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Отново за резбования кръст от църквата „Св. Димитър” в Свищов

Author(s): Margarita Kujumdjieva / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2015

In Bulgarian literature by far this artefact was regarded as a donation of the Wallachian Prince Matei Basarab to the Holy Monastery of Iviron on Mount Athos, which is an assumption made upon an incorrect reading of the donor’s inscription. Located on the handle of the cross, the Cyrillic inscription clearly states that the cross was commissioned by the grand treasurer Stroe and his wife Vişa and was given to the Vieroş monastery in 1642 during the days of Matei Basarab. The grand treasurer Stroe was the eminent member of the Leurdeanu Boyar family and one of the most intriguing figures on the Wallachian political stage in 17th century. During his marriage to Vişa and while he was serving as a grand treasurer, Stroe Leurdeanu made do- nations for the subsistence of certain churches and monasteries related to his wife’s family. The donor inscription on the cross commissioned precisely for Vieroş monastery is the earliest evidence for Stroe’s support of this holy place. Apart from the survey on Stroe’s cross in Bulgarian and Romanian historiography, the article deals with its present day condition, possible initial function, technical and stylistic characteristics. The wooden part of the Stroe’s cross is a work of high skilled Athonite master. The closest parallel is an identical cross which has the same proportions, technical features, and similar program and iconographical details, that is today in the collection of the state Hermitage museum. In comparison to the woodcarving, the metal cover is not of the same exquisite quality and looks heterogeneous. The frame on the face and the reverse of the cross is strongly worn out and its original look was lost as a result of the sub- sequent interventions, but the part of the mount connecting the handle with the base of the cross provides opportunities for attribution evoking associations with the production of Aegean Macedonia’s craftsmen, influenced by the Greek ateliers in the capital, who were skilful to weave motifs of the Ottoman art of the time into their works. The carving was undoubtedly made by a Greek master and we can find Greek influence on its cover. These characteristics of the object are indicative of Stroe Leurdeanu’s high rank, range of contacts and preferences.

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Обкови на напрестолни евангелия - паметници на златарския център от района на Пловдив и Бачковския манастир

Author(s): Nona Petkova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2015

Eight precious Gospel covers with common typological characteristics and technology of execution are related to the production of the goldsmith centre in the region of Plovdiv and Bachkovo Monastery (its place has not been exactly determined even nowadays). They belong to the group of multi-structured Gospel precious covers and their decoration invariably includes central composition and different kind of frame (casted and embossed plaques, openwork elements or enamel bands with reach filigree ornamentations). Usually on the front cover is represented the scene Descent into Hell, and on the back side - Crucifixion of Christ and this interchange of the position of the two main themes in the iconographic program of the precious Gospel covers is one of the particularities of the group. Five of the works discussed in the article are made for Bachkovo Monastery, and the rest are related to the cultural history of Koprivshtitsa, Krichim and Samokov. The precious Gospel covers are divided into three main groups according to their characteristics. In the first two the examples are put together on the basis of the similarity in the arrangement and techniques of execution while the third group is formed on the basis of the fact that three of the works belong to the quite rare type of box bindings. In the presented precious Gospel covers one can see gradual deterioration of the execution and quality of the works as a whole with each decade. The deterioration of the goldsmith centre in the region of Plovdiv and Bachkovo Monastery made evident by the examples testifies a longer and overall process on the Balkans - the common tendency of disappearance of the mediaeval traditions at the end of 17th century and during 18th century.

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Поглед към творческата лаборатория на художниците Михаил и Евтихий (за цикъла на Успение Богородично)

Author(s): Maria Kolusheva / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2015

The availability of a rare cycle of the Assumption scenes in the post-Byzantine painting at the Church of St George in Veliko Turnovo (1616) made us look at the root of its visualisation. The extant pictorial cycles both form West Europe and the Orthodox Christendom, show that until the late eighteenth century the representation of the subject has still been in a process of formation and any established iconographic tradition is out of the question. The things changed when the workshop of painters Michael and Eutychios Astrapas from Thessalonica took to the visualisation of the Assumption. In the late thirteenth and the early fourteenth centuries they were commissioned to decorate several monuments in the territory of what are now Macedonia, Serbia and Kosovo. The approach of the masters to the subject was creative and innovative. Working on various mural ensembles, they succeeded in inventing new compositions, introducing and establishing a number of iconographic elements in the traditional depicting of the Assumption. The next generation of painters followed closely and at times, more freely the model preset by the painters. With the fall of the Balkans to the Ottomans the tradition of representation of the cycle of the Assumption began to wane, but never faded away.

