The People

Ukrainian —Ukraine, Percent Christian: 79%, Percentage Evangelical: 3.8%, Evangelical Growth Rate: 3.1%

Ukrainians are by far the largest group in Ukraine, but there are 78 other people groups who live in the country as well, including about 7 million Russians. According to legend, the Apostle Andrew brought the gospel to Scythia, an area that includes present day Ukraine. A Scythian bishop attended the Council of Nicaea in 325.

Vladimir the Great made Kyivan Rus a Christian state in 988 AD. The deep Christian roots of Ukraine are evident in its coat of arms, a gold trident on a blue shield. It resembles a descending dove and represents the Holy Trinity.

The Painting

Oil on linen, 24 x 30 inches

Iryna Kostenko embodies the grief of the Ukrainian people as the result of the Russian invasion which began in February, 2022. The grief-stricken mother holds a photograph of her beloved son when he was a young boy. Her son grew up to become a soldier who lost his life defending his country. In the background lies the grave of her son, marked with an Orthodox cross. The upper crossbeam represents the sign which read “King of the Jews,” the middle crossbeam is where his hands were nailed and the lower bar represents the foot-rest.

BBC producer Jeremy Bowen produced a short video about Iryna’s story early in the war, and granted permission to use the video to create this portrait of Iryna, who lives near Kiev.