You stand before the majestic interior of the Dormition Cathedral (Uspensky Sobor). The wall paintings of the cathedral naturally fit its architectural environment. The frescos emphasize the outlines of the arches, and their rich colours bring out the radiance of the interior decoration. The murals of the cathedral are historically significant as a preserved form of the ancient Russian art of monumental painting of the first half of the 17th century. The chronicles record that a decree of the patriarchal deacon Nikifor Shipulin, a long-time benefactor of the monastery, ordered the compositions. He and his family were buried in the southwestern part of the cathedral at the foot of the throne of Jesus Christ. The artists' guilds of Yaroslavl and Kostroma headed by Joachim Ageyev, nicknamed ‘Loved’ (Lyubim), painted the murals. ‘Loved’ Ageyev was the ancestral founder of the school of Kostroma icon painting. His paintings for the Dormition Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin earned him the status of ‘royal icon painter’.
The murals were painted with an egg-based tempera paint all in one summer. Initially, as with frescos, they were painted on wet walls, but by the end of the work – on dry walls. Repair work of the 18th to 19th centuries damaged some of the ancient frescoes, some were even lost entirely. Twice in the 18th century, the frescos were restored, and in the 19th century, the cathedral’s walls were completely recovered in oil paintings. Currently, most of the walls show the original, uncovered and recovered ancient murals. The painting consists of several tiers, each with stories and scenes united by a common theme.
The dome is covered by a painting of Christ Pantokrator (or more literally in Russian, Khristos Blagoslovlyayushi, which means, “Christ blesses”) in which Jesus holds the Gospel in his left hand. This icon covers most of the dome. Christ’s face in this painting is 2.5 meters long, and the diameter of the halo is about 4 meters. Between the windows are the figures of the eight patriarchs of the faith. Among them are Adam, Noah, Seth, Enoch, and others. Below them, at the base of the drum are images of the founders of the twelve tribes of Israel. In the triangular transitions of the dome, you find the authors of the four Gospels (Evangelists): Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. Between them is a painting of the Mandylion (also known as the ‘Saviour Not Made By Hands’). Its day is celebrated on August 29 immediately after the Feast of the Dormition. The verse located around the perimeter of the dome refers to this.
On the arches under the dome of the cathedral, there are scenes from the life of the Virgin and Jesus Christ. This is traditional for temples dedicated to Mary, Mother of God (also known as the ‘Most Holy Theotokos’). The paintings tell about the life of Mary’s parents, her childhood and youth, her betrothal to righteous Joseph and the Annunciation (the event of Archangel Gabriel informing Mary she would bear Jesus, God’s Son).
The narrative begins with the scene of the rejection of gifts. The Virgin Mary’s parents, Saint Joachim and Saint Anne are painted on the arch to the right of the iconostasis. The scene depicts how they brought two lambs to the temple to sacrifice to God. However, their gift was rejected by the priest, because the married couple had no children. Further to the right, the scene, “The good news of the angels to Joachim and Anne about the birth of the Virgin Mary, ” and on the opposite side of the arch is a depiction of the heart-warming meeting of the delighted spouses at the Golden Gate of Jerusalem.
Opposite the iconostasis above the arch is a celebratory composition of the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The composition and style of the fresco are similar to the icon by the same name of Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin (Rozhdestva Bogoroditsy) in the Ferapontov Convent (Ferapontov), which also belongs to the works of “Loved” Ageyev.
The upper row of the set of stories from the Protoevangelium of James (the book that records Mary’s life prior to the Gospels) ends with the ‘The bringing of the Virgin to the temple’ scene in the left arch. Accompanied by her pious parents, who vowed to dedicate her to God, and young maidens with lit candles, the Mother of God, at the age of three, enters the open doors of the Jerusalem temple. Priest Zechariah greets her with a ‘two-fingered’ blessing.
