SACRED TOPICS OF RUSSIAN CITIES (2). SAINT SOPHIA CATHEDRAL: SYNTAX AND SEMANTICS
In this article, I continue the study of sacred topics of Russian cities. Comparison of syntactic functions and dedication’s semantics of St. Sophia Cathedral in Kiev and Constantinople is made in the article. The semantic link between the Old Testament character of God’s Wisdom and the composition of city in Eastern Christianity is picked. I revealed the fundamental idea which lies in the base of the town planning: the supernatural protection exerted to the city in response to his dedication to God. This dedication is visually expressed in the sacred complex consisting of the cathedral as an urban dominant and the gates in the city wall. I made a distinction between two meanings of the concept of Wisdom in Scripture and Tradition: 1) as a direct naming the person and 2) as the description of the name content. On this basis, I made a comparative analysis of the “sophia’s” icons, and I realized their general classification. The semantic analogy between the sacral dominants of Jerusalem, Constantinople and Kiev is demonstrated. It is proved that the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople has the same dedication as the Holy Sepulcher (Anastasis) of Jerusalem. On this basis, I conclude synonymy of these cathedrals, along with the identity of their syntactic positions in the urban text.
Keywords: visual semiotics, Eastern Christianity, city, sacred architecture, visual organization of space, St. Sophia Cathedral, syntax, semantics, iconography, cultural semiotic transfer
References:
Afonasin 2002 – Valentinus School. Fragments and testimonia. Translation into Russian, preface, comments by E. V. Afonasin. Saint Petersburg, 2002.
Afonasin 2008 – Afonasin E. V. Gnosis. Fragments and testimonia. Saint Petersburg, 2008. In Russian.
Ainalov, Redin 1899 – Ainalov D., Redin E. The ancient monuments of art in Kiev. Saint Sophia Cathedral, St. Michael's Golden-Domed and St. Cyril's monasteries. Kharkiv, 1899. In Russian.
Akentiev 1995 – Akentiev K. K. Mosaics of Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kiev and "The Sermon on Law and Grace" by Metropolitan Hilarion in Byzantine liturgical context. Byzantinorossica: Publications of the St. Petersburg Society for Byzantine and Slavic Studies. Is. 1: Liturgy, Architecture, and Art in Byzantine World. Saint Petersburg, 1995. P. 75–94. In Russian.
Alpatov 1977 – Alpatov M. V. Frescoes of The Volotovo Church. Photos by L. A. Matsulevich. Moscow, 1977. In Russian.
Antypko 2012 – Antypko M. I. To a probli of the iergence of an advanced iconography "The Blessed Silence Savior". 11th Fili's readings. Proceedings of the conference. Moscow, 2012. P. 3–5. In Russian.
Arseny 1898 – Arseny, bishop. Three speeches of Philotheos Kokkinos, Patriarch of Constantinople, to bishop Ignatius with an explanation of the Proverbs: Wisdom has built her house. Novgorod, 1898. In Russian.
Aseyev 1984 – Aseyev Yu. S. The architecture of old Kiev (10th – 13th centuries) in the context of the world architectural process. The Old Russian Town. Kiev, 1984. P. 5–10. In Russian.
Avanesov 2016 – Avanesov S. S. Sacred topics of Russian cities. ΠΡΑΞΗΜΑ. Journal of Visual Siiotics. 2016. Is. 1 (7). P. 71–114. In Russian.
Averintsev 1971 – Averintsev S. S. Greek "literature" and Middle Eastern "wordness". Typology and interrelationship of the ancient world's literatures. Moscow, 1971. P. 206-266. In Russian.
Averintsev 1994 – Averintsev S. S. Wisdom in the Old Testament. Alpha and Omega. 1994. No 1. P. 25-38. In Russian.
Averintsev 2001 – Averintsev S. S. "Wisdom has built her house": Speech at the opening of the exhibition of Russian icons in the Vatican. July 29, 1999. New world. 2001. No 1. P. 162–168. In Russian.
Averintsev 2006 – Averintsev S. S. Wisdom has built her house (Proverbs 9:1) in order that God was with us: the concept of Sofia and meaning of the icon. Averintsev S. S. Sophia-Logos. Kiev, 2006. P. 536–547. In Russian.
