# St Javelin Saint Javelin > St Javelin is a 2018 image macro depicting an Orthodox icon of the Virgin Mary cradling a Javelin anti-tank missile instead of baby Jesus, becoming a symbol of Ukrainian resistance during the 2022 Russian invasion. Saint Javelin is an internet meme depicting the Virgin Mary in a traditional Orthodox icon style, cradling an FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missile instead of the baby Jesus. The image originated from American artist Chris Shaw's 2012 painting "Madonna Kalashnikov," which was edited by an anonymous user on VKontakte in January 2018 to swap the AK-47 for a Javelin missile[1]. The meme exploded globally during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, becoming one of the war's most recognizable symbols of resistance and raising over one million dollars for Ukrainian humanitarian causes through a merchandise campaign run by Ukrainian-Canadian journalist Christian Borys[2]. ## Origin American artist Chris Shaw painted "Madonna Kalashnikov" in 2012, depicting the Virgin Mary holding an AK-47 in the style of a Russian Orthodox icon[4]. Shaw's reasoning was simple: icons have always featured weapons like swords and spears, so why not a modern one? And since the Kalashnikov is perhaps the most iconic firearm in the world, and it's Soviet, an Orthodox icon style felt natural[1]. The painting was first exhibited at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in April 2013[4]. After Ukraine's Euromaidan revolution and the start of the war in Donbas, reproductions of Shaw's painting began appearing as tattoos and military patches on the Ukrainian side around 2015[1]. On January 23, 2018, an anonymous user in the pro-Ukraine VKontakte group "Величайшие творения и люди Украинской нации" (The Greatest Creations and People of the Ukrainian Nation) edited Shaw's painting, replacing the AK-47 with a Javelin anti-tank missile launcher[4]. This timing coincided with Ukraine's anticipation of receiving Javelin systems from the United States, which would be delivered in April 2018[1]. The post received 25 likes over four years[4]. The next day, VK user Maks_Chepay_4 screenshotted the post and shared it on Twitter[4]. On May 28, 2018, Twitter user @golub reposted the image with the caption "Saint Javelin," marking the first known pairing of the image and its now-famous nickname[4]. - **Platform:** VKontakte (meme edit), San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (original painting) - **Creator:** Chris Shaw (original "Madonna Kalashnikov" painting), Anonymous VK user (Javelin edit), Christian Borys (brand and merchandise campaign), Evgeniy Shalashov (graphic design for Saint Javelin brand) - **Date:** 2018 (edited version), 2012 (original painting) ## Overview The Saint Javelin meme shows a female figure styled after the Virgin Mary in Eastern Orthodox iconography, holding a US-made FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missile launcher in the position where the infant Jesus would typically appear[3]. Her robes are usually military green or Ukrainian blue and yellow rather than traditional gold and purple. An early version featured a red halo, which was later changed to blue and yellow to match Ukraine's national colors[5]. The humor comes from swapping a sacred religious element with modern military hardware. While religious icons have historically been depicted with weapons like swords (as in images of Saint Michael), the Javelin missile launcher is aggressively contemporary and very specific to the Russia-Ukraine conflict[3]. The figure is commonly misidentified as Mary Magdalene or Saint Olga of Kyiv, but she is based on a traditional Madonna representation[5]. ## How It Spread For nearly four years, Saint Javelin circulated within a small, niche community. As Christian Borys described it, the meme was "an extremely niche meme joke that floated around a small community of journalists, analysts, soldiers, bureaucrats, and military contractors"[2]. It also appeared on the Russian imageboard Fishki in 2018[6]. Everything changed in February 2022 when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. On February 14, 2022, just ten days before the invasion began, Borys printed his first 100 Saint Javelin stickers to sell as a fundraiser[2]. They sold out within 24 hours. A second run of 1,000 stickers sold out just as fast[8]. Starting February 23, 2022, the image resurfaced across social media platforms. Twitter user @NataliaAntonova posted a photo of a Saint Javelin sticker, captioning it "It's not a party without St. Javelin," earning over 700 likes[4]. On February 24, a Redditor posted the image to r/NonCredibleDefense, pulling in roughly 1,900 upvotes[4]. On February 25, political pundit Rick Wilson tweeted the image with the caption "St. Raytheon of the Javelin, patron saint of slagging Russian armor," which picked up around 6,100 likes but also sparked backlash for what some saw as glorifying weapons manufacturers[4]. That same day, Vice and Euronews ran stories about the meme's sudden rise[7][8]. The Euronews article reported that by late February 2022, Borys had already raised over $400,000 through his saintjavelin.com merchandise store, with all profits going to Help Us Help, a Canada-registered Ukrainian charity[8]. ## How to Use Saint Javelin is typically used as a symbol of solidarity with Ukraine rather than as a traditional exploitable meme template. Common uses include: 1. **Display:** Putting Saint Javelin stickers, patches, or images on laptops, cars, or social media profiles to signal support for Ukraine 2. **Sharing:** Posting the image on social media during major events in the Russia-Ukraine conflict 3. **Redrawing:** Creating fan art variations that maintain the Orthodox icon style but swap in different weapons or Ukrainian military equipment 4. **Merchandise:** Wearing or displaying official or unofficial