Treasured Relics and Statues Displayed in the St. George Cathedral
Located on St. George Hill, over-looking the city of Lviv, the church was the perfect target for destruction in the past. At least two versions of the St. George Cathedral were built before the final construction of the church as it is seen today. The Cathedral of St. George became the mother congregation of the Greek-Catholic religion in Ukraine.
According to historical research, the first church that was constructed
from wood, dates back to around the year 1280. King Casimir III of Poland
was responsible for the destruction of the church in the year 1340.
Reconstruction to the Church led to the four-column design, to ensure that
the building was strong enough to ward off vandalizing invaders. One of the
most momentous occasions that took place in the St. George Cathedral in
Lviv, was the proclamation of the Act of Unification, in the year 1700.
Metropolitan Athanasius Sheptytsky was responsible for the construction of
the final church building in 1746. With Bernard Meretin as the architect and
Johann Georg Pinsel as the sculptor, the cathedral was bound to be
breathtaking. By 1762, the St. George Cathedral was complete and became the
heart of the Greek Catholic religion in the Ukraine. The Cathedral of St.
George stands today as Sheptytsky left it and the strong influences of
traditional and Western architectural styles were combined to create a
breathtaking structure.
The St. George Cathedral in Lviv, is home to one of the
most treasured relics, which was brought to the cathedral by Bishop Jiseph
Shumlianskyi in 1674. It is the Icon of the Virgin Mary, and is a
spectacular and preserved artifact. The interior was decorated with
luxurious embellishments created by the local artistic talents of Lviv.
Pinsel, the sculptor of the cathedral, created the spectacular St. George
(known as the Dragon Slayer) statue. The St. George statue can be viewed in
the attic of the cathedral, while the intimidating statues of St. Athanasius
and St. Leo protect the portal.
Renovations to the St. George Cathedral took place in the 1996, restoring
the original beauty of the cathedral. Tourists, visiting this amazing
historical masterpiece will not be disappointed. Over and above the
cathedral, visitors can also visit the belfry, walk through the peaceful
gardens or enter the final resting place of many important figures of the
past in the tombs below the cathedral.
