Icons and Wars: Some Examples from the Russo-Turkish War 1877-1878

Abstract

This article discusses the topic of the journey and fate of icons during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878. The personal involvement of Emperor Nicholas I in the war between Russia and the Ottoman Empire in 1828 (and especially in the events of the siege and capture of Varna) is discussed not only as a reason for the high reputation of the Russian ruler among the Bulgarians, but also as a reason for the popularity of images of this emperor and his son. The importance of Emperor Alexander II’s presence in the theatre of battle, his and the heir to the throne’s donations of bells, icons, entire iconostases and utensils to the churches of various towns and villages in Bulgaria are also commented on. For the first time, several icons that were presented during the war by church hierarchs and monasteries to the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian army Nicholas Nikolayevich are published – today these objects of art are kept in the Regional Military History Museum in Pleven.