Frescoes in the Church of St. Gabriel adjoining to the Monastery of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Zwierki: an attempt at systematics

Abstract

Frescoes in Orthodox churches are indispensable element that has accompanied the Orthodox for many years. The first iconographic representations appeared in the early centuries of Christianity. Over time, after the legalization of the religion, Byzantine iconography began to gradually develop. It was from these regions, thanks to the mission of Saints Cyril and Methodius, and ultimately after the baptism of Rus', that it reached the Slavic lands and today's Podlasie region. Near Białystok, there is the Monastery of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Zwierki, which is one of the relatively young monastic communities in Poland. This place serves as a pilgrimage destination as well as a sanctuary for the relics of St. Martyr Gabriel of Zabłudów. The main church of the monastery, dedicated to the local saint, has a unique and incredibly rich iconographic scheme of frescoes. These frescoes refer to the life of the saint and depict many contemporary saints, as well as scenes from the life of the Patroness of the monastery. The style itself refers to the old-Russian style, allowing us to feel the spirit of ancient temples. This work describes and systematizes the frescoes of the temple in detail to deepen their understanding and examination, as well as to catalog them for future use in scientific research.