Trident and Rosary from Pope Francis Found in Rubble of Ukrainian Director’s Home

Iryna Plekhova Returns to Her Destroyed Apartment

According to Главком: After a Russian strike on the night of July 2, Iryna Plekhova-wife of filmmaker and screenwriter Oleh Chorny-visited the ruins of their apartment. Wearing a protective suit, she retrieved surviving items: a wooden trident carved by her father-in-law, scorched icons, and a rosary gifted to the family by Pope Francis. The building was completely destroyed in the attack.

Cultural Losses and Personal Stories

Plekhova serves as Deputy Director for Cultural Projects and Communications at the Kyiv Cultural Cluster and also manages the Lira Cinema. She described the extreme danger of entering the collapsed structure:

“They let us in at our own risk because the danger of collapse is very high.” – Iryna Plekhova

During her visit, she found nothing intact: “No, nothing survived. Just like in this photo, everything changed shape, things melted into each other.”

Among the lost items were:

• approximately 5,000 old books, including a Bible;
• hundreds of signed books from the Sixtiers generation of Ukrainian intellectuals;
• first editions of repressed writers;
• early publications from independent Ukraine;
• an icon her grandmother preserved throughout World War II;
• DVDs containing video footage the couple planned to donate to an archive.

“We have nothing left. Everything burned completely,” Plekhova emphasized.

The rosary she recovered was delivered to the family by Father Jaroslaw Krawiec at Christmas 2024. “Father Jaroslaw Krawiec gave this rosary to our family from Pope Francis at Christmas 2024,” she said. She also mourned the loss of many personal belongings: “For the second day, I blame myself that the icons did not survive.” She noted that their home had a space for family and personal prayer that now no longer exists.

This tragedy underscores the war’s devastating toll, affecting not just physical structures but also cultural heritage and deeply personal histories. The destruction of books and religious artifacts reflects the pain felt by countless Ukrainians enduring the conflict. Highlighting the importance of preserving cultural memory, Plekhova’s story serves as a reminder of the urgent need to support those who have lost their homes and heritage to war.

The ongoing conflict has led to significant cultural and personal losses, as evidenced by the recent missile strike that severely damaged a historic building in Kyiv, affecting 90% of its apartments. Such attacks not only destroy physical structures but also devastate the lives and memories tied to them. To understand the broader implications of these strikes on the community and its heritage, read more about the impact of the missile attack on this legendary site here.