The “Spas of Bakhmut” Icon Rescued from the Frontline, Presented to the Church in Starunia by His Beatitude Sviatoslav
On August 22, during the solemn consecration of the Church of the Blessed Martyr Simeon Lukach in Starunia, the Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, presented the icon of Christ the Almighty, rescued from war-torn Bakhmut. Saved by soldiers and military chaplains from a church destroyed by enemy shelling, the icon will now be venerated under the name “Spas of Bakhmut” (the Savior of Bakhmut).
His Beatitude Sviatoslav spoke of the icon’s profound spiritual significance:
“This treasure was entrusted to me by military chaplains. At the height of the fierce battles in Bakhmut, our soldiers rescued this icon from a burning building. It miraculously survived the flames.”
He also noted that the icon’s restoration and the creation of a silver oklad (robe) were gifts from devoted craftsmen, a gesture that underscores the sacred value and divine blessing of this holy image.
In his patriarchal letter, His Beatitude officially named the icon Spas of Bakhmut and bestowed his blessing for its veneration in the newly consecrated church.
“The eyes of this icon—the Spas of Bakhmut—have witnessed the cruelty and devastating force of war, as the enemy relentlessly sought to capture this city,” the letter reads.
Read also:
“Here, the Lord opens a space for healing the wounds of war,” — UGCC Head Consecrates the Church of Blessed Simeon Lukach in Starunia
The Patriarch urged the faithful to pray continuously before the icon—for the Church and especially for Ukraine’s defenders, who “stand firm, often at the cost of their own lives, thwarting the enemy’s devilish plans to annihilate Ukrainians as a people and a nation.”
“May this holy image become a wellspring of grace from the Holy Spirit and a source of spiritual peace for all who come to pray before it,” His Beatitude concluded.
The UGCC Department for Information