Beregovoy, Golichenko 1989 – Beregovoy N. N., Golichenko T. S. Greek culture and domestic philosophical thought in the Middle Ages. Philosophical and Sociological Thought. 1989. No 3. P. 111-113. In Russian.
Bolotov 1994 – Bolotov V. V. Lectures on the history of the early Church. Vol. 2. Moscow, 1994. In Russian.
Brunov 1940 – Brunov N. I. On independent features of Russian architecture of the 10th – 12th centuries. Russian architecture. Moscow, 1940. P. 106–126. In Russian.
Bulkin 1985 – Bulkin V. A. Old Russian architecture in the evaluation of the chronicles. Proceedings of the Department of Old Russian literature. Vol. 38. Leningrad, 1985. P. 210–214. In Russian.
Bychkov 1989 – Bychkov V. V. The tradition of symbolism in Old Russian aesthetics. The Byzantine ipire and Rus'. Moscow, 1989. P. 133–138. In Russian.
Dionysius the Areopagite 2002 – Dionysius the Areopagite. Collected Works. The interpretation of Maximus the Confessor. Translation into Russian by G. M. Prokhorov. Saint Petersburg, 2002.
Evdokimov 2007 – Evdokimov P. Art of Icon: Theology of Beauty. Klin, 2007. In Russian.
Evseyeva 1982 – Evseyeva L. M. Two symbolic composition in painting of 14th century in the Zarzma monastery. ΒΥΖΑΝΤΙΝΑ ΧΡΟΝΙΚΑ. Vol. 43. Moscow, 1982. P. 134–146. In Russian.
Florensky 1990 – Florensky P. A. The Pillar and Ground of the Truth. Moscow, 1990. In Russian.
Florovsky 1995 – Florovsky G. V., protopr. On Veneration of Sophia, the Wisdom of God, in Byzantium and in Rus'. Alpha and Omega. 1995. No 1 (4). P. 145–161. In Russian.
Freiberg 1974 – Freiberg L. A. Byzantine poetry of 4th – 10th centuries and ancient traditions. Byzantine literature. Moscow, 1974. P. 24–76. In Russian.
Gashenko 2016 – Gashenko A. E. Siantics of integrity of city center. ΠΡΑΞΗΜΑ. Journal of Visual Siiotics. 2016. Is. 2 (8). P. 82–96. In Russian.
Genisaretsky 2015 – Genisaretsky O. I. Jerusali's anatopy. ΠΡΑΞΗΜΑ. Journal of Visual Siiotics. 2015. Is. 2 (4). P. 126–131. In Russian.
Gorsky 1989 – Gorsky V. S. The image of the world in Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kiev. Philosophical and Sociological Thought. 1989. No 6. P. 62-70. In Russian.
Gromov 1996 – Gromov M. N. The image of Sophia, the Wisdom of God, as a symbol of Old Rus'. Artistic and aesthetic culture of Old Rus'. 11th – 17th centuries. Moscow, 1996. P. 46–56. In Russian.
Gulyanitsky 1993 – Old Russian town planning in 10th – 15th centuries. Ed. by N. F. Gulyanitsky. Moscow, 1993. In Russian.
Guran 2009 – Guran P.The Constantinople – New Jerusali at the crossing of sacred space and political theology. New Jerusalis. Hierotopy and iconography of sacred spaces. Ed. by A. M. Lidov. Moscow, 2009. P. 35–57. In Russian.
Inishev, Biedash 2016 – Inishev I. N., Biedash Y. A. The visual, social, and imaginative: visual perception as a factor of contiporary culture. ΠΡΑΞΗΜΑ. Journal of Visual Siiotics. 2016. Is. 1 (7). P. 9–25. In Russian.
Irenaeus 1996 – Saint Irenaeus. Works. Moscow, 1996. Translation into Russian.
John of Damascus 1997 – Saint John of Damascus. Works. Christological and poliical treatises. Words on Marian feast days. Comments and translation into Russian by priest М. Kozlov and D. E. Afinogenov. Moscow, 1997.
