Night Train to Lviv (Lvov), Ukraine

I was comfortable about most of  my travel arrangements for my Eastern European adventure, but I admit I felt uneasy at the prospect of taking the night train alone from Kyiv to Lviv, Ukraine, even though everyone assured me it was the best way to go.  Being cautious, I had arranged in the US to buy a 1st class ticket voucher through select-a-room.com (to be picked up in Kyiv) which meant that there would be no more than  two people sharing the small sleeping car.  My friends, Steve and Lorraine, helped me take public transportation to the train station around 10 pm and to find my train and car.  What a pleasant surprise!  It was a new train; everything was clean; the stewards were helpful; the air conditioning was working; and I ended up with the room to myself (it wasn't a full train on Monday night).  I slept well to the rhythm of the rails and woke about an hour before our 6:30 a.m. arrival in Lviv to watch the sun rise over the misty countryside.

I was truly solo for this part of the trip.  I had made arrangements in advance through the tourist agency, InLviv (www.inlviv.com) and found them very helpful in scheduling tours and transportation over the internet in English.  My English-speaking guide from InLviv gave me a great walking tour of the city and an interesting one-day van trip with a German couple to the castles surrounding Lviv (next post).

The name of this town tells its history:  today it is Lviv in Ukrainian; older maps call it Lvov in Russian; the Austrians and Germans call it Lemberg,  as it was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire (and occupied by the Nazis); and the Poles call it Lwow because it was part of Poland. The city was founded in 1256 by King Danylo in honor of his son Lev. Whatever one might call the city, the lion is its mascot, and everyone agrees it is a lovely city.  Guidebooks call it an "undiscovered Prague."  This small UNESCO city in  Western Ukraine near the Polish border is a delightful mix of Medieval, Renaissance, Barroque, Neo-Classical, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco architecture that somehow managed to escape serious damage despite the  frequent wars that have plagued the area.  It even managed to avoid the invasion of concrete Soviet-style buildings.  However, the Jewish quarter and ghetto were mostly destroyed.  According to  the Lonely Planet's Ukraine  guide, 136,000 people died in Lviv's Jewish ghetto; 350,000 Jewish individuals from the region died in nearby concentration camps during the Nazi occupation.  There were also mass killings of Ukrainians and Poles at different stages of the wars.

When I got off the train, I had arranged for a room at the Grand Hotel, which still has a yesteryear elegance on the main square.  It gave me a place to freshen up and rest before starting my all day castles tour.  For complex scheduling reasons, I changed hotels and spent the night at the more modern Dnister Hotel overlooking the city.  I liked both.  The next day I had a refreshing stroll through Ivan Franko Park above the university to start my walking tour.  The facades of the buildings through town were fascinating, with sometimes elegant and sometimes quirky  carvings and statues.  A cafe/store in an old section of town still had lettering in Polish and Hebrew.  Many buildings in Lviv have been "re-cycled."  A more modern facade was simply put on an older building whose window trim or arches still show through.

 There were numerous beautiful churches to peak into.  I especially liked the old Armenian Cathedral that was started in 1363.  It was closed by the Soviets, but restored and re-opened in 2002 with dramatic new frescoes alongside ancient crosses and a Renaissance courtyard.   The used book market was presided over by a giant statue of Fydor, the monk who brought printing to the area, but  the open air market of painted eggs and traditional embroidery and crafts was presided over by the local women in fierce competition to sell their beautiful wares (I bought a table runner with embroidered eggs and pussy willows).   We passed remains of the old city's walls and arches, charming cafes, distinctive houses, and their renowned chocolate shop.

But the place where things were really "happening" was Prospekt Svobody--a pedestrian plaza in the middle of town where people gathered to visit on shaded benches, and little children enjoyed their mini-cars.  At one end was the famed Opera House (unfortunately closed for the August season).  On the other end is the statue of the famous Ukrainian poet/patriot Taras Schevchenko (see Kyiv, Ukraine post on Summer in the Parks).  Next to him rises a large bronze "wave" with cast figures of symbolic significance.  I can't find my notes or a description on the internet, so this is what I recall.  One side shows religious figures and events.  The other side shows a Ukrainian youth in the center with figures fading below him, representing the generations that were lost by the killings that had occurred, and figures fading into the future above him, representing generations yet to come.  As I understood, it was meant to remind us both of the devastation of wars and the hope for a better future.

