We honour God when we show that we have beautified our place of worship. Just as it is good to give money to the poor, it is also good to beautify God’s temple.

Just as our Church of Christ is made up of many people, we hope these icons will be sponsored by many families. You are welcome to individually sponsor an icon on your own. However, some families and individuals may also wish to “microfinance” an icon as a group. For example, most of the icons cost $2,500. A group of 10 parishioners could choose an icon and each donate $250. You are welcome to choose to sponsor one of the icons below. Become an icon sponsor today! 

• Entrance of the Theotokos into the temple (Nov. 21)

• Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Sep. 14)

• Nativity of the Theotokos (Sep. 8)

• Annunciation of the Theotokos (Mar. 25)

• Nativity of our Lord (Dec. 25)

Contact Oleh in the office if you are ready to sponsor an icon. Payment can be made by e-transfer to office@stvolodymyr.ca (include “Icon project” in the message) or by cheque. Tax-receipts available.

The Cathedral Icon Project

In preparation for centennial celebrations of our parish in 2026, our parish began in 2021 the large project of commissioning nineteen (19) large, handwritten icons of the thirteen (13) major feasts of the Lord and seven (7) celebrations of Great Lent. These exquisite icons by Ukrainian iconographer, Oleksiy Mezentsev will be framed and mounted inside the Cathedral, available for veneration.

See the icon brochure

Through your generous donations, six (6) icons have already been completed. One is in-process (the Transfiguration of Our Lord) and eleven (11) more are awaiting sponsorship! With each icon taking 2-3 months to complete, our hope is to raise enough funds to complete five (5) more icons in 2025!

An Offering That Endures: Icons as a Legacy

Icons endure. Even in less than ideal conditions, the gold, inorganic pigments and binder with which they are created are remarkably resilient. The gesso base — a combination of natural adhesive and white marble dust, applied to a seasoned and sealed hardwood board — forms an incredibly stable support, resisting the efforts of heat, cold and humidity to deform the surface. Examples of icons from the first three centuries after the birth of Christ still exist.

Properly cared for and protected, icons approach the permanence in this world that those who contemplate the truth behind their painted surfaces cannot pretend to. As an offering of thanksgiving, as a sacrifice of praise, as a prayer of supplication and entreaty; in remembrance of those we yearn to meet again in that world, the icon has few equals.