John of Damascus 2002 – Saint John of Damascus. Works. Source of knowledge. Comments and translation into Russian by D. E. Afinogenov and oth. Moscow, 2002.
Kliment 1980 – Kliment Smoliatich. Letter to presbyter Thomas. Monuments of old Russian literature. 12th century. Moscow, 1980. P. 282–289. In Russian.
Knyazev 1999 – Knyazev A., protopr. The concept and the image of the Divine Wisdom in the Old Testament. Alpha and Omega. 1999. No 3 (21). P. 17-40. In Russian.
Komech 1987 – Komech A. I. Old Russian architecture of the end of 10th – the beginning of 12th century. Moscow, 1987. In Russian.
Kondakov 1884 – Kondakov N. Byzantine churches and monuments of Constantinople. Odessa, 1884. In Russian.
Kondakov 1905 –Kondakov N. Face iconic script. Vol. 1: The iconography of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ. Saint Petersburg, 1905. In Russian.
Lazarev 1986 – Lazarev V. N. The history of Byzantine painting. Moscow, 1986. In Russian.
Leonid 1889 – The monuments of ancient literature and art. Is. 78: Legend of the Hagia Sophia of Constantinople. Ed. by archimandrite Leonid. Saint Petersburg, 1889. In Russian.
Lidov 1989 – Lidov A. M. The image of "Christ-archpriest" in the iconographic program of Ohrid Sophia. The Byzantine ipire and Rus'. Moscow, 1989. P. 65–90. In Russian.
Lidov 2006 – Lidov A. M. Hierotopy. The creation of sacred spaces as a form of creativity and subject of cultural history. Hierotopy. The Creation of Sacred Spaces in Byzantium and Medieval Russia. Ed. by A. M. Lidov. Moscow, 2006. P. 9–31. In Russian.
Lidov 2009 – Lidov A. M. Hierotopy. Spatial Icons and Image-Paradigms in Byzantine Culture. Moscow, 2009. In Russian.
Likhachov 1956 – Likhachov D. S. Medieval symbolism in stylistic systis of old Rus' and ways to overcome it. For acadiician V. V. Vinogradov on his sixtieth birthday: Collection of articles. Moscow, 1956. P. 165-171. In Russian.
Likhachov 1979 – Likhachov D. S. Great Heritage. Moscow, 1979. In Russian.
Losev 1989 – Losev A. F.The history of ancient philosophy. Moscow, 1989. In Russian.
Losev 1992 – Losev A. F. The history of ancient aesthetics. The results of the millennium development. Moscow, 1992. In Russian.
Maksimov 1976 – Maksimov P. N. Creative methods of old Russian architects. Moscow, 1976. In Russian.
Novik 2010 – Veniamin (Novik), hegumen. Sophiological understanding of the Virgin in the Russian religious and philosophical thought. Sophiology. Moscow, 2010. P. 16–23. In Russian.
Origen 2003 – Origen. Commentary on John. Translation into Russian by A. G. Dunaev. Theological Works. Vol. 38. Moscow, 2003. P. 97-119.
Pokrovsky 1910 – Pokrovsky N. V. The monuments of Christian architecture, especially Russian. Saint Petersburg, 1910. In Russian.
Prashkov 1975 – Prashkov L. Hreljia's Tower of Rila monastery and its frescos. Old Russian art. Foreign relations. Moscow, 1975. P. 147–171. In Russian.
Procopius 1939 – Procopius of Caesarea. The Buildings. Translation into Russian by S. P. Kondratiev. Journal of ancient history. 1939. № 4. P. 201–298.
Prokhorov 1985 – Prokhorov G. M. Letter to Titus Hierarch of Dionysius the Areopagite in Slavic translation and iconography of "Wisdom has built her house". Proceedings of the Department of Old Russian literature. Vol. 38. Leningrad, 1985. P. 7-41. In Russian.
Savarenskaya 1984 – Savarenskaya T. F. The history of town-planning art. The slave-owning and feudal periods. Moscow, 1984. In Russian.
Saveliev 1988 – Saveliev Yu. R. Byzantine architectural tradition and Russian architecture of the end of 10th – the beginning of 12th centuries. The ancient and medieval East. Part 2. Moscow, 1988. P. 319-340. In Russian.
