The Baptism, handmade Russian icon, 19th century.

Icon of Baptism.  Handmade Russian icon. 19TH C. The icon is in very good condition. It is made in four different levels, First wood, second canvas, third gold leaf and fourth the painting level. Size: 32x25 cm, 12.5x9.8 inch From the first century of the Christian Church, there has always been “The Festival of Lights”. In the depth of Midwinter, this feast celebrated the advent of the Son of God’s coming into the world as Jesus Christ, and His early years up to and including His baptism in the Jordan, which heralded the beginning of Jesus’ ministry on earth. Over the centuries, the various aspects of Christ’s early years were separated into individual feasts on different days: His Nativity, the Visitation of the Magi, His presentation in the Temple, and His circumcision. But the principal event of the Feast of Lights – Christ’s Baptism – continued to be commemorated on the 6th of January.  The event depicted in the icon is that described in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke; here