File:Ship of Faith icon (Russia, 17 c.).jpeg

A Russian icon of the "Ship of Faith" (Корабль Веры) or "Ship of Salvation" (Корабль спасения) type, late 17th or early 18th century, 64 x 92 cm, State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow. The title of the icon reads: "Образ гонения на церковь Божию" ("Image of the persecution of the church of God").

The depiction of the Christian Church as a ship is an old metaphor, but this particular image depicts various heretics surrounding the ship and trying to capsize it. Most of the individual figures are labelled (but the inscriptions are faded and difficult to read). In the ship, Christ is at the helm, steering, Peter and Paul are lifting the anchor, a number of Holy Fathers are surrounding an altar, and four monks are rowing. The Holy Spirit is depicted as a dove hovering above the ship. At the top right, the destination of the ship is depicted as a white city (presumably the New Jerusalem), labelled правоу. To the left is Golgatha and the empty tomb, a crowned woman sitting on a fire-breathing monster, and various heresiarchs attacking on horseback. At the bottom are a number of heretics using hooks trying to capture or capsize the ship. At the bottom right is a turbaned heretic, presumably Mohamed, sitting in the mouth of a fire-breathing monster shooting arrows a the ship, to the right is Luther, firing at the ship with a musket. In an inset bottom left is a scene of two saints or prophets standing before a seated ruler wielding a scimitar [the ruler is possibly wearing a crusader's tunic?]

This appears to be the prototype of an early 19th century Bulgarian icon at Zographou monastery (File:Образъ Стыя нашея Цркве Зограф.JPG)