Savrey 2005 – Savrey V. Ya. Alexandrian School in the history of philosophical and theological thought. Moscow, 2005. In Russian.
Sedov 2001 – Sedov V.Saint Sophia Cathedral of Constantinople. URL: www.projectclassica.ru/v_o/01_2001/1_2001_o3.htm. In Russian.
Sidorov 1987 – Sidorov A. I. Gnostic philosophy of history. Palestinian сollection. Is. 29 (92). Leningrad, 1987. P. 41-56. In Russian.
Sidorova 1971 – Sidorova T. A. The Volotovo fresco "Wisdom has built her house" and its relation to the Novgorod heresy of the Strigolniki in the 14th century. Proceedings of the Department of Old Russian literature. Vol. 26. Leningrad, 1971. P. 212-231. In Russian.
Speshilova 2016 – Speshilova E. I. Interpretation of the name of Aristotle in analytical philosophy. ΣΧΟΛΗ (Schole). Ancient Philosophy and the Classical Tradition. 2016. Vol. 10. Is. 2. P. 483–489. In Russian.
Trubetskoy 1993 – Trubetskoy E. N. Contiplation in colors. Philosophy of Russian religious art of 16th – 20th centuries. Moscow, 1993. P. 195–219. In Russian.
Tverskoy 1953 – Tverskoy L. M. Russian town planning until the end of the 17th century. Planning and building of Russian cities. Moscow, Leningrad, 1953. In Russian.
Vaganova 2004 – Vaganova N. A. Sergey Bulgakov – "Byzantine humanist" of the 20th century (the iconography of Sophia and sophiology of S. N. Bulgakov). St. Tikhon's University Review. Ser. 2. 2004. No 2. P. 190–231. In Russian.
Vagner 1980 – Vagner G. K. From symbol to reality. Development of plastic images in Russian art of the 14th – 15th centuries. Moscow, 1980. In Russian.
Vaneyan 2010 – Vaneyan S. S. The architecture and iconography. "The body of a symbol" in the light of classical methodology. Moscow, 2010. In Russian.
Veretennikov 1997 – Macarius (Veretennikov), archim. Monk Zenobius Otensky – Novgorod theologian of the 16th century. Alpha and Omega. 1997. No 1 (12). P. 134-156. In Russian.
Voronin 1961 – Voronin N. N. Architecture of the North-Eastern Russia of the 12th – 15th centuries. Vol. 1: 12th century. Moscow, 1961. In Russian.
Voskoboynikov 2014 –Voskoboynikov O. S. Millennial kingdom (300–1300): Essay on the Christian culture of the West. Moscow, 2014. In Russian.
Vyatchanina 1984 – Vyatchanina T. N. The significance of the archetype in Old Russian architecture. Architectural heritage. Is. 32. Moscow, 1984. P. 26–31. In Russian.
Vygolov 1994 – Vygolov V. P. The Gate churches of the Old Rus' (problis of evolution and origin). The monuments of Russian architecture and monumental art: Capital and Province. Moscow, 1994. P. 3–36. In Russian.
Vzdornov 1973 – Vzdornov G. I. About the original paintings in the Volotovo Church. Byzantium. Southern Slavs and ancient Russia. Western Europe. Art and culture. Moscow, 1973. P. 281–295. In Russian.
Vzdornov 1989 – Vzdornov G. I. Volotovo. Frescos of the Assumption Church in Volotovo's field near Novgorod. Moscow, 1989. In Russian.
Yakobson 1987 – Yakobson A. L. Patterns in the development of medieval architecture of the 9th – 15th centuries. Byzantium. Greece. South Slavic countries. Rus'. Transcaucasia. Leningrad, 1987. In Russian.
Yakovleva 1977 – Yakovleva A. I. "The image of the world" in the icon "Sophia, Wisdom of God". Old Russian art. Problis and attributions. Moscow, 1977. P. 388–404. In Russian.
( 6.97 MB ) 
( 6.92 MB )
Issue: 3, 2016
Series of issue: Issue 3
Rubric: ARTICLES
Pages: 25 — 81
Downloads: 1066