ABOUT THE PORTRAIT

 

The portrait was completed under the patronage of the Russian Federation Council, Russian Nobility Association in America and Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. It was officially unveiled on May 19, 2012 at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow, Russia, by Metropolitan Hilarion, the Head of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR), on the occasion of the 5th Jubilee of the reconciliation and the Act of Canonical Communion of the ROCOR with the Moscow Patriarchate. 

 

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SYMBOLS IN THE PORTRAIT

 (the Artist's original creation)

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In accordance with the best traditions of Portrait Painting (and as I often do in my official portraits and portrait works), I have included a number of appropriate SYMBOLS in the portrait of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.

 

The portrait symbols are: 

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• ​Image of The Trinity, an icon, painted by Andrey Rublev (c.1360-c.1430), which represents Christianity and the Russian Orthodox Faith;

• People, walking towards a church (in the bottom left) represent the idiom that 'All the roads lead to the Church';

• Birch trees, national trees of Russia (in the bottom right) give the sense of place and represent Russia;

• River is a symbol of Eternity;

• The Sun (bottom left, above the church) symbolizes Life and Future.

                                                                                                                                ~  Igor V. Babailov

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