In the St. Cyril of White Lake Museum in Vologda province, an unprecedented exhibition “St. Nicholas the God-Pleaser” opened. It presents around 350 images of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker from the 11th to the early 20th century, Orthochristian reports.
It is an incredibly unique exhibition. Artifacts for it were provided by 14 museums throughout the Arkhangelsk, Vologda, and Yekaterinburg provinces, as well as from collections in different cities across Russia.
Many of the artifacts, including very rare icons, are being presented to the public for the first time.
One of these recreated icons is the icon, “Holy Hierarch Nicholas the Wonderworker”, dating from the second half of the nineteenth century. In 2011, it was discovered in disrepair by employees of an Arkhangelsk museum in a private house, in the village of Gridkino, Verkhnetoemsky District, Arkhangelsk oblast’. Today, after major restoration, the icon first appeared to visitors.
The people have always valued him for his kindness, mercy and justice. Throughout the entire territory of the Russian state, there is hardly a place where there would not be a single church dedicated to the God-pleasing Nicholas, or icons with his image.
According to the museum, visitors to the exhibition will become acquainted with a diverse range of iconographical depictions of Saint Nicholas. There are unique icons from the 15th–17th centuries, including ancient images of the saint with rare stories, as well as folk icons endowed with special warmth and unique iconographic style.
White Lake Monastery
White Lake Monastery was founded in 1397 by the monk Cyril, the most famous of the disciples and followers of St. Sergius of Radonezh.
St. Cyril came to the shore of Lake Siversky at the age of 60 and died at the age of 90. His relics are buried in the Church of St. Cyril of White Lake. The museum-reserve preserves items associated with the name of the saint.
The monastery was secularized and turned into a museum in 1924, though monks were allowed to return to the Ivan Monastery in 1998.
Photo courtesy of Orthochristian
