The Monastery of the Archangel Michael is located near the village of Prissovo, south of Veliko Turnovo in north-central Bulgaria. Isolated and difficult to find, the monastery was at one time much larger--all that now remains is the church and a few outbuildings. On our first trip here, two monks were gathering hay by hand and putting it into large bedsheets to carry to the barn. The older monk invited us to his room where he shared a cup of cold coffee with us. The church contains a beautiful iconostasis and one of the most eerie icons (?) I have ever seen (see picture). It looks as real as a photograph. I wasn't sure whether to call it an icon or not, but it was on the wall amidst the more traditional icons. Has anyone ever seen one like this, or have any insight into this?
Is it a Western influenced (like more Russian) style Icon Made Without Hands, do you think?
ReplyDeleteMimi, yeah I agree. There is a lot of similarity with the Icon Made Without Hands. Yet, it is still very different.
ReplyDeleteLuke, har-de-har-har. I suppose it has more to do with my outlook on life and, ahem, physical appearance, rather than a strict accounting of years :) Now then, what about yourself? Are you still clinging to the old, old end of youth, or have you come around to make peace with middle age? :)