The iconography of “Christ in Glory” is based on the books of John the Apostle also known as St. John the Theologian. In his writings, he described eschatological events of the Old Testament and images of the Apocalypse. Eschatology is the part of Orthodox teaching that concerns the ultimate destiny of the world and mankind and the afterlife. The icon’s elaborate composition is a symbolic representation of the world. In the center, Christ is seated on a throne as the King and Judge in shining robes. The inner red rhombus around Him symbolizes His divine glory. The blue oval symbolizes the sky, while the red quadrilateral represents the earth.

The four vertices represent the four cardinal directions that have all been enlightened by Christ’s divine teachings. This is also implied by the symbols of the Evangelists holding closed books of the Gospels. The angel symbolizes St. Matthew, the eagle — St. John, the lion — St. Mark, and the bull — St. Luke.

Inside the rhombus and oval, there are images of “the hosts of heaven” — cherubs, seraphims, and thrones, fiery wheels with eyes and wings. According to the scriptures, this is how the Savior surrounded by the hosts of heaven will appear during the Last Judgment. The mandorla is an elongated halo containing the image of Christ in Glory. It can take different forms, such as a medallion, an oval, or a number eight. It may also include rays, a rainbow, or an iridescent or golden glow.

The iconography of “Christ in Glory” was developed in Russia at the turn of the 15th century based on Byzantine icons. “Christ in Glory” was placed at the center of the Deesis row, flanked by images of the Virgin Mary, John the Apostle, angels, and saints praying to Christ on behalf of humanity.

The icon “Christ in Glory”, presented in the exhibition “Masterpieces of the Andrei Rublev Museum”, dates back to the last quarter of the 15th century. It originated from the Church of Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the village of Chernokulovo, Vladimir Oblast. This icon was the centerpiece of the Deesis row.

The “celestial sphere” features two colors — green in the center and cold blue closer to the outer edges. This same color palette can be seen in the centerpiece of the Deesis row in the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, which was likely painted by Theophanes the Greek in the late 14th century.