The mosaic set is 6 meters in height and required approximately 2 million tesserae. It is a significant example of Old Rus art and is considered one of the largest monumental pieces. In Greek, "Orans" translates to "praying". This depiction of the Virgin Mary with raised hands in prayer is known as the Virgin Orans, also referred to as "the Unbreakable Wall". It is believed that as long as the image of the Virgin Orans remains in St. Sophia, the city of Kyiv and all of Rus will endure, as it has been believed since ancient times.
💡
This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 100 years or fewer. This photographic reproduction is considered to be in the public domain in the United States. In other jurisdictions, re-use of this content may be restricted.
Source
Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv - Wikipedia
Contributors to Wikimedia projects
