At the end of 2022, Classical Iconography Institute was blessed with the donation of a beautiful icon titled, “The Fruits of the Passion of Christ,” from the private collection of Darlene and Dr. Thomas Dunham. The Dunhams felt this exquisite 19th century Russian icon should be shared with the world, and so it begins its new life on display today, Ash Wednesday, at St. Mary’s Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland, Oregon.

The icon is likely from the Palekh school of iconography and is painted in the ancient method of egg tempera, which is the same method taught by the Classical Iconography Institute. The inscriptions are in Old Slavonic Cyrillic.

The composition is centered around Christ crucified on a cross, which grows like a flowering tree on Mt. Calvary. At the foot, we see the skull of Adam on Golgotha (skull in Aramaic). This is a reference to Christ as the New Adam. The icon’s message focuses on “fruits” of Christ’s passion, specifically the triumph over evil, resurrection of the body for everlasting life and the establishment of the Church handed down by the apostles. The icon also depicts the solemn results of fallen man’s decision not to choose and follow God.

You can read and download the detailed annotation of this exquisite icon here:  Fruits of the Passion Annotation

May you experience a fruitful Lent.