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PRESS RELEASE Exposition for the Nativity of John the Baptist

On July 7, 2021, the Museum of Arts presented an exposition of works from the museum's collection for the Nativity of John the Baptist.

According to the Orthodox calendar, July 7 marks the Nativity of John the Baptist. John - the son of the priest Zechariah and Elizabeth - relatives of the Virgin Mary, was born six months before the birth of Christ. His birth was also evangelized by an angel. Filled with asceticism and service to God, the life of John aroused great respect for him by the people of Judah among whom he preached. John baptized those who repented of their sins with water. Christ, whom John baptized in water, came to the banks of the Jordan River with everyone.

In the Sacred Art Hall of the Art Museum there are three icons associated with the figure of St. John the Baptist. One of them is the icon of St. John the Baptist (second half of the 19th century), restored in 2014 by National Research and Restoration Center of Ukraine by the artist-restorer Iryna Kostenko.

The image of the Baptism of Jesus Christ is depicted on the icon of the Epiphany (late 19th - early 20th centuries), which was restored in 2020 in Kharkiv branch of the National Research Restoration Center of Ukraine by the artist-restorer A. Pohribny.

Continuing his service to God, John fearlessly exposed sins and deception not only among the common people, but also among the rulers, for which King Herod threw him into prison. On the birthday of Herod, Solomiya, the daughter of Herodias, asked for the severed head of John as a gift for her dance. And received it on a platter… Thus the life of the prophet ended martyrdom. This event is reflected in the icon "Cutting off the head of St. John the Baptist" (late nineteenth century), which was restored in 2020-2021. in Kharkiv branch of the National Research Restoration Center of Ukraine by the artist-restorer of easel painting V. Korotkykh.

People also call this day Ivan Kupala - a holiday of the summer solstice. In Ukraine, this day is a poetic pagan celebration of the triumph of sunlight and warmth. The main attributes of the holiday are Kupala and Morena. The celebration usually begins on the evening before Ivan Kupala. The girls gather in a designated place near the pond with wreaths on their heads woven of fresh flowers and fragrant herbs.

This day is associated with the summer solstice and is considered to be the most mystical night of the year.

 

Tetyana Kostenko -  senior scientific worker of the Art Museum Department -

Art Gallery "World and Fatherland" named after Petro Ossovsyi