The Royal Doors are dated to the first half of the 17th century. They consist of two doors with a figured top in the form of a kokoshnik. The Doors were transferred to the Mstyora Museum in 1970 from the Mstyora Church of the Icon of the Vladimir Mother of God. They are decorated with scenes depicting the four Evangelists and the Annunciation.

The scene of the Annunciation is painted on the upper part of the doors. The archangel Gabriel is depicted on the left door in a dark green chiton and a red himation. He announces to the Virgin Mary that She will give birth to the Son of God.

Below the scene with the Virgin Mary, the holy Evangelist John is depicted on the right door, sitting and dictating to his disciple Prochorus the text of the Holy Scriptures. A winged lion circles above his head. It is a mythical creature that is usually depicted next to the evangelist. To the left of John is an image of Matthew the Evangelist with a book on his lap. His symbol is an angel.

In the lowest row, the left scene depicts St. Luke the Evangelist. Next to him is a table with an inkwell and a parchment with text on it. In the upper part, in a rounded frame of greenish-gray clouds, is his symbol — a bull with a halo above its head. Mark the Evangelist is depicted on the right door. His attribute is an eagle.

It is worth noting that traditionally the lion is considered to be the symbol of Mark. However, sometimes, as in these doors, the lion is depicted next to John, and the eagle is Mark’s attribute. The reason for this substitution lies in different interpretations of early Christian texts. The Great Moscow Synod of 1666 assigned certain attributes to the four evangelists and gave their interpretation.

The Council decided that the symbol of Matthew is an angel, because the evangelist focuses in his texts on Christ the man and His earthly ministry. Luke (taurus or bull) writes about Christ’s priestly ministry and sacrifice. Mark (lion) emphasizes the royal dignity of the Savior. Whereas John (eagle) writes about God the Holy Spirit.

However, for example, the Old Believers did not follow this interpretation. They relied on the texts of Irenaeus of Lyon, who, when interpreting the Book of Revelation, presented a slightly different system: John the Theologian is symbolized by a lion.