Saint Javelin

Saint Javelin is an Internet meme and fictional character depicted in a religious icon style as a saint-like figure cradling a modern weapon used against the Russian invasion of Ukraine, such as the FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank weapon. The meme was created by Christian Borys during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and became famous around the world, eventually resulting in other similar memes. The meme boosted morale and was used in merchandise products, resulting in more than a million dollars raised for humanitarian charities assisting Ukraine.

Background

The meme was created by Ukrainian-Canadian journalist Christian Borys, initially for use on stickers whose proceeds were to be donated to humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. The Saint Javelin meme went viral online as a symbol of resistance against the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Christian Borys is based in Toronto but was previously working in Ukraine as a journalist during the initial conflict in 2014. While there, he freelanced for various countries and was particularly moved by the plight of orphans and widows from the war in Donbas.

Meme

The meme itself depicts a stylised Madonna (mistakenly claimed to be Mary Magdalene or based on Saint Olga of Kyiv by some sources), cradling a rocket launcher. The Virgin Mary, as depicted in the promotional campaign, is represented in a traditional Orthodox icon style. Whilst in the standard artistic Madonna, Mary would be often depicted cradling the baby Jesus in her arms, in this case, she is cradling an anti-tank weapon instead. The humour of the meme is in the juxtaposition of Mary, Mother of Jesus, and a modern anti-tank weapon.

The weapon depicted is a US-made FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank weapon that has been donated in large numbers and is seeing active use in Ukraine against Russian armour. The Madonna and other traditional figures have been depicted holding incongruous modern items that contrast with the traditional representation of religious figures, from sneakers, to gold plated AK-47s.

Rather than traditionally-coloured robes, hers are usually either dark green to resemble combat uniforms, or blue and yellow. While her halo was red in an earlier version, it was later changed to blue and yellow, the national colours of Ukraine. The meme has reached mainstream popularity, to the point where it has become a genuinely recognised symbol of Ukrainian resistance.

The design was created by Ukrainian graphic designer Evgeniy Shalashov, who is based in Lviv and was employed by Borys. It is an adaptation o
"Madonna Kalashnikov"
a 2012 painting by US artis
Chris Shaw
Shaw himself was surprised to "find an image of 'Saint Javelin' going viral all over the internet as a meme," and noted that even though the alteration was done without his permission, it is used for charity so the results are positive.

Criticism

The Council of Churches condemned the use of a Madonna-like saint figure with modern weapons of war as blasphemy. This criticism actualized when a mural depicting Saint Javelin that had been painted on the side of a residential building in Kyiv later had the blue halo with its two yellow stylized trident or tryzub painted out, leaving the saint-like figure holding a javelin anti-tank weapon. The muralists, known as Kailas-V, accused mayor of Kyiv Vitali Klitschko

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