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Иконография святых и рассказы о них: Богородица „Троеручица” (принципы взаимодействия образа и текста)

Author(s): Olga Belova / Language(s): Russian Issue: 2/2015

One of the characteristic features of the „Folk Bible” (folk legends based on the plots from the Old and New Testaments) is the fact that apocryphal tales and samples of Christian iconography became its sources together with the canonical biblical text and hagiography texts. The influence of iconography masterpieces on the structure of folklore texts is an extremely interesting area of research: it demands the study of the influence of canonical and „naive” sacred paintings on oral tradition; the principles of image interpretation in oral texts, and mechanisms of generation of folk narratives, based on the interpretation of this or that image are also to be analyzed. In this paper, we will focus on one illustrative case, i.e. the relationship of iconography and oral text in the folk stories about the icon of the three-handed Theotokos (Bogoroditsa Troeruchitsa). The article examines the narratives about the icon of Bogoroditsa Troeruchitsa, recorded in different regions of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. The image of Bogoroditsa Troeruchitsa is rather popular in the folk tradition environment, but its interpretation in East Slavic folklore is often based not on the episode from the life of Saint John of Damascus, but on the beliefs about the third hand of the Virgin, miraculously given to her by God (or by Christ). According to popular belief, because of this the Virgin and Child escaped from the chase and crossed the sea. It is also believed that the icon of the Bogoroditsa Troeruchitsa helps from the hands and arms disease: the presence of three hands on the image is regarded as evidence that the icon’s help is addressed to all the suffering and praying. With the help of this icon, if it was put on the water, the body of a drowned man can be found. A number of calendar prohibitions (for example, one cannot swim or bath in the Midfeast, which name Prepolovenie in folk etymology is explained through the word pereplyvat’ „to swim”) and local stories about the stones with traces of feet of the Virgin are associated with the legend of Bogoroditsa Troeruchitsa as well.

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Stematografija Hristofora Žefarovicia jako dokument kulturowych i narodowych dążeń Serbów w pierwszej połowie XVIII wieku

Author(s): Justyna Romanowska / Language(s): Polish Issue: 04/2014

Stemmatographia, by Hristofor Zhefarovich (1741), was one of the most important Serbian books published in the first half of the 18th century. The first part contains the majestic portraits of the canonized Serbian sovereigns who built and strengthened the medieval Serbian state; the second part presents images of the coats of arms of the Balkan lands. Work composed in such a way corresponded to the political and religious program of the Archbishopric of Karlovci, the most important Serbian religious and secular institution in the lands belonging to the Habsburg monarchy. The reference to the tradition of the medieval state by presenting images of rulers and marking its territories by coats of arms legitimized the authority of the Serbian Orthodox Church that declared itself to be the heir and continuator of this tradition. At the same time, the gallery of portraits of the rulers and Orthodox Church notables constituted the national pantheon of saints that conferred a sacral aspect on Serbian history.

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THE CONCEPT OF INCARNATION IN PHILOSOPHICAL AND RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS

Author(s): Alexandru Gabriel Negoiță / Language(s): English Issue: 4/2020

Incarnation, as defined in its simplistic form, in which God assumes a human nature, is at the heart of Christian doctrine. The uniqueness of the Incarnation, in Christian doctrine as opposed to other religious traditions, is incorporated into and among other Bible texts and into the Gospel according to John 1:1–18. This article will discuss some of the philosophies that existed at the time, which supposedly influenced the Gospel of Saint John. Thus, we will try to understand how some of these philosophies interpret incarnation in forms that do not necessarily reflect incarnation as is traditionally understood in Christianity (where God becomes flesh). This article opted for a special structure of consolidation, primarily from the belief that the Gospel of John differs from historical and contemporary philosophical tradition to the time it was written and therefore begins with the removal of Gnostic philosophies and teachings that have been assimilated in the Gospel of John. This indicated the independence and uniqueness of the writing of the evangelist John. The article also provides a list of fundamental beliefs by Christians of incarnate logos also supported by some historians the first and second century. These beliefs are then compared to concepts such as theophany, apotheosis, theosis, deification, canonization, anthropomorphism, to which Huxley is alluded to, as being equated with logos.

