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Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos. Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin: icons of the holiday
The plot of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos appears in the gallery of Christian images almost from the very beginning - already in the paintings of the ancient Roman catacombs. It is interesting that if most of the catacomb painting was allegorical in nature, then the Annunciation was one of the few subjects with a direct, non-symbolic depiction.
Contemporary icon by Archimandrite Zinon
Image of the Mother of God: from evangelical simplicity to royal splendor
The first images of the Annunciation were distinguished by their laconic simplicity - only two figures: Mary and the angel preaching to Her. And it is very interesting to observe how, over time, two simple figures began to grow various details. After all, the creation of iconography is not a spontaneous phenomenon, since the Church itself develops the icon. Exactly at this case one can very clearly trace the very principle of the formation of iconography.
Fragment of painting from the catacombs of Priscilla. Rome. Late 2nd - early 3rd century
For example, after the III Ecumenical Council, which approved the very term “Virgin Mary”, in order to emphasize the dignity of the Queen of Heaven, the Virgin Mary began to be depicted in magnificent court robes, sitting on a richly decorated throne. This entourage also entered the plot of the Annunciation. Most a prime example images of this type - a mosaic from the ancient Roman temple of Santa Maria Maggiore:
What does purple mean in the iconography of the Annunciation
In the East, in connection with the iconoclastic persecutions of this kind, images of this kind were practically not preserved. However, the image of the Virgin in the attire of an earthly queen in Byzantium did not take root even without the influence of iconoclasm. Byzantine painters more subtly approached how to depict both the royal dignity and the simplicity of the Mother of God at the same time, and found a way out. In the Byzantine Empire, the most obvious sign of royalty was not gold or gems, but purple.
The emperor might not wear a crown or hold a scepter, but purple shoes alone could indicate his status. Therefore, on the icons, the Mother of God is always depicted in the simple clothes of ordinary women of the Mediterranean region of the ancient era, but the color of this clothes is certainly purple of various shades, for Christians of the Byzantine cultural area, it unmistakably indicated royalty.
There is one more detail in the iconography of the Annunciation, where the purple color played its role. The Mother of God often holds a spindle and yarn in her hands. This is no coincidence. On the one hand, this is an echo of apocryphal traditions, according to which the Mother of God in the house of Joseph worked on yarn for the veil of the Jerusalem Temple. But church hymnography added additional meaning to this detail. For example, in the great canon of St. Andrew of Crete has the following words dedicated to the Theotokos: “As from the turning of the scarlet, the Most Pure, clever purple robe of Emmanuel, the flesh has drained inside in Your womb. We truly revere the Theotokos the same” (“As from the purple composition, the most pure, mental purple flesh of Emmanuel was woven in your womb, therefore we truly honor you, like the Theotokos” - translation of Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov)). As you can see, the weaving of a purple thread of yarn here symbolizes the mysterious conception of the King of Heaven at the very moment of the Annunciation.
Fragment of the icon of the Annunciation. Byzantium. XII century. Egypt. Sinai. Monastery of St. Catherine
The Annunciation is a dialogue
The very meaning of the event is in the gospel of the Archangel Gabriel and the acceptance of this gospel by the Mother of God. The icon painter is faced with the task: how to convey graphically this dialogue? The easiest option is to write the appropriate replicas. An example of such a technique can be seen among the mosaic paintings of St. Sophia of Kyiv (perhaps the oldest image of the Annunciation preserved on our earth) - on the pre-altar pillars of the cathedral, the evangelizing Gabriel is depicted on one side, accompanied by the Greek inscription: “Rejoice, Blessed One! The Lord is with you…”, on the other – the Mother of God with the inscription: “Behold the servant of the Lord”.
However, not everyone knows that the dialogue of the archangel and the Virgin Mary is present in the classic icons of the Annunciation on its own, even without accompanying inscriptions. It is worth remembering that Christian culture grew out of ancient culture, and many elements of antiquity, cleansed of paganism, entered Christian art.
