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The Solemnity of St. Nikita
Ausstellung 22 Februar − 24 März
The Great Martyr Nikita of Gotha (4th century), an early Christian saint whose cult was developed in the Eastern Roman Empire, was honored in Russia since pre-Mongol times, but especially during the period of strengthening the power of the Moscow Grand Dukes and the establishment of the concept of "Moscow as the Third Rome". At that time, temples were erected in honor of the Great Martyr Nikita, his images appeared in fresco ensembles and on icons. At the beginning of the XVI century, hagiographic icons of holy warriors became widespread, but compared to the images of the Great Martyr George or Demetrius of Solunsk, Nikita of Gotha was not often depicted.
The exhibition will provide an opportunity to get acquainted with a rare icon from the first third of the 16th century from the collection of Sergei Khodorkovsky. This is one of the earliest known images of St. Nikita, which illustrates his hagiography in detail, in fourteen stamps. The icon, made by a Moscow master, is the centerpiece of the exhibition.
In the consciousness of the man of ancient Russia Nikita the warrior was associated primarily with the saint who defeated the evil power. The story of St. Nikita beating a demon goes back to an apocryphal tale. Perhaps it is a revised text of the life of one of the early Christian martyrs Nikita of Nicomedia, whose feast day coincided with the feast day of St. Nikita of Gotha. The image of Nikita beating a demon is also present on one of the stamps of the icon, but its main semantic emphasis remains the triumph of the martyr for the Christian faith.
From the second half of the 14th century, the image of St. Nikita the Great Martyr beating a demon - St. Nikita the Besogon - became widespread in small plastics: body crosses and small images that had a protective function. These monuments of personal piety from the museum's collection will also be presented at the exhibition, demonstrating the widespread veneration of St. Nikita among the people.
The curator of the exhibition is Irina Finskaya, a researcher of the research department of the Andrei Rublev Museum. Irina Finskaya is the curator of the exhibition.
The exhibition will provide an opportunity to get acquainted with a rare icon from the first third of the 16th century from the collection of Sergei Khodorkovsky. This is one of the earliest known images of St. Nikita, which illustrates his hagiography in detail, in fourteen stamps. The icon, made by a Moscow master, is the centerpiece of the exhibition.
In the consciousness of the man of ancient Russia Nikita the warrior was associated primarily with the saint who defeated the evil power. The story of St. Nikita beating a demon goes back to an apocryphal tale. Perhaps it is a revised text of the life of one of the early Christian martyrs Nikita of Nicomedia, whose feast day coincided with the feast day of St. Nikita of Gotha. The image of Nikita beating a demon is also present on one of the stamps of the icon, but its main semantic emphasis remains the triumph of the martyr for the Christian faith.
From the second half of the 14th century, the image of St. Nikita the Great Martyr beating a demon - St. Nikita the Besogon - became widespread in small plastics: body crosses and small images that had a protective function. These monuments of personal piety from the museum's collection will also be presented at the exhibition, demonstrating the widespread veneration of St. Nikita among the people.
The curator of the exhibition is Irina Finskaya, a researcher of the research department of the Andrei Rublev Museum. Irina Finskaya is the curator of the exhibition.
