Abgar of Edessa Receiving the Mandylion from Thaddeus 944

This 10th-century icon, "Abgar of Edessa Receiving the Mandylion from Thaddeus," found in Saint Catherine's Monastery, Mount Sinai, Egypt, depicts the legendary story of Abgar V, the king of Edessa, and the Apostle Thaddeus. Abgar, suffering from leprosy, requested a portrait of Jesus Christ. The icon shows Thaddeus presenting the Mandylion, a cloth said to bear the image of Jesus' face, to Abgar, who is seated on a throne. The Byzantine style of the icon is characterized by its use of gold backgrounds and stylized figures, reflecting the religious significance of the event.