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THE SPIRITUAL DIMENSION OF THE CONTEMPORARY PANDEMIC COVID-19

Author(s): Alexandru Gabriel Negoiță / Language(s): English Issue: 3/2020

This research presents an interdisciplinary analysis, on the border between medical sciences, ecology, anthropology and Orthodox theology, of some of the most important pandemics of the last century, their causes and implications for civilization. The economic and social impact of the pandemic on our civilization is particularly powerful and causes drama in our communities. However, gradually, the economy will recover, jobs will be re-established, states will find solutions to avoid collapse, and civic freedoms will be reactivated, at least in Euro-Atlantic democracies. The pandemic did not liquidate the world economy, nor does it stop humanity from its path to a global, planetary and free society, but merely awakened homo sapiens from the "drunkness of speed" of material progress that had become toxic to both him and the planet. The spiritual perspective, offered by Christian theology, introduces patristic reflections on the rationality of creation, in the light of the Incarnation of logos, and the spiritual way of reporting to the living world that derives from it. The human being wants to know whether there is a reason behind his suffering. The question of ―why me?‖ in times of suffering stems from the theological answers to the question ―What is God really like?

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Invitație la dialog în publicistica religioasă ortodoxă actuală

Author(s): Adriana Barbu Panfil / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 1/2023

The written religious orthodox press generates information that represents God, in expression and shape, which, at the same time, reach the readers, altering their state of mind and soul. This type of press has a profound influence on people, in a way of understanding life, the world and their own existence.The religious journalist speech is, from a formal perspective, structured as an argumentative dialogue between journalist and the reading audience. As part of the code genre, this speech entails a sort of stereotypical repartition of roles, and also, the interaction gives a sense of control on the author’s thoughts, in compliance with the pattern imposed by contextual parameters, in all of their complexity. Through their actions, the readers not only respect the ritualistic order of common interactions, used by practicing Christians, but also, follow certain types of behavior, ethics, which are in trend with the current times: reading the newspaper by means of digital technology. The evidence of this dialogue are found throughout the interaction of linguistic acts, where each discursive sequence, brought to life by the journalist’s interventions, influences the manner of speech, being initiative, anticipative or responsive. The Orthodox religious press represents a permanent dialogue between journalists and readers. The religious press speech values this aspect, through its cooperative dialogue and interpersonal implications, concrete manifestations of communication and also, the many conversational forms of the interaction, in a journalistic context.

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Simpozionul internațional: ,,Pastorație și Duhovnicie în Diaspora Românească. Purtarea de grijă a celor adormiți în cultul și practica Bisericii Ortodoxe" (Cluj-Napoca, 1-2 noiembrie 2021)

Author(s): Darius Echim / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 3/2021

Between the 1st and 2nd of November 2021, the Faculty of Theology of Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca, organized the international Symposium of Theology, History, Musicology and Art around "Pastoral Activity and Spiritually in the Romanian Diaspora. Taking care of those fallen asleep in the Lord in the cult and practice of the Orthodox Church". The edition of this year took place in a hybrid size, physically and online, respecting the regulations in force.

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千島アイヌ民族へのロシア正教会による宣教活動: 露米会社植民地時代を中心に

