he iconographic design of The Entry to Jerusalem, known in the West as Palm Sunday, closely follows the scriptural accounts (Matt. 21:8, Mark 11: 1-10, Luke 19: 29-38, John 12: 12-13) and can be traced to early Byzantine icons. Already in the tenth century the main elements of the composition are present as early icons from Sinai and mosaics in Sicily illustrate. A palm tree is in the centre of the panel, with the Mount of Olives to our left and the city of Jerusalem (including the temple) to our right, Christ, looking back towards the apostles sits on a horse advancing towards the city. His right hand is raised in blessing while his left holds a scroll. Small children lay garments on the ground under the horse’s hooves. We see on the mountains the sharp edges of rock have been depicted with fine delicate strokes: Лещадка (leshchadka) meaning 'split or bevelled rock', an old Russian technique.

It is notable that a spiritual revival had begun in Russia in the late 18th century with the reintroduction through the Romanian father Paisus Velichkovsky of Hesychast monasticism. Also, the translation of the Philokalia, the anthology of mystical writings of the Desert Fathers. There was also a new appreciation of medieval icons which were for the first time being cleaned of centuries of grime and soot. Icons were produced emulating the older tradition. All this creating the extraordinary revival of icon painting.