by InTrieste
In a quiet courtyard in the heart of Trieste, an unusual exhibition aims to turn the symbols of war into messengers of peace.
On May 8, the “Piazza della Pace” (Peace Square) will open in the atrium of the Bishop’s Palace and along nearby Via Cavana. The event, organized by the Diocesan Council for Lay Associations and the Ukrainian-Friulian Cultural Association, will feature a collection of icons painted by two Ukrainian artists on wooden ammunition crates — remnants of the ongoing war in Ukraine. These images, sacred and essential, are intended to evoke not only suffering but also resurrection and hope.
The event seeks to carry forward the spirit of last year’s Settimana Sociale dei Cattolici in Italia, a week-long gathering held in Trieste in July 2024 that fostered dialogue, reflection, and public engagement, in line with Pope Francis’s call for a “Church that goes out.”
The exhibit will be introduced by iconographer and scholar Antonio Cattaruzza, followed by a reflection on peace by the Bishop of Trieste, Monsignor Enrico Trevisi. Ukrainian Catholic priests from both the Udine and Trieste communities will also attend.
The event will include musical performances by three local choirs—Coro Farit, Coro Scout, and Coro misto Lipa di Basovizza—each offering a unique expression of Trieste’s multicultural landscape.
The exhibition will remain open to the public through May 24, from Monday to Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., offering visitors a chance to contemplate the intersection of art, faith, and the longing for peace in a world still marked by conflict.
