Seven precious objects from one of Ukraine’s most important religious and cultural sites have gone on display in the UK for the first time, as the V&A opens Sacred Treasures from Kyiv at V&A South Kensington today.
Dating from the 18th century, the objects have travelled from the National Preserve ‘Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra’, the historic Orthodox monastic complex and UNESCO World Heritage site in Kyiv, for a year-long free display exploring Ukrainian sacred art, craftsmanship and cultural heritage.
Among the seven works are key objects used in Orthodox Christian worship: an icon, a silver-bound altar Gospel, a diskos used to carry the Eucharist during the Divine Liturgy and a silver-gilt chalice depicting the Crucifixion.
Together, they offer a rare encounter with Ukrainian Baroque sacred art and the extraordinary tradition of goldsmithing associated with the Lavra, which became an important centre for artistic production and patronage.
The British Council has supported the transportation of the works to London as part of a wider cultural partnership between Ukraine and the UK.
From Kyiv to the V&A
The exhibition builds on a multi-year collaboration between the V&A and the National Preserve ‘Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra’ that began with research into two pairs of rare silver-gilt Holy Gates held in the Gilbert Collection, on long-term loan to the V&A from the Gilbert Trust for the Arts.
Originally from the Kyiv monastery, the Holy Gates are now displayed in the newly transformed Gilbert Galleries at V&A South Kensington and are the only known examples of their kind outside the Orthodox world.
Research undertaken by the V&A and the Lavra, with further support from the Ukrainian Institute and ICOM UK, has been examining not only the objects themselves but the more complicated histories of ownership, displacement and exchange surrounding Ukrainian cultural heritage held outside the country.
The project forms part of a broader international effort to reconsider how Ukrainian heritage in overseas collections is researched, attributed and presented.
“This display offers an opportunity to tell a story far greater than that of a remarkable group of objects,”
said Maksym Ostapenko, General Director of the National Preserve ‘Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra’.
“The silver Holy Gates and other treasures from the collection of the National Preserve ‘Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra’ reveal an entire chapter of Ukrainian cultural heritage that remains little known beyond Ukraine.”
Ostapenko describes the 18th-century Ukrainian school of sacred goldsmithing represented by the works as “one of the highest achievements of Ukrainian Baroque art,” adding that their presentation at the V&A places this history within the wider context of Europe’s shared cultural heritage.
For Volodymyr Sheiko, General Director of the Ukrainian Institute, the collaboration has already changed how Ukrainian objects are understood within the museum.
“Our joint work on a decolonisation guide for museums contributed to a more accurate attribution of the Holy Gates’ origin, presenting them as part of Ukraine’s cultural heritage within the grand halls of the Victoria and Albert Museum,” he said. “We are glad that the Holy Gates opened the way for broader engagement between the leading institutions of Ukraine and the United Kingdom.”
V&A Director Tristram Hunt said:
“These national treasures showcase the exceptional skill of Ukrainian silversmiths and illuminate the rich artistic heritage preserved by the Lavra.”
“We hope that the display and conference this September will inspire greater appreciation of Ukraine’s unique heritage and foster collaboration across the cultural sector to uncover and share the country’s remarkable story.”
The exhibition is accompanied by a programme exploring Ukrainian cultural heritage, including a one-day symposium bringing together UK and international voices to discuss changing approaches to its representation, preservation and interpretation.
Sacred Treasures from Kyiv, 14th September 2026–17th September 2027, V&A South Kensington
Silver Gallery and Sacred Silver and Stained Galleries, Galleries 84 and 89.
The collaboration is supported by the British Council as part of the cultural ambitions of the UK–Ukraine 100 Year Partnership, alongside the Ukrainian Institute, Ministry of Culture of Ukraine, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and Embassy of Ukraine in the United Kingdom.