So here. The Archangel Gabriel in the icons of the Annunciation is depicted with a hand extended towards the Mother of God with fingers folded in a certain way. This is an ancient oratorical gesture, meaning direct speech. In the same way, the reciprocal gesture of the Mother of God in this context is interpreted as Her acceptance of the gospel:
Icon. Byzantium. XIV century. Macedonia. Ohrid. Gallery of icons of the National Museum
The Immaculate Conception of the Son of God
The icon very often depicts the visible and invisible world, combines direct and symbolic images. In addition to the dialogue between the Virgin Mary and the Archangel, the icon painters convey the very moment of the conception of the Son of God. At the top of the icon, we often see a display of the mountain world in the form of a sphere. A beam emanates from this sphere in the direction of the Virgin. Sometimes a dove is written along with a ray - the most famous sign of the appearance of the Holy Spirit.
But after all, not only space, but also time are combined in the icon. One of the oldest Russian icons of the Annunciation (the so-called "Ustyug Annunciation") of the 12th century depicts not only the scene of the Arkhangelsk Annunciation itself, but also the incarnation of the Son of God. Christ on this amazing icon is present twice: first - inside celestial sphere in the image of the "Ancient of Days" and at the same time - in the womb of the Virgin in the form of a Baby:
A simple plot over time acquires details
Basically, these details were drawn from the Holy Scriptures and liturgical texts. For example, on many icons of the Annunciation there is a wall or a fence behind which a tree grows. This is the so-called "prisoner garden" (locked garden) from Solomon's Song of Songs. This symbol is interpreted by the Church as one of the prototypes of the Theotokos in the Old Testament, which has found a place in church hymnography (1st troparion of the 9th song of the canon of Oktoechos, 8th tone on Saturday at Compline): “Vertograd is closed to The Virgin Mother of God, and the source is sealed by the Divine Spirit, the wise one sings in songs: the same as the garden of life, Christ incarnates”
Manuscript miniature. Byzantium. XIII century. Athos museums
But it often happens that some art historians, far from the Church, are very fond of finding in the icon something that is not there. Although for a correct understanding of the individual details in the icon, sometimes it is enough to know and love Orthodox worship.
Such a diverse iconography of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos sometimes goes beyond the formal framework of the immediate event. For example, according to apocryphal legends, before his appearance in the house of the Virgin Mary, the archangel first called her at the well (the so-called "Annunciation"). This plot also took its place in the iconography of the holiday:
Fresco. Serbia. XIV century. Serbia. Kosovo. High Dechany
Over time, new plots, details, and accents continued to appear. But we do not set ourselves the task of describing everything that can be found in encyclopedias.
Behind all the minor details, we must not forget the essence of the event. The Archangel gospel and its acceptance by the Mother of God is not just an illustration of Holy Scripture. This is a great symbol of cooperation (synergy) between God and man. The Lord cannot forcibly transgress our will, and only the voluntary consent of a person with God's will can bring worthy fruit, when we, following the Mother of God, can repeat: “Behold, the Servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word"(Luke 1:38).
The icon "Ustyug Annunciation" is one of the oldest surviving Russian icons. It is interesting not only for its age, but also for the way the holiday itself is shown on it.
The Annunciation is an event of extreme importance for mankind: having lost paradise through the fault of Eve, thanks to Mary, it was able to return back:
“Having called for the gospel of the great mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God Gabriel, one of the first Angels, God spoke to him: “Go, Gabriel, and be a servant of a terrible and secret sacrament, serve a miracle. Moved by love, I hasten to seek the erring Adam. Sin disfigured the man created in My image, damaged the work of My hands, darkened the beauty that I created. The dwelling of Paradise is empty, the Tree of Life is guarded by a flaming sword, the place of sweetness and bliss is closed. I want to pardon the needy and bind the enemy. Go to the Virgin Mary...go to the sanctuary prepared for Me.” Gregory the Theologian.
The Gospels give meager information about the Mother of Christ; most of the facts about Her life come from the Apocrypha. It took 5 centuries before Mary began to be revered as the Mother of God. In 431, the III Ecumenical Council in Ephesus approved the dogma of the Incarnation: an earthly maiden gave birth to God and man. This was reflected both in hymnology and in art. Already at that time, Christian thinkers came to the understanding that the image does not literally copy what is depicted, but only partially reflects: “Icons are the visible invisible and without a figure, but bodily depicted due to the weakness of our understanding” (John of Damascus). Fathers VII Ecumenical Council(8th century) agreed that the icon reminds those praying of the prototype and helps to concentrate.
