An Icon of “The Holy Mandylion” Created in Ukraine from Ammunition Fragments

An “unusual art project” — an icon of “The Holy Mandylion” (Spas Nerukotvornyi) — has been unveiled at Ukrinform. The icon is made from fragments of artillery shells and mines. The author of the piece is American artist of Ukrainian descent Serhii Melnykov, founder of the international charity “Soul of Ukraine.” The presentation was reported on Ukrinform’s YouTube channel.

According to Melnykov, the three-dimensional image of Christ is composed of six layers of black metal fragments, none of which were mechanically processed. “Each element was hand-selected to convey the spiritual meaning and emotional intensity of the work. The face of the Savior is placed on a cloth crafted from flattened shell fragments and covered with gold,” the artist said.

Earlier, it was also reported that investigators from the National Police of Ternopil region brought charges against a 63-year-old resident of Kremenets district “for inciting religious hatred.” The man is accused of criticizing the use of national symbols in churches on social media. He faces up to three years in prison.