The issue # 7 of The Gifts almanac published in July 2020. Three of the essays that open the issue are John Paul II’s Message to the People of Art (translated by Natalia Gorbanevskaya) with commentary by Olga Sedakova, and reflections by Peter Butenev (St. Vladimir’s Academy) on the connection between beauty and forgiveness.

Next, a conversation between iconographers Olga Shalamova and Deacon Alexei Trunin, who became famous last year when a patron knocked down his mural in one of St. Petersburg’s churches. However, our conversation revolves around the temple in Akhalkalaki (Georgia), where the fate of the murals was fortunate. Philip Davydov talks in detail about gold as a material and its use in the decoration of temples.

One of the centerpieces of the issue is an essay on the work of the Kiev graphic artist Yuri Khymich (1928-2003) and his “Russian Cycle. What allowed him to see Russia-Moscow, St. Petersburg, the Golden Ring cities and the Russian North-without the Soviet clothes? Boris Sorokin reflects on this. We publish unique reproductions of works by Yuri Khymich from the artist’s family archive. Some of them you can see on our site.

Anatoly Yuriev tells the history of the revival of blacksmithing in Russia and the works of blacksmiths for Orthodox churches.

In the Architecture section, an interview with Yuri Kharitonov, an architect from Samara.

In the Literature section there is a magnificent essay by Archpriest Leonid Griliches “David’s Cry” about the piercing expression of the psalms, which is not always noticeable during the monotonous recitation of psalms during Orthodox worship services. The essay is illustrated by iconographer Oleg Shurkus.

Artist Sergei Shikhachevsky’s essay “The Artist’s Hand is Obedient to the Heart” is devoted to the phenomenon of the cave temples and frescoes of Cappadocia, in which the author has long been in love, and seeks to share this love with the reader.

“On the Thirst for Authentic Church Life” is a correspondence between Sergei Chapnin, editor-in-chief of the almanac, and Archpriest Vyacheslav Perevezentsev about trends in the life of the Church.

Reflecting on the problem of cultural heritage and attitudes toward it in the Church, Dmitry Sladkov poses the question radically: “Who is dead?”

Yves Amann recounts the fire at Notre Dame and ponders what the restored church will be like.

Vladimir Sharonov’s essay “Denying Fear” is dedicated to the memory of Archpriest Pavel Adelheim.

Obituaries. Alexander Kornoukhov on Byzantologist Olga Popova, Ekaterina Maleina on Archpriest Nikolai Vedernikov, and Irina Yazykova on art historian Natalia Sheredeg.

The issue traditionally ends with a chronicle of the commonwealth “Artos” and letters to the editor.

Cover: a fragment of “At the walls of the Lavra” by Yuri Khimich, design by Alexei Chekal.