Studite Icon Collection Revived

From the beginning of the renewal of the Studite Order in Ukraine in 1898, Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky wanted the Studite monks to continue the tradition of painting icons. This was also the beginning of a concerted effort to collect and preserve valuable icons. Two museums were founded, one at the Studite monastery in Lviv and one at Dormition Monastery in Univ (in the Lviv region).

After World War II the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church was banned by Stalin’s regime and the icon collection of the Univ museum was burned. Ninety-nine of the best icons from the Lviv Museum were saved, and in 1947 the Studite Monks gave them to the Lviv National Museum for safekeeping. During the time of the underground Church, the Studites continued the work which Metropolitan Andrey had entrusted to them. They gathered icons, parts of icon-screens and other sacred items. With the rebirth of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the activity of the museums was renewed. There have been seven exhibitions of the Studite collection.

The latest, largest and most successful was held in winter 2000-2001 at the Cultural Art Center «Dzyha»(Spinning Top) in Lviv, with the support of Ukrainian National Deputy Taras Stetskiv and the Director of the Center, Markiyan Ivashchyshyn.