I found even lovely Lviv had traffics jams.  Like the rest of the world, they were repairing the roads--only these involved cobblestones that had to be removed and replaced.  Poland and the Ukraine were jointly chosen to host the 2012 UEFA  football (soccer) competition, and Lviv was chosen as one of the sites. Lviv was busy fixing up the town.  As I understand,  the qualifying matches are being held this summer and fall in selected cities and final matches will be held in Warsaw and Kyiv next year.  Although Lviv's historic center is compact, there is much to see.  I wished I had given myself even more time to explore  Lviv and its surroundings.

Click below for slideshow:
Lviv

More Information:
http://www.inlviv.info/

Kyiv, Ukraine: The LDS (Mormon) Temple

August 2010

One of the delights of my Eastern European journey (see Eastern Europe and/or UA Ukraine sidebars) was that I ended up in Kyiv during the Open House for the newly built LDS (Mormon) temple in Kyiv.  This is the first LDS temple built in the former USSR.  Prior to the dedication of a temple, it is open for the general public to go through it.  I was fortunate to be there the first day of the general opening (they had had a prior day of VIP visits).

I chose to include the Ukraine in my post-Danube cruise itinerary based largely on the wonderful reports of friends who were serving a mission for the LDS church there.  Having been a successful lawyer and judge in the USA before retirement,  Steve and his wife, Lorraine, volunteered for a church mission and were assigned to Kyiv for 18 months to help with legal affairs and preparation for the dedication of this temple.  When I planned my trip, I knew they hoped the temple would be finished in the summer, but it was a pleasant surprise that I would be there during the two weeks of the Open House.

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the temple is not the place of our weekly Sunday services.    Chapels or rented buildings, if necessary, are used for those services, activities, and other functions, and all are welcome to attend (members as well as those not of the faith).  Temples are special places that qualified members attend in order to perform sacred ordinances, such as marriages for time and eternity, in a beautiful and serene setting apart from the noise and influence of the world.  They are sacred places where covenants are made and precious blessings are promised, contingent on our faith and obedience, and where the Spirit of God is strongly felt.  Above the doors of each temple are the words:  Holiness to the Lord.  There are more than 134 temples around the world.

My friends very much enjoyed their time in the Ukraine and experiences with the Ukrainian people.  There were some adjustments in lifestyle:  a small apartment with no air-conditioning and using only public transportation for 18 months in rain, snow, and heat.  But they loved the fresh food markets and the arts that were available at inexpensive prices (opera, ballet, concerts) and adjusted to ice cream in a tube!  Mostly, they were touched by the faith and sacrifices of the people they worked with.

The Open House was advertised through the media and in the subways.  As the temple is on the ring road around Kyiv, free buses were provided from the nearest subway station.  There were missionaries to help people find their way as well as individuals of another faith trying to dissuade people from going, but it was amicable.  Needing to have a tour in English, I was privileged to be in a small group with the wife of President Biddulph, the first LDS mission president to the Ukraine, their daughter and son-in-law, and another couple.  It turned out that the son-in-law had been in the same ward (congregation) as my family many years ago.  Small world.  Through unfortunate circumstances, Sister Biddulph is now in a wheelchair and nearly blind, but her glorious spirit shown through.  It enriched my experience as we described for her the beauty of what we were able to see.

President Biddulph joined us in the celestial and sealing rooms as we talked about the miraculous growth of the church since it came to the Ukraine less  than 20 years ago.  There are now nearly 11,000 members in the Ukraine and many more who will be able to come to this temple from Russia and other former Soviet nations.  The temple design incorporates many aspects of the Ukraine.  The wheat motif is used in the etched windows and the interior as well as gold painted floral motifs.  The windows are placed so that the building is filled with light and, with the chandeliers, it sparkles like a gem.  I was filled with such peace and joy.  It was the highlight of my journey.

When we completed our tour, we were able to meet members of  a group of Ukrainian scholars who had been participating in a special conference on religious freedom in the Ukraine.  As  a conclusion to the conference, they had toured the temple and learned of some of our beliefs.  Their comments were very favorable.  One professor told us after the visit that he found the church was "spiritually irresistible." For all who toured, there were light refreshments and an opportunity to ask questions.  I had become so involved in the discussions that I didn't think of getting pictures until it was almost time to catch the shuttle back to town.

