Several splendid historic cathedrals and churches stand within the Kremlin Walls in Moscow, Russia. The Cathedral of the Annunciation (pictured below) was originally the personal church of Moscow's princes and tsars. While there is a central church, there are also five smaller churches interconnected by a gallery. Each chapel is covered with a golden cupola, suggesting lighted candles clustered together.
While silly tourists often complain that these chapels are too small, Polenov seems to have found a favorite spot within the complex and settled in to paint it, sitting at the end of an aisle in a chapel dedicated to the Annunciation.
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary." Luke 1:26-28
In this unusually narrow chapel, the iconostasis is indeed small, only two tiers above the Royal Doors. Normally there would be a row of fifteen feast day icons; here there's room only for eight. And while normally there are two deacon doors in an iconostasis, far left and right; here there is only one.
Polenov is so attentive to detail, we can see the four evangelists on the central closed doors with the Annunciation scene. Above these doors is the deeis row with Christ enthroned in light, the Mother of God and St. John the Baptist interceding, with angels and sainted-bishops on either side.
Icons are best viewed by candlelight. Maybe a caretaker lit the chandelier candles so Vasily would have some light. At any rate, clearly the artist is in no hurry. He has found his niche— this lovely spot where he can be happy and still.
How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, God of hosts. My soul is longing and yearning, is yearning for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my soul ring out their joy to God, the living God. Psalm 84:1,2
But let us note well: In Eastern Christian Churches (like this one) the altar is behind the wall or screen. While everything is sung, the deacon and the priest come and go at different times to address the congregation. Indeed, when the deacon comes out from behind the iconostasis to lead the sung intercessions, he lifts his stole high in the air, reminiscent of an interceding angel's wing.
It would be a mistake to think of this icon-wall as a divider, intended to keep the liturgy away from the people. Quite the contrary, rather than a place of division, it is a place of encounter. The icons are of full-faced saints and angels. No personage in an icon gives a communion-breaking profile. The icons serve as "windows" into the heavenly liturgy. The angels and saints, "Holy, Holy, Holy" is echoed here on earth. All the while, the congregation is engaged, never abandoned as spectators. Priest and congregation face east — we are all going to the Lord together!
