Byzantine Art
Byzantine Art
The construction of the katholikon of this monastery started in about 1345, the year in which Stefan Uroš IV Dušan (1331-1355) of the Serbian Nemanjiden dynasty was crowned emperor in Skopje. At that time large territories including the entire territory of Macedonia, were in his hands. Although large parts were ruled by feudal lords, there were still no territories where they could be said to rule independently.[1] After his death his empire did not last very long for lack of a strong central power. After a struggle for his succession his son Stefan Uroš V (1355-1371) gained power, but his reign was characterised by struggles between the nobles and feudal lords for power and influence resulting in a decline of his power. There appears to have been a feeling that Uroš, having no children, should have a joint ruler[2], and the despot Vukašin Mrnjavčević (1366-1371), head of a tribal state in Prilep, was chosen for that position. From 1361 Vukašin was the most powerful personality at the Serbian court and regarded as the equal of Uroš.[3] He proclaimed himself tsar in 1366. The territories which Vukašin ruled were greater than those ruled by Uroš who ruled only the Serbian lands and was therefore limited to the northern territories.[4] After the death of Uroš in 1371 the Serbian lands fell into decay and anarchy as a result of the internal power struggles by the nobles.
The building of the church continued at the time of Tsar (King) Vukašin, to be completed during the reign of his son King Marko during the thirteen eighties. It was an alarming period with increasing pressure by the Turks, but also a civil war was raging in Byzantium. King Vukašin was killed in the Battle of Maritsa in 1371 in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent further penetration by the Turks into the Balkans. He was succeeded by his eldest son Marko (1371-1395) who inherited the throne and title from his father. It is almost certain that he became a vassal of the Turks. At any rate he was forced to recognise the authority of the Turks and to pay tribute to them. The territory of Marko was more restricted and stretched from the right bank of the River Vardar in a southerly direction to Kastoria (in Greece) and to the Albanian mountains in the west. Skopje and Ohrid did not belong to the territory of Marko. His capital was in Prilep, where the ruins of his fortress, the Markovi kuli, can still be seen. In spite of the Turkish vassalage people lived a relatively peaceful life. There are a number of myths about the life of King Marko, which can be found in poems, legends and oral traditions. They describe his deeds, his personality, and are full of fantasy in Macedonian folk works that encouraged hope during a long period of occupation. Marko was in fact one of the last Christian kings in the region and the last representative of the powerful Christian kingdoms, before an ethnically and religiously different power came to dominate the Balkan people for almost five hundred years.
He was killed during a battle in Romania in 1395 fulfilling military vassal assistance to one of the Turkish rulers.
The monastery (pict. XV 1) lies about 20 kilometres south of Skopje near the village of Sušica at a height of about 340 metres. It may be assumed that part of the monastery buildings originate from the time of the foundation, because this monastery complex was never ruined. It includes an old water-mill for grinding grain. New lodgings were built during the last decade of the twentieth century. In the past there were a number of chapels around the church.
The church with a length of 16 metres has one nave and the plan of an inscribed Greek cross. The octagonal cupola rests on four pillars.
Plan of the church
The cupola has been built in such a way that at the corners the bricks and stones form small pillars. The apse is as usual at the east end and the narthex at the west end. The narthex has an open entrance to the naos with two pillars and in the corners it has two half-round niches. In later years an exo-narthex was added in front of the main entrance at the west end (pict. XV 2). There is another entrance in the south wall, above which a shelter has been made to protect the outside wall painting against the weather (pict. XV 3). The church has been built of layers of stone and brick and is a fine specimen of brickwork with meanders, zigzag lines, chess-boards and crosses, relieved by twin-windows with transennas, and rosettes (pict. XV 4).
Sveti Demetrius has been depicted on the outside of the church above the entrance in the south wall; above his head Christ blesses him with two hands (pict. XV 5). To the left and right of Demetrius, the kings Marko and his father Vukašin have been depicted. Unfortunately the colours of the painting of the latter have largely disappeared. At the top the Virgin and child are surrounded by a number of angels and saints. Above the main entrance Demetrius has also been depicted riding a white horse (pict. XV 6). On the arch surrounding the painting Christ in the centre makes a gesture of blessing with two hands and six angels with his attributes fly towards Christ. On either side two unknown saints in orante attitude have been depicted.
The interior of the church has been completely painted with wall paintings originating from the time of its construction. It is clear that the decorations in the church have been made by two artists with quite different styles of painting. One was responsible for e.g. the series on the Passion of Christ. He painted relatively small figures in sober colours, using much ochre, while the architecture in the background is simple. The other artist made such paintings as those relating to the Akathistos and the Heavenly Liturgy. He used brighter colours, his way of expression shows a more refined technique and the architecture in the background is more detailed. The church contains, apart from the depictions relating to the Dodecaorton, in fact three narrative series: a long cycle relating to the Passion of Christ, a smaller cycle relating to the life of St. Nicholas and a series of paintings relating to the Akathistos. The Akathistos series is among the most beautiful and best preserved series of paintings of this subject. The first two cycles start in the south-east side and end in the other side of the apse.
The cupola contains a Christ Pantocrator dressed in a blue himation over a purple chiton. He makes a gesture of blessing and holds a large Gospel in his left hand. He is surrounded by eight archangels with wide spread wings, dressed in richly decorated imperial garments: the King of Glory surrounded by his court (pict. XV 7). On the tambour sixteen prophets have been depicted between the windows, two above each other. The border of the cupola formerly carried a long text, the greater part of which has disappeared.
In the half-cupola of the apse Maria as an orante has been depicted (pict. XV 8). She stands frontal with both arms raised. Her maphorion hangs over her right arm and shows the long blue skirt with three golden stripes that she wears. On her girdle hangs a mappula. On each side an archangel dressed in imperial garment does her honour. Above her head on top of the half cupola there is a medallion with the bust of Christ.
Below this scene the Communion of the Apostles has been depicted on both sides of the window (pict. XV 9-10), which consists of a niche with two small transennas. A small piece of stone resting on a small pillar contains a depiction of Demetrius (pict. XV 10, right side). On the left Christ, standing behind an altar-table, breaks pieces from a large loaf of bread and gives it to Peter who stands in front of the other apostles. Behind Christ an angel deacon stands under a ciborium holding a flabella in his hand. The altar is covered with a red cloth adorned with a golden border.
On the other side Christ, again standing behind an altar table, holds a large chalice in his hands in order to let Peter drink from it. Behind Peter, to judge from his physiognomy, stand Paul and the others.
The lower row of paintings starts and ends with the Akathistos.
One row below there is a remarkable series of wall paintings, the Heavenly Liturgy, sometimes incorrectly called the Great Entrance, although hardly any bishops are in attendance.[5] Such a scene is usually depicted on the tambour of the cupola. Christ, dressed as a priest, stands behind an altar under a ciborium and makes a gesture of blessing with both hands. In front of him lies an open Gospel flanked by two candelabras (pict. XV 11). On the right he is flanked by an angel-deacon dressed in white, who holds a candle and a censer. In front of him two other angel-deacons wear a large veil over their heads (pict. XV 12). Behind them another angel can be seen carrying two rhipidions. They move towards Christ. The scene continues with two other deacon-angels, the first carrying on his head the paten covered with the aer and the other a large chalice. Behind them stands an angel with two rhipidions. They are followed by two deacons and a deacon-angel carrying a censer.
To the left of Christ the priest we see two bishops, Basilius the Great and behind him Ioannis Chrysostomos. They each hold a covered chalice in their hands. Between them and the altar stands an angel-deacon with a candle and a censer and behind them an angel with two rhipidions (pict. XV 13). Behind them stands another bishop wearing a bonnet and carrying a richly adorned cross. Behind him there is another deacon-angel with two rhipidions and Bishop Gregory of Niazanz, the Theologos, holding a Gospel in his hands. Behind him stands Cyril of Alexandria, also wearing a bonnet. In the niche of the prothesis the Melismos has been depicted (pict. XV 14). A large figure of Christ lies on the altar, covered with the aer and an asteriskos. He has a red cross in his nimbus. Behind the altar stands a ciborium with four pillars. On the left a bishop holding a partly unrolled scroll has been depicted; this may be Peter of Alexandria. On the other side stands a deacon with a pyx and a censer in his hands.
On the south wall two bishops with unrolled scrolls look at the Heavenly Liturgy. Although the inscription of their names has largely disappeared, they have been identified as Blasius and Spyridon. Bishop Spyridon[6] was a shepherd and, in the painting, is shown wearing his typical shepherd’s cap (pict. XV 15). He was converted to Christianity and became bishop of Trimithon on his native island of Cyprus. Under Diocletian he was forced to work in the mines, but survived the persecutions to become one of the opponents of Arianism. He died in 346.
A legend about Bishop Blasius[7] tells that originally he was a doctor, who later became bishop of Sebaste in Armenia. After fleeing the persecutions under Diocletian he lived for some time alone in the woods, where he healed sick animals. One of his miracles was to save the life of a young boy who had a fishbone stuck in his throat. He was arrested and put in prison where in 316 he was martyred, it is said, by having his flesh stripped with an iron wool comb. His cult came to the west after the Crusades. He became the patron saint of Ragusa, present-day Dubrovnik. He has been depicted with a long black/grey beard and black/grey hair. Both he and Spyridon have been depicted dressed in the usual bishop’s vestments with red and black poloi. Opposite them on the north wall two bishops have also been depicted, but the greater part of these wall paintings has been lost.
A number of scenes belonging to the Dodecaorton, including the Annunciation to Maria, the Birth of Christ, the Presentation of Christ in the temple and his Baptism, have been fairly well preserved. However since they also appear in the Akathistos-series they will not be discussed separately. The raising of Lazarus in fact contains the same elements already seen in other churches. The Metamorphosis on the west wall differs somewhat from other depictions showing, on the left, Christ followed by the three disciples Peter, Jacobus and Johannes going to the mountain and on the right leaving the place when He charged them to “tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead”[8] (pict. XV 16).
