This modern beautiful silver-plated icon of Archbishop Adalbert (Swiety Wojciech) is hand-painted on a wood base with a silver-plated cover with incredible ornate gold and silver accents. The entire icon is overlaid with a beautifully finished highly detailed repousse (high relief) gold and silver-plated metallic cover (also known as a riza) with an attached 24-carat gold-plated halo. The riza uses a scrolled floral pattern to accent the subjects and covers the less important areas of the icon. Velvet backing.Icon History: Born 939 of a noble Bohemian family died 997. He assumed the name of the Archbishop Adalbert (his name had been Wojtech) under whom he studied at Magdeburg. He became Bishop of Prague whence he was obliged to flee on account of the enmity he had aroused by his efforts to reform the clergy of his diocese. He betook himself to Rome and when released by Pope John XV from his episcopal obligations withdrew to a monastery and occupied himself in the most humble duties of the house. Recalled by his people who received him with great demonstrations of joy he was nevertheless expelled a second time and returned to Rome. The people of Hungary were just then turning towards Christianity. Adalbert went among them as a missionary and probably baptized King Geysa and his family and King Stephen. He afterwards evangelized the Poles and was made Archbishop of Gnesen. But he again relinquished his see and set out to preach to the idolatrous inhabitants of what is now the Kingdom of Prussia. Success attended his efforts at first but his imperious manner in commanding them to abandon paganism irritated them and at the instigation of one of the pagan priests he was killed. This was in the year 997. His feast is celebrated 23 April and he is called the Apostle of Prussia. Boleslas I Prince of Poland is said to have ransomed his body for an equivalent weight of gold. He is thought to be the author of the war-song Boga-Rodzica which the Poles used to sing when going to battle.
