Icon - Boris and Gleb - Wood

Beautiful icon with a distinctive depiction - tempera on panel.

Boris and Gleb lived around the year 1000. They were the youngest and highly beloved sons of Grand Prince Vladimir the Great of Kiev, the legendary ruler who introduced Christianity as the state religion in the Kiev Rus in 988.

When Vladimir died in 1015, a fierce and bloody power struggle broke out among his many sons. The oldest half-brother, Svyatopolk, immediately seized the throne in Kiev. Because he was terrified that his brothers would challenge his power, he decided to systematically get rid of his rivals.

Svyatopolk sent assassins after Boris. Boris, who at that moment was returning from a military campaign, was urged by his own army to take up arms, retake Kiev, and claim the throne. However, Boris resolutely refused on the basis of his Christian faith. He spoke the historic words that he would never raise a hand against his elder brother, whom he had to respect as a father figure after their father's death. While lying in his tent praying, he was pierced with spears and swords by Svyatopolk’s men.

Shortly after, Svyatopolk also drew young Gleb into the trap. Although Gleb had been warned of treachery by another brother (Yaroslav the Wise), he too chose not to resort to violence. On a ship near Smolensk, he was beheaded by his own cook — bribed by Svyatopolk.

Because of their refusal to participate in a civil war and their conscious choice to follow the path of Christ in nonviolence, they earned a very specific status in the Orthodox tradition: Strastotertsy (passion-bearing) saints. They did not die strictly as traditional martyrs for the faith (they were not persecuted because they were Christians), but they did die in a Christian manner by accepting their fate with innocence and without resistance to prevent bloodshed among their own people.

Because of this sacrifice they were officially canonized in 1071 and have become the very first national saints of Russian/East Slavic Christianity. Svyatopolk went down in history with the bitter epithet “The Exiled” (in the sense of the curse he earned).

Back with Orthodox text carved in wood.

Good condition, only a single tiny flake at the edge. Treated for woodworm. See detail photos.

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