History and culture: “An image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in the Russian book miniature” exhibition in Moscow

1 July 2016
Source: The Russian State Library

“An image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in the Russian book miniature” exhibition opens on July 1, 2016, in the Blue Exhibition Hall of the Russian State Library (Moscow).

St. Nicholas of Myra is one of the most revered saints in the Christian world. Nevertheless, his fame in Russia is especially great. His reverence has found a reflection in the large number of literary, pictorial, musical, and architectural works.

The Russian State Library keeps wonderful manuscripts and facsimile editions devoted to the Life of St. Nicholas, unique printed books and publications of modern times, comprising miniatures of the St. Nicholas of Myra. Among the many precious illuminated manuscripts of the Department of Manuscripts of the Russian State Library and the manuscripts is one unique book - a decorated Hagiography of St. Nicholas of Myra, in which more than 430 miniatures, created at the Kremlin book writing studio of Ivan the Terrible in the seventies of the XVI century. This book and many others from the Department of Manuscripts can be observed at the exhibition.

In addition to manuscripts, the exhibition presents miniatures of St. Nicholas of incunabula (from the collections of the Museum of Book the Russian State Library) and popular woodcut images (from the collections of the Book Illustration Department of the Russian State Library).

The exhibition is divided into thematic sections: “A life and the miracles of St. Nicholas,” “The lines about a birth, a repose and a burial of St. Nicholas”, “The tales, the words and the teachings on removing of the relics of St. Nicholas of Myra to the city of Bari,” “Commendable words and the teachings in honor of St. Nicholas,” “The liturgical works in honor of St. Nicholas,” “Tales about the miraculous icons and the miracles of St. Nicholas revealed in Russia,” “Researchers about the miniatures featuring St. Nicholas.”

The exhibition addresses to a wide range of viewers and readers.