| On this luxuriant version of the Virgin of Kazan, the clothes of Virgin Mary and Jesus were adorned with white pearls to represent their innocence and purity. Virgin Mary was revered by most Russians for her blessing and protection. After a fire destroyed the Kazan city in 1579, it was said that the Virgin appeared to a girl and told her where to find the precious image. The tsar later requested a church dedicated to the Virgin to be built where the icon was found. This is part of the Moscow Kremlin Museums collection. |
