Russian Christian Holy Figure: "Fyodorovskaya Theotokos"

This is a Russian nesting doll, called "matryoshka," that depicts Mary, the mother of Jesus, called "Fyodorovskaya Theotoko," from the Greek "Theotokos," "one who has given birth to God." These dolls show a selection of Russian Orthodox churches.

Fyodorovskaya Theotokos is the designation of the Virgin Mary in the Eastern Orthodox Church. She is also known as Our Lady of St. Theodore and the Black Virgin of Russia. She is the patron icon of the Romanov family and one of the most venerated icons in the Upper Volga region.

The Christian faith is based on the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus or Christ. Jesus, (7–2 BC/BCE – 30–36 AD/CE), is the central figure of Christianity. Most Christian denominations venerate him as God the Son.

The principal sources of information regarding Jesus are the four canonical gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The gospels declare that Jesus was a Jew born in Bethlehem, in the Roman province of Judea. At the age of 30, he began to preach throughout Palestine, which was then under Roman rule. The gospels describe miracles that Jesus performed such as raising the dead.

Most critical historians agree that Jesus was a Jew who was regarded as a teacher and healer. He was crucified in Jerusalem, on the orders of the Roman Prefect of Judaea, on the charge of sedition against the Roman Empire. Christians believe that Jesus then rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, from which he will return.

The Christian community that became the Russian Orthodox Church is traditionally said to have been founded by the Apostle Andrew. By the end of the first millennium AD, eastern Slavic lands started to come under the cultural influence of the Eastern Roman Empire. In 863-869, Saint Cyril and Saint Methodius translated parts of the Bible into Old Church Slavonic language for the first time, paving the way for the Christianization of the Slavs.

Source:
Source Citation (MLA 7th Edition) "Theotokos." Britannica Encyclopedia of World Religions. Chicago: Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2006. 1090. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 31 May 2013. "Jesus Christ." Children's Illustrated Encyclopedia. New York: Dorling Kindersley, 2010. 297. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 1 July 2013. Document URL: http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.lapl.org/ps/i.do?id=GALE|CX1796500200&v=2.1&u=lapl&it=r&p=GVRL&sw=w http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus Document URL: http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.lapl.org/ps/i.do?id=GALE|CX4188103094&v=2.1&u=lapl&it=r&p=GVRL&sw=w http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_St._Theodore http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Orthodox_Church http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matryoshka_doll http://russian-crafts.com/nesting-dolls/russian-nesting-dolls.html