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Icon: Christ Pantokrator

Here Christ is shown holding a book of Gospels and delivering a blessing. The abbreviated shoulder height inscription identifies him as Господь Вседержитель
– The Lord Almighty. Christ is depicted as the ruler or sovereign of the Universe.
This title is taken from the book of Revelation 1:8, ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega says the Lord, Who Is, Who Was and Who is To Come, the Almighty’ (Вседержитель). The icon is often also referred to by its Greek title, Pantokrator
(Παντοκράτορ) which means ‘Almighty’.

Greek letters in the halo: O ΩN (‘the Being or ‘He who is’), based on ‘I am that I am’ from Exodus 3:13-14; Greek letters on the side: IC XC = Jesus Christ.

Christ gives a blessing with his right hand and holds a half-opened, beautifully-decorated book of Gospels in his left hand. His red chiton and blue himation have subtle golden highlights.