The church contains a long series relating to the Passion of Christ beginning on the east wall behind the iconostases with the Last Supper (pict. XV 17). Christ in the centre is surrounded by his disciples. Judas takes a piece of bread from one of the dishes.
Also on the east wall there is a double painting. On the left Christ is in the act of washing the feet of Peter while the others await their turn. On the right he explains to them the significance of what he has done (pict. XV 18). The series continues on the south wall. It cannot be said that the painter of this cycle of wall paintings is a great artist; his figures are small and their faces lack expression. Moreover, the colours have partly faded. The wall paintings on the south wall start with the Prayer at Gethsemane (pict. XV 19). Christ has been depicted twice in prayer. On the left His himation lies in front of Him. The lower half of the painting shows some of the disciples still sleeping and in the centre He is talking to three of them, who are sitting on a rock. The right side of the same wall painting shows Judas before the priests who offer him the thirty pieces of silver, to betray his master. The scenes have been depicted continuously without interruption. Behind the building with the priests a group of men, possibly some of His disciples, stand in a somewhat strange position opposite Christ (pict. XV 20). It is not quite clear what the painters had in mind here. The next scene shows the Prodosia (pict. XV 21). Judas is kissing Christ and soldiers with drawn swords and spears have come to arrest Him. In the corner on the right Peter is cutting off the ear of Malchus, the servant of the high priest. After His arrest Christ is brought to the high priest Annas, the father-in-law to Caiaphas, who questions Him. Annas stands behind a table and, after having heard the words of Christ, which he considered blasphemy, has rent his clothes (pict. XV 22). The right side of the scene shows the triple denial of Peter and the cock crowing (pict. XV 22 right and 23 left). This part of the painting especially shows that the painter of this series have the talent of a great master. Christ is then brought before Caiaphas who also stands behind a large table (pict. XV 23 right).
The cycle continues on the west wall with Christ before Pilate. The painting shows a long wall with two square windows, which is intended to represent the judgement hall (pict. XV 24). Behind these windows Christ is depicted. On the left Pilate as a bowed figure questions Christ.[9] The next part of the scene shows Pilate in discussion with the Jews saying to them that he can not find any fault in Him. The last part shows Pilate again talking to Christ. After Pilate’s second conversation with the Jews the painters have depicted Pilate and Christ in discussion again, sitting on the hill of the execution (pict. XV 25), a detail not mentioned by any of the evangelists. The centre of the scene shows the Flagellation and the right side the mocking of Christ. He is dressed in a long purple mantle with golden clavi. Pilate at that stage intended to release Him, but the Jews insisted on His being crucified. When Pilate heard that he sat down in the judgement seat and he delivered Christ to them to be crucified. A servant at the right side brings him water to wash his hands (pict. XV 26). The cycle continues on the north wall with Simon of Cyrene carrying the cross (pict. XV 27), followed by a second mocking and the preparation of the cross. On the right of the same picture Christ can be seen climbing the ladder while being pushed by a soldier (pict. XV 28).
The next scene shows three crosses on Golgotha with Christ in the centre (pict. XV 29). Christ has a nimbus, the two who were crucified with him, don’t. The colours of the wall painting have lost their clarity and a part has disappeared. Maria, Johannes and the centurion appear to be the onlookers on the right. It is not quite clear what the soldiers are doing. The cycle continues with the deposition of the body of Christ from the cross and the laying in the tomb (pict. XV 30). On the north wall of the naos the Resurrection has been depicted. An angel sits behind the open sarcophagus in which there are the bindings. To the left soldiers with long spears are asleep while on the far left three women are shown coming to the grave with their spices. They have been depicted as relatively long figures. On the east wall the last scene has been depicted: Christ with outstretched arms blesses the heads of the two myrophores, who kneel on each side of Him (pict. XV 31).
The lower part of the Ascension has been seriously damaged (pict. XV 32). Two angels can be seen explaining the meaning of the Ascension of Christ to the disciples, most of who express their astonishment at what is happening in various ways. At the top Christ is shown in a round mandorla which is being carried to heaven by two floating angels.
On the west wall the Assumption of the Virgin has been depicted. In the corner at the left side she stands before the house where she was living (pict. XV 33). An angel announces her passing away.[10] The large scene in the centre shows the proper Koimesis. It is a lovely scene with a number of remarkable new elements. All the men, except two, have been depicted on the right; all the women on the left. Only Peter with a censer and one of the bishops stands on the left side. Christ in the mandorla is shown holding the soul of his mother in his covered arms, a beam of light connects him to heaven, depicted as a half circle. Two angels in imperial dress hold open the heavenly doors through which the soul of the Virgin enters as a small angel with white wings.
On the right, the Virgin in the mandorla, now clad in her maphorion is carried to heaven by two angels. On her way to heaven she meets Thomas on a cloud on his way to ceremony. It can be clearly seen how she hands him her girdle (pict. XV 34). The next scene shows the sarcophagus in which her body was laid (pict. XV 35).
On the south wall there is a remarkable and rare wall painting of the Massacre of the Innocents at Bethlehem, which shows Rachel weeping for her children (pict. XV 36). “A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.”[11] The wall painting shows a woman in deep distress; around her on the ground lie a large number of dead children, all completely swaddled in white except for the heads. She kneels dressed in a dark blue chiton with long arm-sleeves and a red maphorion, her hands raised up in despair. The upper part of the same wall painting shows another fragment of the same Massacre as told in the Protevangelium of James.[12] The three wise men who had worshipped the new-born king of the Jews did not return to Herod, who realised that he had been deceived by them. In his anger he ordered the killing of all the babies who were two years old and under. It narrates the story of Elisabeth: “when she heard that John was sought for, she took him and went up into the hill-country. And she looked around to see where she could hide him, and there was no hiding-place. And Elisabeth groaned aloud and said ‘O mountain of God, receive a mother with a child.’ For Elisabeth could not ascend. And immediately the mountain was rent asunder and received her. And a light was shining for them; for an angel of the Lord was with them and protected them.”[13] The wall painting shows a number of women pursued by a soldier with a drawn sword. Behind this group a mountain has been depicted with a round opening symbolising the rending asunder, in which Elizabeth and her baby Johannes hide from the murderer’s hands.
On the south pillar, facing east, a small wall painting depicts a mourning Maria (pict. XV 37). On the other side on the north pillar the bust of an undressed Christ has been depicted, eyes closed, with clearly indicated wounds in his hands and in his chest (pict. XV 38). Between these two depictions on the barrel vault a beardless young looking Christ with a red nimbus, depicted in the centre, holds in both hands a leaf-tendril with the busts of the apostles (pict. XV 39).
The open narthex contains a long series relating to the life of St. Nicholas, or Sveti Nikola.[14] Little is known about his life. It is thought that he was born about the year 270 in Patras in Lycia, on the south coast of Asia Minor but the names of his parents are not known[15]. He died about the year 350, the day of his death being 6 December. He is known to have been bishop of Myra during his life. Most probably St. Nicholas, as he is known and honoured in the church today, is in fact a composite of two different saints of the same name. The first is the bishop of Myra and the second Nicholas of the Monastery of Sion, who died in 564.[16] The latter is said to have performed a number of miracles which included healings, exorcisms and the stilling of storms at sea; he also provided food for the populace in a time of famine. He became bishop of Pinara, a town not far from Myra.[17] Some time later, but certainly before the tenth century, these two saints, Nicholas of Myra and Nicholas of Sion, were merged by literary tradition into one figure, the miracles performed by Nicholas of Sion serving to round out the rather bare life story of the original Nicholas, the bishop of Myra.[18] The suggestions that St. Nicholas of Myra was tortured during the persecutions under Diocletian – and survived – or that he attended the Council of Nicaea are not supported by historical information.
The basis of his cult lies most probably in the legend of the three unlawfully convicted generals which fact is discussed later in this chapter. The very particular aspect of this legend is that the saint manifested himself during his lifetime in a dream to the emperor; Nicholas the heavenly human being or the angel on earth. Consequently he became a symbol of the Saviour Christ who brought salvation to the oppressed and the persecuted.[19] It is surprising that a saint who was not martyred for the faith, who left no theological writings, and whose name is virtually never cited in the whole body of polemical literature of the eighth or ninth centuries, should have achieved such prominence right after Iconoclasm, and have so quickly become one of the most revered Fathers of the Church, alongside Gregory of Niazanzus, Basil and Chrysostom.[20]
His cult spread rapidly and he also became a popular saint in Western Europe as well as in Russia, where he became the patron saint.
In the eighth and ninth centuries Arabs invaded Asia Minor and remained there for varying periods. In 809 they attacked Myra where it is said they destroyed the church with the tombs of saints including that of St. Nicholas. He was, however, not buried in his basilica, but in a martyrion outside the town beside the road to the harbour.[21] The city was pillaged again in 1034 in the course of another Arab raid on the Lycian coast and the Cyclades.[22] In 1087 merchants from Bari were driven by a storm to the coast of Lycia. They went to Myra and the church and took with them most of the bones from a sarcophagus, which they took for the bones of St. Nicholas and brought the relics to Bari where a church was erected in honour of the saint. The church became an important centre of pilgrimage. Whether or not the wrong tomb was despoiled by the sailors from Bari will always remain an unsolved question.
A large number of legends are told about the saint’s miracles and devotion, which started when he was still an infant. It should be noted that the miracles have no historical basis, some of them originated in the sixth century, others in later periods.
The series of wall paintings in this church starts on the south wall with his birth and bathing (pict. XV 40). The birth has been depicted in almost the same way as the scene of the birth of the Virgin. His mother sits on a bed while female servants bring her food. The first miracle, as it is told, is that he refused to drink from his mother’s breast on Friday in order not to break the law on fasting, but this has not been depicted in the wall painting. In fact a suckling mother is hardly ever depicted in Byzantine art.[23]
In the same way as the bathing of Christ and the Virgin after their births, the young Nicholas is shown being washed by two midwives. His next miracle is this time depicted. On the third day after his birth he stands in the bath unsupported by the midwives and with both hands raised.