The Annunciation has become one of the main subjects for artistic performance, because it is here that the doctrine of the Incarnation can be shown especially clearly. This plot is often placed on the pillars of the temple or on the Royal Doors as a symbol of the fact that the gates of Paradise are again open to people. The icons were painted mostly small, intended for the festive row of the iconostasis. The Ustyug Annunciation distinguishes big size- 229x144 cm (originally).
The icon is interesting because it lacks any historicization of the event. There are no halls, no earth, no plants. Only the throne is guessed behind the Virgin, and the yarn is in Her hands.
The icon was painted in the first third of the 12th century. and was located in the St. George's Cathedral of the St. George's Monastery in Veliky Novgorod. In the XVI century. she was transported to Moscow, where she was first placed in the Kremlin's Annunciation Cathedral, then in the Assumption Cathedral.
The name misleads many: it is celebrated simultaneously with the memory of St. Procopius of Ustyug, who venerated the icon of the Mother of God. This Prussian merchant from Lübeck arrived in Novgorod with his goods. Walking around the city, he was amazed at the number of holy churches and the number of parishioners. Hearing church singing, he decided to convert to Orthodoxy, gave away his property and went to Veliky Ustyug, where no one knew him. There he lived by alms, incessantly praying to God. Having acquired the gift of foresight, the holy fool warned the townspeople about the coming terrible meteor shower, a storm with a tornado and fires (1290). Nobody believed him until the stone clouds covered the city. Then everyone rushed under the protection of the walls of the cathedral, where St. Procopius fervently prayed before the image of the Annunciation. The icon expired in peace, and the cloud moved away from the city and fell to the ground in a deserted place 21 km from Ustyug.
Most likely, it was about a different image, since no historical documents confirm the presence of the icon in Ustyug. However, the rumor tied the icon to the city so tightly that the name “Ustyugskaya” remained behind it. The memory of this event was enshrined in church calendar, and a copy was made of the original icon and solemnly brought to Veliky Ustyug.
The icon depicts the Mother of God and the Archangel Gabriel. Mary, being human, stands on a support. Although the icon has a seat (lost), the Virgin stood up to listen to the words of the heavenly messenger while standing. The angel is floating in the air. Despite the limited space, Gabriel does not seem to dare to approach the One to whom he preaches the gospel, and conveys the holy news to Her with reverence. In his left hand he holds a rod (measure) - a symbol of power. The right hand is raised in salute. It seems that he blesses the Mother of God, but this gesture from ancient times meant the beginning of a speech. So in some images, Joshua addresses the Archangel Michael.
Mary's head and shoulders are covered with a cherry-colored maforium (cloak), which combines the beginning and end of the spectrum - red and purple. This, according to the Church Fathers, symbolizes Christ, the beginning and end of all things. The maphorium is decorated with gold fringe, and the traditional stars are absent.
Mary, lowering her left hand with yarn, raised her right in an almost blessing gesture to the Infant Jesus depicted on Her chest. This simultaneously means a response to the addressed speech, consent and prayer. The head is humbly bowed. The gestures of the hands of the Virgin and the Archangel are concise and rhyme.
The spinning wheel, the spindle are very ambiguous symbols. Weaving since its inception was considered a female occupation and symbolized a woman. In addition, according to the apocrypha, Mary was spinning a veil for the Jerusalem temple at the moment the angel appeared: “And the high priest said: “Draw lots, what to spin to whom: gold, and amyant, and linen, and silk, and hyacinth, and crimson, and real purple.” And real purple and crimson fell on Mary, and taking them, she returned to her house.<…>And, taking a jug, she went for water; and heard a voice proclaiming: “Rejoice, blessed one! The Lord is with you; blessed are you among women."
