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Entering the Lord’s tomb on the third day, the Myrrhbearers saw an angel dressed in a white robe: “And the angel answered and said unto the women, ‘Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead; and, behold, He goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see Him: lo, I have told you.’ And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word. And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, ‘All hail.’ And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. Then said Jesus unto them, ‘Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me’” (Matthew 28:5–10).
The main idea of the Resurrection (Greek: Anastasis) is the celebration of Christ’s victory over hell and death. This concept is united in Russian icons with the theme of suffering and sorrow and trepidation before the inscrutable mystery of the Resurrection. The Resurrection of Christ was a particularly popular theme in the Pskov school of icon-painting, which developed its own unique version of the subject, quite unlike Byzantine or Old Russian iconography.