In the next scene on the south wall he is taken to school by his mother and welcomed by his teacher, dressed as a monk, who sits on a bench; other pupils stand behind him (pict. XV 41). The young saint holds a writing tablet in his hands containing some words which cannot be deciphered. It is followed by a scene showing his consecration as a deacon. Dressed in a white sticharion, he is blessed by the bishop who stands under a ciborium. He is young and has been depicted without a beard. At his consecration as a priest (pict. XV 42), he is depicted with a short black beard. He is accompanied by two deacons and the blessing bishop here also stands under a ciborium. Subsequently he is consecrated as a bishop (pict. XV 43). The legend tells that after the old bishop of Myra died, one of the priests had a dream telling him that they should all go to the church and wait for the first to enter in the morning. That man would be the new bishop. Nicholas who apparently was not aware of the revelation, was the first to enter the church. The wall painting shows him being consecrated by another bishop. He now has the white hair and beard with which from now on he will usually be depicted. The same two deacons who accompanied him at his consecration as a priest again stand behind him.
It can be seen that the painter of these scenes is not one of the most skilful artists. Thus the monk as teacher and the bishop who consecrates him as deacon, priest and bishop each have the same face. In the three consecration scenes Nicholas stands on one side of the altar and the bishop on the other. All three ceremonies are performed in the bema, by a bishop, in the presence of other clergy, as part of the regular liturgical service.[24]
The next scene shows the story of the three maidens. This most popular legend tells how a man with three daughters became so very poor that he could not provide them with marriage dowries, more or less condemning them to a life of vice and prosecution. When the saint heard of the situation he decided to help the poor girls. The legend tells that on three consecutive nights he threw through their window a bag of gold which the poor father used for his daughters’ marriage dowries. The wall painting in this church shows a bed with three sleeping girls and the saint behind the bed handing over to the father a purse with the money for their weddings (pict. XV 44). The painting continues without interruption with the saint’s appearance at night in the dream of the Emperor Constantine who is shown asleep in a large bed. He has a nimbus and wears – as far as can be seen from above the coverlet – imperial dress. The saint stands behind the bed and blesses the emperor in order to influence him not to execute unlawfully the three generals, Ursus, Nepotian and Herpylion. He ordered him to release the men, threatening to provoke certain calamities if the emperor disobeyed his command.[25] The appearance of the saint in a dream as a human being and not as a heavenly messenger was considered a miracle, since Nicholas was living in Lycia and miraculously appeared to the emperor in Constantinople that very night. It can be compared with scenes from the Old Testament, such as Jacob’s dream, or appearances of angels. In this wall painting he is accompanied by two deacons. The background of the legend is that the three generals were sent to Phrygia by the emperor to suppress a revolt by invaders who had crossed the Danube together with the Goths. The generals succeeded in their mission. On their way home an unfavourable wind brought their ships to the harbour of Myra, where they met the saint. Here they heard the story how Nicholas had saved three innocent men from execution. When they returned to Constantinople they were arrested by the heartless eparch Ablabios, who was informed by some jealous rivals that they were traitors. Ablabios in turn successfully persuaded Constantine that they had started a revolt against him. They were arrested, thrown into prison and sentenced to death by Constantine. They remembered, however, what they had heard in Myra and addressed themselves in prayer to Nicholas.
The series continues on the north wall with the saint’s appearance the same night at the bed of the sleeping eparch Ablabios (pict. XV 45).[26] He ordered him to release the three generals, threatening him with disaster if he disobeyed. Abablios asked Nicholas who he was; Nicholas told him and disappeared.[27]
The sequence of the wall paintings is somewhat illogical and not quite in accordance with the legends as told, since it continues with the saint’s intervention at the beheading of three innocent men (pict. XV 46). He received information about their imminent execution when he was talking with the three generals and hasted to the place. The three men are shown standing with bent heads, their hands bound in front of them. The executioner is about to decapitate them with a long sword, when the saint grasps the steel of the sword in time to save the three men.
The next scene shows the three generals in prison (pict. XV 47), talking to each other, an older man in the centre and two younger men on either side of him.[28] They are not bound, but their feet are clamped at the ankles between two long parallel running stocks.[29] They gesticulate with their arms while they talk. They do not wear the uniforms of their rank as general, but short tunics with long sleeves.
This scene is followed by a wall painting showing Constantine sitting on his throne. He had sent for Ablabios to compare their dreams. The three generals are brought before him (pict. XV 48). He asked them first what tricks of magic they had used to produce his dream; when the men protested their innocence, he asked them what they knew of a certain Nicholas. At this, the men cried out with joy, realising that the saint had indeed saved them.[30] They explained to the emperor how they had met the saint, who had saved the three innocent men from death. Constantine was impressed by the story and released the three generals with the instruction to go to Myra, taking with them gifts to present to Nicholas on his behalf: a gold Gospelbook, two large gold candlesticks and a gold liturgical vessel studded with precious stones.[31] The wall painting shows two servants standing on either side of the throne; one of whom hands over to them the Gospelbook. Between the generals and the servant two candles have been depicted. Constantine in imperial garments with a large crown on his head is seated on his throne. In his left hand he holds a large sceptre as a symbol of his authority, and his right arm is extended towards the generals pointing to the Gospelbook.
The next scene shows the three generals in front of Nicholas, handing over to him the presents of Constantine (pict. XV 49), only the Gospelbook is depicted. He sits in a chair and blesses the three men in front of him. In the background a church has been depicted, presumably the church of Myra.
The series ends with the death of the saint (pict. XV 50). His body dressed in his official vestments, lies on a bier surrounded by a large number of monks, bishops and other people. At the end of the bier a bishop holds a censer in one hand and a candle in the other. He is accompanied by a deacon who holds a Gospelbook. The orarion hanging down from his left shoulder contains the word “Agios” Four candelabra flank the bier: three at the back and one in front. Behind the bier to the right stand seven cantors, wearing typical conical hats, the skiadia; two of them hold candles. They wear richly embroidered mantles. The bareheaded man in front of them with a long grey beard wears a gold embroidered mantle over a dark tunic. On his belly the buckle of a leather belt can be seen. He also holds a candle in his hand. In front of him stand a number of monks with black caps on their heads, the first of whom holds a candle. On the far left of the wall painting two other figures can be distinguished: behind the bier stands a priest clad in white, who holds a Gospelbook in his covered left hand. With his other hand he makes a gesture towards some monks who are appearing, one of them striking the semantron, which announces the beginning of the funeral. The other figure at the foot of the bier is that of a young boy dressed in brown and holding a book, some words of which can be seen.[32]
One of the most important and well preserved series of wall paintings in this church relate to the Akathistos. Representations of it can be found in many churches, although not as complete as in this church. The series generally has no fixed place and may be found in the narthex, along the walls of the naos, or, in smaller churches, on the barrel vault.
The scenes in this church have been painted on the third row starting on the south wall in the bema, continuing along this wall and then on the north wall where the series ends in the bema. Most of the first twelve scenes form a continuing story without interrupting lines. The series is only interrupted on the west wall.
The Akathistos[33] is a hymn to the Virgin, the text of which is preserved wholly or in part in innumerable manuscripts from the tenth to the sixteenth centuries. [34] It consists of 24 stanzas, the initial letters of which are the 24 letters of the Greek alphabet to form an acrostic. The hymn is preceded by an introductory strophe or prooemium. Each stanza has five or six lines of verse, oikoi. Starting with the first the odd stanzas are followed by a number of strophes, songs of praise or salutations, consisting usually of 18 or 24 lines of verse (chairetismoi), and ending with the words “Hail, bride unwedded”. The even stanzas have no such strophes, but end simply with the refrain: “Alleluia”.
The 24 strophes are (in Greek) metrically identical. The first twelve strophes relate to the life of the Virgin and the birth and youth of Christ, the other twelve strophes are songs of praise to Christ or the Virgin. Each strophe will be reproduced here in an (rather free) English translation, however, without the chairetismoi, except for the words “Hail, bride unwedded”. A number of authors described the differences between the depictions of the strophes which can be found in a number of churches in Macedonia and surrounding countries.[35] Consequently, in this chapter only the depictions in this church will be mentioned together with the line of verse of the respective oikoi. The complete text of the Akathistos is included as an addendum to this chapter.
Prooemium[36]
To you, protector, leader in battle, I dedicate my song of triumph,
my song of thanksgiving I devote to you, because I, as your town,
have been saved by you, o Theotokos, from sufferings.
Invincible is the power in which you rejoice;
free me from all kinds of danger,
that I may cry to you:
Hail bride unwedded!
Oikos I
The first among the angels was sent from heaven
to say to the mother of God: ”Hail”
And he, taking bodily form, stood marvelling,
and with his bodiless voice cried aloud to her saying:
Hail, bride unwedded!
The first three scenes relate to the Annunciation to Maria. The first (pict. XV 51) shows in the background some fantasy architecture as a cupola resting on four pillars. Maria stands to the right on a podium before the backless chair on which she was sitting. She has bowed her head and with her right hand she greets the angel Gabriel. He has been painted with a fluttering himation, advancing towards the Virgin with his right hand stretched out to her in greeting and holding his staff in his other hand. Maria holds a distaff in her left hand, a sign that she was elected by lot to spin the pure purple and scarlet.[37] She is dressed as usual in a purple maphorion over a dark blue chiton.
Oikos II
The Virgin knowing her own chastity,
boldly and without fear spoke to Gabriel:
“The paradox of your words
I find hard for my soul to accept;
how do you speak of childbirth
and a conception without seed? And you are crying: Alleluia.
The second Annunciation scene (pict. XV 52) shows the Virgin sitting on the right on a decorated throne-like chair; with her right open hand she greets the Archangel Gabriel who stands in front of her. She wears a blue chiton and a purple maphorion and red slippers. In her left hand she holds a distaff. The angel is dressed in a blue dalmatic with bejewelled hem and an imperial loros richly decorated with pearls. He wears red stockings and light brown slippers. He holds his staff high to announce the message he is bringing her. The background here also contains some fantasy architecture. On the left a small beam of light is directed towards the Virgin.
