibition reveals the mystery of the 17th-century “St. Sophia Carol” and introduces the sound of the main icon of St. Sophia Cathedral, the iconostasis of the temple image of St. Sophia the Wisdom of God.
“This exhibition is the result of cooperation between two iconic institutions, which is extremely important in times of war, as such projects clearly emphasize the importance of our national shrines,” said Maksym Ostapenko, Director General of the “Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra” National Reserve. ”They demonstrate the power of the Ukrainian identity, and despite the enemy's attempts to deprive us of our historical memory, we do more than preserve it - we promote and popularize it!”
“Today's exhibition is dedicated to a unique topic that is close to St. Sophia and non-trivial in the museum space,” said Neliia Kukovalska, Director General of the “St. Sophia of Kyiv” National Reserve, in her welcoming speech at the opening of the exhibition. ”It is interesting because we recall the names of prominent personalities in the history of Ukraine and see artifacts, engravings, and icons kindly provided by our colleagues from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. This is no accident, as a joint project of two reserves is being implemented, which are listed under the same number on the UNESCO World Heritage List.”
The exhibition will run until March 31, 2025.
Location: St. Sophia Cathedral, 2nd floor, northern exhibition halls
Admission: a ticket to St. Sophia Cathedral - 150 UAH, discount ticket - 75 UAH (schoolchildren, students, pensioners)