Dear Friends!

Take a trip to our virtual museum during your coffee or tea break and make your #quarantinediscoveries!

Admire unique cultural assets of the Museum Fund of Ukraine!

A rare exhibit of the Preserve's collection is the icon of Sts. Anthony and Theodosius of Pechersk of the last quarter of the 17th century. The icon adorned the iconostasis of the Ascension Church in the village Berezna in the Chernihiv region. This church was destroyed in 1929–1930. Sts. Anthony and Theodosius are considered to be founders of Ukrainian monachism. They established the oldest Kyiv-Pechersk monastery of the 11th century.

The Holy Fathers stand near the Dormition Cathedral - the main church of the monastery. The iconography is traditional: St. Anthony is a gray-haired old man in a schemamonk cowl, and St. Theodosius is bare-headed, with dark hair and a beard. The monks hold unfolded scrolls with inscriptions. It is written on St. Anthony’s scroll: “Lord, may there be blessings of the holy Mount Athos on this place”. The inscription on the scroll held by St. Theodosius reads: “Lord, this temple was created in the name of the Most Holy Mother of God, Your Mother”. The upper part of the composition features the image of Our Lady of the Sign in the aureola above the clouds (Our Lady with prayerfully raised hands and the Divine Infant in Her bosom). The icon is semicircular. It has gilded background decorated with floral ornaments, made in the technique of carving into gesso.

The icon of Sts. Anthony and Theodosius of Pechersk stands proudly among the best examples of easel art in the world cultural heritage.

Let’s #stayathome and discover the beauties of the Preserve’s collection together!

#museumfromhome, #museumcoffeebreak, #museumteabreak