Oikos III
The pure maiden, yearning to know unknown knowledge,
cried to him who ministered unto her:
From a virgin body how is it possible for a Son to be born?
Tell me. Then he spoke to her in fear, crying aloud:
Hail, bride unwedded!
The third Annunciation scene takes place in the garden of her house, where Maria stands at the well with a rope in her hand to lift up the basket with which she was taking water (pict. XV 53). The stone well has been depicted in a cruciform shape. A small angel, again in chiton and himation, floats in the air and addresses the Virgin with one outstretched hand.
Oikos IV
The power of the Highest then overshadowed her,[38]
who knew no wedlock for her conceiving.
Her fruitful womb
became a sweet field
to all those who would harvest salvation,
as they sing: Alleluia.
In this scene the conception of the Virgin has been depicted with the Holy Ghost (pict. XV 54). Maria sits on a large throne-like chair in the centre, her feet on a suppedion. Two female attendants, standing symmetrically on both sides of Maria, hold a large veil behind her, so that a restricted intimate space is created. This may also a representation of the Virgin being mysteriously revealed, the veils drawn back, after the conception.[39] In her left hand Maria holds on high a distaff, from which a thread falls along her body to her other hand, to suggest that she is actively spinning wool. Above her head three rays of light shine down from heaven, symbolising the Holy Ghost.
Oikos V
So the Virgin holding God in her womb,
hastened to Elisabeth,
whose unborn babe at once recognised her salutation,[40]
and rejoiced as it were leapt
and sung and cried to the Mother of God:
Hail, bride unwedded!
The relatively small scene, in which the face of Maria is slightly damaged, depicts the two women embracing each other, Maria on the left, Elisabeth on the right (pict. XV 55). The maphorion of Elisabeth is somewhat lighter in colour than the purple maphorion of Maria.
Oikos VI
Despair and doubtful thoughts troubled the prudent Joseph,
when he saw you, O blameless and unwedded maiden,
and suspected illicit love, lady of no blame;
But when he learnt of thy conception
through the Holy Ghost[41], he cried: Allelui.
To the right of the meeting of the two women a larger, somewhat dramatic scene has been depicted. “Now when she was in her sixth month, Joseph came from his buildings and entered his house and found her with child.”[42] The wall painting shows Joseph’s despair about the purity and virginity of Maria when he found that she was pregnant (pict. XV 55, centre). With his right hand he makes an accusing gesture towards Maria and in his other hand he holds one of his building-instruments. Maria stands opposite Joseph gesturing violently, her right hand raised up above her head and her other hand with open palm as if defending herself against Joseph’s remonstrances. “With what countenance shall I look towards the Lord my God? What prayer shall I offer for this maiden? Who has deceived me? Who has done this evil in my house and defiled the virgin? And he said to her: You who are cared for by God, why you have done this and forgotten the Lord your God? Why have you humiliated your soul, you who were brought up in the Holy of the Holies and received food from the hand of an angel? But she wept bitterly, saying: I am pure, and know not a man.”[43]
Oikos VII
The shepherds heard the angels singing
of the incarnate presence of Christ;
they hastened to their Shepherd,
they saw him there, a blameless lamb
pastured on Mary’s womb,
and in praise of her they cried[44]:
Hail, bride unwedded!
Although this strophe relates to the shepherds who hastens towards the place where Christ was born, the painter(s) of this church have given a somewhat different interpretation. The wall painting looks like a usual depiction of Gennesis: a rocky landscape with a cave in front of which Maria lies on a mattress, behind her the swaddled child with the ox and donkey close by and the doubting Joseph sitting on the ground beneath her, one hand to his head. Floating angels in the air look at a three-pointed star or a light that comes from heaven (pict. XV 56). However, no shepherds have been depicted at all, nor the usual washing of the child by the midwifes. Maria, resting on her left arm, has turned to the left to look at the three magi, who approach the Virgin and child. They are richly dressed with pearls on their clothing and in their hands they hold boxes with their gifts.
Oikos VIII
High in the heavens the Magi saw
a star moving towards God;
they followed its rays and kept it as a beacon before them;
and by it searched for the mighty King,[45]
and when they approached the Unapproachable
they rejoiced and cried to Him: Alleluia.
The next three strophes relate to the three wise men from the East. In a continuation of the previous scene we see the three magi riding on horses at full gallop, they point with their right hands to a bright shining star. An angel also on a horse, rides towards them and points with his left hand to the star which shows them the place where they can find the new-born King of the Jews (pict. XV 57). The angel on horseback is dressed in imperial garments and has a red nimbus. A horse-riding angel has not been mentioned in the Akathistos strophe. It may be assumed that he is “an angel of the Lord”, although no inscription has been given.[46] The magi are of different ages: an older man with beard, a younger man with a small beard and a young man without beard. All three have on their heads a so-called “mitra” of an old-testament priest.[47]
Oikos IX
The sons of the Chaldaeans saw in the Virgin’s arms
Him Who with His hand had made man:
And recognising Him as master,
although he had taken the shape of a servant,
they hastened with gifts to do homage,
and cried to the blessed virgin:
Hail, bride unwedded!
The third magi scene shows them standing before the Virgin who sits on a throne holding the Christ-child with both hands in her lap (pict. XV 58). Both are looking at the magi, the Child blesses them. The magi have boxes with gifts in their hands which they offer to her. Behind the throne stands an angel with open hands dressed in richly decorated imperial garment as an intermediary between the Virgin and the magi. The background shows the architecture of a house.
Oikos X
The Wise Men bearing the message of God,
returned to Babylon fulfilling your prophecy
and to all preached you as the Christ,
they left Herod as a fool,
who knew not how to sing: Alleluia.
Without intervening lines the next scene continues by showing the three magi standing in front of the gate of a town (pict. XV 59). The first one, the eldest, is dressed in a long red caftan; the one to his left wears a blue robe. Two of them wear hats with wide brims and the third a small high hat with a smaller brim. The first has stretched both his hands towards a groom holding the reins of three horses. It seems possible that his arms may have been painted at a later date, since instead of being red his sleeves are white and decorated, and start from a strange point at his shoulder. Moreover, on his right side an(other) arm disappears behind his back. The groom looks at the horses, not at the magi. He wears a turban and is dressed in a short garment with buttons at the front and gaiters at his feet. The painters have in fact tried to depict a Muslim servant in fact wearing an imaginary costume. Before the birth of Islam the three magi usually were depicted as wise men from Persia, but after the disappearance of Christianity from this region there was a tendency to depict them as kings from a far country. Here, however, they have again been depicted as wise men from the east with a Muslim servant. The magi are shown on the point of returning home without informing Herod where they had found the new-born King of the Jews.
Oikos XI
By lighting the lamp of truth in Egypt[48]
you banished the darkness,
and their idols endured not your strength but fell;
cried to the Mother of God:
Hail, bride unwedded!
This strophe relates to the Flight into Egypt by Joseph, Maria and the Christ-child after they heard of Herod’s intention to kill all the young male children in Bethlehem (pict. XV 60). The wall painting, the right side of which is slightly damaged, shows in the centre Maria sitting sideways on a donkey walking to the right in a rocky landscape; she looks in a forward direction. In front of her a small boy in a white shirt looks back at Maria; he holds a small basket in his left hand and holds the reins of the donkey in his other. He is Jacob, one of the sons of Joseph.[49] Behind Maria two camels follow and behind them, separated by some rocks, Joseph walks with the Christ-child on his shoulders holding him by his leg with one hand. The child, who is dressed in a small white shirt, tries to keep his balance by grasping Joseph’s hair. In front of them walk three young maid servants. The depiction of camels and maid servants is rare.[50] They walk in the direction of a town in front of the gate of which four women have been depicted; one of them with a crown on her head is dressed in imperial garments. They have been painted just above a heavy beam that supports the construction of the building. All four bow slightly to welcome the company. One woman dressed in a blue garment has stretched out her left hand. The town is a representation of Egypt and the four women, in particular the one with crowned head, represent the people of Egypt. Although this strophe sings of idols which fell (from the ramparts of the temple) the painter(s) did not depict them.[51] Because of calcination and damage to the wall it is not quite clear what has been depicted in the right hand corner; it could be a sarcophagus with a barrel-vault, but the brown points on it make it difficult to be sure.
Oikos XII
You as a new-born babe was presented to Symeon[52],
who was about to depart from his life of deceit.
But you made known to him as a perfect God
and so he was astounded
at your ineffable wisdom, and cried “Alleluia”.
The last strophe relating to the childhood of Christ describes the Hypapante, the Presentation of Christ in the temple.[53] This beautiful wall painting (pict. XV 61) shows Maria holding the child who has stretched his small arms towards Simeon, who in turn leans forward with covered hands to take up the child. His face has a grave expression, being aware of the historic moment and God’s promise that he should not see death before he had seen Christ.[54] He has been depicted with long grey hair and a beard and wears a grey-blue chiton. Behind Maria Joseph approaches holding two doves in his covered hands as on offering in accordance with the law. Behind Simeon one can see the Prophetess Anna holding an unrolled scroll in her left hand, the words of which cannot be read, but which usually include the text: “This child has created heaven and earth”. She has been depicted as a relatively young woman although she was already of great age. It is remarkable that Simeon, Joseph and Anna have blue nimbi. The background shows part of the temple with a ciborium in front of which stands a table covered with a cloth on which lies a bejewelled Gospelbook.
Whereas the first twelve strophes often relate to known events, the next twelve stanzas are songs of praise to Christ and Maria. The painters have therefore had to use their imagination in order to paint scenes appropriate to the words of each strophe.
Oikos XIII
To us the Creator revealed a new creation,
and showed it to us, created by his power,
when He appeared born from the womb of a Virgin;
so that when we see this marvel,
we may praise her, and sing:
Hail, bride unwedded!
