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Mother of God of the Burning Bush (September 4) – The depiction of the not burning bush is considered to be the epitome of the virgin Mother of God: captured by divine fire, she nevertheless remained unharmed. Since the 16th century The very complex depiction in Russia unfolds as an epitome of piety regarding Mary: The Mother of God with Emmanuel is inserted in an eight-pointed star formed by two diamonds lying one on top of the other. This star in turn lies on a rosette. In the lower star are the four evangelist symbols, in the rosette and in the upper points are angels with attributes that are derived from the Akathistos hymn. In popular belief, this icon was revered as an aid against lightning and fire, and therefore as protection of the house or apartment. The symbols of the evangelists: the winged man =Matthew, the lion = Mark, the bull = Luke, the eagle = John.

Mother of God of Feodor (March 14 and August 16) – The Mother of God is shown with the child on her right arm. It corresponds to the type of Umilenie which was developed in Byzantium in the 11th century. The Mother of God turns lovingly to the child. A special feature of Feodorovskaya is the bare leg of the Christ child. On August 16, 1239, the miraculous icon of the Mother of God of Feodor appeared to Prince Vasily of Kostroma during a hunt. The icon derives its name from the church of Saint Theodore Stratelates in Kostroma. In front of the icon of the Mother of God of Feodor, Maria Ivanovna blessed her son Mikhaíl Fyodorovich on March 14, 1613, whereby she consented that he ascends the throne. The Dormition Cathedral Cathedral of the Feodorovsky Monastery is located in the area of Nizhny Novgorod (now Gorky). Among the icons of the cathedral in the Winter Palace of Petersburg was a Mother of God Feodorovskaya, who was highly venerated by the Russian tsars.

The Beheading of Saint John (August 29) – The saint known in the West as “John the Baptist” is called “the forerunner” in the Orthodox Church because he baptized Christ and prepared his way, as mentioned in Luke 1, 76. In Matthew 3, 2, it is described that he wore a dress of camel’s hair; we usually find him with bare feet and a somewhat shaggy beard. Because he admonished Herod and Herodias: “You are not permitted to have your brother Philip’s wife.” (Mat. 14; Luke 3, 18), he has him imprisoned. So we see him in the upper part of the icon in prison. In the middle of the picture the executioner strikes the last blow, the body sinks to the ground and the head is handed over by the executioner to Salome in the right part of the icon. So three scenes of beheading are combined in one picture. In the background an architectural backdrop with a reverse perspective. John is considered the patron saint of monastic life. In the 14th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, his martyrdom is described as follows: “… And he (Herod) would have liked to kill him, but was afraid of the people, because they thought he was a prophet…And he sent and beheaded John in prison. And his head was carried in a bowl and given to the girl.”

The apostles Saints Peter and Paul (June 29).

On the edge: a saint (name illegible), Saint Venerable Matrona (November 9), Saint Catherine (November 24) and Saint Xenia (January 24).