Pectoral icon depicting Saint Nicholas of Myra, 19th century

Bronze casting with polychrome enamels

Height × width: 6 × 4 cm Weight: 26.5 g.

in half-length , dressed in a mantle and omophorion, symbols of his authority and pastoral responsibility. His right hand is raised in a gesture of blessing, while the left holds the Gospel, emphasizing his role as a spiritual guide and intercessor for the faithful. On either side, within two clouds, appear miniature figures of Christ and the Virgin, witnesses to the scene and symbols of divine protection.This icon belongs to the group of Russian Old Believer icons, mass-produced from the 17th century onward and characterized by strict adherence to the canons of the Byzantine tradition. Such artifacts, often made of bronze and sometimes enriched with colored enamels, were generally small in size and intended for private devotion. Their portability made them easy to carry and, if necessary, to conceal, thus meeting the religious needs of a community that, after the schism known as the Raskol, experienced periods of persecution by the official Russian Orthodox Church.