As part of the celebration prior to a temple's dedication, there is often a cultural night where youth perform.  Lorraine had been learning to play the bandura (national instrument) and was part of the orchestra which included both youth and adults.  Groups from the Ukraine and surrounding countries gave exciting performances.  Below is a link  about the performance before the dedication of the temple.  My next post will be the night train to Lviv in the western Ukraine.

Click below for video clip:
Kyiv Temple Youth Celebration

More information:
http://mormon.org/   http://lds.org

The Golden Domes of Kyiv, Ukraine

August 2010

 There are many remarkable things about Kyiv (see UA Kyiv on sidebar), but one cannot go through the city without catching a glimmer of its plentiful and glistening golden domes.  As noted in my post "On the Streets of Kyiv," Christianity came early to this city.  Early texts claim that the Apostle Andrew himself came to this area and dedicated it to Christianity, but it was hundreds of years later that Prince Volodmyr (Vladimir the Great) and his Rus people were converted to Christianity in 988.   Shortly after his baptism,  he married Princess Anna, sister of Basil, a Byzantine emperor.

Byzantium was still the stronghold of  Eastern Orthodox Christianity, and, in 1037,  Kyiv's  Prince Yaroslav started to build their own  St. Sophia Cathedral  to honor the great Aya Sophia Cathedral in Constantinople (Hagia Sophia in today's Istanbul).  Sophia means wisdom in Greek. Kyiv's almost a- thousand- year- old cathedral is graced with thirteen green (representing life) domes topped with gold (representing Christ and the Holy Spirit) spires. Stepping inside, I was transported through time and space to the era of the powerful and extravagant Byzantine Empire.  Whispered memories of kings being crowned and buried,  of foreign ambassadors being received, of faithful priests, monks, and peasants echo in the vast domes, arches, mosaics, and frescos of the church.  One third of the original  11th century frescoes and mosaics  remain and restoration of others is in progress.  In the apse, one immediately notices  a 6-meter mosaic of Mary, the Mother of God, but  looking up in the main dome one can find  the mosaic of Christ, the Pancrator (Almighty).  I like this icon best in orthodox churches, as it depicts Christ in his glory, not his suffering.

The shadowy coolness of the cathedral was a welcome relief from the heat, as we wandered through its maze of  side chambers.  The Soviets intended to destroy it in their godless society, but they were courting political favor with the French who greatly admired St. Sophia.  And so, this ancient treasure was saved.  In other cathedrals, I was able to pay to take pictures, but no photos were permitted of the interior of St. Sophia.  I don't think they could have captured its atmosphere and magnificence, anyway.

Along the Dneiper River is another important religious center--The Kyiv Pechersk Lavra.  In 1051, a Rus monk, Anthony, returned from the Greek Mount Athos Monastery and secluded himself in a cave for worship.  Other hermits soon joined him, so he moved further away.  Soon a  monastery  evolved with a strict monastic code.  The relics and bodies of many of these early ascetics remain in good condition today which many Orthodox view as part of the miracles and mysteries of God associated with this holy site.  Being respectfully dressed, we went into some of the caves and the surrounding 14 churches.  A modern and fun touch, both at St. Sophia and the Lavra, was sculpture / mosaics made from the brightly decorated Ukrainian pysanski eggs.

With a population of 50,000 in 11th century Kyiv, there were 400 churches.  Unfortunately, much was destroyed in the invasion by the Mongol-Tartars in 1240.  Many new and ornate cathedrals were built in the following centuries until the 20th Century (see post on Kyiv's Hard Times).  I especially liked St. Andrew's Cathedral with it teal-colored domes that looked like velvet with gold decoration.  The interiors of many of these churches has had to be restored or redone.  Some are painted in a pleasant Art Deco style.

Under Soviet domination a number of churches were destroyed (notably St. Michael's pastel blue cathedral across the square from St. Sophia).  Others were turned into recreational or scientific facilities.  The beautiful paintings by Victor Vasnetsov in St. Vladimir's Cathedral, built for the 900th anniversary of the baptism of the Rus, were preserved because the church  was turned into an anti- religion museum.   Some churches  were severely damaged during the WW II battles of Kyiv.  However, even after 70 years of the atheistic communist regime, Kyivites retained their faith in God and rebuilt and returned to their churches when freedom was restored.

