Saint Flavian (in commemoration of the 970th anniversary of the first Сhronicle about Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra)

Dear friends!

We continue acquainting you with the artworks of the Church of Sts. Anthony and Theodosius of Pechersk (Refectory).

Today’s release of our “Artistic Heritage” column is dedicated to the image of St. Flavian of Constantinople.

On February 1, 1903, Flavian Gorodetsky became Metropolitan of Kyiv and Halych and, at the same time, Holy Archimandrite of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. Undoubtedly, this important event necessitated the inclusion of the image of the metropolitan patron saint - Patriarch Flavian of Constantinople, into the church painting.

The imaginary portrait of Flavian was painted by Ivan Izhakevych. The church image was given the features of psychologism. As you know, the life of this Saint was deeply tragic. Byzantine theologian, Patriarch of Constantinople, the Saint lived under the Byzantine Emperor Theodosius in the middle of the 5th century. During these years, the unity of the Christian Church was ‘torn by internal turmoil and heresy”. To condemn the heretical teachings propogated by the Monophysites, St. Flavian convened a local council in Constantinople. However, the teaching of Monophysitism was justified at another council in Ephesus, while Patriarch Flavian, was sharply condemned and brutally beaten by defiant monks. Heavy iron chains having been put on him, he was sentenced to exile. Three days after the verdict, the saint died.

The Patriarch’s face looks tensed. It strikes by the inner strength of the feelings that the artist managed to “breathe” into the image of the saint. His eyes are tired, sore and inflamed.  Deep emotional pain and suffering are clearly seen in them. The eyes shine, full of unshed tears. It seems that the viewer hears a silent scream and a silently repeated question, which had frozen in the clear gaze of the sky-blue eyes of the Patriarch. The same question, which excites the soul, is reflected in the deep wrinkles, sharply curved by double arcs on the broad forehead of the thinker. The moral “string” in the psychological portrait of St. Flavian, composed by the painter on the basis of his life, sounds very intensively.

The text was prepared by Olena Pitateleva, the senior research worker

Research Division for the study of the artistic heritage of the National Kyiv-Pechersk Historical and Cultural Preserve

Caption to the illustration:

1. Ivan Izhakevych. St. Flavian, Patriarch of Constantinople. Early 20th century. Painting of the Church of Sts. Anthony and Theodosius of Pechersk