We see Christ Emmanuel standing on a suppedium, making a gesture of blessing with both hands (pict. XV 62).[55] He is surrounded by two groups of people hailing him; on the left his apostles with Peter to the fore and Paul just behind him and on the other side bishops and monks. The monk or bishop on the right wears a brown open cape, the ends of which have been knotted in front at the level of the knees. Under the cape he wears a kind of a short blue shirt embroidered with a little cross on the breast and a somewhat larger one on the belly. From under the shirt a long white garment can be seen. The monk on the right wears the same clothing in different colours and a bonnet on his head. Christ has been depicted with a young face, a very short beard and short hair, and dressed in a blue himation over a purple chiton. The new creation is Christ appearing to us in his incarnation as a human being, whom we praise. The background shows a temple-like structure.
Oikos XIV
Let us estrange ourselves from the earth,
for having seen this strange birth-giving,
our minds are turned to heaven;
it was for this that the Most High God
appeared on earth as humble man,
for he wanted to draw on high those who cry to him “Alleluia.”
The next scene, usually called The Strange Birth, has been painted in the corner of the west and north walls (pict. XV 63). Maria sits frontal on a throne with the Christ-child on her left leg holding the child with both hands. Above her head a cherubim has been painted against a blue background to indicate that the throne is in heaven. On the north wall four angels can be seen approaching the Virgin, while a number of others have only been indicated by their nimbi; they pay homage to mother and child. Only the last angel has large outstanding wings. They are all dressed in chiton and himation in various colours. The painting conveys the meaning of this strophe by placing the Incarnation of Christ, the appearance of God on earth, in a heavenly context.
Oikos XV
Completely He was on earth, but yet in no way absent from heaven,
He the Uncircumscribed Word,
for this was a divine descent and not merely a journey from place to place;
for his birth was from a Virgin, possessed by God,
who heard words like these:
Hail, bride unwedded!
Scene fifteen shows Christ as a young man without beard and with a high forehead, symbolising his wisdom, standing frontal in full length, His right hand raised in blessing and in His left one He holds a scroll (pict. XV 64). His chiton and himation have a golden sheen. He has a round nimbus within a rhomboidal one that, above His head, is linked by a beam of blue light from heaven, in which Christ has been pictured again in a round mandorla. This mandorla is held by two seraphim who in turn are surrounded by a triangular shape. Again the words of the strophe are clearly depicted: Christ is on earth and in heaven; He is God and man in one person. The standing Christ on earth is Christ Emmanuel. He is surrounded by a large number of patriarchs, six of them have been clearly pictured, the others have been indicated by their nimbi. Four of them hold an evangelarium. They all wear polystaurions with a large number of gammata and an omophorion with poloi. The crosses are alternating red and black. Christ in mandorla in heaven is Christ Pantocrator. He also makes a gesture of blessing with His right hand and holds a scroll in His other. Although the faces of the patriarchs have been clearly painted it is not possible to identify them.
Oikos XVI
The host of angels were astonished
by the great act of your incarnation:
as God unapproachable
they saw Him now as Man approachable to all.
Living among us
and hearing from us all “Alleluia”.
Christ in a double mandorla sits on a heavenly arch, his feet on a rainbow (pict. XV 65). The inner mandorla has a blue background, the outer is light yellow. He makes a gesture of blessing with both hands. He is dressed in a gold-shining chiton with a blue himation, and has been depicted again as Christ Emmanuel. He is surrounded on both sides by two archangels and above his head there is a seraph with six wings; they worship him for his great act of Incarnation. Two angels in front wear imperial dress, the two behind them are partly hidden and only their faces can be seen clearly. All four have beautiful, coloured, large wings.
Oikos XVII
Orators with richness of words we see as voiceless fishes
in the presence of you, O Mother of God!
They are at loss to say:
How could you remain a Virgin and yet giving birth.
Hail, bride unwedded!
A frontal Maria, looking a little to the right, stands in the centre of this scene (pict. XV 66). She is Maria Nikopoia. She holds the child as a shield in front of her as “Nikopoia”, a victorious sign which refers to the ancient Nike pictures.[56] She is clad in a purple maphorion which reveals a blue chiton. The child, who makes a gesture of blessing with both hands, has been depicted surrounded by two rhomboidal forms forming an eight-sided radiation nimbus. On both sides of the Virgin a number of orators or rhetoricians have been depicted: four on the left and three on the right. Three of them have open unscribed scrolls in their hands. They hold writing-materials as if to write down the words of the Virgin. The two men immediately left and right of the Virgin hold a kind of small socket or pen-case under their left arms. The empty scrolls may also indicate that the orators are without words and, although they have writing materials, they are incapable of writing. On the left three men wear a kind of decorated red balloon-hats, the other one a long red caftan with girdle. His head-gear is remarkable and resembles the skiadion[57] worn by Theodore Metochites in the painting in the narthex of the church of the Chora Monastery, now Kariye Djami in Istanbul.[58] On the right three other orators, also wearing balloon-heads of different colours, look at the Virgin. The man in front is the oldest of the company; he has a white beard and wears a long white caftan with girdle, the other two are beardless. The clothing of the orators recalls that worn by officials at the emperor’s court.
Oikos XVIII
The Architect of the universe desired to save the world,
And by his promise He came by his own will,
because as God He is our Shepherd,
for our sake He came among us as man ourselves,
calling the same by the same,
and as God he hears: Alleluia.
It is usually up to the interpretation of the painter how to interpret a text relating to the Salvation of the World. Here he has chosen to depict an Anastasis scene,[59] which at the lower part is somewhat damaged (pict. XV 67). Christ in a shining white chiton and himation draws both Adam and Eve by their wrists from their sarcophaguses. He looks straight at the viewer. He wears a red nimbus with a blue cross. It is not quite clear whether He is ascending or descending. He stands on the broken doors of Hades. Behind Adam, John the Baptist as the Prodomos, the precursor, stretches both arms towards Christ as if prophesying that “the only begotten Son of God comes here, in order that whoever believes in him should be saved, and whoever does not believe in him should be condemned. Therefore I say to you all that when you see him, all of you worship him.”[60] Behind him a number of Old Testament prophets have been depicted. Behind Eve four kings of Israel have been depicted including the older Prophet-king David and the younger Solomon. The third whose face can only be partly seen is unknown, while the fourth has been indicated only by a part of his crown.[61] David especially wears richly decorated imperial garments with the loros around his shoulders. Two enormous mountains rise up on both sides of the scene.[62]
Oikos XIX
Virginal Mother of God, you are as a protector to the virgins
and to all who flee to you for protection.
for the Creator of heaven and earth
prepared you, pure maiden,
and dwelt in your womb, teaching all to call upon you:
Hail, bride unwedded!
The virgin Mother of God has been depicted here as the protector of virgins and of all who seek patronage (pict. XV 68). She stands in the centre with the Christ-child on her left arm as a Hodegitria. A large red, partly decorated curtain between two tower-like constructions separates the background. Maria has been depicted larger than the women surrounding her. She does not stand completely frontal but has turned slightly to look to the right. The women on both sides have stretched their hands towards her as in adoration or to ask for the Virgin’s intercession. It is remarkable that the women surrounding her have nimbi of different colours.[63] The women on the left have long capes over their robes. Their distressed faces turned towards the Virgin, suggests supplication rather than acclamation. The two women on the right wear imperial garments with a richly decorated loros. On their heads they wear open stemma without prependulia.
Oikos XX
the wealth of your great mercifulness,
even if we would offer to you hymns,
numberless as the grains of sand, holy king,
we would not accomplish anything worthy
of what you have given to us, who sing to you: Alleluia.
The wall painting has suffered some calcination; consequently not all details can be clearly distinguished. Christ sits on a cathedral-like throne which is surrounded by a half-round construction with two small pillars, His feet rest on a two step suppedion (pict. XV 69). In His left hand He holds a scroll and with His right He is probably making a gesture of blessing. On the left a group of six angels, some with large wings, have stretched their hands in His direction and acclaim Him, offering hymns of praise. On the other side a group of archbishops do the same in a more restrained manner; they hold a richly decorated evangelium or a Gospelbook in their hands. Both heaven and earth sing hymns to Him.
Oikos XXI
We behold the holy virgin as a beacon full of light,
shining to those in darkness;
For by kindling the incorporeal flame
she leads everyone to divine knowledge,
illuminating our minds with her radiance
and she is honoured by our cry:
Hail, bride unwedded!
Maria as a light-giving lamp, rendered with a flame above her head, is a beacon of light in a world of darkness (pict. XV 70). She stands frontally on a small podium in the centre of the scene as Maria Nikopoia, with the Christ-child in a frontal pose in her arms. He in turn makes a gesture of blessing with both hands. Maria is clad in a purple maphorion over a dark blue chiton and on her feet are yellow slippers. Here too Maria is larger than the two groups surrounding her, men emerging from a cave behind them. “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: …” [64] With her incorporeal flame she leads everyone to divine knowledge. She stands in front of a mountainous landscape above which she towers. On the mountain on each side of her stands a small tree; the one on the right has been damaged. She is surrounded on both sides by two groups of six apostles who acclaim and adore her. The group on the right is headed by Peter and the other by Paul,.[65]
Oikos XXII
Wishing to forgive all ancient debts of men
the Redeemer came of his own will
to dwell among the fugitives,
who live far from his grace,
and he torn up the parchment,
hearing from them all: Alleluia.
Christ, dressed in chiton and blue himation, stands frontally on a suppedion before a temple-like building and holds in both hands an unrolled scroll which is torn up the middle as far as the lower margin (pict. XV 71). The scroll contains a confession of the sins of mankind and, by tearing it, Christ symbolically forgives them. [66] The wall painting has become somewhat blurred and the left side is partly damaged. As a result the face of Christ cannot be seen properly. Two groups of men stand around Him. On the left at least three men represent prophets of the Old Testament and on the right there are the twelve apostles, headed by Peter, as representatives of the New Testament.
Oikos XXIII
We sing to Him to whom you gave birth and we all celebrate you
as the living temple, Mother of God!
He, the Lord who holds all things in his hands,
dwelt in your womb,
and made you holy, glorified you and taught all to cry to you:
Hail, bride unwedded!
