Russian Memory: The Large-scale Exhibition, Dedicated to the 7th centenary of Venerable Sergius of Radonezh, Had Opened in Moscow

"St. Sergius of Radonezh" exhibition opens on April 11, 2014, in Moscow State Integrated National Park and Museum.

Opening the dedicated to the memory of St. Sergius of Radonezh exhibition in the year of his 700th anniversary, Moscow State Integrated National Park and Museum intended to reveal the image of an abbot of the Trinity Monastery near Moscow as the great Russian saint of the XIV century, which has had an enormous influence on his contemporaries and subsequent history of the Russian Church and the Russian state.

The main section of arranged in honor of the great Christian ascetic exhibition belongs to the saint’s representation in Russian art. Thoroughly chosen and shown a literacy, an iconography and an embroidery monuments from the collection of the Moscow State Integrated National Park and Museum created by Russian masters of XVI-XIX centuries introduce the viewers to the iconography, hagiography and dedicated to the St. Sergius of Radonezh church services. A monumental icon of the XIX century with an image of Reverend Sergius against the founded by a named monk Trinity Monastery’s background is the most notable among the others.

The saint’s image also shown in the drawings from the collection of Sergiev Posad National Park and Museum, created at the lithographic studio of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra in the second half of XIX - early XX century. “Life and Miracles of St. Sergius of Radonezh” series is the most notable among the lithographs. This theme continues in graphic works created by Moscow artist S. Kharlamov in 1980.

A special place at the exhibition is given to the materials about the 1380th year Battle of Kulikovo, the key fight in the struggle of the Russian people for liberation from foreign yoke, and to the role of Sergius of Radonezh in the spiritual prior the battle groundwork. Displayed items came from numerous historically associated with the heroic victory of the Russian army monasteries. Dedicated to the historical meeting of the Moscow Prince Dmitry Donskoy and the St. Sergius of Radonezh in Trinity Monastery "The Monk Sergei is Blessing Kulikovo Battle" icon is created specially for the opening of this remarkable exhibition.

The final section of the exhibition presents the followers and the interlocutors of St. Sergius. Following the precepts of their mentor, they became the founders of more than forty monasteries, of which for theirs turn came the founders of fifty more monasteries. Thus, the spiritual offspring of the great Radonezh ascetic spread through entire North-Eastern Russia.

The exhibition was preceded by extensive preparatory work. A dating of individual monuments has been refined in the course of scientific studies. Done by the museum restorers during the exhibition preparation work on the disclosure of ancient icons will allow visitors to see for the first time many of the works from the collection national park museum.

The pieces from their collections were also provided by Russian Museum of Decorative, Applied and Folk Art and Andrei Rublev Ancient Culture and Art Center. Viewers will see more than 200 exhibits.