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We would like to bring to your attention a collection of Christian relics relating to birth, christening and interment of the Tsar’s children.

The section starts with christening (measured) icons of Ivan the Terrible’s sons: Ivan (pic.1), Fyodor (pic.2), Dmitry (pic.3), and those of Mikhail Fyodorovich’s sons: Ivan (pic.4) and Vasily (pic.5). Such measured icons were executed on the occasion of the child’s birth and were sized in accordance with his height. They represented saints, who served as heavenly patrons of the newborn babies. Measured icons were designed within religious-philosophical concepts concerning the idea of a supernatural power of the royal family, successfully developed in the time of Ivan the Terrible. They were indented for private use in personal chambers and further preservation in the Archangel’s Cathedral after the owner is buried there.

The sacred objects, held in high esteem in Russia, were crosses. That is the reason why the prayer room in Tsar’s palace was called the Cross Chamber. The exposition presents a gold pectoral cross with a central sapphire inset with image of the Crucifixion in relief and Greek inscription (pic.6). Probably it was executed for christening ceremony of Tsarevich Ivan Ivanovich, the son of Ivan the Terrible.

An exhibit of great cultural and historical value is a lid for the shrine of the Ivan IV’s son, Tsarevich Dmitry, who died in mysterious circumstances in Uglich in 1591. It was executed on the orders of Tsar Mikhail Fyodorovich. The shrine presents a full-length portrayal of Tsarevich in high relief. In 1606 Dmitry's remains were transferred to Moscow to be preserved in a special reliquary-shrine in the Archangel’s Cathedral. During festive days it was covered with embroidered palls (coffin cloths), one of which is displayed within the exposition (pic. 8).

Here you can also see a coffin cloth of Tsarevich Ivan Mikhailovich, the son of Mikhail Fyodorovich.

 
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