Spectacular Russian Orthodox icon depicting the Severed Head of St. John the Baptist resting on a platter. An 18th-century central panel was embellished in 1803 by adding borders depicting parents of St. John the Baptist - St. Zechariah and St. Elisabeth and by covering the icon in an elaborate gilt silver cover with the halo further decorated with glass crystals. The inscription on the bottom part of the icon is the Orthodox hymn sung during liturgy dedicated to the Beheading of St. John. The icon's cover is stamped with a hallmark of a silversmith Yegor Antipiev in Moscow and 1803 date. 

Saint John the Baptist was a Jewish itinerant preacher in the early first century AD who is revered as a significant religious figure in Christianity, Islam, and other faiths. He is called a prophet by all of these traditions and is honored as a saint in many Christian traditions. The Orthodox faithful believe that John was the last of the Old Testament prophets, thus serving as a bridge between that period of revelation and the New Covenant. They also teach that, following his death, John descended into Hades and there once more preached that Jesus the Messiah was coming, so he was the Forerunner of Christ in death as he had been in life. Eastern Orthodox churches will often have an icon of St. John the Baptist in a place of honor on the iconostasis, frequently mentioned during the Divine Services. Every Tuesday throughout the year is dedicated to his memory.

This large icon depicts the Savior Enthroned flanked by St Nicholas of Myra and St John the Baptist. 

The icon represents the Severed Head of Saint John the Baptist, known in Russia as "Saint John the Forerunner", forerunner of Christ, last of the prophets, and the first saint.  A popular and much venerated figure in Orthodox iconography, Saint John was beheaded under the order of King Herod who wished to please Salome, daughter of the king's lover Herodias, whom the Baptist had reproached for her adultery. The severed head of the saint is depicted on the platter shrunken in the sleep of death. God the Father shown in the upper left corner is blessing it from Heavens. The incription on the upper border states in Old Slavonic: "[True] Head of Saint Prophet John the Forerunner". 

The 4-Part Russian icon depicts the Protection of the Mother of God, the severed Head of St. John the Baptist, St. Michael the Archangel and Chief of the Heavenly Host, and the Guardian Angel flanked by two Orthodox military Saints.

Four-Part Icon depicting Descent to the Hades in the center surrounded by four panels showing Severing Head of Saint John the Baptist, Our Lady of the Unburnt Bush, Apostles Peter and Paul, and the Dormition of Theotokos.

Saint John the Baptist was a Jewish itinerant preacher in the early first century AD who is revered as a significant religious figure in Christianity, Islam, and other faiths. He is called a prophet by all of these traditions and is honored as a saint in many Christian traditions. The Orthodox faithful believe that John was the last of the Old Testament prophets, thus serving as a bridge between that period of revelation and the New Covenant. They also teach that, following his death, John descended into Hades and there once more preached that Jesus the Messiah was coming, so he was the Forerunner of Christ in death as he had been in life. Eastern Orthodox churches will often have an icon of St. John the Baptist in a place of honor on the iconostasis, frequently mentioned during the Divine Services. Every Tuesday throughout the year is dedicated to his memory.

The Holy Archangel Michael is one of the most celebrated of the Angels called the Archistrategos, or chief commander, of all the bodiless powers. According to the Holy Scripture and Tradition, he has interceded for humanity multiple times and continues to serve as the Defender of the Faith. Saint Michael is most often invoked for protection from invasion by enemies and from civil war, and for the defeat of adversaries on the field of battle.

Saint John the Baptist was a Jewish itinerant preacher in the early first century AD who is revered as a major religious figure in Christianity, Islam, and other faiths. He is called a prophet by all of these traditions, and is honored as a saint in many Christian traditions. The Orthodox faithful believe that John was the last of the Old Testament prophets, thus serving as a bridge between that period of revelation and the New Covenant. They also teach that, following his death, John descended into Hades and there once more preached that Jesus the Messiah was coming, so he was the Forerunner of Christ in death as he had been in life. Eastern Orthodox churches will often have an icon of St. John the Baptist in a place of honor on the iconostasis, and he is frequently mentioned during the Divine Services. Every Tuesday throughout the year is dedicated to his memory.

