The Archangel Gabriel is mentioned many times in the Bible as one of the closest angels to God. If the Archangel Michael is at the head of the angelic host, Gabriel is assigned the role of bringing good news and comforting. Gabriel dictated the words of the Book of Genesis to the prophet Moses, and interpreted the prophet Daniel’s visions about the coming Kingdoms.
Gabriel appeared to the righteous Joachim and Anne to announce the Nativity of the Theotokos, and to the righteous Zechariah and Elizabeth — the Nativity of John the Baptist. Gabriel stayed with the Virgin Mary during her stay at the Temple, told her that she would conceive a son, and comforted Joseph the Betrothed in his doubts. It was Gabriel who was sent to support and strengthen Jesus Himself in the Garden of Gethsemane, when the Lord prayed on the eve of His Crucifixion.
The name of the Archangel Gabriel is associated with the legend about the origin of the hymn “Axion Estin” (“It is Truly Meet”). In the 5th century, theological disputes were held about whether Christ was born as God or acquired Divine nature after baptism and, therefore, whether it is correct to call Mary the Mother of God or the Mother of Christ, that is, the Mother of Jesus-man. The disputes were resolved only in 431 at the Third Ecumenical Council, or the Council of Ephesus. According to legend, during a monastic prayer on Mount Athos, an unknown monk appeared, proclaimed the text of the hymn “It is Truly Meet”, inscribed it with his finger on a stone and disappeared into thin air.
The Archangel Gabriel is customary depicted in icons as a young man with wings and a halo. In different iconographic types, Gabriel holds a rod, a sphere and a lantern with a burning candle, a scroll, a branch of the paradise tree or a white lily (this attribute appeared much later).
The image of the Archangel Gabriel is always included in the Deesis with five icons: both as an independent composition and as part of the main, third tier of the iconostasis. Gabriel is depicted standing behind John the Baptist, opposite the Mother of God, in memory of the Annunciation.
Mikhail Ivanovich Khvostenko, an artist from the Borisovkaya Sloboda of the Kursk Governorate, created the paper sketch presented in the exhibition as part of a design project for the Deacon’s Doors.
The middle doors, or gates, of the church iconostasis are called Royal Doors: Christ Himself invisibly passes through them, which is symbolized by the Blessed Sacrament. The south “Deacon’s” Door leads to the sacristy, the northern one leads to the altar. The images of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel are usually placed on these doors.
Gabriel appeared to the righteous Joachim and Anne to announce the Nativity of the Theotokos, and to the righteous Zechariah and Elizabeth — the Nativity of John the Baptist. Gabriel stayed with the Virgin Mary during her stay at the Temple, told her that she would conceive a son, and comforted Joseph the Betrothed in his doubts. It was Gabriel who was sent to support and strengthen Jesus Himself in the Garden of Gethsemane, when the Lord prayed on the eve of His Crucifixion.
The name of the Archangel Gabriel is associated with the legend about the origin of the hymn “Axion Estin” (“It is Truly Meet”). In the 5th century, theological disputes were held about whether Christ was born as God or acquired Divine nature after baptism and, therefore, whether it is correct to call Mary the Mother of God or the Mother of Christ, that is, the Mother of Jesus-man. The disputes were resolved only in 431 at the Third Ecumenical Council, or the Council of Ephesus. According to legend, during a monastic prayer on Mount Athos, an unknown monk appeared, proclaimed the text of the hymn “It is Truly Meet”, inscribed it with his finger on a stone and disappeared into thin air.
The Archangel Gabriel is customary depicted in icons as a young man with wings and a halo. In different iconographic types, Gabriel holds a rod, a sphere and a lantern with a burning candle, a scroll, a branch of the paradise tree or a white lily (this attribute appeared much later).
The image of the Archangel Gabriel is always included in the Deesis with five icons: both as an independent composition and as part of the main, third tier of the iconostasis. Gabriel is depicted standing behind John the Baptist, opposite the Mother of God, in memory of the Annunciation.
Mikhail Ivanovich Khvostenko, an artist from the Borisovkaya Sloboda of the Kursk Governorate, created the paper sketch presented in the exhibition as part of a design project for the Deacon’s Doors.
The middle doors, or gates, of the church iconostasis are called Royal Doors: Christ Himself invisibly passes through them, which is symbolized by the Blessed Sacrament. The south “Deacon’s” Door leads to the sacristy, the northern one leads to the altar. The images of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel are usually placed on these doors.
