The encolpion is a precious pectoral icon worn by bishops.
The octagonal silver encolpion belonged to Athanasius of Kholmogory (secular name Alexei Lyubimov), the first archbishop of Kholmogory and Vaga (March 19, 1682 — September 5, 1702). His Grace Athanasius was an outstanding religious and political figure, a supporter of the reforms of Peter I, writer, polemicist, one of the most educated people of his time. He also left a mark in history as an ardent persecutor of the Old Believers. ‘The shepherd is graceful, a good teller of divine scripture, loud, eloquent, keenly judicious, a guardian of the rank of the church, a destroyer of schism in the faith, hardworking, he created many a building, “— wrote contemporaries of the archbishop after his death.
Until the second half of the 18th century, the personal encolpion of the first bishop of the eparchy was kept in the sacristy of the Kholmogory bishop”s house as a valuable relic. Later, it was deposited in the Holy Trinity Cathedral of Arkhangelsk, the main church of the region.
In the early 1920s, encolpion of Athanasius, along with some of the valuables of the church”s sacristy which had historical and artistic significance was selected by members of the commission of the museum department of the People”s Commissariat of Education to be transferred to the Arkhangelsk Museum. Until 1926, the object was kept in the sealed sacristy of the Trinity Cathedral, then it was transferred to the museum. Today, the encolpion of Archbishop Athanasius is one of the gems of the collection of the Arkhangelsk Regional Museum and is taking its rightful place in the permanent historical exhibition.
A round plate with a carved image of Our Lady of the Sign is attached to the front side of the encolpion. On the margin, there are eight gems in silver castes surrounded by carved floral ornaments. On the back, there is an Archangel with a cross and a sword standing on a cloud, and the inscription: “THE GUARDIAN ANGEL”, “ENCOLPION OF ATHANASIUS THE ARCHBISHOP OF KOLMOGORY AND VAGA”. There is no mitre on top of the encolpion; a metal loop is attached instead.
