Travel icon depicting Saints Quiricus and Julitta, 19th century

Bronze casting with polychrome enamels

Height × Width: 14 × 11.5 cm Weight: 405.2 g.

One of the most harrowing and poignant stories of the Christian tradition, occurring around 304 AD during the persecutions of Diocletian. In the lower right, larger than the other figures, stands Saint Julitta, holding a double-barred cross, a symbol of her supreme sacrifice and spiritual victory over death. Beside her is her son, Quiricus, who, despite his young age, is depicted with the dignity of an adult, emphasizing that his sanctity knows no age. To the left, two bishops act as solemn witnesses, framing the martyrdom within the official history of the Church. In the background, three veiled figures represent the Christian virtues that watch over the sacrifice of mother and son, transforming a moment of suffering into an eternal icon of hope and protection for all families. The central scene is framed by an expanded Deesis, which includes the Pantocrator at the center, flanked by the Virgin and John the Baptist, followed by other saints and archangels arranged along the sides, reinforcing the heavenly and intercessory dimension of the composition. This icon belongs to the group of Russian Old Believer icons, produced in series from the 17th century onward and characterized by strict adherence to the canons of the Byzantine tradition. These works, often cast in bronze and sometimes enhanced with colored enamels, were generally small in size and intended for private devotion. Their portability allowed them to be easily transported and, if necessary, concealed, thus meeting the religious needs of a community that, after the schism known as the Raskol, endured periods of persecution by the official Russian Orthodox Church.