Иконата „Св. Никола с житийни сцени“ от Бояна
Icon of St Nicholas surrounded by Scenes from His Life from Boyana

Summary/Abstract: The icon of St Nicholas surrounded by scenes from his Life from Boyana was painted either in the late seventeenth or in the early eighteenth century. It contains a number of scenes from the saint’s life of the post-Byzantine period in Bulgaria and is of great interest mostly due to the specific selection of episodes of the saint’s life and his wonderworks, including two rarely represented scenes: of St Nicholas bringing a wreath and St Nicholas refusing to be promoted to the rank of patriarch. The choice of scenes has been cantered on the idea that the saint has to be presented as a historical figure, protector of Christian faith and an example to follow: the three ordainings; his refusal to be elected patriarch; the two scenes depicting his fight with the pagans as well as the two posthumous miracles, inspiring veneration and prayers to the saint. Such a rare selection of scenes suggests that the icon has been commissioned by a clergyman with reverential respect for the saint.

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