August 19, 2007 In the Cathedral of St. Cyril of Turauski in Brooklyn, an event was held on the occasion of the 450th birthday of Leo Sapieha, a political, social and military figure of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, who for more than 30 years was the great chancellor, that is, the second person in the state after Grand Duke Sigismund III.
During the event, the Belarusian Museum presented a work of art by Ales Shaternik with an image of Lev Sapegi, and well-known figures from the Belarusian diaspora performed.
Unfortunately, the artist himself was unable to come for the presentation of his painting, so the explanatory note to the work was read by his daughter, the artist Yulia Shaternik:
LEV SAPEGA...
He was ahead of his time and wanted to lead society behind him. And society looked back to the familiar and familiar yesterday... Society did not understand him, because it was looking for a living in today's day... Sapegi's life motto is conviction
<< Not only I, but also my life belongs to the Fatherland >> Even in his youth, Sapega so impressed the King and Grand Duke Stefan Bathory with his knowledge of laws and Latin that he appointed him together with Astafius Volovich and Kristof Radzivil to create the Tribunal of the Grand Duchy, and later and the Statute of the VLK...Thus, the statute was the fruit of legislative thought, the thought of the <<noble people>> In the preface to the Statute, Sapega expressed his views on the legal society and the state. according to Sapega, every person should determine those legal norms that would honor him and protect him from shameful acts. And for the State, the guarantee of its prosperity and greatness is the legal system... The monarch and the authorities must obey the law. Thus, Sapega's views influenced the humane nature of the Articles of the Statute. For the new order, even a simple man <<God's creature>>...
The statute proclaimed the equality of all before the law. The rights of women and minors were protected, the principle of religious freedom was confirmed, it was forbidden to keep free people in captivity... Nature was taken under state protection, the use of land, forests, rivers and lakes was regulated... The statute declared the Grand Duchy of Lithuania an independent Principality...
According to the Statute, Lithuania (Belarus) lived until the middle of the 19th century.
For 200 years, the Statute of, was the most perfect body of law in Europe and made a significant impact on European legal thought...
He figuratively defined his titanic work as follows <<I showed everyone the fairest and easiest road to the knowledge of the right>>...<<I will guard the peace of the Motherland until the end of days>> - this is the goal of Lev Sapegi's activity... This year marks the 450th anniversary of the birth of this outstanding statesman …
The author of the painted picture, Leo Sapega on a horse, under a white-red-white ribbon, with the inscription <<1557 SAPEGA 1633>> thought about this while working with oil on canvas... He used the iconographic material from the so-called Sarmatian portraits and, in particular, the portrait Leo Sapieha of the 17th century...
Ales Shaternik
After that, the members of the board of the Belarusian Museum: Anatol Kolbun and Mikalai Saganovich told more about Lv Sapieha, and Vladimir Teliatsa gave a speech.
This event was held in a warm friendly atmosphere.
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