I couldn't find a web site that told me how many churches are presently in Kyiv, but there are a lot.   While the Ukrainian Orthodox churches have the greatest membership and number of places of worship, the Ukraine has a policy of religious freedom.  There are (and have been) synagogues, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox, and protestant churches, and a few mosques.  My next post will share my visit to the open house for the newly dedicated Kyiv Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS or Mormon Church).  I felt a deep spirituality evident among many of the Ukrainians in spite of (or perhaps because of) all they have endured.

Click below for slideshow:
Kyiv Churches


Music: "Lord, Have Mercy," Polyphonic Orthodox Hymns,  St. Cyril and Methodius Ukrainian Church Choir  (distortions are in original recording, but it is still beautiful)
Additional Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Christianity_in_Ukraine

A Capital (Washington, DC) Fourth (Of July)

July 4, 2011

Reflecting on the long journey to freedom many of the Eastern European countries had to travel, I am even more grateful for the liberties I enjoy in the USA.  Challenged by a niece to see more in my own backyard, I headed downtown DC (District of Colombia) midday on the 4th to see what I could see.

I have gone a number of times to see the Smithsonian Folklife Festival around the 4th on the National Mall   ( the long strip of grass between the Capitol and Lincoln Memorial, not an air conditioned cluster of shops, like I heard one disappointed teenager moan).  Every year there are 3 themes chosen--a foreign country, a US state or region, and an organization or special concept.  There are tents with demonstrations, stages with live performances, cooking classes, a market area to buy items from those areas, and stands to buy yummy regional foods to eat --in other words a lot of fun and interesting things to do.  It's taken me to Ireland, Bhutan, the Silk Road,  NASA, Indian Territories, etc.

This year they were celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps--spotlighting countries as diverse as Kenya, Tonga, Guatemala, Ukraine, Botswana, et. al.;  Rhythm and Blues from the South; and the country of Colombia.  I enjoyed food from West Africa and Southeast Asia with a Mrs. Field's cookie ice cream sandwich.  It's great to have those from other countries as well as our own diverse population join the celebration of our founding.

This year at the Archives Building where the original Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are kept, you could sign your name in agreement with the great principles of the Declaration:  that all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights--life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  I didn't make it through the crowds to sign the document, but I declare my conviction here.

Our timing was perfect that day.  We arrived around 11:30 right near the place where the Independence Day parade was forming to go down Constitution Avenue.  What diverse groups there were:  Hispanics, Vietnamese, boy scouts, wounded veterans, high school bands, little hometown soldiers, American Sikhs and a great band representing the Falun Dafa philosophy.  I watched the parade as it came around the bend at the National Archives and marveled at all that has happened since those 13 vulnerable colonies announced to the world that they would be free and independent.

It was one of our usual hot and humid July days with threatening thunderstorms, so I returned home to watch the evening Capital Fourth concert below the Capitol and its magnificent fireworks display from the comfort of my air conditioned living room.  I admit  I'm not as hardy as those early patriots!

Join me in a parade!
Click below for a great slide show!
Independence Day parade


Music:  "It's a Grand Old Flag," God Bless America, Mormon Tabernacle Choir

Freedom and Dark Days in the Ukraine: Holodomor, Babi Yar, and the Orange Revolution

The 20th Century was one of turmoil, tragedy, and finally triumph for the Ukraine.  As the century began, the western areas of Ukraine were under the Austro-Hungarian Empire (see Habsburgs post on side bar), the eastern regions under Russia, and some northern areas belonged to Poland.  World War I pitted the regions against each other, and many Ukrainian villages were destroyed in the  crossfire.  Conflict only intensified during the Russian Revolution, where between 1918-1920, Kyiv changed leadership18 times between the Red Russians, White Russians, Poles, Germans, and other groups.  There was an attempt at independence, but the country that had lost 1.5 million lives in these conflicts also lost the chance to be free.


The Ukraine has been known as the Breadbasket of Europe, as its fertile fields have almost always produced an abundance of grain and food.  But Stalin was determined to force successful Ukrainian farmers into his poorly conceived collectivism and destroy any movement toward independent nationalism (at least that 's what I concluded of this complicated matter).  The result was known as the Holodomor or "Killing by Hunger," a man-made famine whose policies resulted in the death of 7-10 million Ukrainians between 1932-33.  The Soviets then denied this ever occurred and "adjusted" records, so numbers are still debated.

