Among the many saints in the Christian world, a special place is occupied by St. Nicholas, whose cult was enriched by a diverse iconography over many centuries, both in Byzantium and in Russia. Among the various images of the saint that were created over the decades, his belt icons, which are particularly popular in Byzantine and Russian art of the XI-XIII centuries, are of particular importance. In these icons, the saint is usually depicted with his right hand slightly raised in a gesture of blessing, and in his left hand he holds a closed Gospel.