This wall painting, although somewhat hidden by the iconastasis, is a remarkable work. In this strophe Maria is honoured as the living temple, and the unknown painter has chosen to represent this veneration by showing the Virgin cuddling her child on an icon of the type Glycophilousa, the sweet embracing (pict. XV 72). The icon has been decorated with a border of embroidered pieces of cloth on top and at the lower side; from the base hangs an embroidered length of drapery decorated with round patterns and at the lower end decorated with pearls, the podea. The icon is carried on the strangely stooped back of a man whose bearded head can be seen on the right; his feet below the clothes reveal he is walking to the right. One deacon on the far right and another on the left, both dressed in sticharion decorated with an orarion are holding rhipidions. The deacon on the right probably holds a censer in his other hand. On the left in front of the icon stands a man dressed in richly decorated imperial garments with the loros draped over his left arm, a spherical crown on his head and a cross-sceptre in his right hand. He has a nimbus. There are a number of suggestions as to who he might be, but his identity remains guesswork. The most likely suggestion is the Serbian Emperor Dušan V, although the founder of the monastery, Emperor Uroš, King Vukašin or his son Marko are other possibilities. Their physiognomy, however, does not correspond with that of existing portraits of these rulers in other churches.[67] Next to him there is a retinue of seven monks of which only three beardless faces can be seen. In front of them stand three old bearded prelates. Around the corner a group of bishops also belong to this scene.
Oikos XXIV
O mother of God hymned by all,
who did bear the Word, the most holy of all saints,
receive the present offering,
deliver us from every evil
and redeem us from future punishment,
those who cry together to you: Alleluia.
It is remarkable that in this church the two last oikos have been rendered by an icon. As far as can be traced this can also be seen in the older Church of the Panagia Olympiotissa at Elasson in Northern Thessaly.
In the centre of this wall painting, which has also been painted on the wall behind the iconastasis, there is a large icon of the type Hodegitria, in which Maria holds the Christ-child on her left arm (pict. XV 73). The child traditionally makes a gesture of blessing with His right hand and holds a scroll in His left. The icon rests on a stand the three legs of which are visible from under a richly decorated piece of purple drapery, the podea, decorated with diagonal blue and yellow stripes of cloth fixed with pearls at the crossing points; the borders at the top and bottom are richly decorated with precious stones and pearls. The top of the icon is decorated with gold-coloured foliage. On the left of the icon a young man looks closely at the picture of the Hodegitria, his hands on the edge of the icon. On the left there are three cantors, two of them bearded. Two of them are dressed in long colourful red caftans while the other is in a blue. They each wear strange pointed hats, the traditional tricorn skiadia, trimmed with golden horizontal and vertical bands. The cantors in red wear blue skiadias, the one in blue a red one. They are as in a doxology singing hymns of praise to the Virgin and beseech her to save them from evil and to redeem them from future punishment. With their hands they make oratory movements. They are followed by others of which only two have been pictured with a face. Two children standing in front of the older men join in the singing. One is dressed in a long white dress bordered with blue decorations and holds a decorated songbook in his hands; the other dressed in brown points at the icon of the Hodegitria with a stick. On the right a number of bishops and a deacon approach. In front stands an almost bareheaded, bearded bishop with a jewelled patriarchal cross in his left hand, followed by a bishop holding a Gospelbook in his covered left hand. Both are dressed in a multi-crossed polystaurion and an omophorion around the shoulders. The colours of the crosses alternate black and red. A decorated encheirion can be seen from under the polystaurion. The second wears a bonnet on his head. It is not certain who he is, but only a restricted number of bishops, among them Cyril and Peter of Alexandria and Bishop Spyridon, wear a bonnet with poloi.[68] Between them a deacon can be seen.
A few other churches in Macedonia completely or partly contain scenes relating to the Akathistos-Hymnos, for example on the west and north outside walls of Sveti Bogorodica Periblebtos at Ohrid. None, however, are as well preserved as in this church; regrettably those in the church of Mateić were largely destroyed by Albanian terrorists in 2001-2002. The scenes in this church together form a unique document of the relatively unknown wall paintings in this country.
The cupola of the narthex contains a remarkable and complicated wall painting of Christ as the Logos or Heavenly Wisdom, the Ayia Sophia. He sits on a heavenly arch, His feet resting on a cushion (pict. XV 74). He makes a gesture of blessing with both hands. He is dressed in a blue himation and is surrounded by a white round mandorla which is bordered by a blue line. A large number of angels surrounds Him: eight seraphim alternating with seven angels. Seven of them are standing and hold the blue line of the mandorla in their outstretched hands. The eighth standing figure on the left is the Prophet-king Solomon with a scroll carrying the text: “Wisdom has built her house, she has hewn out her seven pillars.”[69] The seven standing angels symbolise the pillars of wisdom. Four of them wear blue himations and pink skirts, three of them pink himations and blue skirts. On the wall of the cupola below the feet of Christ two white shining angels, point at a table set for the eternal meal. Nine groups of saints, apostles, martyrs, etc. stand around Christ in mandorla. Above the table a text has been written, saying: “Come you faithful, let us enjoy the great wisdom of the house of God and the eternal wisdom, let us rejoice in the Logos that rose, taught by the Logos we love …”[70]
Usually scenes from the life of the patron saint of a church are painted on the walls. Scenes from the life of Sveti Demetrius[71] can also be found in the narthex, but most of them have not been preserved. On the arch on the north-west side Demetrius can be seen standing before Emperor Maximinianus (pict. XV 75). He has been depicted as a young slender man without a beard, but not in military dress. He is accompanied by three others.
On the lower zone a large number of saints have been depicted; these will not be discussed. On the north wall a remarkable wall painting of Christ as emperor can be seen (pict. XV 76). He is dressed in the manner of a Byzantine or Serbian emperor with a spherical crown richly adorned with jewels and in imperial robes with the loros. He sits on a large throne and makes a gesture of blessing. He is surrounded by angels who form his imperial household and is flanked on his right by Maria as empress and on his left by a winged John the Baptist.
Below the Koimesis on both sides of the entrance door the archangels Michael and Gabriel have been depicted; Michael with a sword and Gabriel with an unrolled scroll.
Beside them Constantine and Helena hold the cross between them; they are assisted by King Marko on the north wall. Next to him King Vukašin and Queen Jelena together hold a model of the church in their hands. Above the heads of both kings a blessing Christ in medallion has been painted.
Macedonia is one of the few countries that can take pride in having such a large number of medieval churches, which have been preserved in reasonably good condition despite of the turmoil through the ages and the suppression by different people with different religions. Most monasteries succeeded in guarding their orthodox religion and the Demetrius Church inside Marko’s Monastery is to one of these monuments of the past that has survived to the present day. It contains a number of remarkable series of wall paintings, of which the Akathistos-series is in fact the most important and one of the best preserved in comparison to other series of paintings. Also unique are Rachel weeping for her children and Elisabeth disappearing inside the mountain. The paintings of the life of Sveti Nikola are interesting and form one of the longest series of depictions of scenes from his life. It may be concluded that the wall paintings of this church are important examples of well-preserved, mid fourteenth century wall paintings in the Republic of Macedonia.
ADDENDUM
Prooemium
To you, protector, leader in battle, I dedicate my song of triumph,
my song of thanksgiving I devote to you, because I, as your town,
have been saved by you, o Theotokos, from sufferings.
Invincible is the power in which you rejoice;
free me from all kinds of danger,
that I may cry to you:
Hail bride unwedded!
Oikos I
The first among the angels was sent from heaven
to say to the mother of God: ”Hail”
And he, taking bodily form, stood marvelling,
and with his bodiless voice cried aloud to her saying:
Hail, through whom joy shall shine forth;
Hail, through whom the curse shall cease;
Hail, recalling of fallen Adam;
Hail, deliverance of the tears of Eve;
Hail, height hard for human thoughts to scale;
Hail, depth hard even for the eyes of angels to pierce;
Hail, since you are the chair of the king;
Hail, since you bear him who bears all;
Hail, star causing the sun to shine
Hail, womb of the divine Incarnation;
Hail, through whom the creation is made new;
Hail, through whom the Creator is worshipped;
Hail, bride unwedded!
Oikos II
The Virgin knowing her own chastity,
boldly and without fear spoke to Gabriel:
The paradox of your words
I find hard for my soul to accept;
how do you speak of childbirth
and a conception without seed? And you are crying: Alleluia.
Oikos III
The pure maiden, yearning to know unknown knowledge,
cried to him who ministered unto her:
From a virgin body how is it possible for a Son to be born?
Tell me. Then he spoke to her in fear, crying aloud:
Hail, initiate of sacred council;
Hail, faith of those who pray in silence;
Hail, prelude to the miracles of Christ;
Hail, main chapter of his teachings;
Hail, celestial ladder by which God descended;
Hail, bridge leading those from earth to heaven;
Hail, marvel greatly lauded by the angels;
Hail, wound greatly lamented by the demons;
Hail, you who ineffably gave birth to the light;
Hail, you who taught nobody ’how’;
Hail, you who surpass the knowledge of the wise;
Hail, you who illuminate the minds of the faithful;
Hail, bride unwedded!
Oikos IV
The power of the Highest then overshadowed her,
who knew no wedlock for her conceiving.
Her fruitful womb
became a sweet field
to all those who would harvest salvation,
as they sing: Alleluia.
Oikos V
So the Virgin holding God in her womb,
hastened to Elisabeth,
whose unborn babe at once recognised her salutation,
and rejoiced as it were leapt
and sung and cried to the Mother of God:
Hail, vine-twig of unfading bud;
Hail, treasure of undying fruit;
Hail, you who till the tiller who loves humankind;
Hail, you who cultivate the cultivator of our life;
Hail, earth that flourishes with a fertility of compassion;
Hail, table that bears a wealth of mercy;
Hail, since you make the meadow of delight blossom again;
Hail, since you make ready a haven for the souls;
Hail, acceptable incense of intercession;
Hail, atonement for the whole world;
Hail, good will of God towards mortals;
Hail, freedom of approach for mortals before God;
Hail, bride unwedded!
