Deesis

The term Deesis, meaning “supplication” or “petition” in Greek, was formed based on liturgical texts in which the Church appeals to the intercession of saints in a supplicatory prayer before the enthroned Saviour. The figurative form of Deesis has been present in Eastern Christianity since the  6th-7th centuries. With the development of the multi-tiered icon screen in Russia during the 16th-17th centuries, Deesis became one of the rows of the iconostasis. In its basic depiction, three figures are presented: Christ Pantocrator, the Almighty, enthroned, and the two greatest intercessors for humanity, the Mother of God and St. John the Baptist, who represent all humankind. They embody the mystery of the Incarnation of the Saviour (accomplished with the participation of the Mother of God) and attested by John (the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Son of God during His baptism in the Jordan). Alongside the basic depiction, there are more elaborate versions that include figures of Archangels, representing the invisible angelic world, Apostles, and other saints, all arranged hierarchically. On the presented Russian icon, in addition to the mentioned figures, we see John the Evangelist, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, as well as Zosimas and Sabbatius of Solovki. In the tradition of Russian Orthodoxy, such representations of Deesis were commonly called "sedmitsa" (meaning "the seven"), in reference to the days of the week. Each day is dedicated to the commemoration of a saint or feast: Sunday commemorates the Resurrection, Monday is dedicated to the Heavenly Hosts, Tuesday to John the Baptist, Wednesday to the Mother of God, Thursday to the Apostles and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Friday to the Crucifixion of Christ, and Saturday to all the saints.

Teresa Bagińska-Żurawska https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9243-3967