Item 77
The Transfer of the Relics of Saint Nicholas
Circa 1900
Egg tempera, gold leaf on wood panel
12.25” x 14.25”
James and Tatiana Jackson Collection

This icon depicts the Transfer of the relics of Saint Nicholas from Myra to Bari, Italy. The event is celebrated on the 9th of May. Deacons carry the remains of Nicholas, with various clerics following closely behind, as lay people kneel and bless themselves. The other saints, which are depicted on the mid left and right border and in the upper corners, have no specific relationship to this event, but were simply added by order of the person who had the icon painted. Often these border saints are called family saints (it was common to put the name saint of the person or persons gifting the icon). At upper left is The Venerable Antoniy. At upper right is the female saint, The Venerable Evdokia. On the left border is Saint Alexander Nevskiy, and on the right Saint Panteleimon.