The bottom row, continuing stories from the Protoevangelium of James, tells of the betrothal of Mary to righteous Joseph and the miraculous proclamation to her by the archangel. It continues on the eastern wall of the cathedral, behind the iconostasis, and, having come full circle, ends here with the scene ‘The Annunciation of the Most Holy Mother of God in the house of Joseph.’
On the opposite side of the arch, above the iconostasis, there is a set of illustrations of the festival of the Deposition. A veil, robe or linen burial cloth which, according to legend, belonged to the Most-Pure Virgin, Mary is often considered one of the most revered Christian relics. In the composition of the murals, she is represented in the Golden Ark, on the throne of the Church of St. Mary of Blachernae. Nearby is the Patriarch of Constantinople Gennadius in prayer and the Byzantine emperor Leo the First. Behind them are the brothers Galvius and Candides, thanks to whom this relic was brought to Constantinople from Palestine in the 5th century. A little to the left, an illustration of the holiday ‘Praise to the Virgin’. This scene praises the majesty and holiness of the Blessed Virgin, next to whom stand Old Testament prophets.
Scenes of songs and feasts in honor of Mary continue on the walls and on the adjacent vaults. The image, ‘The Intercession of the Theotokos’, is depicted on the northern wall telling the story of the miracle of the Virgin Mary’s appearance in the 10th century in the Church of St. Mary of Blachernae in Constantinople. On the sides of the “Intercession”, on the arches, there is an illustration of a prayer in honour of Mary - “It is worthy to eat.” It is divided into four hallmarks. In each of them is the image of the Virgin with the baby Christ.
On the opposite wall of the cathedral, there is an illustration of the hymn of John of Damascus “He rejoices in Thee”. The Mother of God with a baby surrounded by angels is depicted in the upper part of the composition, against the background of the temple and the Garden of Eden. Below is the figure of John the Baptist, on the sides of which the entire human race is represented.
On the arches are scenes of the glorification of Jesus Christ and the Virgin. The Feast of the Cathedral of the Virgin Mary is depicted on the western slope, a special celebration celebrated the day after the birth of Christ. Mary and Child are in the centre and heaven and earth, the angels and the nations bring thanksgiving for the coming of Christ into this world. Opposite is the scene of the “Only-Begotten Son”. In the centre of the composition is Christ Immanuel, seated on fiery seraphim, with an orb and a scroll in his hands. He is supported by angels and God the Father. At the right hand of Christ, the Virgin Mary is depicted - the house of the Wisdom of God. Opposite her, the angel in front of the temple is a symbol of the Church of Christ. At the feet of Emmanuel is the composition “Do not mourn me, mother” Below is Christ in the form of a warrior who conquered death. Opposite him is the figure of death itself.
The theme of holidays and hymns ends with the cycle of Akathist - the hymn of praise in honour of the Virgin Mary. One of the images of this cycle refers to the prayer “The Peculiar Witnessing of the Nativity.” It has a special meaning in the history of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery. According to the hagiography of St. Cyril, when he was reading this prayer, he heard the voice of the Most-Pure Virgin, who indicated to him the way to Beloozero.
The paintings on the pillars depict saints who lived in this world as monks. Including, St. Cyril and St. Ferapont of Beloozero. On the inner edges of the pillars, we find “Saviour of Smolensk” and “Our Lady of Pechersk.” The lower tier of the walls, according to tradition, is covered with quilts decorated with embroidered flowers as a tribute to the Byzantine custom of covering the walls of churches with expensive linens.
Finishing the inspection of the murals of the Dormition Cathedral, pay attention to the composition located in the recess of the arch behind the iconostasis. You are looking at the most important scene of the painting, the painting of the Church Feast of the Dormition (the Orthodox celebration which marks the event of St. Mary, the mother of God, passing from this life to the next, in Catholicism it is called the Assumption). Together with several neighbouring compositions of the eastern wall, it was partially hidden by the construction of the iconostasis during its restructuring in 1764. In the centre of the composition is the deathbed of the Virgin Mary. Above the bed towers the figure of Christ in golden robes. He holds the soul of the Virgin Mary in the form of a swaddled baby. On the arch of the arch - the apostles in the clouds. They were taken by the angels to Jerusalem from all over the world to say goodbye to Mary and are shown in the fresco twice. The Mother of God herself also appears in the composition several times - on the arch of the arch she is depicted ascending in the cloudy of glory. Through the open heavenly gates, the Virgin is carried by the angels to the heavenly palace.
