01 Religious Icon, A Russian icon of the holy empress Saint Alexandra, with footnotes #35

Unknown iconographer

The Holy Empress Saint Alexandra

With gilded silver oklad, by Ovchinnikov, Moscow, c. 1883

20 1/2 x 10 1/2 in., 52 x 26.7 cm

Private collection

The Saint shown standing at full length, richly dressed in gem- and pearl-studded clothing and crown, and holding a cross, with Christ shown in the clouds above her

Saint Alexandra was the reputed wife of Emperor Diocletian, from 284 until his abdication in 305,  and secretly converted to Christianity. Jacobus de Voragine listing her name as “Alexandria” describes her as the wife of Dacian, the Roman Prefect who persecuted Saint Caprasius of Agen and Saint Maginus. While Saint George was being tortured, Alexandra went to the arena, bowed before him, and professed her faith openly. When she questioned whether she was worthy of paradise and martyrdom without being baptized, Saint George told her, “Do not fear, for your blood will baptize you.” She was denounced as a Christian and imprisoned on her husband's orders in Nicomedia, then sentenced to death.

Her husband was so outraged by her conversion that he is said to have uttered, “What! Even thou hast fallen under their spell!”. Alexandra quietly accepted her sentence and prayed as the guards walked her to the place of execution. She asked if she could rest for a moment. The guards allowed this. She rested by the place of Saint George's execution at Nicomedia's City Wall. More on St. Alexandra

Pavel Akimovich Ovchinnikov was the bondman of Prince Volkonsky. He showed talent for drawing while being a child. Being a teenager he was sent to Moscow for eight years as an apprentice in the workshop, manufacturing gold and silver items, which belonged to his brother A.A. Ovchinnikov. As a brilliant student, P. Ovchinnikov was manumitted. In 1850, he married. Taking 1000 rubles as his wife dowry he opened a workshop which later turned into one of the major jewellery factories in Moscow. More on Pavel Akimovich Ovchinnikov

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