We travel to Russia this week to view a folk art piece of serene beauty at odds with the savagery of that country's war with Ukraine. It is a reproduction of Russia's much revered icon of the Vladimir Mother of God with a surface appearance of highly polished wood, made from lacquered layers of compressed paper by an artisan from the village of Mstera. Located near the Golden Ring of historic cities around Moscow, the town is famed for its decorative souvenir boxes. The lacquer piece is made in the style of a folding travel icon. Two doors with images of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel open to reveal the luminous Vladimir Madonna and Child, bringing to mind the Royal Gates of an Eastern Orthodox icon screen. On the panels to the left and right of the central image, we see the Apostle Peter, founder of the Church, and John the Baptist, who appears with the Virgin Mary next to Christ in Deisis (Prayer) icons. Pray for the Peace of Ukraine! (John Kohan)