Saint Javelin branded items ## Cultural Impact Saint Javelin crossed from niche military community joke to genuine wartime symbol with unusual speed. Major news outlets including Vice[7], Euronews[8], and others covered the meme's rise in the first days of the invasion. The FGM-148 Javelin missile system itself gained celebrity status partly through this meme. Ukraine received its first Javelins in 2018 as part of a $47 million purchase of 210 missiles and 37 launchers[7]. By early 2022, additional shipments brought hundreds more missiles. Each Javelin round costs approximately $80,000, making it an expensive but highly effective weapon against Russian armor[7]. The meme also raised genuine questions about the intersection of religion, war, and internet culture. While critics called it blasphemous, defenders noted that religious icons with weapons have existed for centuries[5]. The debate played out physically on the streets of Kyiv through the mural controversy with the Kailas-V collective and Mayor Klitschko[3]. The Saint Javelin brand's pivot toward manufacturing in Ukraine and donating to causes like veteran rehabilitation through Second Wind UA showed how a meme could become a functional economic support system during wartime[9]. ## Fun Facts - Chris Shaw originally painted "Madonna Kalashnikov" alongside a companion piece called "Madonna with a Suicide Belt" in 2012[1]. - The first 100 Saint Javelin stickers were printed on February 14, 2022, Valentine's Day, just ten days before Russia's full-scale invasion[2]. - The first known use of the name "Saint Javelin" for the image was a tweet by user @golub on May 28, 2018[4]. - Borys, a former journalist, later admitted he wished he had documented the early viral explosion on video but was too busy packing sticker orders[2]. - The Saint Javelin online store produced a HIMARS salt and pepper shaker, described by Borys as "really hilarious and out there"[2]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Saint Javelin? Saint Javelin is an internet meme showing the Virgin Mary in Orthodox icon style holding an FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missile launcher. It became a globally recognized symbol of Ukrainian resistance during the 2022 Russian invasion[5]. ### Where did Saint Javelin come from? The image is based on "Madonna Kalashnikov," a 2012 painting by American artist Chris Shaw[4]. In January 2018, an anonymous user on the Russian social media platform VKontakte replaced the AK-47 with a Javelin missile[4]. ### What does Saint Javelin mean? The meme represents support for Ukraine's defense against Russian invasion. The Javelin anti-tank missile became a symbol of Ukrainian resistance because of its effectiveness against Russian armor[7]. ### How do you use Saint Javelin? People typically display the image on stickers, clothing, or social media profiles to show solidarity with Ukraine. The official saintjavelin.com store sells merchandise with proceeds going to Ukrainian humanitarian charities[8]. ### Is Saint Javelin still popular? As of the most recent reporting, the Saint Javelin brand had raised over $1 million for charity and expanded into a full product line manufactured in Ukraine, though its peak viral moment was during the early months of the 2022 invasion[2]. ### Who created the original painting? American artist Chris Shaw created the original "Madonna Kalashnikov" painting in 2012, first exhibiting it at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in April 2013[4]. ### Who runs the Saint Javelin brand? Ukrainian-Canadian journalist and marketer Christian Borys, based in Toronto, launched the Saint Javelin merchandise campaign in February 2022 and turned it into a permanent operation[2]. ### Who designed the Saint Javelin graphic? The commercial version used on merchandise was designed by Evgeniy Shalashov, a Ukrainian graphic designer based in Lviv, who was hired by Borys[5]. ### How much money has Saint Javelin raised? The campaign raised over $1 million for humanitarian charities assisting Ukrainians affected by the war, including the Canadian-registered charity Help Us Help[3]. ### Why was Saint Javelin controversial? The Council of Churches condemned the image as blasphemous for combining a Madonna-like figure with modern weapons of war. A Saint Javelin mural in Kyiv had its halo painted over, with the muralists accusing Mayor Vitali Klitschko of ordering its removal[5]. ### What is the FGM-148 Javelin? It's a US-made, shoulder-fired anti-tank missile system with a "shoot and scoot" design that allows soldiers to fire and flee. It attacks from above where armor is weakest and costs approximately $80,000 per missile[7]. ### When did Ukraine first receive Javelin missiles? Ukraine first purchased Javelins in 2018 as part of a $47 million deal for 210 missiles and 37 launchers. Additional shipments arrived in October 2021 and January 2022[7]. ### Did Chris Shaw approve the meme version of his painting? Shaw was surprised by the meme but responded positively, noting that since the altered image was used for charitable purposes, "the results are positive." He painted his own official Saint Javelin version in April 2022[1][5]. ## References 1. [Святая Джавелина — Википедия]() 2. [Saint Javelin: the remarkable rise of Ukraine’s most iconic wartime meme - businessukraine.ua]() 3. [Saint Javelin - Wikiwand]() 4. [St. Javelin / Saint Javelin - Know Your Meme]() 5. [Saint Javelin - Wikipedia]() 6. [Политические коментарии соцсетей - 380]() 7. [Who Is St. Javelin and Why Is She a Symbol of the War in Ukraine?]() 8. [/cum/ - 4archive]() 9. [Ukraine war: St Javelin and the missile that has become a symbol of Ukrainian resistance | Euronews]() 10. [Saint Javelin Official]() 11. [Saint Javelin Explained]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/st-javelin-saint-javelin Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library