Icon info

St. Prince Peter and Princess Febronia of Murom, with scenes from their lives

Iconography:  Peter of Murom, St., Febronia of Murom, St., Hagiographic cycle of Peter and Fevronia

Date: XVII century. The late 16th – the first-third of the 16th c.

Origin: From the the Church of the Nativity of the Holy Virgin in Murom.

Material: Wood, tempera

Dimensions:  height 122 cm, width 187 cm

In the center is a picture of the city of Murom. The images of Peter and Fevronia are pictured as a small icon on the façade of a five-domed church housing a coffin with the relics of the Prince and the Princess. On a mount stands Murom’s kremlin; below is the river Oka with huge fishes swimming in the water. Inside the kremlin are shown key episodes of the tale of Peter and Fevronia – the reign of Prince Paul, the appearance of the evil serpent in Murom and the re-unification of Peter and Fevronia in one coffin. The icon has several meaning levels. Murom is represented on the icon as a special sacred place where the relics of the saints are buried. The earthly city, transfigured by the prayers of the local saints – Peter and Fevronia – is likened to Jerusalem. The river Oka, divided into two arms, is reminiscent of the river Jordan, whose waters miraculously divided to let the prophets Elijah and Elisha through the waters. The fishes are associated with an early Christian image of the Redeemer. The icon composition also reflects popular concepts of the city of Murom, glorified in numerous Russian medieval epic tales. The composition in the centerpiece highlights two central images of the relics of saint Peter and Fevronia and the princely chambers with Prince Paul seated on the throne blessing the boyars and the people. 


Border scenes: 

1. The Princess tells Prince Paul about the serpent 

2. Prince Paul tells his brother Peter to kill the serpent 

3. Peter takes Agric’s sword 

4. Peter shows Agric’s sword to Paul and sister-in-law 

5. Peter finds the serpent at his sister-in-law’s chamber 

6. Peter kills the serpent 

7. Peter’s illness 

8. Peter leaves for the Ryazan land 

9. Prince Peter’s messenger visiting Fevronia 

10. The messenger tells Peter that Fevronia agreed to heal him 

11. Peter agrees to be healed by Fevronia 

12. The servant passes Fevronia’s answer to Peter 

13. Preparation of a bath and remedies for Peter 

14. Peter is being told about the healing method 

15. Fevronia is tested for wisdom 

16. Fevronia answers the prince 

17. The healing of Peter 

18. Peter sends Fevronia gifts refusing to marry her 

19. Departure and return of Peter sick once again 

20. The recovery of Peter 

21. The wedding feast in Murom 

22. Peter reigns in Murom 

23. The boyars slander Fevronia, her experience 

24. The boyars demand the expulsion of Fevronia 

25. Fevronia urges the boyars to give her husband back 

26. Peter and Fevronia sail on boats 

27. The miracle of the blossoming trees 

28. The boyars’ feud in Murom 

29. The messengers arrive in Murom to take back Peter and Fevronia 

30. Peter and Fevronia return to Murom 

31. Peter and Fevronia vow to die in the same hour, the making of a coffin 

32. Peter and Fevronia take monastic vows 

33. Fevronia being told that Peter would die soon while embroidering air 

34. Fevronia being told that Peter would die soon 

35. The dormition of Peter and Fevronia 

36. The laying of the bodies of Peter and Fevronia in separate coffins 

37. The removal of the coffins with the relics of Peter and Fevronia to separate churches 

38. The bodies of Peter and Fevronia are found together in one coffin 

39. The bodies of Peter and Fevronia are placed in separate coffins once again 

40. The bodies of Peter and Fevronia are found together in one coffin once again, the healing from the relics 

Deposited in the Museum in February 1919. Restored in 1967-1968 at the Grabar Restoration Center by N.V.Dunayeva. 

  • General view