My name is Samuel Rinik and I am a graduate of GYMES from the academic year 2021/2022. During my studies at the grammar school my class teacher for almost four years, except for the third year which I spent in the United States, was Sister Mgr Marta Benejová, and in the final year also Mrs Mgr Zuzana Lehotai. After completing my leaving examinations in Art History and Civics, God gave me the opportunity to follow a long-standing desire. This was to study an artistic field in Rome, specifically a bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design and Art Direction at the internationally recognised art academy Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti, where I am currently completing my final year with a specialisation in illustration and animation. For me, however, an even greater blessing than the studies themselves was the unique opportunity, as a Greek Catholic striving to live sincerely with the eternal God, to live and participate fully in the community life of the historically renowned Pontifical College Russicum. Among those who lived there were Blessed Teodor Romža and also current bishops of the Greek Catholic Church in Slovakia, including Bishop Jonáš Maxim, Archbishop Cyril Vasiľ and Bishop Milan Lach.

My greatest dream has always been to become involved in the world of Christian art through exhibitions, discussions and other contributions. Over the past two years this has gradually become a reality. I have organised several exhibitions of my artistic series of ink drawings entitled The Struggle for Virtue, which have taken place in cities such as Rome, Bratislava and Košice, as well as in St Andrews in Scotland. Thanks to these exhibitions I was given the opportunity to undertake a short period of study in Florence, to write an accompanying book for the exhibitions with the help of Archbishop Cyril Vasiľ, and even to work on various artistic commissions, both ecclesiastical and secular, in Slovakia and abroad. I am currently also using the series The Struggle for Virtue as the basis for my bachelor’s thesis entitled A Semiotic Analysis of the Representation of the Concept of Spiritual Struggle in Various Traditions of Christian Art. Unexpectedly, it also opened the door for me to participate in a discussion during the Bratislava Hanus Days in 2024 as one of the official speakers of the festival. My next steps, if God wills, should lead to online studies in the theory of sacred art at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland (MLitt). I would like to pursue this part-time alongside my work in the artistic sphere, both ecclesiastical and secular, in Slovakia.

If you had to decide again, would you choose GYMES once more?

My answer would be a firm yes. Since I was one of the few students who began studying at GYMES later, after transferring from another grammar school, the decision to come to GYMES was very important for me. From my very first days I felt a different approach and a different moral atmosphere from what I had previously known. Whether I think of the demanding studies with subjects taught in English, the greater interest in my academic and personal development through mentoring, the unique opportunity to spend an academic year in the United States, or the hopeful environment for building genuine friendships, I remember GYMES very positively. Even today I regard my decision to transfer there as one of the best decisions I have ever made.

 

Which moment at GYMES do you consider a turning point for your personal or professional growth?

It would be easy to mention my year abroad, but for me the most important and valuable moment during my studies was the historical and artistic exhibition about the life of St Edith Stein in my final year. My full participation in the exhibition as its official artist and illustrator, especially thanks to the support of Mr ThLic Tomáš Filip, PhD, showed me that organising such an exhibition was truly possible for me, despite the difficulty and complexity involved. This experience later proved to be crucial, because in the following years God gave me the opportunity to organise several similar exhibitions independently. The exhibition also helped raise awareness of my artistic work among people around me.

How did you choose your seminar subjects and future direction at GYMES?

Perhaps it is easier for someone who completed his leaving examinations at the age of twenty to say this, but by the time I had to choose my seminars I already knew quite clearly which direction I wanted to take. The key was probably knowing which directions I definitely did not want to pursue. I did not choose my seminars correctly on the first attempt, since I changed two of them after the fourth year. In general, however, my decisions were based on a sincere trust that God would take care of me, and it seems that He has continued to do so ever since.

Have any of your friendships from GYMES lasted until today?

Certainly not all of them, but some definitely have. At the same time this was both surprising and unsurprising to me. A group of us boys became particularly close during our final years at GYMES, and although we later dispersed across different countries, we made a sincere effort to stay in contact. Whenever we have the opportunity, we still try to meet, even if only for a quick drink together. I know that not everyone finds friendships like these.

If you could return to school for one day, which day would it be and why?

I would return to the day of the school futsal tournament in my second year. It was on that day that the strong friendships within our group of close friends truly began to form. The tournament remains one of the days we often remember together.

What advice would you give to current GYMES students?

Do not be afraid to dream and to present your dreams honestly to God. And what is even more important, be prepared for the possibility that He may have entirely different plans for you. Trust in God while giving your best in pursuing what you hope to achieve, and remain open to His unexpected intentions. This will never lead you onto the wrong path. On the contrary, it opens the possibility of constant surprise. But it must be sincere. That is something I would have liked to hear myself during my time at grammar school.