Oikos VI
Despair and doubtful thoughts troubled the prudent Joseph,
when he saw you, O blameless and unwedded maiden,
and suspected illicit love, lady of no blame;
But when he learnt of thy conception
through the Holy Ghost, he cried: Alleluia.
Oikos VII
The shepherds heard the angels singing
of the incarnate presence of Christ;
they hastened to their Shepherd,
they saw him there, a blameless lamb
pastured on Mary’s womb,
and in praise of her they cried:
Hail, mother of the lamb and shepherd;
Hail, fold of spiritual sheep;
Hail, protection against wild beasts;
Hail, key to the gates of Paradise;
Hail, since heavenly things rejoice with the earth;
Hail, since earthly things chant with the faithful;
Hail, unsilenced mouth of the apostles;
Hail, unvanguished courage of the martyrs;
Hail, firm foundation of the faith;
Hail, briljant token of grace;
Hail, through whom Hades was stripped bare;
Hail, through whom we were clothed in glory;
Hail, bride unwedded!
Oikos VIII
High in the heavens the Magi saw
a star moving towards God;
they followed its rays and kept it as a beacon before them;
and by it searched for the a mighty King,
and when they approached the Unapproachable
they rejoiced and cried to Him: Alleluia.
Oikos IX
The sons of the Chaldaeans saw in the Virgin’s arms
Him Who with His hand had made man:
And recognising Him as master,
although he had taken the shape of a servant,
they hastened with gifts to do homage,
and cried to the blessed virgin:
Hail, mother of the star that never sets;
Hail, bright dawn of the mystical day;
Hail, you who closed the furnace of deception;
Hail, you who protect the initiates of the Trinity;
Hail, you who have cast the inhuman tyrant from his dominion;
Hail, you who showed forth the Lord Christ, who loves humankind;
Hail, deliverance from pagan worship;
Hail, liberation from miry deeds;
Hail, you who quenched the worship of fire;
Hail, you who released us from the flame of passions;
Hail, guide of the Persians to temperance;
Hail, joy of all generations;
Hail, bride unwedded!
Oikos X
The Wise Men bearing the message of God,
returned to Babylon fulfilling your prophecy
and to all preached you as the Christ,
they left Herod as a fool,
who knew not how to sing: Alleluia.
Oikos XI
By lighting the lamp of truth in Egypt
you banished the darkness,
and their idols endured not your strength but fell;
cried to the Mother of God:
Hail, elevation of humans;
Hail, downfall of demons;
Hail, you who trampled upon the delusion of error;
Hail, you who refuted the deceit of the idols;
Hail, sea that drowned the spiritual Pharaoh;
Hail, rock giving water to those who thirst for life;
Hail, pillar of fire, guiding those in darkness;
Hail, protection of the world, wider than the cloud;
Hail, food following after manna;
Hail, minister of holy joy;
Hail, promised land;
Hail, from whom flow milk and honey;
Hail, bride unwedded!
Oikos XII
You as a new-born babe were presented to Symeon,
who was about to depart from his life of deceit.
But you made known to him as a perfect God
and so he was astounded
at your ineffable wisdom, and cried “Alleluia”
Oikos XIII
To us the Creator revealed a new creation,
and showed it to us, created by his power,
when He appeared born from the womb of a Virgin;
so that when we see this marvel,
we may praise her, and sing:
Hail, crown of incorruption;
Hail, crown of continence;
Hail, you who shine forth the prefiguration of resurrection;
Hail, you who show forth the life of the angels;
Hail, tree of glorious fruit on which the faithful feed;
Hail, wood of fair shading leaves where many shelter;
Hail, you who brought into the world the deliverer of captives;
Hail, you who conceived the guide to those who wander astray;
Hail, conciliation of the Righteous Judge;
Hail, forgiveness for many who have stumbled;
Hail, robe of free intercession given to the naked;
Hail, love conquering all desire;
Hail, bride unwedded!
Oikos XIV
Let we estrange ourselves from the earth,
for having seen this strange birth-giving,
our minds are turned to heaven;
it was for this that the Most High God
appeared on earth as humble man,
for he wanted to draw on high those who cry to him “Alleluia.”
Oikos XV
Completely He was on earth, but yet in no way absent from heaven,
He the Uncircumscribed Word,
for this was a divine descent and not merely a journey from place to place;
for his birth was from a Virgin, possessed by God,
who heard words like these:
Hail, container of the uncontainable God;
Hail, gate of hallowed mystery;
Hail, tidings doubted by unbelievers;
Hail, undoubted boast of believers;
Hail, all-holy chariot of him who is above the Cherubim;
Hail, excellent dwelling-place for him who is above the Seraphim;
Hail, you who bring opposited together;
Hail, you who unite virginity and childbirth;
Hail, through whom Paradise is opened;
Hail, key to the kingdom of Christ;
Hail, hope of eternal blessings;
Hail, bride unwedded!
Oikos XVI
The host of angels were astonished
by the great act of your incarnation:
as God unapproachable
they saw Him now as Man approachable to all.
Living among us
and hearing from us all “Alleluia”.
Oikos XVII
Orators with richness of words we see as voiceless fishes
in the presence of you, O Mother of God!
They are at loss to say:
How could you remain a Virgin and yet giving birth.
Hail, treasure of his providence;
Hail, you who reveal lovers of wisdom as unwise;
Hail, you who refute practitioners of reason as unreasonable;
Hail, since the cunning disputants are shown to be fools;
Hail, since the myth-makers have withered in silence;
Hail, you who have torn asunder the tangled webs of Athenians;
Hail, you who have filled the nets of the fishermen;
Hail, you who draw us forth from the depths of ignorance;
Hail, you who illuminate many with knowledge;
Hail, ship for those who wish to be saved;
Hail, haven for the seafarers of life;
Hail, bride unwedded!
Oikos XVIII
The Architect of the universe desired to save the world,
And by his promise He came by his own will,
because as God He is our Shepherd,
for our sake He came among us as man ourselves,
calling the same by the same,
and as God he hears: Alleluia.
Oikos XIX
Virginal Mother of God, you are as a protector to the virgins
and to all who flee to you for protection.
for the Creator of heaven and earth
prepared you, pure maiden,
and dwelt in your womb, teaching all to call upon you:
Hail, pillar of virginity;
Hail, gate of salvation;
Hail, beginning of spiritual renewal;
Hail, bestower of divine goodness;
Hail, for you gave new birth to those conceived in shame;
Hail, for you admonished those despoiled in mind;
Hail, you who destroyed the corruptor of hearts;
Hail, you who gave birth to the sower of purity;
Hail, bridal chamber of a seedless marriage;
Hail, you who join the faithful with the Lord;
Hail, fair nurshing-mother if virgins;
Hail, bridal escort of holy souls;
Hail, bride unwedded!
Oikos XX
the wealth of your great mercifulness,
even if we would offer to you hymns,
numberless as the grains of sand, holy king,
we would not accomplish anything worthy
of what you have given to us, who sing to you: Alleluia
Oikos XXI
We behold the holy virgin as a beacon full of light,
shining to those in darkness;
For by kindling the incorporeal flame
she leads everyone to divine knowledge,
illuminating our minds with her radiance
and she is honoured by our cry:
Hail, beam of the spiritual sun;
Hail, lampstand of the light that never wanes;
Hail, soul-illuminating lightning;
Hail, you who like thunder strike down the enemies;
Hail, since you kindle the many-beamed lantern;
Hail, since you make the many-streamed river gush forth;
Hail, you who prefigure the baptismal front;
Hail, you who take away the filth of sin;
Hail, basin that washes clean the conscience;
Hail, bowl wherein is mixed the wine of mighty joy;
Hail, scent of Christ’s fragrance;
Hail, life of mystical feasting;
Hail, bride unwedded!
Oikos XXII
Wishing to forgive all ancient debts of men
the Redeemer came of his own will
to dwell among the fugitives,
who live far from his grace,
and he torn up the parchment,
hearing from them all: Alleluia.
Oikos XXIII
We sing to Him to whom you gave birth and we all celebrate you
as the living temple, Mother of God!
He, the Lord who holds all things in his hands,
dwelt in your womb,
and made you holy, glorified you and taught all to cry to you:
Hail, tabernacle of God and the Word;
Hail, greater than the Holy of Holies;
Hail, ark gilded by the Spirit;
Hail, inexhaustible treasury of life;
Hail, precious diadem of pious kings;
Hail, holy exaltation of devout priests;
Hail, immovable tower of the Church;
Hail, impregnable wall of the kingdom;
Hail, through whom trophies are raised up;
Hail, through whom enemies fall;
Hail, healing of my body;
Hail, protection of my soul;
Hail, bride unwedded!
Oikos XXIV
O mother of God hymned by all,
who did bear the Word, the most holy of all saints,
receive the present offering,
deliver us from every evil
and redeem us from future punishment,
those who cry together to you: Alleluia.
