DEISIS TIER

The Deisis tier was made with many innovations by the order of Patriarch Nikon. 'DeÄ“sis' means 'praying' from Greek. Here, the saints are standing on the Judgment Day in a pose of prayerful Intercession with Christ the Almighty sited on the throne and flanked by the heavenly Powers. The major mediatress and intercessor for the mankind are: the Mother of God, who is portrayed here holding the unrolled scroll with the text of Her supplication to Her Son, and St John the Precursor, the last prophet. Right after the archangels, who are traditionally placed at the Deisis, there are depictions of the Twelve Apostles, headed by Peter and Paul. It was for the first time that the Deisis tier was bearing images of the Apostles, but not various saints (apostles, hierarchs, and martyrs). That tradition was borrowed by Patriarch Nikon from the Greek Church and found its place in Russian iconostasis. In such form, the semantic connection between the Deisis and the Last Judgement was emphasized yet more.