03-ST Christ the Pantocrator Icon

This lacquered icon is a replica of a famous Byzantine icon of Christ the Pantocrator of Isaac Doukas, painted in mid-XIV century. Isaac Doukas Comnenus, the ruler of Cyprus, is mentioned in an inscription on the icon's frame, which is where the name of this icon comes from. This icon has a silver basma oklad, which consists of thin relief stripes of silver. This icon of Christ the Pantocrator was made in the lacquered icons workshop of St Elisabeth Convent. A high-quality printed image is glued to a birch or alder wooden board and covered with a protective coat.

You can also view icons in metal oklads made in our Convent using the basma technique and find out more about this technique at the page of the non-ferrous metals workshop.

Each icon reflects the artistry of lacquered icons workshop, where we create folding icons, crosses, and various-sized icons.

The creation process begins with preparing wooden boards, which are cut into smaller panels and smoothed into refined oval shapes. These panels are transformed into polished lamellas that are then glued together to form a solid base. After selecting and laminating images stored for this purpose, artisans fit these images to the panels, cutting and verifying their symmetry before applying special glue to secure them. A final polish enhances durability and aesthetics.

Once the icons are fully dried, they undergo a blessing ritual, with a stamp of authenticity from the convent placed on the back. Each lacquered icon, crafted through this meticulous process, serves as thoughtful gift, or as part of your prayer corner.