The demolition of the chapel of the parent of god of lychakov in lviv.

THE COLLECTION OF GOD'S parent IN LIV,

In February 1993, the editor-in-chief of “Gazeta Lwowska” Bożena Rafalska appealed to the Lviv: “Can anyone of you describe the past of the chapel of Łychakovsky?” (“Gazeta Lwowska” No. 3, 28.02.93). A image of the temple I know is in the newspaper.

A lot of time passed, and the paper was waiting for letters, and in the issue of 13 1993 it re-entered a photograph of the chapel, regretting that "Lvivians don't know Lviv, they don't care about Lviv...". Questions raised in paper publications were directed primarily to historians and art theorists.

I am not a specialist in this field, but I have tried to explain this issue in the pre-war publications of our distinguished experts Lvov: Orlowicz, Piotrowski, Jaworski and others. In vain. Only in the works of prof. I. Krypiakewicz did I find a message that there was a stone figure of the parent of God on the Glinian Route. It turned out that the sculpture of Our woman of the Immaculate Conception erstwhile stood close the corner of Łychczaka Street and its left block, Krupiarska Street.

The first farms in these areas of Lviv were created in the 15th century. By the beginning of the 17th century, more than 200 estates had already been registered in Lyczak, and the nearest church – St Peter and Paul – was built in 1660 as a roadside chapel (then much expanded). At the beginning of Krupiarska Street, at least since the 17th century there was a stone figure of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The first historical mention of the chapel of Our woman was recorded in 1850, erstwhile the dealer of the Parade covered the statue with a roof on 4 granite pillars. A fewer years later, Mr Górecka initiated the construction of a brick chapel, whose view was established in Piller's Lithographic Plant (T. Mańkowski) from 1860 to 1870. Lions from eighty years ago in contemporary Piller lithography. Piller-Neumann graphic works. 1928). At the beginning of the 20th century, it was stripped and put on a fresh neo-Baroque style. Inside was a crowned sculpture of Our woman of the Immaculate Conception. The crown, from the words of historian W. Trophymicuk, was dedicated to the Holy Father on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the Brest Union.

The chapel, which was carefully renovated at the beginning of the fresh century, delighted the inhabitants of Łyczak and guests of Lviv with its lightness and beauty of forms, delicate architectural style, subtle taste. In human memory, a beautiful, extended building, glazed from all sides, covered with a fine neo-Baroque roof with 4 vases of ornament at angles. They impressed with the historical stained glass windows, and especially the marble altar on which the figure of Our woman stood with a expression of kindness and love on her face, a welcome smile, a feeling of hope and peace. Many impressions from the gathering with the chapel in Łychak were perfectly described by the distinguished Lviv Witold Szolginia.

Soviet authorities have consistently destroyed not only spiritual temples, especially Catholic and Unity religions. She was besides subject to demolition even the memory of these holy places. No material was found in Lviv's archive collections regarding the chapel.

In 1944, Communist chief Joseph Stalin was reported to have more than 2,000 churches and churches in Western Ukraine, while in all Russia only 2 were in Moscow and St. Petersburg for the diplomatic corps.

Of course, this situation could not stay unchanged. Vladimir Lenin wrote:

“A Catholic priest who rapes a female is more safe than a priest who preachs God’s Word. Removing the first is no problem, while the second is not cursed by any citymen.”
Lenin Bucharin added: “Not only is love for God, but it is dangerous for communism to its neighbor. Destroying love for neighbour is simply a way to conquer the world.” specified ideas were the basis of the plan to build a communist society by the authorities of the USSR.

In 1946, in Lviv, a “Fighting Unit” was formed. Nikita Khrushchev, who reported this to the leaders of the empire, proposed to impose on the West Ukrainian press the work to regular display the advancement of the fight and to print information about the Vatican's reaction.

Shortly thereafter, 1 of the “Fighting for the Happiness of Man” of the author of the scandalous poem “I Blame the Pope” by Jarosław Galan was murdered in Lviv (an interesting poet was murdered by his comrades from the communist party).

Not only churches, churches, monasteries were destroyed, but besides all testimonies of religion of erstwhile inhabitants of the country. In a short time alone, more than 2,000 statues and sculptures of Jesus, Mary and saints, patrons of houses, statues were abolished in the recesses on the facades of the building. Lvov's residents were peculiarly remembered by the activity of 1 of the secretaries of the Railway Circuit Committee, which rooted out Catholicism by ordering the removal of crosses from churches and churches.