And she began to look around to find out where this voice came from. And, frightened, she returned home, put down the jug, and taking purple, began to spin it. And then an angel of the Lord appeared before her and said: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found grace with God and you will conceive according to His word.” She, having heard, reflected, saying to herself: “Is it possible that I will conceive from the living God and give birth, as any woman gives birth?” And the angel said: “Not so, Mary, but the power of the Most High will overshadow you, therefore the Holy One born by you will be called the son of the Most High. And you will call his name Jesus, for he will save his people.” And Mary said: "I am the servant of the Lord, be it to me according to your word." (Protevangelium of James).
The scarlet color of the thread means the flesh that the Blessed Virgin had to weave in Her womb for the Son of God: “Pure! A mental scarlet - the flesh of Emmanuel was woven inside Your womb, as if from a purple substance, therefore we honor You, the true Mother of God ”(translation of the Mother of God of the 8th song of the Great Canon).
Christ Emmanuel is shown in the bosom of the Virgin. This is one of the earliest depictions of the dogma of the incarnation of Christ. This doctrine from the very beginning caused fierce controversy, because it seemed to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Gentiles - madness (1 Cor. 1, 23). The baby is dressed only in a loincloth, reminiscent of the coming crucifixion. The fact that the body is naked indicates the human nature of Christ. His right hand blesses, the left is laid aside with an open palm.
At the top of the icon is the Old Denmi (i.e. days). This is a symbolic image of Christ in the form of an old man. He sits on a throne, holding a scroll in his left hand, and blessing the Mother of God with his right. Seraphim and cherubim hover around.
The entire space of the icon is flooded with golden radiance, dissolving the darkness and giving the event an eternal character. The event of the Annunciation appears here as a turning point in the history of mankind. The Lord chose the Virgin to accomplish salvation, and She agreed.
This iconographic plot, in addition to the Gospel of Luke (1:26–38), is based on the Protoevangelium of James (10:1–10, 11:1–9) and hymnographic texts. The scene of the Annunciation is also described in the Gospel of pseudo-Matthew (9:1–3), but according to Pokrovsky, "the solution of the question of the literary sources of the Annunciation leans more towards the Protoevangelium, as an ancient monument."
Annunciation Epistyliy templon (fragment) XII century.
Monastery of St. Catherine, Sinai, Egypt
Annunciation. Transformation. Resurrection of Lazarus
Three-part icon of the 12th century. Monastery of St. Catherine, Sinai, Egypt
The icon is part of a tetraptych depicting the twelve feasts.
Ustyug Annunciation
School or thin. center: Novgorod 30–40s of the XII century.
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Comes from St. George's Cathedral of St. George's Monastery in Novgorod, from where it was brought by Ivan the Terrible, along with other icons, to the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. The name of the icon is associated with the legend about its origin from Veliky Ustyug, according to which, before the icon of the Annunciation, Procopius of Ustyug prayed in 1290 for the reflection of a “stone cloud” from the city.
Annunciation. Nativity. Candlemas
Monastery of St. Catherine, Sinai Second half of the 12th century.
Annunciation
Monastery of St. Catherine, Sinai End of the 12th c.
Annunciation
School or thin. center: Byzantium First quarter of the 14th century.
Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow, Russia
Annunciation 14th century
156 × 102 cm Icon from St. Anthony's Monastery.
Annunciation Novgorod Museum Approx. 1341
Detail of the icon "Annunciation, Nativity of Christ, Meeting, Epiphany".
Annunciation with Fyodor Tiron
School or thin. center: Novgorod Second half of the 14th century.
Novgorod state. historical-architectural and art museum-reserve, Novgorod, Russia
Comes from the Church of Boris and Gleb in Plotniki (1377) in Novgorod. There is an assumption that this icon was a temple image of the Church of the Annunciation on Gorodische in Novgorod, from where, after a fire in the 16th century, it was transferred to the Church of Boris and Gleb. Entered the Novgorod Museum in 1928–30.
Annunciation
School or thin. Center: Byzantium End of the 14th c. 43×34 cm
State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia
Comes from the sacristy of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. The icon, apparently, was painted in Russia (pine board), but bears the features of the Paleolog style in the figure of the archangel and the architectural background.
Annunciation
School or thin. center: Rostov-Suzdal school (?) Late XIV - early XV centuries.
