Scenes of the Life of Saint Nicholas

Saint Nicholas Chapel, Patriarchate of Pec Monastery, Serbia


This extensive Serbian cycle showing the life of Saint Nicholas was painted from 1673–74 by Radul, the best-known Serbian artist in the late 17th century. The tiny Saint Nicholas Chapel, built in 1337, is part of the Monastery of the Patriarchate of Pec. The complex also has three much larger adjacent churches: Church of the Holy Apostles, Church of Saint Demetrios (1320), and Church of the Virgin. The frescos have been extensively conserved and documented by the Blago Fund.

Nicholas birth
The birth of Nicholas
Nicholas goes to school
Nicholas goes to school
Nicholas gives dowry money
Nicholas gives dowry money
Nicholas ordained deacon
Nicholas ordained deacon
Nicholas ordained priest
Nicholas ordained to the priesthood
Nicholas chosen to be bishop
Nicholas chosen to be bishop
Nicholas provides famine relief
Nicholas provides famine relief
Nicholas destroys temple of Artemis
Nicholas destroys temple of Artemis
Nicholas saves innocents
Nicholas saves innocents from execution
Nicholas with Constantine and Ablabius
Nicholas appears in dream to Constantine and Ablavius to save the innocent generals
Death of Nicholas
The death of Nicholas
Translation of the Relics
Nicholas' relics are translated to Bari, Italy
Nicholas coming for Basilios
Nicholas comes when Basilios is serving the king
Nicholas returns Basilios
Nicholas rescues kidnapped Basilios, returning him to his parents
Nicholas banishing demons
Nicholas driving demons from a tree
Nicholas rescuimg Demetrios from the sea
Nicholas saving Demetrios from drowning
Nicholas in ship
Nicholas calming storm and saving sailors
Polovtsian with icon
A Polovotsian pledges to repay a debt, making an oath on an icon of St. Nicholas
Nicholas reminds of promise
Nicholas comes to the Polovtsian, reminding him of his promise
Nicholas beating the Polovtsian
Nicholas beats the Polovtsian
Polovtsian returns to icon
The Polovtsian returns to pay his debt
Polovtsian on horse
Nicholas comes again, warning the Polovtsian
Nicholas appears to Stephen
Nicholas appears in a dream, reassuring Stephen Decani
Nicholas heals Stephen
Nicholas heals Stephen Decani of blindness
Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas

These frescos are from the Church of Saint Nicholas, Monastery of the Patriarchate of Pec, as shown by the Blago Fund to preserve and promote Serbian heritage, Washington, DC. Used by permission.

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