12 x 10.5 in    31 x 25.5 cm
Egg Tempera on Wood, Silver Oklad set with Gemstones and Pearls
Second half of the 16th century
Historical Museum - Moscow

St. Sergius of Radonezh is one of the most important saints in Russia.  He lived in the 14th century and founded the Holy Trinity - St. Serguis Monastery outside Moscow.  During his lifetime St. Sergius led a spiritual renewal in Russia.  He also blessed Dmitri Donskoi in his fight for the liberation of Russia from the Islamic yoke.  Since his death in 1392 there has been eternal chanting of prayers over his tomb.  This continued even through the Stalin era when most of the monks of the Trotskii-Sergeivsky Monastery were murdered by the Soviet regime.

In this ikon we see, at the top and surrounded by a half circle of silver filagree set with gems and pearls, the Holy Trinity, a symbol of the Godhead as  pre-shadowed in the visit of the three Angels to Abraham.  Beneath this we see the appearance of the Virgin to the Saint Serguis.  Behind the Vigin are the tthe Apostles Peter and John the Evangelist.  All of the saints have silver filagree halos encrusted with pearls and jewels.

Photo credit: N. Alekseev

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WORLD OF BYZANTIUM

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