The idea for the Light of Memory for Lychakiv Cemetery initiative was pitched in 2003 by a group of young Poles from Lviv working for the local Polish media outlets.
The goal was to celebrate various famous individuals, many of whom have been unjustly forgotten, who are buried in Lychakiv Cemetery in Lviv as well as other cemeteries in former Polish lands.
Light of Memory for Lychakiv Cemetery is a beautiful initiative that strengthens the sense of identity of the Polish community in Lviv, as well as reminding us of those who, through their contributions to the Polish national legacy, earned the gratitude and remembrance of posterity.
Lychakiv Cemetery is usually associated with the best and brightest – including writer Maria Konopnicka, mathematician Stefan Banach, novelist Gabriela Zapolska and painter Artur Grottger. Our knowledge of the hundreds of other prominent and distinguished Poles buried there remains limited, however.
In 2004, Radio Lwów aired its first Ocalić od zapomnienia (To Save from Oblivion) programme. The initiator and author of these All Souls’ Day broadcasts, which were aired by the Lviv station between 2004 and 2008, was Beata Kost.
The programme reminded listeners about great and important individuals – social activists, people who contributed to Polish culture, science and art, successful entrepreneurs, soldiers, athletes and more.
A symbolic element of the initiative was the titular ‘light’ – candles were lit on forgotten and untended graves.
The first Light of Memory was modest in its scope. It was organised from the ground up by a static team of radio employees: Irena and Genadiusz Świdziński, Beata Kost, Grażyna Basarabowicz and Barbara Pacan. Thanks to the support of the Polish Association for Maintaining Military Graves, they were able to purchase and light more than 500 candles.
In 2006, the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Lviv offered considerable support for the initiative for the first time, taking on a portion of the organisational responsibilities. Some 20,000 candles were lit across Lychakiv Cemetery that year as a result.
Since then, the Lviv consulate has become the institutional organiser of the Light of Memory for Lychakiv Cemetery, and a continuator of an initiative originally started by a group of young residents of Lviv. The candles, which come from Poland, are lit by Polish organisations from Lviv, students attending Polish schools, scouts, volunteers, visitors from Poland and everyone who wishes to pay homage to the forgotten heroes buried in Lychakiv Cemetery.
The initiative is currently supported by the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
