Society and culture: The State historical Museum holds the “Thousand years of Russian pilgrimage” exhibition

The exhibition, organized by joint efforts of the State Tretyakov Gallery, the State Russian Museum, the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts and many other Russian museums, has a special focus on the topic of pilgrimage to holy places. The history of Russian pilgrimage, represented at the exhibition, begins with the journey of St. Olga, Princess of Russia to Constantinople in 955. The earliest pilgrimage to the Holy Land was described by Father Superior Daniel in XIV century.

Pilgrimage to the Holy Places – is the vital symbol of the Orthodox life and the key historical and cultural phenomenon. The desire to see the places mentioned in the Holy Bible with their own eyes inspired many Russian travelers, among them also prominent writers and artists to become pilgrims. On their way to Palestine the Russian travelers visited Constantinople, which had preserved the image of the Byzantine Empire in the peoples’ spiritual memory. Another Holy place, frequented by pilgrims, was Mount Athos, which had a dramatic influence on the establishment and development of Russian monasticism.

The religious travelers didn’t forget about the Holy places in Russia. The exhibition displays the relics from the Kiev Pechersk Lavra (Kiev Monastery of the Caves), Solovetsky Monastery, Divejevo.

Among the exhibits are the icons, professional and amateur landscapes of Holy Places, photographs, manuscripts, prints, maps, memoirs, the travelers’ portraits and  pilgrim relics.