Roman Ivanychuk (1929-2016) - a famous Ukrainian writer, winner of many literary prizes, including the National Prize of Ukraine. T. Shevchenko. In his creative work about twenty historical novels, which the writer filled the white spots in our history. Roman Ivanychuk's "Horde" (1992) is a book of confession, a book of revelation, a book of search. The monk Epiphanius is going through a difficult personal psychological drama: he became a silent witness to the destruction of the glorious Cossack capital - Baturyn - by Tsar Peter I. In front of his eyes, people were burned alive, children were tortured, the temple was destroyed ... and he did not even rush to save anyone, kneeling on the spot next to traitors and enemies. The desire to repent and atone for this sin accompanied Epiphanius throughout his life. Depicting historical figures of the Mazepa era in the history of Ukraine, Roman Ivanychuk deeply reveals the reasons for the decline of national identity of Ukrainians, which resonate with the history of modern Ukraine.
