Irina Kulakova
Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russia
The paper examines one of the revered in Orthodoxy types of icons of the Virgin — the Virgin of Passion. The theme of the Arma Christi originates from Old Rus’ period (the reverse side of the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir). Probably in the 12th–13th centuries the theme of veneration of the Virgin was complemented with the theme of the Passion of Christ — figures of worshipping angels with Instruments of the Passion. This iconographic variant was actualized in the Italo-Cretan tradition of the 15th century, primarily in the works of Andreas Ritzos. I consider a legend (recorded in some late sources) about one of the copies of the Virgin of the Passion icon, which remained intact in the Moscow fire of 1547, saving one of the houses of the Kitay-gorod, and by the tsar’s command was put in the iconostasis of the Church of the Conception of St. Anna. Changes of the cultural context led to the spread of the subject.
Discovery of the revered replica of the icon resulted in well-known legend about the miraculous image from Nizhny Novgorod transfered to Moscow in 1641. After that a church was built and Strastnoy (Virgin of the Passion) monastery was founded (1654). In Western European tradition the cycles of Christ’s Passion and symbolism of the Instruments of the Passion were by that time very popular. The actualization of the Passion scenes in the middle — second half of the 17th century in Moscow is absolutely understandable. It is in tune with the basic principles of Baroque art, which penetrates into Russia with Ukrainian and Belarusian book culture. The Instruments of the Passion of Christ in different iconographic versions become usual elements of different objects (for example, metal crosses), in fine art (portrait engravings), and literary works. The theme of stoic resistance to the trials and tribulations becomes urgent, being associated with complex cultural environment of Modern Time.