The Feast of All Saints originates from biblical texts, particularly the Book of Revelation (5:11-13; 7:9-14):

“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’ And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, ‘Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.’ Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, ‘Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?’ I said to him, ‘Sir, you know.’ And he said to me, ‘These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb…'”

Iconography

In the Ukrainian iconographic tradition, the scene of All Saints’ veneration aligns closely with the text of the Book of Revelation and is often depicted within the broader context of the Last Judgment. Saints are grouped according to ranks, such as the patriarchs, hierarchs, desert-dwellers, martyrs, and others. Individual icons featuring dozens or even hundreds of saints are not typical for the Ukrainian tradition. However, from the 18th century onward, compositions depicting assemblies of specific groups of saints became more common. Notable examples include the iconographies of the “Synaxis of All Pechersk Fathers” and the “Synaxis of the Saints of the Ukrainian Nation.”

Returning to the classical scheme derived from the Last Judgment, a fascinating depiction of saintly veneration can be found in the narthex of the Holy Trinity Gate Church in Kyiv. Here, the saints are grouped as usual by rank, but under their feet are allegorical animals. For instance, beneath the venerable fathers—who exemplified steadfastness and strength in the Christian faith—is an elephant.

In the Church of All Saints at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, this theme is presented in a unique manner. The icon of the feast occupies a special position, not in the standard tier of icons, but within the supplicatory tier. At the center is the icon of the “Synaxis of Archangel Michael,” with the New Testament Trinity depicted above. This arrangement revives the tradition of the supplicatory tier of the 15th–16th centuries, in which, instead of the Twelve Apostles typical for Ukrainian iconography, representatives of various saintly ranks are shown.

Mykhailo Skop