 Peasants were considered "counter-revolutionaries," accused of  hiding grain and potatoes needed by the industrial workers.  All food was declared property of the state, and any peasant suspected of bringing food home from the fields was cut off from rationing.  While the worst effects were in the countryside, those in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities also had inadequate food.  Anyone providing food to others was punished.  Some escaped into Romania, but most could only watch families and friends starve, as Ukrainian food was taken for distribution elsewhere.  Since the fall of the USSR, the Holodomor has been recognized as an act of genocide and a crime against humanity.  There is now a touching statue and monument along the  river to remember those who suffered in this land of plenty.

World War II brought additional horrors to the Ukraine.  In Hitler's invasion of the USSR, he targeted Kyiv and the steppes of the Ukraine on the way to his intended conquest of Moscow.  Hitler considered his victory in the Battle of Kiev the greatest battle in history, as his troops managed to encircle over 400,000 Soviet troops just outside the city--the largest encirclement of troops in history.  After a siege of 72 days,  Kyiv was forced to surrender,  but there was a strong underground  movement that kept the resistance alive.  Many Kyivites were brave in those dark hours.  Their Dynamo soccer team (see the preceding post on Kyiv: Summer in the Parks)  made up of malnourished workers was challenged to play the elite and powerful German Luftwaffe team.  They were told it would be best to lose, but, in what has been called the Death Match,  the Dynamo team won 5-1.  While the team members were not immediately shot (as some have reported), most were arrested and tortured.  Some were eventually killed; others were fortunate to slip out of sight.

The story of Babi Yar stands as one of the worst Nazi atrocities.  On September 29, 1941,  all Jews of the city were ordered to report near the Jewish cemetery.  They were stripped of clothing, attacked by dogs, and beaten and shot by soldiers into a ravine called Babi Yar--the live, wounded, and dead, falling on top of one another.  In two days, over 33,770 Jews were killed or buried alive. Others were later send to concentration camps or labor camps in Germany.  I was reminded of the complexities of Everything is Illuminated.  On a very hot Sunday afternoon, we visited one of the memorials at Babi Yar.   At the top was a mother, hands bound, leaning over to give her infant a final kiss.

My guide, Helen, took me to the National Museum of the History of the Great Patriotic War (WWII), an impressive memorial dedicated in 1981 by Premier Brezhnev to the suffering and courage of the Soviet people in the war.  In front of the museum stands the 62 meter statue of  Rodina Mat (Nation's Mother), facing over the Dneiper River, which was heavily fought over in the liberation of Kyiv in 1943.  Before the war, Kyiv had 930,000 people;  after the liberation, there were only 180,000.

The second half of the century was kinder to the Ukraine.  Gradually,  Kyiv grew again in size and importance.  Khrushchev actually added territory to the Ukraine, including the port cities of Sevastopol and Yalta, never thinking they would be separated from Russia.  In 1986,  the people were not warned of the dangers of  nuclear fall-out from Chernobyl in nearby Belarus, and instead the children of Kyiv were paraded in the streets to show there was nothing to worry about.  As the USSR crumbled, Ukraine declared independence in 1991, but it wasn't really until the peaceful Orange Revolution in 2004 that the citizens, filling the streets of Kyiv and  Independence Square, demanded their right to greater freedom and democracy.

In those intervening years, Andrey Kurkov wrote Death and the Penguin,  a"dark humor" novel revealing a bleak and isolated existence in post-communist Kyiv.  Reading it during my journey, I was utterly charmed by Misha, Viktor's pet penguin, and captivated by the tale of Mafia and governmental corruption.  However, this was not the Kyiv I found as a tourist---colorful, lively, delightful.  Yet, there is still a statue of Lenin standing in Kyiv, and, despite all that happened,  those who want to bring back the communist way.  As I am writing this on our American Fourth of July weekend, it makes me even more appreciative of the great heritage and blessings of freedom that I enjoy.  I hope the Ukrainians continue to enjoy their hard won liberty.

Click below for slideshow: 
Dark Days in Kyiv


Music:  Newelink (Prisoner), Ukrainian Village Music:Historical Recordings 1928-1933, Ukrainiska Selska Orchestra
More Information:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kiev_(1941) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holodomor
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babi_Yar