Author(s): Hitomi Yamazaki / Language(s): Japanese Issue: 71/2024

Историю православной миссионерской и пастырской деятельности среди курильских айнов можно разделить на две части. Первая — северокурильский период, когда они были подданными России, а вторая — шикотанский период, когда они перешли в японское подданство после Петербургского договора 1875 г. В статье рассматривается, как проводилась миссионерская и пастырская деятельность Русской Православной Церкви среди курильских айнов в колониальный период Российско-Американской компании (РАК) на Курильских островах (1831– 1867 гг.). (Курильский отдел образовался в 1831 г. и острова являлись колониальной территорией до роспуска РАК в 1867 г.). В статье в 1-ом разделе изучается распространение христианства на Тихоокеанском Севере до основания колоний РАК, а именно политика управления компании Шелихова-Голикова, по которой промышленники и купцы распространяли христианство среди местных аборигенов, чтобы быстрее найти общий язык с новообращенными единоверцами с целью закрепления своего господствующего положения в этих регионах. (Такая идея была укоренена в акте Соединенной Американской Компании, а затем и в уставе Российско-Американской компании, активно участвовавшей в помощи Камчатской епархии). Во 2-ом разделе описывается статус и положение курильских айнов в колониальный период. В 3-ем разделе выясняется отнесение к приходу верующих островитян, поскольку в течение всей истории миссионерской деятельности на Курильских островах никогда не создавался приход (в связи с малочисленностью народа). Сначала они принадлежали Большерецкой церкви (Камчатка), а после основания Курильского отдела, в колониальном статусе, их перевели в Никольскую церковь на о. Атка (Алеутские острова). В 1834 г. первый раз посещает острова атхинский священник Иаков Нецветов (первый православный священник из среды креолов, канонизирован в 1994 г. Православной Церковью в Америке, как просветитель народов Аляски). С 1842 г. курильские айны принадлежали к церкви в Ситке, и оттуда священники посещали их. В 4-ом разделе рассказывается о часовне, построенной в 1840 г. пожертвованиями курильских айнов на о. Шумшу, и освященной свящ. Иаковым Нецветовым. В 5-ом разделе рассматриваются отношения Камчатской епархии с Российско-Американской компанией и деятельность первого архиерея Иннокентия (Вениаминова) (В 1977 г. канонизирован Русской Православной Церковью и Православной Церковью в Америке, как апостол Сибири и Америки). В 6-ом разделе представляются хронологические данные посещений священнослужителями Курильских островов. По этим данным можно сказать, что с 1833 г. по 1865 г., в течение 32 лет, священники посещали островитян и молились с ними не меньше 14 раз. После уступки Русской Америки Соединенным Штатам, в 1870 г. была учреждена в Сан-Франциско Алеутско-Аляскинская епархия Русской Православной Церкви. Камчатская епархия в колониальных территориях РАК на Тихоокеанском Севере занималась христианизацией аборигенов с 1840 г. по 1870 г., в течение 30 лет. Благодаря тому, что Курильские острова были частью колониальной системы, курильские айны могли находиться под духовным попечением миссионеров, деятельность которых поддерживала Российско-Американская компания финансовыми средствами.

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THE CHURCH'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE WORLD IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COUNCIL OF CRETE

Author(s): Mihai Cîrțan / Language(s): English Issue: 40/2025

During the working session of October 28-29, 2016, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church evaluated the participation of its delegation in the Holy and Great Council of Crete, in June 2016. The Synod highlighted the liturgical character and Eucharistic communion of the works, emphasizing the importance of Orthodox unity. The adopted documents did not introduce new dogmas, but reaffirmed the Orthodox tradition and addressed contemporary challenges, including secularization, inter-Christian dialogue, the ecological crisis and the Church's relations with the world. The message of the Synod emphasizes the importance of confessing the Orthodox faith and reaffirms Orthodoxy as the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. In addition, the Synod discussed the need to renew the Church's mission, appealing to solidarity, moral responsibility and active involvement in the life of society. The adopted documents promote an open dialogue with other Christian confessions and religions, without dogmatic compromises. The Council of Crete represents a significant moment in Orthodoxy, directing the Church towards an active and responsible mission in the face of the challenges of an increasingly secularized world.

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GLOBALIZATION AND IDENTITY – COMPLEMENTARITY IN THE DYNAMICS OF RELIGIOUS CULTURES' INTERACTION

Author(s): Nicolae Moroșan / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 40/2025

Globalization and identity are two interrelated concepts that profoundly influence the dynamics of the interrelationship of religious cultures in contemporary times. Globalization facilitates rapid and extensive interaction between diverse cultures and religious traditions, resulting in an increased circulation of religious ideas, practices and values on a global scale. This expansion of cultural interconnections can lead both to homogenization, through the standardization of norms and customs, and to heterogenization, through the fostering of identity diversity and religious syncretism. The complementarity between globalization and identity is evidenced in the way religious communities navigate between maintaining authenticity and adapting to global environments. This dynamic interaction generates new forms of religious expression and the cultivation of intercultural dialogue. Thus, the study of the relationship between globalization and identity is essential for understanding how religious cultures cohabit, transform and enrich in an increasingly interconnected world.

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RELIGIOUS SACRIFICE – CONCEPTUAL DELIMITATIONS AND IDEATIONAL TRAJECTORIES IN SPECIALIZED RESEARCH

Author(s): Iuliana Magdalena Neacsu (Lupeanu) / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 40/2025

This study analyzes the concept of religious sacrifice in the Bible, highlighting its essential role in the spiritual and communal life of the Israelites. Sacrifice is examined as a complex ritual, grounded in the idea of social reciprocity, where the offering of divine gifts reflects devotion and loyalty to Yahweh. We explore the types of sacrifices, emphasizing that they range from food and drink offerings to animal sacrifices, each carrying specific symbolic meanings. The study also investigates the meanings and functions associated with sacrifices, including the importance of the act in the context of community and relationship with divinity in the New Testament. In conclusion, sacrifice in the Bible is not merely a ritual of worship, but an essential instrument for maintaining social and spiritual bonds, reflecting the complexity of the relationship between humans and God.

