Description

In 1306, Mosjaisk (Можайск), a town near Moscow, already had a church dedicated to St Nicholas. In 1380, when the Tatars (the Golden Horde) besieged the city, the inhabitants of Moshaisk begged Nicholas, the saviour in distress, to protect them. According to legend, Nicholas literally fell off his pedestal and picked up a sword with which he swung high into the air to terrify the besiegers. This chilling miracle caused the besiegers to panic and flee, confused. Since then, Nicholas was revered as protector against the danger of war and already defender of the Christian faith.
Since the event in 1380, a three-dimensional statue of Nicholas has adorned the Mosjaisk city gate. To portray the successful outcome, the statue was given a sword in his right hand as a symbol of victory and a model of the city in his left hand. Over time, this city model was often replaced by a model of a church. This primal image was adopted by the icon painters.