The Icon “The Sacrament of Confession”

The icon was painted in the mid-50’s of the 18^th century be the unknown master. The image was made in the lower part of the solid canvas, with which the reverse part of the iconostasis of St. Andrew’s Church was sewn up. The plot of the icon visualizes the sacrament of confession (repentance) – one of the seven Orthodox sacraments. It is located in the interior of the church. The background is an iconostasis of blue and gold with fluted pilasters and capitals of the Corinthian order; cornices of a complex profile.

In the foreground of the icon are two figures. To the right of the spectator is a frontal image of a priest dressed in a dark robe and a red with gold epitrachel. His left hand is raised, and his right hand rests on the head of the confessing man. Behind the priest is an analogion with an open book.

The state of preservation of the frescoes on the reverse side of the iconostasis of St. Andrew’s Church in the pre-museum period of its history (until 1968) was unsatisfactory.

After the approval of the museum status of St. Andrew’s Church, the restoration of the icon “The Sacrament of Confession” took place in two stages. The first stage: 1982-1991 (artists Beliai A.F., Nazarova V.O., Chaban K.B., Yakovenko I.V., Yarovenko P.O.); the second stage: 2003 (artist Podkopaieva V.I., Podkopaiev S.I., Ostapchuk A.M.). Since 2004, the icon “The Sacrament of Confession” is exhibited in the exhibition halls of St. Sophia Cathedral.

The state of preservation of the canvas with the images with which the iconostasis of St. Andrew’s Church was sewn up. Photo of the 30s of the 20^th c. (the collection of the National Conservation Area “St. Sophia of Kyiv”)