Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky (1221-1263) was an outstanding military leader and a clever politician. At the age of 19 he crushed the Swedish army at the Neva river and in two years in 1242 he gained a victory over the knights of Teutonic Order at Chudskoe Lake. Being a talented diplomat, the prince was working on the political relations with the Golden Horde. In such a way many Russian cities were saved from destruction. However, during his fourth trip to Sarai the prince fell ill and, having taken the vows of schema, passed away before getting back to Vladimir.
Alexander Nevsky was one of the first persons to be canonized. The martyr princes Boris and Gleb, Theodosius of Kiev, and then Alexander Nevsky were canonized during the Makaryev Sobor in 1547 by metropolitan Macarius during the reign of Ivan the Terrible.
Since that time the image of the saint blessed prince started appearing on icons. Considering the fact he took the vows of schema not long before his death, traditionally the prince was depicted in the monk’s clothes. However, along with that image a “secular”, or princely image, appeared a bit later. It became more popular after 1724 when, after Peter the Great’s order, the prince’s relics were moved to the Alexander Nevski Monastery. The Holy Synod ordered to depict the saint “in the suit of armor and a royal mantle decorated with ermine, sometimes riding the horse”.
Peter the Great saw his predecessor in Alexander Nevsky and declared him the heavenly patron of Saint Petersburg. Also the saint was venerated in Vladimir, Novgorod, and other regions. The prince is considered a patron of the Russian army.
This icon represents Alexander Nevsky in the princely image. The icon is made with oil on the wood. According to the tradition, the icons were painted on the layer of gesso with tempera. However, starting from the late 17th century the icons painted with oil mixed with tempera appeared, and later on, with the spread of oil colours, without adding the tempera. The icon dates by 1889 and belongs to the late period of Russian icon painting. The prince is shown as a young and strong warrior. Fluency of line and lack of strong feelings in the image indicate academic manner of depiction. Only combination of blue, gold and red colours keeps the reference to the traditional icon.
In 2009 Archimandrite Nazary, the vicarious ruler of the Alexander Nevsky Monastery, gave a shrine with Saint Alexander Nevsky’s relics to the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Kurgan, and this is why he is considered a patron saint of Kurgan. Starting from 2009 the Alexander holiday dedicated to the memory of the blessed prince is organized in the city annually.
Alexander Nevsky was one of the first persons to be canonized. The martyr princes Boris and Gleb, Theodosius of Kiev, and then Alexander Nevsky were canonized during the Makaryev Sobor in 1547 by metropolitan Macarius during the reign of Ivan the Terrible.
Since that time the image of the saint blessed prince started appearing on icons. Considering the fact he took the vows of schema not long before his death, traditionally the prince was depicted in the monk’s clothes. However, along with that image a “secular”, or princely image, appeared a bit later. It became more popular after 1724 when, after Peter the Great’s order, the prince’s relics were moved to the Alexander Nevski Monastery. The Holy Synod ordered to depict the saint “in the suit of armor and a royal mantle decorated with ermine, sometimes riding the horse”.
Peter the Great saw his predecessor in Alexander Nevsky and declared him the heavenly patron of Saint Petersburg. Also the saint was venerated in Vladimir, Novgorod, and other regions. The prince is considered a patron of the Russian army.
This icon represents Alexander Nevsky in the princely image. The icon is made with oil on the wood. According to the tradition, the icons were painted on the layer of gesso with tempera. However, starting from the late 17th century the icons painted with oil mixed with tempera appeared, and later on, with the spread of oil colours, without adding the tempera. The icon dates by 1889 and belongs to the late period of Russian icon painting. The prince is shown as a young and strong warrior. Fluency of line and lack of strong feelings in the image indicate academic manner of depiction. Only combination of blue, gold and red colours keeps the reference to the traditional icon.
In 2009 Archimandrite Nazary, the vicarious ruler of the Alexander Nevsky Monastery, gave a shrine with Saint Alexander Nevsky’s relics to the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Kurgan, and this is why he is considered a patron saint of Kurgan. Starting from 2009 the Alexander holiday dedicated to the memory of the blessed prince is organized in the city annually.