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PRAYER AS A MEANS OF CULTIVATING THE HEART IN THE MISSION OF FAITH

Author(s): Ciprian Stanca / Language(s): English Issue: 40/2025

The Orthodox Church is spiritually revived through the power of prayer, sustained by the service of bishops, priests, monks, hermits and all her faithful people. Prayer, the existential foundation of the faithful, unceasingly renews the spirituality of the Church, reflecting in the diversity of forms of prayer the breadth of the spiritual life. Central is the essential prayer that resounds in the words "Well will I say the Lord at all times, his praise always in my mouth" (Psalm 33:1), manifesting the gospel in its living and authentic form. St. Isaac the Syrian emphasizes this as the "praise of the Church of Christ," highlighting a multifaceted spiritual practice that includes monasticism as a sanctuary where doctrines and devotions are preserved in unadulterated forms. Monastic chant, a subtle but profound element of this spiritual ecosystem, illuminates and challenges with the light of Christ. Through prayer, the Church not only communicates with God, but also spiritually transforms human beings, extending the prayer of the heart to the whole of creation. The spiritual fathers outline three progressive stages in the life of prayer and Christian perfection, as St. Basil the Great summarizes. These stages involve the journey of the mind from an outward movement to God, to introspection, and finally, the ascent of the soul itself to God. Each stage signifies a deeper integration of the spiritual into everyday life, culminating in the direct and direct encounter with God, overcoming the need for images or conceptual forms. This transformative prayer practice leads to a deep inner unity, echoing the teachings of the Psalmist and the Fathers of the Church, manifesting itself as a joyful devotion and love to God. By maintaining sustained attention and the virtues of temperance and patience, this transformative engagement with the Divine is maintained, deeply embedding the prayer of the heart into the fabric of daily existence.

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PRAYERS IN THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO SAINT LUKE THE EVANGELIST

Author(s): Ciprian Stanca / Language(s): English Issue: 40/2025

The Song of Mary, known as the "Magnificat", as recounted in the Gospel of Luke, addressing its poetic structure, theological themes and social implications. The analysis highlights how Mary expresses her gratitude and praise for divine intervention in her life, while also emphasizing the prophetic aspects of the hymn that foreshadow a divine order of justice and mercy. The central theme of the work is the reversal of social orders—the raising of the humble and the lowering of the mighty—which reflect the nature of God's kingdom as described in Jesus' teachings. The hymn is discussed not only as an expression of Mary's personal experience, but also as an echo of Old Testament promises and a vision of the universality of salvation. The "Magnificat" is presented as a profound eschatological and theological text that articulates the continuing hope in the fulfillment of divine promises for all nations, marking a defining moment in Christian literature and biblical spirituality. This work emphasizes the continued relevance of the Song of Mary as a source of theological inspiration and a model of divine and social engagement for believers of all times.

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THE POWERFUL INFLUENCE OF PRAYER ON THE SPIRITUALITY OF PRACTITIONERS

Author(s): Ciprian Stanca / Language(s): English Issue: 40/2025

The power of prayer as an essential practice in the development and support of individual and community spirituality in different cultural and religious settings. By applying an interdisciplinary methodology, which combines theology, psychology, sociology and cultural anthropology, the study analyzes the impact of prayer on mental and physical health, as well as its role in promoting resilience and social cohesion. Particular emphasis is placed on comparing prayer practices between various religious traditions, exploring how they influence practitioners' perceptions, behaviors, and spiritual experiences. The article discusses the results of recent research and introduces new empirical data to argue how prayer works as a catalyst for personal and social transformation. Finally, the implications of these findings for contemporary spirituality theory and pastoral practice are outlined, highlighting the need for a more integrated and contextualized approach to prayer in modern interdisciplinary studies.