The murals were painted with an egg-based tempera paint all in one summer. Initially, as with frescos, they were painted on wet walls, but by the end of the work – on dry walls. Repair work of the 18th to 19th centuries damaged some of the ancient frescoes, some were even lost entirely. Twice in the 18th century, the frescos were restored, and in the 19th century, the cathedral’s walls were completely recovered in oil paintings. Currently, most of the walls show the original, uncovered and recovered ancient murals. The painting consists of several tiers, each with stories and scenes united by a common theme.
The dome is covered by a painting of Christ Pantokrator (or more literally in Russian, Khristos Blagoslovlyayushi, which means, “Christ blesses”) in which Jesus holds the Gospel in his left hand. This icon covers most of the dome. Christ’s face in this painting is 2.5 meters long, and the diameter of the halo is about 4 meters. Between the windows are the figures of the eight patriarchs of the faith. Among them are Adam, Noah, Seth, Enoch, and others. Below them, at the base of the drum are images of the founders of the twelve tribes of Israel. In the triangular transitions of the dome, you find the authors of the four Gospels (Evangelists): Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. Between them is a painting of the Mandylion (also known as the ‘Saviour Not Made By Hands’). Its day is celebrated on August 29 immediately after the Feast of the Dormition. The verse located around the perimeter of the dome refers to this.
On the arches under the dome of the cathedral, there are scenes from the life of the Virgin and Jesus Christ. This is traditional for temples dedicated to Mary, Mother of God (also known as the ‘Most Holy Theotokos’). The paintings tell about the life of Mary’s parents, her childhood and youth, her betrothal to righteous Joseph and the Annunciation (the event of Archangel Gabriel informing Mary she would bear Jesus, God’s Son).
The narrative begins with the scene of the rejection of gifts. The Virgin Mary’s parents, Saint Joachim and Saint Anne are painted on the arch to the right of the iconostasis. The scene depicts how they brought two lambs to the temple to sacrifice to God. However, their gift was rejected by the priest, because the married couple had no children. Further to the right, the scene, “The good news of the angels to Joachim and Anne about the birth of the Virgin Mary, ” and on the opposite side of the arch is a depiction of the heart-warming meeting of the delighted spouses at the Golden Gate of Jerusalem.
Opposite the iconostasis above the arch is a celebratory composition of the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The composition and style of the fresco are similar to the icon by the same name of Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin (Rozhdestva Bogoroditsy) in the Ferapontov Convent (Ferapontov), which also belongs to the works of “Loved” Ageyev.
The upper row of the set of stories from the Protoevangelium of James (the book that records Mary’s life prior to the Gospels) ends with the ‘The bringing of the Virgin to the temple’ scene in the left arch. Accompanied by her pious parents, who vowed to dedicate her to God, and young maidens with lit candles, the Mother of God, at the age of three, enters the open doors of the Jerusalem temple. Priest Zechariah greets her with a ‘two-fingered’ blessing.
The bottom row, continuing stories from the Protoevangelium of James, tells of the betrothal of Mary to righteous Joseph and the miraculous proclamation to her by the archangel. It continues on the eastern wall of the cathedral, behind the iconostasis, and, having come full circle, ends here with the scene ‘The Annunciation of the Most Holy Mother of God in the house of Joseph.’
