Novo-Tikhvin women's monastery: The Iconostases of the Cathedral on the Blood

The Iconostases of the Cathedral on the Blood

The model of the All Saints Cathedral

For many years this holy place, where the Holy Royal Martyrs met their martyric end remained abandoned and desolate, with only a small wooden chapel and a cross standing on the otherwise vacant site. More recently, through the mercy of God, everything has changed. Since the summer of 2000, construction has been ongoing of a magnificent cathedral, which will soon be consecrated in the name of All Saints Who Shone Forth in the Russian Land. Along with the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, this Cathedral on the Blood has been designated as a symbol of the rebirth of Russia and of the repentance of the Russian people.

Future iconostasis
Future iconostasis

The Lord deigned that the sisters of our own pre-revolutionary monastery be among the last to express their love for Imperial Family. The inhabitants of our monastery brought food to the Ipatiev house, thereby helping to support the wellbeing of the prisoners held there, particularly that of the ailing Tsarevich. And now, with the blessing of His Eminence, Archbishop Vikentii, the sisters of the revived monastery are working on the iconostases of the Cathedral that is being built on the site of Golgotha of the Urals, the place of suffering of the Royal Passion-bearers. The trustee of the entire project is the Ekaterinburg Art Fund, and our work is being directly overseen by Olga Alexandrovna Shtukaturova, a professional artist and iconographer and a member of the Russian Artists' Union. The sisters are painting most of the icons according to her design.

The icon of All Russian Saints
The icon of All Russian Saints

The sisters are painting icons both for the iconostases of the lower church, dedicated to the Royal Martyrs, and of the upper church, which will be consecrated in honor of All Saints Who Shone Forth in the Land of Russia. The main icon for the upper church of All Russian Saints is one that requires particular thoroughness and attention to detail, since it includes over 400 miniature icons of individual saints. The entire staff of the icon painting workshop is helping the sisters who are working on these icons, since the work is both crucially important and urgent, since the cathedral is to be consecrated by Patriarch Alexy II during his visit to our diocese this summer.

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Icons hand-painted by the sisters

Also read:
Icon-painting workshop
Partnership with the All Saints Fund