The celebrated statue of Mary made of white marble, located in front of the Church of Our woman of Snow, was smashed with hammers right in the church yard. The pride of Lviv – the marble figure of Our woman from Mary's Square was moved to the courtyard of the Historical Museum (Mark 6), and a fountain was erected in the holy place.

The chapel survived both planet wars, giving strength to endure our fathers and compatriots in the hard times of invaders and atheism.

Another blow was struck by the fresh cultural rulers to Lviv and all Christians on the night of August 27-28, 1959: on the eve of the large Holy Mary – the presumption of the Virgin Mary (according to the Julian calendar).

The chapel was surrounded by the militia and KGB troops. At that time, the residents were ordered to close the windows and not go out on the street so that no 1 would witness the demolition of the temple.

Yet, specified witnesses found themselves and 1 of them spoke of a barbarous act carried out in a defenseless place of Mary’s Worship.

A steel line was imposed on the chapel and a powerful tank knocked the structure off the foundation, and bulldozers and bulldozers razed the chapel to the ground.
Nothing left of the statue of Our Lady. After a memorable night of six years, Roman Gawor found a crown from a figure and a candlestick stand from the altar of the chapel, and after 35 years, Maria Gawor, who kept this relic, gave it to the priest who dedicated the stone to commemorate the place of the temple.

Today, 57 years have passed since these days. Almost 2 generations of lions survived their lives in our city.

But what a change in time!

When I asked the inhabitants of Łychczak in 1993 to indicate where the chapel was located, the sentences were powerfully divided.

Some said she was standing close Krupiarska Street, others said she was close today's cinema.

The time of demolition of the chapel remained to be discussed. The central archive of Lviv has only a cadastral map on which the likely location of the chapel was marked with a sign of the cross.

The materials stated that the chapel stood in the square in front of home 113.

A photograph of the chapel was placed in the “Gazeta Lwowska” dated 29.08.1993. The author claims that “the chapel was other Krupiarska Street 2 steps from the home “under the Iron Lion”.

The fortunate guess was that the soldiers, assigned to architectural and investigation work, began digging in the right place, with a choice of a nearly 100-metre section of the route.

On the 35th anniversary of the demolition of the facility, the “Memorial” organization sought to dedicate a Christian granite plate written in Ukrainian by clergymen.

The full action was founded by the company “Memorial”, established to celebrate historical and spiritual memorabilia. On Sunday, August 28, 1994, representatives of municipal authorities, social organizations, clergymen, thousands of lions arrived at the ceremony of beginning the commemorative sign – at different ages and different denominations. The Mass was celebrated by the priest dean Józef Legowicz and Fr.

Who contributed to the fact that present we have a chapel at Łychczakowska Street again? First of all, “Gazeta Lwowska” mentioned above and, of course, late Bishop Rafał Kiernicki.

Father Rafał said: “I would like to look forward to the times for me, as I erstwhile did, to execute May in the chapel of Our woman of Lychakowski” and after blessing on our work he added: “Remember – the harder your work will be.”
We besides owe the knowing and support of Jevhen Hryniw – the president of the “Memorial” of Lviv circuit and its deputy Mr. Longin Hryniw. In Semen Cymbaluk's studio (Institute of Ukrzachidproektrestawracja, manager of Dr. I. Mohytycz) were played free of charge on the basis of photographic papers sketches of the structure and after agreement with the main architect of the city of Lviv the method documentation for all reconstruction elements was developed. The City Construction Council (GUAI m. Lviv, manager of R. Mych) drew peculiar attention to this building, helped to choice a place on the site of the construction of the railway home (Łychakowska 125) and by its decision of 25 May 1995 allowed the restoration of a valuable souvenir of the 17th to 19th century in a historical kind with elements of baroque. spiritual gatherings of various religions and social organizations of Lviv, Lvivians who went to Poland, America, joined the charity. Many of the victims were among the faithful parishes of St Anthony's Church and the archaeology, St Andrew's Church and others. They were regularly reported by the diary of the “Memorial” organization, “Poczyk Sumlinnia”. The reconstruction sponsor was the head of the Lviv State Railway Hryhorij Kyrp, who selected the best specialists from BU-1 under the direction of Piotr Prokopiev.

On 11 October 1995, Fr Sławomir Zieliński of St. Anthony's church devoted the first concrete block to the foundations of the chapel, and on 8 December the construction of the walls was completed. At the same time, a central dome, doors and windows were made in the experimental-mechanical mill of the Lviv railway. On January 25, 1996, under the direction of Michał Kaszpi, the workers working at the heights – Stefan Malec, Michal Handzka and Lubomyr Dowhun erected a cross and installed a dome.

