page 208–220 RUS
ÓÄÊ 94(57) EDN: https://elibrary.ru/YXTAPS
Tarkhansky Spas: a miraculous icon of the Siberian borderland
Konev, Aleksey Yu., Candidate of Historical Sciences, Leading Researcher, Tyumen Scientific Centre SB RAS, Tyumen, Russia, aldimoks@mail.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9844-9599
Summary
The article examines a notable historical narrative — the veneration of the icon of the Not-Made-by-Hands Savior — which emerged in the early period of Western Siberia’s exploration, concurrent with the establishment and defence of the border fortification. It is argued that the plotline of the legend concerning the appearance of the icon encapsulates the interpretation of the interaction between Russians and Tatars, who faced the nomadic groups of the Eurasian steppes in the 17th century. Particular attention is given to the role of religious worldview and associated practices in shaping the responses of the Russian population of Siberia to various external challenges. Based on the analysis of newly introduced archival documents, the following conclusions are drawn: 1) The revealed icon, whose existence is attested in oral tradition, was likely lost even prior to the destruction of the Tarkhansky fort in 1690. The accounts of its (re)appearance and transmission to the Cossacks reflect the historical memory of collaborative efforts by Tatars and Russians to overcome the consequences of the attack and to reconstruct the fort with a chapel at a new location. 2) The significance of the venerated Icon of the Savior became more pronounced following the dissolution of the Russian outpost in the second half of the 18th century, when the right to have icons turned into a subject of dispute between the descendants of the Tarkhansky godovalschiki and the peasant parish of the nearest settlement to the fort. 3) The veneration of the miraculous icon served as a foundational element for the consolidation of the parish communities of the Pokrovskaya settlement and the Tyumen Church of the Resurrection. It functioned as an internal resource that supported the deve-lopment of these parishes and facilitated their efforts in the construction and restoration of church buildings.
Keywords: the Holy Face of Jesus / Icon of the Savior, Siberia, Tarkhan fortress, resilience, religiosity, Siberian Tatars, Cossacks.
© Konev A.Yu., 2026
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Received 06.04.2026
Accepted 04.06.2026
Article is published: 15.09.2026
Funding. The work was done according to the state order FWRZ-2026-0031, registration card 126022618031-4.
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