Synaxis Synaxis of the Pskov Saints

CONFIRMED: unlike the similarly-genre card "Poshekhonye Saints" (which has no separate liturgical date), the Synaxis of the Pskov Saints is a GENUINELY established church feast with an official date. It was instituted April 10, 1987, on the initiative of Metropolitan John (Razumov) of Pskov and Porkhov, with the blessing of Patriarch Pimen. It is celebrated on the 3rd Sunday after Pentecost (a movable date). The synaxis includes, per various lists, anywhere from about 40-43 (abbreviated lists) to about 90 saints connected to the Pskov land.

This icon, judging by its partially legible captions, depicts primarily the founders and ascetics of the Pskov Caves Monastery: Venerable Jonah of Pskov Caves (d. c. 1480) — a married priest who, with his wife, founded the monastery and later took monastic vows; Venerable Vassa of Pskov Caves (d. 1473) — his wife, co-founder of the monastery; Venerable Mark of Pskov Caves (15th c.) — the first cave-hermit, who began the monastic site; Venerable Cornelius of Pskov Caves (d. 1570) — the monastery's most famous abbot, killed by tradition by Ivan the Terrible (likely the central figure shown with an abbot's staff); Venerable Lazarus the Clairvoyant of Pskov Caves (d. 1824) — a clairvoyant schema-monk; possibly Venerable Vassian of Pskov Caves (d. 1570), Cornelius's disciple and successor. The seventh figure's caption was read uncertainly ("Dorothea") — possibly a misreading of Venerable Dorotheus/Dositheus of Pskov Caves; precise identification requires checking against the physical image.