The ancient city of Lutsk keeps many architectural gems, is rich in historical places, but another attraction, which made the city famous far beyond the Volyn region, was opened in 1993 Museum of Volyn Icons — the only museum of such specialization in the country.
The museum keeps a unique collection of sacred art monuments — icons, including the rarest and oldest, decorative carvings and sculptures — figures of saints and angels, as well as crucifixes and other sacred exhibits. In total, the museum has collected more than one and a half thousand exhibits created in the period from XI to XX centuries, including about 600 icons.
The school of Volyn icon painting has always been characterized by originality. Volyn icon painters have always mastered the art of icon painting, were able to combine a variety of styles, had their own creative manner of translating sacred ideas into picturesque images. Many icons painted by Volyn masters later became famous outside Ukraine due to their unique energy, several Volyn icons were recognized as miraculous.
In the Museum of Volyn Icons any guest of Lutsk can join the sacred secrets of the images painted many centuries ago, feel the grace and tranquility of their contemplation and receive their blessing. Pilgrims who believe in the spiritual power of the rarest images, which have become exhibits of the museum, come here at all times.
One of the most famous exhibits of the Museum of Volyn Icons is the miracle-working image of the Mother of God of Kholm — one of the oldest icons preserved on our planet, one of the oldest icons from the times of Kievan Rus. Its exact origin is unknown — the icon was tentatively painted in the XI-XII centuries in Byzantium, and its author is considered to be the holy apostle and evangelist Luke. According to legend, the icon was brought to Kievan Rus as a dowry of the Byzantine Princess Anna, the bride of Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich.
For 14 years, after the icon was handed over to the museum by a Lutsk resident in 1996, the icon was restored. As a result, the restorer A. Kvasiuk managed to restore more than 60% of the original painting. Now the icon is exhibited in a separate hall where excursions and divine services are held. For almost a thousand years of its existence the icon has had many miracles, and one of them took place in the museum — a four-year-old boy, who could not stand on his feet, learned to walk after his grandmother brought him to the icon several times with prayers for healing.
But there are other legendary images in the Museum of Volyn Icons. Many other icons reflect the history of Lutsk and Volyn region as one of the best iconographic schools.
The Museum of Volyn Icons also presents the works of the famous Ukrainian painter Job Kondzelevych, including «The Savior Almighty», «St. George» and other works, including fragments of the 1696 Diyakon and Tsar’s Gate, as well as works by the master of icons from Mykhnivka and other Volyn icon painters.
The spiritual value of the exhibits of the Museum of Volyn Icons is boundless, sacred and ancient unique images are collected here, and people from all over the world come here to see them.