Saint princes Constantine, Michael and Feodor of Murom, with scenes from their lives
Iconography: Constantine of Murom, Michael of Murom, Feodor of Murom, Hagiographic cycle of Constantine, Michael and Theodore
Date: XVIII century. 1714
Icon-painter: Alexander Kazantsev
Origin: From the Annunciation Convent in Murom
Material: Wood, tempera
Dimensions: height 199,5 cm, width 250,5 cm
In the center, under a segment portraying the Holy Trinity, are the figures of Constantine with his sons Michael and Feodor (Theodor). Prince Constantine is portrayed in a strictly frontal position. He is taller than his children but not significantly. The princes Michael and Feodor are also represented en face, but their figures are slightly turned to the father. Constantine is shown as a gray-haired long-bearded old man, while his sons are portrayed as young identical twins. The saints are shown wearing princely hats and fur-coats, with swords in the left hand. Michael is holding with his right hand a palm branch, Constantine holds a globe, and Feodor holds a cross. The centerpiece is surrounded by 87 border scenes in ten tiers. Each border scene has captions. The bottom margin carries the date and the names of the icon-painters.
Border scenes:
1. The angel of Murom prays to God to convert Murom’s pagans.
2. Prince Constantine learns about Murom from the boyars
3. Prince Constantine asks his father Svyatoslav to give him Murom to converting its citizens.
4. Constantine asks his father to allow him to take the boyars with him
5. Constantine meets the Metropolitan of Kiev in Prince Svyatoslav’s chamber
6. Svyatoslav agrees to meet Constantine’s request
7. The kissing of Constantine and Svyatoslav, Constantine and Svyatoslav are seated on the same throne
8. Prayer service in Kiev by the icon of the Mother of God
9. The anointing of Constantine to reign in Murom
10. Constantine is being handed the icon of the Mother of God
11. The Metropolitan of Kiev sends a bishop and priests to accompany Constantine
12. Constantine and his family hold a farewell party before leaving Kiev
13. Constantine leaves Kiev for Murom
14. Constantine sends his son Michael to negotiate with the citizens of Muroms
15. The citizens of Murom conspire against Michael
16. The citizens of Murom meet Michael at the city gates
17. Michael negotiates with the citizens of Murom. The killing of Michael
18. The citizens of Murom prepare for the battle with Constantine
19. Constantine finds Michael’s body
20. The prayer of Constantine
21. The citizens of Murom go out to battle against Constantine
22. Constantine and his druzhina march out against Murom’s troops
23. The defeat of the Murom troops
24. The citizens of Murom hold a council
25. Murom’s envoys visit Constantine
26. The Entry of Constantine into Murom
27. The reign of Prince Constantine in Murom, with his son Feodor and wife Irina
28. The foundation of the first Church of the Annunciation
29. The entombment of Michael
30. Constantine prays to the icon of the Mother of God
31. Prince Constantine persuade the citizens of Murom to adopt Christianity
32. A prayer service for salvation of the citizens of Murom
33. The citizens of Murom complot the murder of Constantine
34. The citizens of Murom threaten Constantine
35. Constantine, his family and the bishop pray to a Holy Virgin icon
36. Constantine, his family and the bishop pray to a Holy Virgin icon
37. Constantine goes out with a Holy Virgin icon to meet the citizens of Murom. The miracle of the icon
38. The citizens of Murom agree to adopt Christianity
39. A prayer service in the Church of the Annunciation
40. Constantine speaks to Murom’s clergy
41. Constantine orders the citizens of Murom to fast before conversion
42. Constantine orders the citizens of Murom to go to the Oka to take baptism
43. The citizens of Murom goes out to the bank of the Oka
44. The conversion of the citizens of Murom
45. The conversion of women and children
46. The chrismation of the citizens of Murom
47. The procession of the citizens of Murom to the Church of the Annunciation
48. The Thanksgiving prayer service after the conversion of the citizens of Murom
49. The prince holds a feast for his boyars
50. The prince holds a feast for the bishop, priests, monks and the poor
51. Prince Constantine holds a feast for all citizens of Murom
52. Constantine receives the citizens. The laudation of the prince. Constantine hands out presents.
53. The dormition of Princess Irina
54. The entombment of Princess Irina
55. The dormition of Prince Constantine
56. The dormition of Prince Feodor
57. The entombment of Constantine and Feodor
58. The appearance of the Mother of God and Murom’s wonderworkers to Eldress Varsonothia
59. The second appearance of the Mother of God and Murom’s wonderworkers to Eldress Varsonothia
60. Eldress Varsonothia appeals to the citizens of Murom
61. Eldress Varsonothia points to the burial site of Murom’s wonderworkers
62. The finding of the tombstones
63. The prayer at the Holy Virgin icon
64. The wonderworkers appear to Peter the Pskovityanin and tell him to bring their icon from Pskov
65. Peter prays at the wonderworkers’ grave
66. Peter receives the icon of Murom’s wonderworkers in Pskov
67. The bringing of the to Murom
68. The prayer service at the icon of the wonderworkers
69. The finding of the relics of Murom’s wonderworkers
70. Tsar Ivan the Terrible prays at the wonderworkers’ relics
71. The laying of the relics in a shrine at the Annunciation Church
72. The enthronement of saint Prince George in Murom
73. The reign of Prince George
74. The renovation of the Church of the Annunciation by Prince George. The prayer service at the icon of the Mother of God.
75. Demon appears to the citizens of Murom in the guise of a girl visiting St. Basil
76. Demon in the guise of a girl goes with boots in hands to St. Basils’ cell
77.The citizens of Murom of accuse St. Basil of fornication and threaten to killhim
78. The prayer of St. Basil
79. The prayer service of St. Basil
80. The prayer of St. Basil in the Church of Sts. Boris and Gleb
81. St. Basil goes out of the church with a Holy Virgin icon
82. St. Basil come to the bank of the Oka river
83. St. Basil puts his mantle on the water
84. The miraculous swimming of St. Basil against the stream of the Oka
85. St. Basil meets with the bishop of Ryazan
86. The prayer service at the icon of the Mother of God in Ryazan
87. The transfer of bishop’s cathedra from Murom to Ryazan
Deposited in the Murom Museum on April 1, 1940. Restored in 1940 and 1944 in the Murom Museum by I.I.Tyulin.
General view