CHAPTER XV - LIST OF PICTURES
|
1 |
Marko’s Monastery, outside |
|
2 |
Demetrius Church, main entrance with exo-narthex |
|
3 |
Ibid, entrance in the south wall |
|
4 |
Ibid, back |
|
5 |
Ibid, main entrance with painting of King Vukašin and King Marko |
|
6 |
Ibid, wall painting of Demetrius on a white horse |
|
7 |
Christ Pantocrator |
|
8 |
Maria as an orante |
|
9 |
The Communion of the Apostles |
|
10 |
Ibid |
|
11 |
The Heavenly Liturgy |
|
12 |
Ibid |
|
13 |
Ibid |
|
14 |
Melismos |
|
15 |
Bishops Blasius and Spyridon |
|
16 |
The Metamorphosis |
|
17 |
The Last Supper |
|
18 |
Washing the feet |
|
19 |
Prayer at Gethsemane |
|
20 |
Ibid, detail |
|
21 |
Prodosia |
|
22 |
Christ before Annas |
|
23 |
Denial of Peter |
|
24 |
Christ before Pilate |
|
25 |
Pilate and Christ in discussion |
|
26 |
Pilate delivers Christ to be crucified |
|
27 |
Simon of Cyrene carrying the cross |
|
28 |
Christ climbing the cross |
|
29 |
Three crosses on Golgotha |
|
30 |
Deposition of the body of Christ from the cross |
|
31 |
Christ blesses the two myrophores |
|
32 |
The Ascension |
|
33 |
Koimesis |
|
34 |
The Virgin carried to heaven |
|
35 |
Sarcophagus with the body of the Virgin |
|
36 |
The Massacre of the Innocents at Bethlehem |
|
37 |
Mourning Maria |
|
38 |
Bust of an undressed Christ |
|
39 |
Beardless young looking Christ |
|
40 |
Birth and bathing of St. Nicholas |
|
41 |
St. Nicholas is brought to school |
|
42 |
St. Nicholas at his consecration as a priest |
|
43 |
St. Nicholas at his consecration as a bishop |
|
44 |
St. Nicholas helps three poor girls |
|
45 |
St. Nicholas’s appearance at the bed of Ablabios |
|
46 |
St. Nicholas’s intervention at the beheading of three generals |
|
47 |
Three generals sitting in prison |
|
48 |
The three generals before Constantine |
|
49 |
The three generals handing over the presents of Constantine to St. Nicholas |
|
50 |
The death of St. Nicholas |
|
51 |
Annunciation to Maria |
|
52 |
Ibid |
|
53 |
Ibid |
|
54 |
Maria depicted as the Holy Ghost |
|
55 |
Maria and Elisabeth embracing each other |
|
56 |
Gennesis |
|
57 |
Three wise men from the East riding horses |
|
58 |
Ibid, offering presents to the Virgin |
|
59 |
Ibid, standing in front of the gate of a town |
|
60 |
Flight into Egypt by Joseph, Maria and the Christ-child |
|
61 |
Presentation of Christ in the temple |
|
62 |
Christ Emmanuel |
|
63 |
The Strange Birth |
|
64 |
Christ as a young man |
|
65 |
Christ in a double mandorla |
|
66 |
Maria Nikopoia |
|
67 |
Anastasis |
|
68 |
The Virgin |
|
69 |
Christ sits on a cathedral-like throne |
|
70 |
Maria as a light-giving lamp |
|
71 |
Christ with an unrolled scroll |
|
72 |
The Virgin cuddling her child |
|
73 |
Maria Hodegitria |
|
74 |
Christ as the Logos or Heavenly Wisdom |
|
75 |
Demetrius before Emperor Maximinianus |
|
76 |
Christ as emperor |
Durham, p. 85 ↑
Durham, p. 87 ↑
Durham, p. 88 ↑
Durham, p. 87 ↑
Millet, tome IV ↑
Weigert C. in LCI 8, p.387-389, s.v. Spyriodon (Spiridon) von Trimithon; Book of Saints, p. 519 ↑
Welker, K. in LCI 5, p.416-419, s.v. Blasius (Vlasij) von Sebaste; Book of Saints, p.95, s.v. Blaise (Blasius, Blase). ↑
Matthew 17:9 ↑
John 18:33; the continuing of the cycle is based on the words of John 18 and 19, but the sequence deviates from what the apostle is telling. ↑
For an extensive description, see chapter XI, Sveti Kliment ↑
Jeremiah 31:15; in equal sense Matthew 2:18 ↑
Elliott, The Protevangelium of James, ch.22:3 ↑
Elliott, The Protevangelium of James, 22:3 (p. 66), op. cit. ↑
See a small description of his life in Sv. Djordje at Staro Nagoričane; Petzoldt, L. in LCI 8, p.45-58, s.v. Nikolaus van Myra (von Bari); Anrich, Gustav, Hagios Nikolaos, der heilige Nikolaos in der griechische Kirche, Leipzig, Berlin, 1913, 2 vol.; Rahmer, Alice, Nikolauslegenden, Leben und Legenden des heiligen Bischofs von Myra, München, 1964; Heiser, Lothar, Nikolaus von Myra, Heiliger der ungeteilten Christenheit, Trier, 1978; Ševčenko, Nancy P., The Life of Saint Nicholas in Byzantine Art, Torino, 1983. ↑
Ševčenko, p. 67 mentions Epiphanius and Nonna as his parents, other sources are silent. ↑
Ševčenko, p. 18 has based her information for the greater part on the work of the above mentioned Anrich, who has made an extensive and thorough research into old documents about the life of the saint, on whose work most authors base their information. ↑
Ševčenko, p. 19 ↑
ibid, p. 19 (with note 11) ↑
Heisar, Lothar, Nikolaus von Myra, Heiliger der ungeteilten Christenheit, Trier, 1978, p.17 ↑
Ševčenko , p. 22 (with note 25) ↑
Heiser, p. 13 ↑
Ševčenko , p. 23 (with note 32) ↑
See the depiction of Anna in the church Sveti Djordje at Kurbinovo. ↑
Ševčenko, p. 80 (with note 15) ↑
Ševčenko, p. 117 ↑
The scene has been identified by Hamann, Plan 28. ↑
Ševčenko, p. 121; the first appearance of the saint at Abablios’ bed has been depicted in the church Hagios Nicholas tou Kasnitzi at Kastoria late twelfth century, see Chatzidakis, Kastoria, pict. 18, p. 64 ↑
Ševčenko, p. 111 remarks that this iconography was not created on the basis of the Nicholas texts, but was adopted almost without change from a Biblical scene of similar content, namely, that of Joseph in prison with the baker and the butler, as it occurs in four of the illustrated Octateuchs (with note 4) ↑
Reference is made to Psalm 104 (105): 17-18 ↑
Ševčenko, p. 124 ↑
ibid ↑
Ševčenko, p. 139 mentions the opening words of Psalm 118 (119). ↑
Chatzinikolaou, A. in RbK I, p. 94-96, s.v. Akathistos Hymnos; Lucchesi Palli, E. in LCI 1, p. 86-89, s.v. Akathistos-Hymnos; Pätzold, Alexandra, Der Akathistos-Hymnos, Stuttgart, 1989; Romanos de Melode, Vier Byzantijnse hymnen en de Akáthistoshymne, Groningen, 1990 (contains the text in Greek and a translation into Dutch); Peltomaa, Leena Mari, The image of the Virgin Mary in the Akathistos Hymn, Leiden, Boston, Köln, 2001. ↑
Peltomaa, Leena Mari, The image of the Virgin Mary in the Akathistos hymn, Leiden, Boston, Köln, 2001, p. 22 ↑
Pätzold, p. 8 ff; Constantinides, p. 134 ff. ↑
Sometimes three prooemia are published of which two have been added in later times ↑
Elliott, The Protevangelium of James, ch. 10.2, p. 61 ↑
Luke 1:35 ↑
Constantinides, p. 144 ↑
Luke 1:41 ↑
Matthew 1:18 ↑
Elliott, The Protevangelium of James, ch.13:1; op.cit ↑
ibid, ch. 13:1-3 op.cit. partly ↑
Luke 2:8-20 ↑
Oikos VIII-X: Matthew 2:1-12; Elliott, Protevangelium of James, ch. 21 ↑
Schiller 1, p. 109 , s.v. Der Rit der Magier, states that the first depictions of horse riding magi appear in nineth century Byzantine manuscripts; Pätzold, p. 88 - a horse-riding angel for the first time had been depicted in Dečani ↑
Pätzold, p. 22; LCI 3, p. 273, s.v. Mitra ↑
Matthew 2:13-15; Elliott, The Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew, 22 and 23 ↑
Elliott, The Protevangelium of James, ch. 18:1 reveals two sons of Joseph without mentioning names; ibid, The Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew, 42, mentions the names of four sons of Joseph. ↑
Ibid, The Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew, 18, speaks of three boys and a girl that were with Joseph and Maria on their journey. ↑
The falling down of idols from the ramparts of the temple; see Elliott, The Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew, 23 ↑
Luke 2:25-35 ↑
See nota at Nerezi ↑
Sometimes he is depicted as a priest of the temple, but Luke 2:25 only mentions a man at Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, who was just and devout. ↑
Lucchesi Palli, E. in LCI 1, p. 390-392, s.v. Christus-Sondertypen, 1) Christus-Emmanuel; sometimes He is considered to be Christ Pantocrator, He who is dominating everything, the Almighty. ↑
Hallensleben, H. in LCI 3, p. 154-178, s.v. Maria, Marienbild, B 2, Stehende Maria met Kind ”Nikopoia” ↑
ibid, vol 1, p. 42 ↑
Underwood, Paul A., The Kariye Djami, vol. 1, front page ↑
See note at Kurbinovo ↑
Elliott, Christ’s descent into hell, p. 186, op.cit. ↑
Kartsonis, 214 and note 49: Additional figures of kings may be occasionally seen. None of these additional figures bears attributes that help us to identify them with any degree of certainty. ↑
Ibid, 207: To comprehend the meaning of the motif of the two hills, we must go back to the sceptre cross of Christ. The sceptre rod of Moses divided the waters … just as the sceptre cross of Christ shook the earth and tore apart the stones. 208: The two hills, which are divided by the darkness of Hades stand, therefore, as evidence of the rending of the earth, and uncovering of the foundation of the world which took place while Christ lay buried. 209: The two hills which flank Christ formed only one single mountain previous to this earth-shaking experience. ↑
Pätzold ,p.37, suggests that the women are martyrs ↑
Isaiah 9:2 ↑
Constantinides, p. 161, is of the opinion that she is being worshipped by laymen. ↑
Colossians 2:13-14: …having forgiven you all trespasses, blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way. ↑
Pätzold, p. 41; on p. 71 she admits that his beard corresponds with a portrait in a church in Dečani, see also her note 295. ↑
See note 84 at Kurbinovo ↑
Proverbs 9:1; see also the church Bogorodica Periblebtos at Ohrid; Tatič-Djurič, Das Bild der Engel, Recklinghausen, 1962, p.71. ↑
Tatič-Djurič, p. 71-72, translated from German ↑
Myslivec, J. in LCI 6, p. 41-45, s.v. Demetrius von Saloniki ↑