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Icon Gallery General Collection 2527n: "The selected Saints and Nikita Stylite"_1
2527n: "The selected Saints and Nikita Stylite"_1
Image information
"The selected Saints and Nikita Stylite" The second half of the 19th century Central Russia
Size: 35,4x30,7x2,3cm Technique & Material: Board, gesso ground, silver leaf, tempera, drying oil.
Description: Nikita Stylite (12 century) - Saint of the Russian Church.He was famous for exploiting the special form of asceticism -"stolpnichestvo" at the Nikitski monastery near Pereslavl. "Stolpnichestvo" - is a feat of standing on a pillar and continuous praying for the sake of piety, it appeared before the 4th century.
The founder of "stolpnichestvo" is believed to be the Christian Syrian monk Simeon, who lived on a pillar for 30 years.In Russia - "stolpnichestvo" was a rare phenomenon .Saint Seraphim Sarovski, in imitation of St. Simeon, was praying to God on the stone for 1000 days. Saint Nikita Pereslavsky, who is depicted on this icon dug himself an underground pillar-cave. Before the monkhood veil Nikita was a tax collector, he was cruel and greedy.
When Nikita has heard the words of Isaiah(Is.1 :16-17) in church, it caused a change in him and he retired to a monastery, where, the abbot gave him an obedience to stand at the gates for three days and to confess his sins. After becoming a monk, Nikita has dug a pit, he settled in it, put on the chains and a stone cap. Spiritual feats of St. Nikita attracted many monks, who formed a monastery. On 24th of May, in 1186 Saint Nikita Pereslavsky was killed by robbers, who thought that his chains were made of silver. High-quality painting in the classical style of icon painting of the central regions of Russia(Volga).
The image of St Nikita Stylite is very rare, therefore the icon has a rather high collection status.
Perfect state of preservation.
High Resolution Images: fragments.
Price:1300 EUR .-