In human memory there is inactive a image of the beautiful Rococo figure of Our woman with a crown. But the statue was destroyed. After a permanent consultation in February 1996, I requested aid from the Rector of the Lviv Academy of Fine Arts prof. Emanuila Myśki. It took a long time and on January 30, 1997, representatives of the Memorial Society, architect-conservator of the chapel Semen Cymbaluk and prominent sculptors of the monuments of Lvov met in the workshop of sculptor Vladimir Łoza. Włodzimierz Łoz presented his plan of the sculpture of Our Lady, he listened to quite a few critical remarks, mainly concerning the insignia of Jesus, Mary and the form of her crown. They all came to the conclusion – the figure of Our woman should have regional features, even the Lychakovian ones.

A year passed and a postgraduate of the cathedral of monumental and decorative art, sculptor Włodzimierz Łoza introduced the members of the State Examination Commission to the results of his work. Under the direction of prof. W. Podolski, a noble image of Our woman was created, a symbol of motherhood, love and support of the victims. The look of the Virgin Mary, directed at those who pray, shows mercy and forgiveness, and in the dynamic movement of the left hand we read the motion of protection, the saving of life, the intercession behind us before Jesus Christ, who blesses his flock with his right hand. In the composition of sculpture, the figure of God-parent remains an expression of the bond between Jesus Christ and man.

The members of the KE, discussing the sculpture, marked the advanced level and originality of W. Łaza's work. The deputy manager of the National Museum in Lviv, Dr. Halina Worczyńska, in a review, pointed out that “the compositional strategy of the execution of the current sculptural group is clear and logical. Well-thought-out size, taking into account the plan of forward-looking perception of the full composition. Beautifully made soft, melodious lines of the silhouettes of Jesus Christ, God-parents, robes, figures. The sculpture was performed on a advanced artistic level".

On May 24, 1998, the ceremonial dedication and beginning of the chapel of the parent of God took place in a fresh place: pipes of sewers and gas are approaching the found foundations, and the building requires an open space, which was not achieved in the old place, built by residential blocks. The celebrations began with the song “Gaude Mater Polonia” performed by the choir “Echo”. After the Holy Mass and the dedication of the chapel, representatives of the municipal authorities and the Memorial organization spoke. A large point was singing at the end of the song by Jerzy Michotka “Łychakowska Madonna”, “Indefeminate” by Edward Kuc, and of course the first performance of the song “Welcome to the Mother” by Boleslaw Kurka with the words of Irena Masalska, which the choir “Echo” prepared especially for the beginning ceremony of the chapel of Our woman of Łychakovsky.

MOTHER'S WITNESS

Madonna, we from Lychakov,
Of all the streets of old Lviv
Today we stand here with joy tears—
Queen of Lviv, pray for us!

Our ancestors came here,
They worshipped you with their prayers,
The joys, the sorrows carry the handfuls...
Lvov's sand, pray for us!

The time has come sad –
You were taken,
Your home was destroyed and trampled,
God has been dishonored with words, deeds...
Patroness of Lviv, pray for us!

Protected in your hearts, you came back here,
This is our eternal faithfulness and love,
Which we preach present with the words:
Madonna Lvova, be always
With us!

Irena Masalska Lviv 1997

What else do we request to make the chapel look right? It's been 19 years since the chapel was sacrificed. Many of the proposals active the reproduction of the marble (although granite) sculpture of Our woman with the kid Jesus. We inactive have a plaster statue in the chapel – the work of Włodzimierz Łaza. The model of the sculpture is located in the master's workshop. Even the altar plan has not yet been agreed with the clergy of the various denominations. In the spring of 1998 graduates of the Lviv College. Trusha demonstrated projects to cover walls and domes with biblical images. In the reconstruction task there is documentation for 4 decorative vases on the chapel roof and window windows. Without these decorations and interior decoration, the building loses the resemblance to pre-war. Its past is closely related to the life of the lycheans and established in various legends. Bishop Marian Buczek reported that Cardinal Marian Jaworski was baptized in the chapel of Our woman of Łychakovsky. Is there a chapel of akin importance to the city? In 2007, the mayor of Lviv Andriy Sadowyj visited the chapel of Our woman of Lychakowski, cared about the state of reconstruction and promised the aid of the city...

Development of Constanta Skwarko

Text published in No. 17 (285) 12-28 September 2017
‘Galician courier’