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Arts & Communication Altar “Passion of Christ” in Lviv

compositional solutions, they are high-art masterpieces II issued a directive to eliminate cemeteries around churches
and unique art creations. One such work is the Renaissance and burials inside churches in Lviv 13(p.140) and establish four
alabaster relief altar dedicated to the Passion of Christ, cemeteries outside the city to improve urban hygiene. 14(p.321)
originally from the ruined Chapel of the Holy Cross, Latin It was during this time that the Scholz-Wolfowicz
Cathedral in Lviv. Chapel was destroyed, and the altar of the Passion of

Alabaster is a geological rock, a dense, fine-grained, Christ, by the direction of Bishop E. Sierakowski, was
semi-transparent gypsum aggregate, 11(p.160) which is easy to transferred to the Church of St. Nicholas of the Trinitarian
work with and was used to make decorative items. Alabaster Order 3(p.55) (now the Orthodox Cathedral of the Protection
quarries were actively developed in Ukraine due to the high of the Mother of God [OCU]) (Figure 2). The altar of the
demand for alabaster products. Different types of alabaster Passion of Christ is located in the left nave of the main altar
were extracted, including white matte, pink-gray striped, section of the Cathedral of the Protection of the Mother of
and those with light-yellow patterns. 11(p.160) Alabaster, being God (Figure 3).
a soft gypsum stone, is brittle and delicate; its translucency The Trinitarian Monastery and the Church of St.
allows light to pass through, making it a common material Nicholas were constructed in the late Baroque style
for interior decoration in combination with other stones between 1739 and 1745 on the site of a wooden shrine,
such as marble, sandstone, or limestone. The most designed by architect Francesco Placidi and the builder
widespread use of alabaster carving was in the region of Trinitarian monk K. Gronadski. 1(p.1981),14(p.96) It is situated on
Lviv 5(pp.201-221),12(p.160) during the medieval era, making it a a hill and stands out with its silhouette and late Baroque
very valuable material for sculptors as a decorative medium. expressiveness amid the dense low-rise buildings of Lviv’s
Various decorative vases, stands, statues, and unique sacred central area. The cathedral is laid out in a three-nave plan,
and monumental art pieces were made from alabaster. 4(p.45) featuring a broad central nave and significantly narrower
In the medieval period, there was a tradition of side naves, all covered with vaulted ceilings. The church’s
constructing family chapels-tombs at churches, which were interior was executed in the Rococo style during the
adorned with alabaster altars and tombstones featuring 18 century. The rich Rococo stucco decoration, wood
th
portraits of the deceased. In Lviv (Figure 1), at the Latin carving, and numerous sculptural images adorning the
Cathedral, there existed family chapels-tombs, one of which interior of the Cathedral of the Protection of the Mother
– the Chapel of the Holy Cross – was owned by the wealthy of God create a profound esthetic impression and evoke
Scholz-Wolfowicz family. The alabaster altar of the Passion emotional admiration from observers. In the left nave of
of Christ was made for this chapel. In 1783, Emperor Joseph the main altar section of the cathedral is the Renaissance

Figure 1. Lviv on the map of Ukraine
Source: https://tripmydream.ua/ukraine/map

Volume 3 Issue 3 (2025) 4 doi: 10.36922/ac.4738