Dear visitors
My name is Oleh Skoropadsky and I write Byzantine icons.
I am Byzantine Catholic (Eastern Rite Catholic) in Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. My church traditions are very rich as they combine Orthodox and Catholic Church traditions and customs, along with ethnic heritage and folklore that assimilated with our faith.
Painting has always been my favorite pastime since I was a kid. As probably any child I often was asked these questions: ‘What do you want to do?’ ‘Why do you want to do it?’ ‘And finally, how do you want to do it?’ These came out to be very essential questions that basically constitute the logic foundation for our purpose in this world. I chose to paint God, Angels and Saints.
My first introduction to Byzantine iconography happened back in 1996 when I was a 17-year-old art college student. I was then studying stain-glass when Mrs. Mila Mina, iconographer from San Diego, CA, came to Lviv, Ukraine, to decorate our church. I offered to volunteer my time to help. Back then I couldn’t imagine that iconography would shape up my entire life. I’ve been writing Byzantine icons for over 25 years now. Many of my works decorate churches, monasteries and private prayer corners in many counties.
About the mission
Over the past 100 years our Church has enriched itself with a great number of martyr saints who deserve to be honored. Every month I dedicate my time to a saint who has not been represented in iconography yet or is rarely depicted.
I work to make sure that the newly canonized saints from the Triumphant Church meet their friends here in our Military Church on earth.
Also, the new beatitudes who are awaiting to be canonized are in my priority list, especially those, who where persecuted by communist regime and did not switch their faith under the fear of death.
A New Icon is coming monthly. Prints are available for purchase from the catalog while custom made icons or murals are available upon request. I accept your list of saint patrons as well. feel free to contact me.
Your commissions help me to create new icons and support in helping make this world a better place.