Theotokos Petrovskaya
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| Theotokos Petrovskaya | |
|---|---|
 Petrovskaya Icon in the Dormition Cathedral in Moscow | |
| Artist | Saint Peter, Metropolitan of Moscow |
| Year | c. 1305 |
| Location | Dormition Cathedral |
Theotokos Petrovskaya (English: Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos by Saint Peter) is a highly venerated holy icon in the Russian Orthodoxy Church. Representing the Mother of God and the Child, it was painted by Saint Peter of Moscow c. 1305. This depiction of the Theotokos differs slightly from the more nationally-known Our Lady of Vladimir icon, in that the icon depicts the Mother holding the Child with her left hand as opposed to the right, and the eyes of the Mother focus slightly towards the Child. Theotokos Petrovskaya is an example of an Elesua icon, an Eastern-style icon depicting cheek-to-cheek contact between the Mother and Christ Child alongside Our Lady of Vladmir.
The celebration of the icon is September 6 (August 24 in the Julian Calendar).
Description[edit]
The most well-known copy of the icon today rests in the Dormition Cathedral in Moscow, and is the earliest surviving copy dating to the late 14th-century.[1] However, certain claims are made that the smaller icon is in fact the original, however this has never been proven. In the Dormition Cathedral copy, the Mother is seen cradling the Child with her left arm, and gesturing with her right hand. This gesture is said to suggest that He is the "true way and life." Nestled in the Child's left hand is a small scroll. Other copies of the icon are show with much more ornamentation. Notably, the eyes of the Mother are not focused on the viewer, as seen in the Our Lady of Vladimir icon, but are averted to the side, towards the Christ Child.
History and origin[edit]
The origin story of the Petrovskaya dates back to the early 13th century. The icon was most likely painted in the year 1305, the same year that it would be presented to Maxim, Metropolitan of Kiev, who brought it with him to Vladimir.[1] Maxim would later die that year with the icon in his possession and his prayer. Seeing the opportunity to seize the position of Metropolitan, a man named Gerontius (no relation to Gerontius, Metropolitan of Moscow) took the icon along with Maxim's other possessions and travelled to Constantinople to be consecrated.[2] Unknown to Gerontius however, Peter had already arrived and been consecrated by the Patriarch Athanasius. Amidst his journey on the Black Sea, storms and other bad sea conditions delayed him further. One night, according to legend, the Mother of God appeared in a dream to Gerontius in the same clothing as the icon. She spoke to him and told him that he was not meant to be the Metropolitan of all Rus. Dismayed, Gerontius also was told that the loyal servant of Christ, Peter who painted the image would be the next Metropolitan. Gerontius eventually arrived in Constantinople and met with the Patriarch and relayed the dream to him. The Patriarch confiscated the icon along with the rest of Maxim's possessions and gave them to Peter, who he claimed as the true Metropolitan of Kiev and all Rus.[2] Peter would later bring the icon back to Vladmir.
It would later be moved to Moscow to rest in the Dormition Cathedral, which Peter had persuaded Ivan I to build.[3] This is the same period that the present day copy was likely made. A newly-built Cathedral housed the icon from 1479 onwards.[4] In the 16th century, Patriarch Jov took this icon with him, alongside with other icons in the Cathedral when he went to find Boris Godunov in his support for his ascension to the throne. In 1613 the icon was brought to Kostroma to persuade Mikhail Feodorovich to take the throne. Later, the icon then disappeared from the Cathedral, leaving behind only the copy to this day.
Significance[edit]
The icon is said to be a highly venerated holy icon, due to the story of the dream with the Mother of Christ as well as the connections with various figures in Russian history. In addition, miracles are said to be performed by the icon itself.[1] The symbolism of motherhood as opposed to other regal depictions of the icon in Elesua tradition is notable.
Copies[edit]
Copies are known to be present in Novgorod as well as the Sergiyev Posad State History and Art Museum.[5]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "The Story and Iconography of the Petrovskaya Icon of the Mother of God". 2016-09-06. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Петровская икона Божией Матери". Церковно-Научный Центр "Православная Энциклопедия" (in русский). Retrieved 2022-11-29.
- ↑ Tolstaya, TV (1980). Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin (in русский). Moscow: Iskusstvo. ISBN 978-0569085601. Search this book on
- ↑ "Russian architecture and the West". Choice Reviews Online. 45 (3): 45–1278-45-1278. 2007-11-01. doi:10.5860/choice.45-1278. ISSN 0009-4978.
- ↑ "Icons of the 14th – 17th cc". en.museum-sp.ru. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
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