“Altar cross of Cossack’s kuren of Mensk district” made by master Leontiy, 1759

(in commemoration of the 95th anniversary of the National Preserve

Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra)

Dear friends! Today “Artistic Heritage” section presents a new carved artwork from the Fund collection of the National Preserve “Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra”. It is the altar cross of Cossacks kuren of Mensk district (KPL-M-9368).

The iconography of the Ukrainian carved crosses of Baroque style varies greatly in the number of its plots. Altar cross of 1759 vividly demonstrates it. According to the inscription on its silver frame, the Cross was made at the expense of “friends of a noble but deceased Cossack by the name Kyryk who served in the kuren (Cossack military unit) of Mensk volost (district). This is one of the rare artistic items of the collection of carved artworks of the Preserve, which has the inscription with the name of its carver (“Leontius”) on it. The iconography of the Cross seems to be unique - seven out of its twelve medallions are hagiographical, which is a very rare thing with reference to the crosses. The compositions illustrate the life of St. Barbara the Great Martyr that was revered in Ukraine for Her patronage of the military and those who passed away suddenly, without either confession or communion.

The height of the Cross’s frame is 35.5 cm. The length of its horizontal beam is 10.0 cm. The image is made by means of high and medium relief planar carvings. In the middle of the Сross one can see traditional compositions, those of Crucifixion (front side) and Christianizaton (reverse side). The first hagiographical composition on the front side of the Cross illustrates the conflict between St. Barbara and her father Dioscorius. Addressing her father, Barbara points to the sky (and at the same time to Crucifixion, the central composition of the plot)  with one of her hands, and to the “marble” - with another. According to her hagiography, St. Barbara drew the image of the Cross on it. The figure of Dioscorius demonstrates that he rejects his daughter’s faith in Christ.

Five out of seven life stories, depict the scenes of torture and execution of the Saint. The second medallion on the front side of the Cross depicts Dioscorius who pulls the girl by her hair after catching her up in the cave and beating fiercely. The next round image shows the cruel scene. Barbara is whipped by ox-veins in the palace of Mortian, the Roman emperor. On the right Cross shoulder she is depicted hanging on a rack. Two executioners castigate her naked body with “claws“, a terrible tool in the form of a stick that ends with a large pointed metal tip. These images repeat the composition on “St. Barbara the Great Martyr” engraving (18th c.) made in Kyiv-Podilsk workshop owned by J. Serbin.

In the bottom of the reverse side of the Cross one can see a brutal scene of the Martyr’s breast being cut off with large and sharp forceps. On the right shoulder there is Barbara’s father who cuts off her head, on the left - the image of sacred traditional iconography, with attributes: a palm branch and a sword in the left hand and a chalice - in the right hand. In the upper Cross end there is the image of St. Juliana the Great Martyr, dressed in royal attire. She adhered to the Christian religion, was tortured in the same way as St. Barbara the Great Myrtar and was executed on the same day as her.

Prepared by Olena Serhii 
Senior research associate
Research Division of the Artistic Heritage of the National Preserve “Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra” 

Captions to the illustrations:
1. Cross of Cossack’s kuren of Mensk district. 1759 Carver Leontiy. Front side
2. Cross of Cossack’s kuren of Mensk district, 1759. Carver Leontiy. Reverse side
3. Conversation between St. Barbara the Martyr and Dioscorius: “…the wise lady talked a lot about Holy Trinity with her cruel father…, thus, driving him to a state of fury. Cross of Cossacks’ kuren of Mensk district, 1759. Front side fragment. 
4. Beating St. Barbara the Great Martyr, in Mortian’s palace. Cross of Cossack’s kuren of Mensk district, 1759. Front side fragment
5. Scenes of torture. Cross of Cossacks’ kuren of Mensk district, 1759. Front fragments
6. Scenes of torture. Cross of Cossacks’ kuren of Mensk district, 1759. Front side fragments
7. Torture of St. Barbara the Great Martyr. Cross of Cossacks’ kuren of Mensk district, 1759. Reverse side fragment. 
8. “St. Barbara the Great Martyr” engraving (18th c.), J. Serbin’s workshop
9. St. Barbara the Great Martyr. Cross of Cossacks’s kuren of Mensk distrit, 1759. Reverse side fragment
10. St. Juliana the Great Martyr. Cross of Cossacks’ kuren of Mensk district, 1759. Reverse side fragment.