OCU cathedral in Lutsk decorated with frescoes of businessmen

Fresco of a businessman in the OCU Cathedral in Lutsk. Photo: misto.media

The upper church of the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Lutsk now features images of well-known Volyn businessmen, reports Misto.media. Among them are construction businessmen Viktor Chernukha and Leontiy Ivanyshyn, as well as the owner of the Viliya agricultural enterprise, Yevhen Dudka, and others. The OCU also intended to depict Ihor Palytsia, though his image is not yet included.

Cathedral iconographer, “deacon” Yuriy Hetmanchuk, explained that the first images were created six months ago, but some of them received mixed reactions, leading to modifications.

“Currently, work has stopped due to the uproar. We had to redo some images in response to the feedback,” Hetmanchuk said.

The list of patrons to be depicted was provided by Volyn Diocese head, Mykhailo Zinkevych, and included 12 people.

Following public criticism, the OCU is now considering replacing the businessmen’s images with figures from culture and the arts. The iconographer assured that the portraits are placed in areas that do not interfere with the main Christian composition of the church.

Zinkevych previously announced that the cathedral would depict scenes from Volyn’s history and culture, adding that this innovation would be unique to local architecture.

As reported by the UOJ, the Lutsk Cathedral of the OCU previously refused to conduct funeral rites for a soldier because he was “not a Hero”.

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