TM18 Cope Card - It's Not Very Effective...

It's part of the Orthodox style of icon painting, it's quite common to have a grim/serious look. ALTHOUGH...the skull thing between her hands is something I've never seen before. I studied Byzantine iconography for a semester in college and really enjoy collecting icons/studying the genre. I've never seen anything like this. It's a warping of the style. Usually, you only see a skull in a "Memento Mori", i.e., "Remember Death" context. You might see one in an icon of the Cross at Cavalry, showing Christ's triumph there over sin and death. I've also never see an Orthodox saint pictured with wings. St. Barbara is the patroness of Artillerymen, but this version is on a whole 'nother level. She's typically holding the symbols of her martyrdom. As the daughter and granddaughter of artillerymen, I would say 1.) God is not mocked. and 2.) Get rekt Russia, that is not St. Barbara.