PRACTICE ICON

For those of you beginning to learn to read Church Slavic icon inscriptions, this is a good practice icon. It is a 19th century Old Believer icon, so the painting is traditional.

(Courtesy of Jacksonsauction.com)

As you see, some name inscriptions are in the halo; others are above a saint, and still others are in the outer border. This icon has a recessed “ark.” If you don’t know what an “ark” (kovcheg) is, look it up in the archives search box.

Here are the saints on the left side:

At top is the “Holy Guardian Angel.”

Below are “Holy Venerable Evdokiya (Eudocia)” and “Holy Martyr Iustiniya (Justinia).”

Then come “Holy Martyr Trifon (Triphon)” and “Holy Great Martyr Artemiy (Artemios).”

On the right side:

“Holy Martyr Agafiya (Agatha)”

“Holy Great Martyr Varvara (Barbara); “Venerable Mariya Egipetskaya (Mary of Egypt)

“Holy Great Martyr Dimitry Solunskiy (Demetrius of Thessalonika); “Venerable Anufriy the Great (Onuphrios).

At the top is Jesus in the clouds, blessing with both hands.

Venerable Priest-martyr Kiprian (Cyprian); “Venerable Priest-martyr Zinoviy (Zenobius) of Aegea.”

And finally, at bottom center, is “Holy Vasiliy (Basil) the Great,” with his right hand blessing in the position characteristic of the Old Believers.