North Deacon’s Door
Early 18th century
Copy
St. Stephen is depicted in an orange sticharion and a blue-black cassock and orarion holding a censer in his right hand and something round, probably — a stone, in his left hand. The saint’s image was painted on the North (Deacon’s) Door leading to the credence table — the table near the altar on which the bread and wine are placed before they are consecrated.
The Holy Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen was the eldest of the seven deacons, appointed by the Apostles themselves, and therefore he is called ‘archdeacon’.
The images of Ss. Stephen and Philipp (on the South Deacon’s Door) were painted in the early 18th century. There were no depictions on the Deacon’s Doors before. Their new style doesn’t correspond with the manner of painting of the ancient icons.
