World culture: “Holy Mount Athos and the Monasteries of Russia” exhibition in Tula

The “Holy Mount Athos and the Monasteries of Russia" exhibition opened at the exhibition hall of the Tula Regional Art Museum.

Holy Mount Athos with its heritage and traditions has greatly influenced the materialization of the mystical and ascetic appearance of distinctive Russian Orthodoxy and the entire Holy Russia. In this regard the relations of Russia with Athos during the epoch after Horde’s invasion were at the forefront of it. At that time a lot of books were brought to Russia from Athos, and the translations of patristic works were complete. Today, on the Holy Mountain Russian monasticism is being revived, and the whole Orthodox Russia celebrates the millenary of its presence on Mount Athos.

The array of exhibits consists of the pieces from the funds of Tula Regional Art Museum and the Church and Archaeology Study of Tula Theological Seminary.

The audience will see the photographs of Costas Asimis from the museum’s collection. Each image of Asimis is a work of art that reveals the long history of the ecclesiastical foundation of the Holy Mount Athos. It is worthwhile noting the beautiful lithographs entitled “The View of the Holy Mount Athos and the Monasteries” by the artist Bergmann (the first half of XIX century) and “View of a solitary cell of St. Basil the Great in the Pantokratorsky Monastery on Mount Athos with relics of St. Theophilus, by unknown artist.

A significant part of the exhibition consists of works depicting Russian monasteries. Among these such works as “A View of the Moscow Simonov Monastery” (1841) by A. G. Afanasyev, “The Savvinsky Monastery" (1950-ies.) by N. P. Khristolyubov, “The Pafnutevsky Monastery” (1971) by M. P. Konchalovsky, “The Joseph-Volokolamsk Monastery” (1984) by P. N. Krylov, “The Bell Tower of the Nikitsky Monastery” (1989) by N. V. Dochkin, “Optina Pustyn” (1992) by I. A. Pavlishak, and many others.

Among the pieces of the Church and the Archaeology Study of Tula Theological Seminary a special place in the exposition is assigned to an icon of the Savior with a stigma on the back of which saying, “The blessing of Russian on Athos of St. Panteleimon Monastery”, and the Gospel that belonged to St. Ignatius (Sadkovsky). In a separate showcase are exposed sacred objects, handed by the Greek Orthodox Church.

The exhibition will last till July 31, 2016.