The icon shows an image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker called St. Nicholas of Mozhaysk. An unknown artist painted this icon at the end of the 17th or early 18th century. In Orthodox Church, St. Nicholas is among the most revered holy bishops. He lived in the late 3rd through the first half of the 4th century AD. St. Nicholas was Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). Nicholas the Wonderworker took part in the First Council of Nycaea, where he stood out as an ardent opponent of the heresy spoken by the presbyter Arius of Alexandria.
There are a few hagiographies of the saint. Various versions include descriptions of the miracles worked by St. Nicholas during his lifetime and after death. In 1087, the saint’s relics were moved from Myra in Lycia to Bari in Italy. After that, Nicholas the Wonderworker came to be particularly revered in Russia. The relocation of the relics was acknowledged by the Russian Orthodox Church as a special holiday, which had never existed in Byzantium. The holy bishop was honoured as Christ’s great hierarch, equal to the apostles. He was viewed as a ready-to-help intercessor and patron of humanity.
The holy bishop’s icon, St. Nicholas of Mozhaysk, is associated with the famous wooden sculpture in Mozhaysk. Legend has it that the city was once besieged by enemies. To strengthen the morale of the fortress defenders, Nicholas the Wonderworker appeared before them standing in the air above the church. In one hand, he was holding a sword, in the other a walled church. The enemy fled, and the citizens of Mozhaysk carved a wooden sculpture of the saint to thank him for the rescue.
Since then Nicholas the Wonderworker has been perceived as a defender of all Russian cities as well as the patron saint of Mozhaysk. After a successful Kazan campaign, Ivan the Terrible had a stone church built in Murom in honour of St. Nicholas of Mozhaysk.
In 2013, the icon was sent to the Grabar Art Research and Restoration Centre for restoration. Experts discovered a thick multilayered paint and the well-preserved original artist’s layer. The restoration disclosed the original painting including colour varnish ornamentation against a silver background.
There are a few hagiographies of the saint. Various versions include descriptions of the miracles worked by St. Nicholas during his lifetime and after death. In 1087, the saint’s relics were moved from Myra in Lycia to Bari in Italy. After that, Nicholas the Wonderworker came to be particularly revered in Russia. The relocation of the relics was acknowledged by the Russian Orthodox Church as a special holiday, which had never existed in Byzantium. The holy bishop was honoured as Christ’s great hierarch, equal to the apostles. He was viewed as a ready-to-help intercessor and patron of humanity.
The holy bishop’s icon, St. Nicholas of Mozhaysk, is associated with the famous wooden sculpture in Mozhaysk. Legend has it that the city was once besieged by enemies. To strengthen the morale of the fortress defenders, Nicholas the Wonderworker appeared before them standing in the air above the church. In one hand, he was holding a sword, in the other a walled church. The enemy fled, and the citizens of Mozhaysk carved a wooden sculpture of the saint to thank him for the rescue.
Since then Nicholas the Wonderworker has been perceived as a defender of all Russian cities as well as the patron saint of Mozhaysk. After a successful Kazan campaign, Ivan the Terrible had a stone church built in Murom in honour of St. Nicholas of Mozhaysk.
In 2013, the icon was sent to the Grabar Art Research and Restoration Centre for restoration. Experts discovered a thick multilayered paint and the well-preserved original artist’s layer. The restoration disclosed the original painting including colour varnish ornamentation against a silver background.