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THE ONTOLOGICAL DEIFICATION OF MAN IN CHRIST - CONDITION OF FULL COMMUNION WITH GOD IN THE LIFE OF THE MISSIONARY CHURCH

Author(s): Iulian-Constantin Vrabie / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 40/2025

In Orthodox missionary theology, redemption is based primarily on the effects that the hypostasis of the God's Son induced in His human nature: inflexibility before sin and every temptation ultimately led his human nature to a transformation from the ground up, to a transfiguration in the sense of eliminating the consequences of sin and raising it to the level of the deification because Christ, the Word of God, "introduces us into a truth that has ontological implications" as Zizoulas points out. Thus, although the human being remains created nature, "Christified humanity", according to Fr. McGuckin, acquires through uncreated energies certain supernatural qualities which make the process of the deification of human nature not merely a pious metaphor, but a true reality and for man this transfiguration can only be realized in communion with Christ, Whose deified humanity is the source of sanctifying and deifying divine life, by which Christ creates in man a new spiritual organism through which man lives the spiritual life, with spiritual eyes and spiritual ears, which makes him become a christophor or theophor, and a christification of the human person takes place, which is the anthropological content of the deification.

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Празднование Пасхи: тревоги советского государства (середина 1940-х - середина 1980-х годов)

Author(s): A.V. Gorbatov / Language(s): Russian Issue: 48/2024

The research is based on documents from the State Archives of the Russian Federation, materials from six archives of Western Siberia (Kemerovo, Novosibirsk, Tomsk, and Omsk regions), as well as on research works by Russian historians. The author identifies and characterizes the most important specific aspects of the celebration of Easter, which caused concern among state bodies, including church attendance, the content of the sermon, public reaction, the age and gender composition of those participating in the event, the presence of children and youth at the Easter service, the amount spent on the celebration and income from the sale of candles, the consecration of Easter cakes, and public safety. It was found that according to the indicated parameters, the authorities supervising religious organizations tried to determine the level of life and religiosity of a particular denomination. A differentiated approach in religious policy towards different Christian denominations is noted, which is associated with the degree of loyalty of a religious organization to the Soviet state and legislation on cults. Leaders and activists of unregistered associations, such as the Council of Churches of Evangelical Christian Baptists, openly violating Soviet law, including on Easter days, were subject to administrative measures and criminal prosecution. The holding of the Jewish celebration of the “Jewish Passover” — Pesach, along with Easter among Christian denominations, was also within the scope of the general control of state bodies. As religious policy softened, measures to limit religiosity weakened, control and pressure decreased, with the exception of marginal religious associations that chose confrontation with the authorities. The tradition of celebrating Easter during the period under study remained stable, passed through the entire Soviet period and lasted until the beginning of perestroika — another period of changes in state confessional policies.

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Картина, икона, сонет и текст: сравнительный анализ сонета Пушкина «Мадона» и эпизода романа Достоевского «Братья Карамазовы»

Author(s): Valentina Vasilievna Borisova / Language(s): Russian Issue: 4/2024

The article offers a comparative examination of A. S. Pushkin’s sonnet “Madona” and the description of the cell of elder Zosima in F. M. Dostoevsky’s novel “The Brothers Karamazov” as vivid examples of visual representation of the idea of “universal responsiveness” in the works of both authors. They are united by verbal and figurative images that visually embody it. In this case, it is Pushkin’s ekphrastic image of the “Russian Madonna,” which bears the mark of ethno-confessional cultural synthesis. Pushkin’s sonnet contains an intermedial contamination of two artistic traditions — poetic and pictorial. The former is associated with sonnets by Dante and Petrarch, as well as Orthodox prayers; the latter – with Raphael’s painting “The Bridgewater Madonna” and the icon of the Mother of God of Kazan. In Dostoevsky, a similar example of a visual embodiment of the idea of “universal responsiveness” is the description of Zosima’s cell, in which the Orthodox image of the Mother of God neighbors the Catholic image of Mater Dolorosa. From an axiological point of view, the attribute of Catholic iconography purposefully introduced by the writer into the interior of the cell is fundamentally significant. It is absent in the cell of the Optina elder Amvrosy, reproduced by Dostoevsky with great, but not literal, accuracy in order to portray the elder Zosima as the embodiment of the image of the “Russian all-man” who understands everything and everyone and accommodates everything. His iconostasis represents the entire history of Christian culture: the period before the schism in Russia (the image of the Mother of God), ancient Orthodoxy (icons of saints and martyrs), Catholicism (Catholic ivory cross and engravings) and modernity (portraits of bishops). The religious and cultural syncretism of Zosima’s religious feeling, which in cultural terms was in many ways close to Dostoevsky himself, is apparent.

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Teologhie sau Cuvântare de Dumnezău (De Descoperirea Dumnezăiască, Tomul I, Cartea 2, Cap. 1-3)

Author(s): Samuil Micu / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 2/2025

This article contains excerpts from the work: Teologhie sau cuvântare de Dumnezău acum întâiu aşezată şI scrisă în limba românească.

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