The Odessa Branch of the Hellenic Foundation for Culture presents the photo exhibition “The St. Sophia of Kyiv: the milestones of history” on June 21 at 16:00.
The exhibition displays the millenary history of the National Conservation Area “The St. Sophia of Kyiv”, created in 1934 and became National in 1994.
The National Conservation Area includes not only the St. Sophia Cathedral but also other monuments of the universal importance such as the Golden Gate, the St. Cyril’s Church, the St. Andrew’s Church in Kyiv and the Sudak Fortress in Crimea.
The St. Sophia Cathedral has preserved ancient architecture and the most complete in the world complex of mosaics and frescoes of the 11th century. This is the monument of the universal importance which was inscribed by UNESCO in 1990 on the World Heritage List. Its monumental ensemble unique by its ancientness, singularity, completeness, and integrity has delivered to us the vivid spirit of the Kyivan Rus prosperity epoch.After the opening of the exhibition the lecture “The millenary of the St. Sophia of Kyiv” by the senior research fellow of the National Conservation Area “The St. Sophia of Kyiv”, Viacheslav Kornienko, will be conducted.
The majestic St. Sophia Cathedral has manifested the appearance of a mighty Christian Rus on the international scene. The Cathedral became spiritual, political, and cultural center of Rus, as its visible image and sacramental center. It housed the metropolis, to which affiliated was an ancient domestic library along with workshop where books were translated and copied. The Cathedral witnessed Grand Prince enthroning, consecration to metropolitanate, conclusion of political covenants, and reception of ambassadors. It was there that church assemblies were held, and thanksgiving services in honor of important events were conducted.
The lecture is accompanied by the slides supplementing the photos of the exhibition.