According to the Tradition, Herod's daughter Herodias danced before Herod, who was so pleased that he offered her anything she asked for in return. When the girl asks her mother what she should request, she is told to demand the head of John the Baptist. Reluctantly, Herod orders the beheading of John, and his head is delivered to her, at her request, on a plate. (Mark 6:17–29).

Saint John the Baptist, known in the Orthodoxy as The Forerunner of Christ, was a Jewish itinerant preacher in the early first century AD who is revered as a significant religious figure in Christianity, Islam, and other faiths. He is called a prophet by all of these traditions and is honored as a saint in many Christian traditions. The Orthodox faithful believe that John was the last of the Old Testament prophets, thus serving as a bridge between that period of revelation and the New Covenant. They also teach that, following his death, John descended into Hades and there once more preached that Jesus the Messiah was coming, so he was the Forerunner of Christ in death as he had been in life. Eastern Orthodox churches will often have an icon of St. John the Baptist in a place of honor on the iconostasis, frequently mentioned during the Divine Services. Every Tuesday throughout the year is dedicated to his memory.

Saint Paul the Confessor (†c. 350), was the sixth bishop of Constantinople, elected first in 337 AD. Paul became involved in the Arian controversy which drew in the Emperor of the West, Constans, and his counterpart in the East, his brother Constantius II. Paul was installed and deposed three times from the See of Constantinople between 337 and 351. He was murdered by strangulation during his third and final exile in Cappadocia. His feast day is on November 6.

Saint Boniface of Tarsus was a Christian martyr who was executed in the year 307 at Tarsus, where he had gone from Rome in order to bring back holy relics of the martyrs requested by his mistress Aglaida. Finding upon arrival at Tarsus that the authorities were torturing Christians, he openly declared himself to be a Christian. His own body constituted the relics that were brought back to Aglaida, who in turn also became a Christian. The Orthodox Church celebrates both of them on 19 December as the "Martyr Boniface at Tarsus in Cilicia and Righteous Aglaida of Rome".

The icon depicts the Severed Head of Saint John the Baptist, known in Russia as "Saint John the Forerunner", the forerunner of Christ, the last of the prophets, and the first Christian saint.  A popular and much-venerated figure in Orthodox iconography, Saint John was beheaded under the order of King Herod who wished to please Salome, daughter of the king's lover Herodias, whom the Baptist had reproached for her adultery. The severed head of the saint is depicted on the platter shrunken in the sleep of death. God the Father shown in the upper left corner is blessing it from Heavens. 

The icon represents the Severed Head of Saint John the Baptist, known in Russia as "Saint John the Forerunner", the forerunner of Christ, the last of the prophets, and the first Christian saint.  A popular and much-venerated figure in Orthodox iconography, Saint John was beheaded under the order of King Herod, who wished to please Salome, daughter of the king's lover Herodias, whom the Baptist had reproached for her adultery. The saint's severed head is depicted on the platter, shrunken in the sleep of death. God the Father shown in the upper left corner is blessing it from Heaven. 

Saint John the Baptist was a Jewish itinerant preacher in the early first century AD who is revered as a major religious figure in Christianity, Islam, and other faiths. He is called a prophet by all of these traditions and is honored as a saint in many Christian traditions. The Orthodox faithful believe that John was the last of the Old Testament prophets, thus serving as a bridge between that period of revelation and the New Covenant. They also teach that, following his death, John descended into Hades and there once more preached that Jesus the Messiah was coming, so he was the Forerunner of Christ in death as he had been in life. Eastern Orthodox churches will often have an icon of St. John the Baptist in a place of honor on the iconostasis, and he is frequently mentioned during the Divine Services. Every Tuesday throughout the year is dedicated to his memory.

According to the Tradition, Herod's daughter Herodias danced before Herod, who was so pleased that he offered her anything she asked for in return. When the girl asks her mother what she should request, she is told to demand the head of John the Baptist. Reluctantly, Herod orders the beheading of John, and his head is delivered to her, at her request, on a plate. (Mark 6:17–29).