Miracle of the Holy Virgin (The Battle of the Novogorodians with the Suzdalians)

The composition of the icon of the Miracle of the Holy Virgin (the Battle of the Novgorodians with the Suzdalians) is divided into three horizontal registers. The upper register represents a scene depicting the removal of the wonderworking icon of the Miracle of the Holy Virgin from the Church of the Savior at Ilyin Street to the kremlin (detinets). To the right is a depiction of one-domed Church of the Savior, with Archbishop John-Elijah standing nearby and holding the icon by the pole, and two deacons and a priest helping him to hold it. In the center a procession with the icon walks down the bridge across the river of Volhkov to the detinets, led by a server holding a cross. To the right is a scene of the Novgorodians going out of the detinets’ gates towards the procession and kneeling before the icon. The second and the third registers are unified by the fortress tower to the left. In the center of the second register is a depiction of negotiations between two groups of mounted envoys. To the left Suzdal troops are shooting the city. Behind the tower Novgorodian warriors hold banners and pikes. Before the troops, on the tower wall, hangs the icon of the Miracle of the Holy Virgin, hit by arrows flying from Novgorodian troops. The lower register represents horsemen riding out of the tower gates, led by the saints Boris, George and Gleb that are marked out with haloes around their heads. Above the horsemen’s heads are multi-colored banners depicting Golgothian crosses and pikes. To the right is a depiction of Suzdal troops suffering a defeat. Above the heads of the fighting horsemen in the forefront is the Archangel Michael with a sword; warriors in the rear are running away, with horses trampling down dead bodies.

The miracle of the icon of “Our Lady of the Sign” (A battle between the Novgorodians and the Suzdalians)

The top row shows the removal of the icon of Our Lady of the Sign from the Church of the Savior at Ilyin street on the bridge across the river Volkhov to the St. Sophia Cathedral. The procession is led by St. John, the Archbishop of Novgorod, dressed in white vestments with crosses. In the central part of the icon is the scene of negotiations between ambassadors. As the Suzdalians shoot the defenders of Novgord, one arrow hits the miraculous icon hanging on the city wall. The lower row depicts the victory of the Novgorodians – their army rides out of the tower gates led by Sts. George, Boris and Gleb.