On the opposite side of the arch, above the iconostasis, there is a set of illustrations of the festival of the Deposition. A veil, robe or linen burial cloth which, according to legend, belonged to the Most-Pure Virgin, Mary is often considered one of the most revered Christian relics. In the composition of the murals, she is represented in the Golden Ark, on the throne of the Church of St. Mary of Blachernae. Nearby is the Patriarch of Constantinople Gennadius in prayer and the Byzantine emperor Leo the First. Behind them are the brothers Galvius and Candides, thanks to whom this relic was brought to Constantinople from Palestine in the 5th century. A little to the left, an illustration of the holiday ‘Praise to the Virgin’. This scene praises the majesty and holiness of the Blessed Virgin, next to whom stand Old Testament prophets.
Scenes of songs and feasts in honor of Mary continue on the walls and on the adjacent vaults. The image, ‘The Intercession of the Theotokos’, is depicted on the northern wall telling the story of the miracle of the Virgin Mary’s appearance in the 10th century in the Church of St. Mary of Blachernae in Constantinople. On the sides of the “Intercession”, on the arches, there is an illustration of a prayer in honour of Mary - “It is worthy to eat.” It is divided into four hallmarks. In each of them is the image of the Virgin with the baby Christ.
On the opposite wall of the cathedral, there is an illustration of the hymn of John of Damascus “He rejoices in Thee”. The Mother of God with a baby surrounded by angels is depicted in the upper part of the composition, against the background of the temple and the Garden of Eden. Below is the figure of John the Baptist, on the sides of which the entire human race is represented.
On the arches are scenes of the glorification of Jesus Christ and the Virgin. The Feast of the Cathedral of the Virgin Mary is depicted on the western slope, a special celebration celebrated the day after the birth of Christ. Mary and Child are in the centre and heaven and earth, the angels and the nations bring thanksgiving for the coming of Christ into this world. Opposite is the scene of the “Only-Begotten Son”. In the centre of the composition is Christ Immanuel, seated on fiery seraphim, with an orb and a scroll in his hands. He is supported by angels and God the Father. At the right hand of Christ, the Virgin Mary is depicted - the house of the Wisdom of God. Opposite her, the angel in front of the temple is a symbol of the Church of Christ. At the feet of Emmanuel is the composition “Do not mourn me, mother” Below is Christ in the form of a warrior who conquered death. Opposite him is the figure of death itself.
The theme of holidays and hymns ends with the cycle of Akathist - the hymn of praise in honour of the Virgin Mary. One of the images of this cycle refers to the prayer “The Peculiar Witnessing of the Nativity.” It has a special meaning in the history of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery. According to the hagiography of St. Cyril, when he was reading this prayer, he heard the voice of the Most-Pure Virgin, who indicated to him the way to Beloozero.
The paintings on the pillars depict saints who lived in this world as monks. Including, St. Cyril and St. Ferapont of Beloozero. On the inner edges of the pillars, we find “Saviour of Smolensk” and “Our Lady of Pechersk.” The lower tier of the walls, according to tradition, is covered with quilts decorated with embroidered flowers as a tribute to the Byzantine custom of covering the walls of churches with expensive linens.
Finishing the inspection of the murals of the Dormition Cathedral, pay attention to the composition located in the recess of the arch behind the iconostasis. You are looking at the most important scene of the painting, the painting of the Church Feast of the Dormition (the Orthodox celebration which marks the event of St. Mary, the mother of God, passing from this life to the next, in Catholicism it is called the Assumption). Together with several neighbouring compositions of the eastern wall, it was partially hidden by the construction of the iconostasis during its restructuring in 1764. In the centre of the composition is the deathbed of the Virgin Mary. Above the bed towers the figure of Christ in golden robes. He holds the soul of the Virgin Mary in the form of a swaddled baby. On the arch of the arch - the apostles in the clouds. They were taken by the angels to Jerusalem from all over the world to say goodbye to Mary and are shown in the fresco twice. The Mother of God herself also appears in the composition several times - on the arch of the arch she is depicted ascending in the cloudy of glory. Through the open heavenly gates, the Virgin is carried by the angels to the heavenly palace.
