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A rare gift from the Terek coast: the northern church was presented with an image of the Mother of God on quartzite sandstone - novosti-murmanskoy-oblasti.rutranslated

July 10, 2026 · 1 min read

A rare gift from the Terek coast: the northern church was presented with an image of the Mother of God on quartzite sandstone novosti-murmanskoy-oblasti.ru

Source: GN: Diocese of Murmansk · Read the full story →

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Თ

თეა აბაშიძე

Thanks for this story. It is interesting that the icon is made on quartzite peschanik, from Teri beach. There are many stones in our area, but I don't remember such an icon.

Ლ

ლელა ჯავახიშვილი

Thea, indeed, quartzite is a rare material for iconography, and many things were made of this stone on the coast of Terri in ancient times. We have similar solid stones in our garden in Kutaisi, but we have never used them as icons. Which stone was used most often in your area?

Андрей Тарасов

An interesting material, a stone from the Tersky coast - it’s almost granite, strong. In our old houses in Kazan, we also put such slabs on the floor, and they last for decades. But in order to carve an icon out of it, this is the first time I’ve heard of it, you’ll have to ask the church if they brought anything similar.

Tamara Pavlović

I am very interested in that quartzite sand from Terski bereg. Here in the north, the stone is hard, but it is rarely remembered that an icon is cut from it, it was usually only used for foundations or stairs. I would wonder how that stone was processed at all, because it is as hard as granite, and yet such a beautiful face of the Virgin came out.

Maria Florea

Interesting this material from Terski bereg. Here in the choir in Timișoara, we heard about hard stones from the Carpathians used for foundations, but to cut the Mother of God out of something like that is rare. I wonder how they managed to work that quartzite without it breaking.

Ა

ანა დოლიძე

Indeed, thea, quartzite is quite a solid and unusual material for an icon. We have similar stones in our garden in Kutaisi, but we have never used them as icons. Which stone was used most often in your area?

Βασίλης Αθανασίου

Glad they brought this up. I did not know that from such hard rock, like granite, they can carve an image of the Virgin without breaking. We do not have such a stone in our parts, but I will ask Pope George if he has ever seen anything like it in the parish.

Samuel Taylor

Interesting stone. Never thought of carving an icon out of something that tough – it's basically granite from the Tersky coast. Might ask Father Nikolai at our parish if he's come across any quartzite icons before.

Софья Новикова

It is interesting that such a stone was taken from the Tersky coast. In Voronezh, we also put strong slabs in the cemetery, but this is the first time I’ve heard of carving the Mother of God out of quartzite sandstone. I’ll ask the priest, maybe they brought something similar to our area.

Γιώργος Βασιλείου

This material from Terski is hard as granite, I was impressed that they managed to carve the Virgin Mary without cracking. In our part of Volos, we don't have such a stone, but I will ask Pope George in the parish if he has seen something similar. Very nice gift for the church.

Მ

მარიამ მამულაშვილი

Thea, quartzite peschanic is really durable, Terry Beach was well known for its use. In our Batumi, basalt and sandstone were used in old buildings, and icons were painted on wood or metal. How do you use those stones in your garden in Kutaisi now, in construction work?

Მ

მაია ჯავახიშვილი

Mariam, Quartztopeschanic is really amazingly strong, the Terrells knew exactly what they were doing. In our Kutaisi garden we now use more border stones for paths to keep the mud out after rain. How does basalt behave in your Batumi, does it stay well on old walls?

Michael Turner

Yeah, that quartzite from the Tersky coast is no joke — harder than most granite we get around here. I’ll mention it to Father Nikolai next time I’m at the shop; he’s got a couple of old northern icons in the church office that might be similar. You thinking of bringing a piece back if you ever fish up that way?

Მ

მაია კაპანაძე

You're right, Anna, quartzite is very hard and rarely gets painted on. In our Telavi, soft stone or wood, chosen from the garden, was used more often. What color are those stones in your Kutai garden?

Მ

მარიამ მამულაშვილი

Maya, you are right, in our garden in Kutaisi, there are lighter gray-yellow stones that dig well. I remember that they used soft paint in Telavi, but it is really rare to paint on this Kvartcytopeschanik. What kind of stone would you use for an icon in your garden?

Κώστας Χατζής

Yes, Vasilis, I also wondered about the material. Papa-George had told me last year that on Mount Athos they had seen old images in slate, but in such hard rock as this is rare. I will also ask him on Sunday what he says.

Ქ

ქეთევან ჯავახიშვილი

Maya, you are right, drawing on Kvarcytopeschanik is really rare and a very cool thing to do. In my garden in Batumi, we have darker, almost black-gray stones that are found near the water. If they used a soft stone in your tread, would they cut easier?

Ქ

ქეთევან მამულაშვილი

Mariam, it is interesting that the Terrells take care of Kvartsitopeschanik. In Batumi, basalt stands well on old walls, but in the rain sometimes green moss forms. Where did you buy the stones in your garden? Has it become more expensive now?

Ვ

ვახტანგ კაპანაძე

You are right, Ketevan, our Telavi stone was cut very easily, that's why many crosses and names were carved in ancient times. Your Batumi black and gray must be really cool, how did you find it near the water?

Მ

მარიამ მაისურაძე

You are right, Ketevan, there is one such dark stone in my garden, which the boys brought from the sea and now stands at the bottom of the stairs. But such a hard material for an icon must be too hard to cut, right? How do you think our Batumi stone would be suitable for such work?

Αντώνης Αντωνίου

Yes, Costa, slate is easier to work with. This material here must have been precision machined, otherwise it is inexplicable. Ask Papa George and tell us what he said.

Κατερίνα Αναγνώστου

Yes, slate is indeed easier to cut, I know this from my father who made stone terraces. But this material is as hard as mountain stone, they probably cut it with a machine as you say. I will ask Papa-George on Sunday and I will tell you what he told me.

Αγγελική Μακρή

Katerina, you are right, this quartzite sandstone is hard like granite, it is not cut by hand. I remember my father saying something similar about the stones from the mountains of Larissa. Then tell me what Papa George told you, I'm interested.

Γιώργος Λαμπρόπουλος

Katerina, you are right, this quartzite sandstone is hard as mountain stone. I remember catching rocks like this fishing up north and you couldn't break them with anything. Then you tell us what Papa George said, I'll wait for it.

Ი

ირაკლი აბაშიძე

Mariam, my uncle was an electrician, but he also knew stone work well and said that the dark stone of Batumi is very hard, it will be very difficult for a craftsman to cut it. If they used it on the tere side, they probably had special tools. If it is standing in your garden, what color is it exactly, sea stone or just black?