Icon of Gabriel, Archangel (Russian, 15th c.) – S120

Description

This 15th century Russian icon of the Holy Archangel Gabriel was originally on the top row of an iconostasis, or altar icon screen, from Novgorod.  The Deisis represents the Lord with His Holy Saints and Angels supplicating towards Him in these matching icons?J27: Christ Enthroned, with T36: Theotokos Sup-plicating, S150: The Archangel Michael, and S162: Saint Peter, (all standing on Christ’s right hand), and S133: Saint John the Baptist, and S160: Saint Paul (all standing on Christ’s left).  Their hands are outstretched and their heads are bowed towards Christ sitting on the Throne of His Kingdom which will never end.

In Hebrew, Gabriel means “Man of God.”  In our Holy Church Tradition, he appeared and greeted the Virgin Mary at the time of the Annunciation, and told Saint Zacharias of the birth of his son, John the Baptist.  He also told SS Joachim and Anna of the birth of their blessed child, the Virgin Mary, and instructed the Prophet Moses in the wilderness to write Genesis on the origins of the world, which he couldn’t have known otherwise.  Thus we see that he informs God’s people about the salvation of mankind.