The Russian
generation of today looks to religion as part of its "search for truth."
Currently in Russia there has been a renewed interest in the
Orthodox Church, and along with that, a rejuvenation in the interest of
Russian icons and Russian saints.
Russian saints figure prominently in Russian
iconography, for they are the personification of the ideal Russian
citizen. There are about 385 official canonized Russian saints, and most
members of the religious population have a patron saint. If someone is
given an icon as a gift, it is habitual for their patron saint to be
pictured, often along with Christ and one other figure.
