Legend says the icon “Michael Archistrategos” was brought by the Cossacks, who started to build the city of Beryozov (now it is the village of Beryozovo), one of the largest in Western Siberia. The sacred image of Michael Archistrategos was placed in the Resurrection Church, first in the city, with the icon of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, which did not survive.
Saint Michael is one of the most revered Archangels. Orthodox Church calls him an Archistrategos, the head of the sacred host of Angels and Archangels.
The iconography of Michael was based on the Apocalypse texts. According to them, he acts as the commander of the heavenly host in the decisive battle against evil.
The displayed icon depicts the Archangel on a winged horse in a crown and with a trumpet. With his right hand, he holds the eight-pointed cross, a thurible, and a spear with which he defeats the devil — a winged lion with a human face. With his left hand, he raises the Gospel. The rainbow leans against the Archangel’s hands.
There is a rare detail in the upper right corner of the icon: the Divine Infant and a showbread 一 bread which is put on a special table in a cathedral.
The restorers note that the icon was renewed more than once. The experts suppose that one of the repaints was made by the iconographer Ivan Semvizov, who restored several icons of the Resurrection Church in 1731. The natural signs of age 一 scuff, craquelure (cracks in the paint layer or varnish) 一 are seen only on the faces of the Divine Infant and Archistrategos Michael.
The unknown master made an icon revetment in a “basma” technique. It is hand embossing on silver and gold foil. Basma was often used to make revetments and church utensils in medieval jewelry.
There are the lines from illuminated manuscripts of the 16th century written in uncial on four silver plates that remained from the revetment. The “old print style” patterns from manuscripts and early printed books were often used to decorate icon revetments in the 15th-17th centuries.
Saint Michael is one of the most revered Archangels. Orthodox Church calls him an Archistrategos, the head of the sacred host of Angels and Archangels.
The iconography of Michael was based on the Apocalypse texts. According to them, he acts as the commander of the heavenly host in the decisive battle against evil.
The displayed icon depicts the Archangel on a winged horse in a crown and with a trumpet. With his right hand, he holds the eight-pointed cross, a thurible, and a spear with which he defeats the devil — a winged lion with a human face. With his left hand, he raises the Gospel. The rainbow leans against the Archangel’s hands.
There is a rare detail in the upper right corner of the icon: the Divine Infant and a showbread 一 bread which is put on a special table in a cathedral.
The restorers note that the icon was renewed more than once. The experts suppose that one of the repaints was made by the iconographer Ivan Semvizov, who restored several icons of the Resurrection Church in 1731. The natural signs of age 一 scuff, craquelure (cracks in the paint layer or varnish) 一 are seen only on the faces of the Divine Infant and Archistrategos Michael.
The unknown master made an icon revetment in a “basma” technique. It is hand embossing on silver and gold foil. Basma was often used to make revetments and church utensils in medieval jewelry.
There are the lines from illuminated manuscripts of the 16th century written in uncial on four silver plates that remained from the revetment. The “old print style” patterns from manuscripts and early printed books were often used to decorate icon revetments in the 15th-17th centuries.
