Ukrainian artist gifts Pope Francis with symbol of peace, crafted from broken Kyiv church glass ravaged by Russian aggression

Yana Tarhonia, an artist from Ukraine, crafted a one-of-a-kind symbol of peace as a dove adorned with blue and yellow colors. This unique piece was made using shattered pieces of stained glass from Kyiv's St. Nicholas Church, which was severely damaged during a Russian attack on December 20, 2024. Cardinal Konrad Krajewski then gifted the dove to Pope Francis.

The press service of the Roman Catholic Church of Ukraine reported this.

Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, the leader of the Dicastery for the Causes of Mercy, stopped by St. Nicholas Church on his journey to Kharkiv. He kicked off his visit with a prayer for Ukraine to experience a fair peace and for the parish church, which Pope John Paul II was assured of in 2001, to be restored.

In turn, the parish priest, Fr. Pavlo Vyshkovskyi OMI, spoke about the consequences for the church caused by the Russian missile strike on the capital:

"As we can see, nothing is sacred for our enemy. Last Friday morning brought a tragic event upon us, as our church has already faced destruction. These past few days, our fellow church members have been working tirelessly to remove the damaged stained glass and regular glass caused by the explosion. They even took it upon themselves to install polycarbonate in the rose and tower windows. They have hired a company to remove the remaining stained glass pieces for future restoration safely."

The cardinal, together with the Apostolic Nuncio in Ukraine, Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas, inspected the damage to the shrine, particularly the fragments of glass from the facade preserved by the parish. These fragments became the material for creating a work of art.

A Dove of Peace for Pope Francis

Yana Tarhonia, an artist and church member, created a symbolic dove of peace using fragments of stained glass. The dove was designed in the colors of the Ukrainian flag and adorned with the words "A piece of stained glass from the front of St. Nicholas Church, 12/20/2024."

Cardinal Krajewski presented this piece to the Pope. Yurii Tandit, the head of the church's board of trustees, described the dove as "a symbol of our deep love, suffering, and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ."

Despite the devastation, Father Pavlo Vyshkovsky, the church's rector, reassured that Christmas services on December 24 and 25 would continue.

"This will demonstrate our invincibility because no one and nothing will steal Christmas from us," he said.

For reference:

The St. Nicholas Church in Kyiv,a Roman Catholic church, was constructed in the neo-Gothic style between 1899 and 1909 by the Ukrainian and Polish architect Vladyslav Horodetskyi, based on Valovsky's design.

In September 2021, a fire broke out in the St. Nicholas Church. The fire started between the first and second floors of the building and destroyed the wind organ. According to the bishop of the church, the instrument caught fire during a rehearsal. After the fire in 2021, the historical monument began to collapse.

Before the fire, the St. Nicholas Church was shared between the National House of Organ and Chamber Music of Ukraine as a concert venue and the St. Nicholas Parish of the Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine, which holds services for the religious community there.

The congregation members entered into a memorandum with the Ministry of Culture to preserve the church. As per the agreement, the Ministry of Culture was responsible for transferring the church to the Catholic parish for permanent use once emergency repairs were finished, with a deadline of June 1, 2022. Unfortunately, these terms were not fulfilled.

On October 8, 2022, the Cabinet of Ministers [Ukraine's government – ed.] included the St. Nicholas Church in Kyiv in the State Register of Immovable Monuments of Ukraine.

In October last year, a petition was registered on the Government Portal to transfer the St. Nicholas Church in Kyiv to the Roman Catholic religious community. The petition received the 25,000 votes required for further consideration by government officials.

On December 20, 2024, as a result of a Russian missile strike on the capital, the St. Nicholas Church was again damaged. Around the church, windows flew out in the towers, and some stained glass windows fell.