Nothing is hidden that will not be disclosed: an exhibition dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the Lviv pseudo-sobor was opened in Kyiv

It was neither a "sobor" nor a "sobor of the UGCC"

The event began with the words of the Primate of the UGCC His Beatitude Sviatoslav.

According to him, today in the museum we can see silent witnesses which testify to the true history of totalitarianism in Ukraine.

"I appeal to everyone: come here to see the exhibition. Among the exhibits we have a unique icon, which was dishonored by the Enkavedists. Today the icon of the Mother of God from the Cathedral of St. Yura is in front of us," said the Father and Head of the UGCC.

Then the Primate of the UGCC thanked all the institutions for organizing the exhibition.

We ask God to help us prevent similar tragedies from happening again in the future,” His Beatitude Sviatoslav added.

Violence did not have the last word

Mr. Ivan Kovalchuk, Director General of the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War, thanked His Beatitude Sviatoslav for the trust and called on to continue to work together for Ukraine.

Ms. Olena Bohdan, an associate professor at the Department of Sociology of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, noted that today's event evokes in her feelings of both joy and sadness. "Our commemoration of this date means that violence did not have the last word," the reseracher stressed.

Then the Dean of the Faculty of History of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Dr. Ivan Patryliak, made a speech.

"Today we remember the days when evil and great violence took place. These days, 75 years ago, special services officers packed things and went to Lviv. Why was the UGCC destroyed? Could one Church have threatened such a powerful empire?” asked Dr. Patryliak. “Because the UGCC serves God, they feared it in the Kremlin. And they needed a structure that would agree to serve the regime."

In contrast to a state that performs a function, the Church performs a mission

Professor Oleksandr Lysenko noted that "in contrast to a state that performs a function, the Church fulfills a mission. This mission is expressed in the active position of the Church in various national and public issues."

Hence the Vice-Rector of UCU and the curator of the exhibition, Dr. Oleh Turiy, expressed his belief that the phantoms of the past must be called by name to create the future. "Because when we are free, then we are creative," said the researcher and conducted a tour of the exhibition.

The exhibition is dedicated to the memory of all the bishops, priests, and laity of the UGCC who remained faithful 75 years ago

A unique exhibit is the icon of the Mother of God, which the Enkavedists brought to Lviv as a sign of the "victory" over the UGCC. It was from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. Today it is kept in St. Yura Cathedral in Lviv.

"We want to show with this exhibition that violence cannot lead to good results. Violence must be eradicated," Oleh Turiy said.

The exhibition " Nothing is hidden that will not be disclosed" at the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War will be on display until the end of March.