Christmas - Austria / II. Republic of Austria 1979 - 4 Shilling

The special postage stamp Christmas 1979 shows an icon, a cult image of the Eastern Church. So she should allow a look into the history of Austria in addition to the Christmas occasion. At a time when this country, as a multi-ethnic state, involved the coexistence of different peoples, races and religions as an important element of its state. The Ukrainian-Greek-Catholic central parish of St. Barbara in Vienna is a witness to this eventful past. Their possession of cult and art objects also includes the Christmas icon, which adorns the brand image. It belongs to the series of holiday exchange icons created by Moses Subotic for the former seminary chapel of Barbareum founded by Maria Theresia in 1775 (St. Barbara's Church). In the center of the picture stands the nativity scene with the baby Jesus. From her shines the light that illuminates Maria's head. All other figures are kept dark. Over the entire group, not to be seen on the brand image, a putto floats with a banner on which the Bible verse "Glory to God in height" stands in Church Slavonic. This icon represents a successful attempt to merge Eastern iconic art of Slavic space and colorful Donaubarock.