Wood, gesso, egg tempera, gold. 76×60 cm
State Museum of Palekh Art, Palekh, Russia
Annunciation From the festive rite
School or thin. center: Moscow Early 15th century. (1410s?) 81 × 61 cm
Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, Moscow, Russia
Annunciation School or thin. center: Moscow 1408 g 125 × 94 cm
State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia
Annunciation School or thin. center: Moscow 1425–1427 88×63 cm
Trinity Cathedral of the Holy Trinity St. Sergius Lavra, Sergiev Posad, Russia
Archangel Gabriel. Detail of the Royal Doors. Sergiev Posad Museum 1425–1427.
Mother of God. Detail of the royal doors. Sergiev Posad Museum 1425–1427
Annunciation Double Sided Tablet Icon
Second quarter of the 15th century Canvas, gesso, tempera. 23×18 cm
Sergiev Posad State Historical and Art Museum-Reserve, Russia
From a set of so-called "Trinity tablets". Turnover - "Christmas".
Detail of the royal doors. State Tretyakov Gallery, middle of the 15th century.
Annunciation School or thin. center: Novgorod End of the 15th c. 56.5×43 cm
Icon Museum, Recklinghausen, Germany. Acquired in 1955 from the collection of prof. Winkler.
Initially, the scene of the Annunciation was located in the temple on the western faces of the altar pillars - for example, as in the Kiev Hagia Sophia (northeast and southeast pillars). However, sometimes she occupied other places - on the triumphal arch, on the walls and vault. With the appearance of tall iconostases in eastern churches, the scene of the Annunciation was transferred from the altar pillars to the royal gates, and the previous division of the composition into two parts was retained.
Annunciation of the Mother of God
“The Council of the Eternal, opening to You, Otrokovitsa, Gabriel appeared... "sings the Holy Church at the beginning of the festive service of the great feast of the Annunciation.
Until the age of 14, the Blessed Virgin was brought up in the temple, and then, according to the law, she had to leave the temple, as she had reached the age of majority, and either return to her parents or get married. The priests wanted to marry her, but Mary announced to them her promise to God - to remain forever a Virgin. Then the priests betrothed Her distant relative, the 80-year-old Elder Joseph (he already had two daughters and four sons), who was also a descendant of King David, to take care of Her and protect Her virginity.
The Holy Fathers of the Church - Athanasius the Great, Basil the Great, John of Damascus - point out that under the guise of marriage, the Lord protected Blessed Virgin Mary from the malice of the enemy of the human race of the devil, hiding from him in such a way that She is the Most Blessed Virgin, prophesied by Isaiah. Living in the Galilean city of Nazareth, in the house of Joseph, the Blessed Virgin Mary led the same modest and secluded life as in the temple.
Once the Blessed Virgin Mary was reading the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, stopped at the place where it was said " behold, a virgin shall receive and bear a Son, and shall call his name Emmanuel" (which means God is with us) (Is. 7:14) and pondered the greatness of the One who would be worthy to be the Mother of God. With all her heart, Holy Mary wanted to see the Chosen One of God, and in deep humility she desired to be Her last servant.
And then an angel appears to her and greets her: Rejoice, Blessed One. The Lord is with you: blessed are you among women ". These words became the first "good news" for mankind after its fall.
But she, seeing him, was troubled by his words, and pondered what this greeting meant.
And the angel said to her: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found grace with God; and behold, thou shalt conceive in the womb, and thou shalt bear a Son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus. He will be great, and he will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father; and shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom shall have no end. - Mary said to the Angel: how will it be when I do not know my husband? The angel said to her in response: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the Power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the Holy One who is being born will be called the Son of God ... Then Mary said: Behold, the Servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word. And an angel departed from her(Luke 1:28-38).
It is believed that it was at this moment that the sacrament of the incarnation of the Son of God took place.
If the righteous Sarah received the news of the birth of Isaac from her with confusion, and the righteous Zechariah, with a similar foreshadowing of the birth of the Forerunner of the Lord, demanded a sign from the angel, then how much higher is the Most Holy Virgin Mary when the annunciation of the birth of Christ from Her - the Savior, the Son of God , supernatural, incomprehensible, Divine, accepts without confusion, without distrust.
It is terrible even to think what could have happened if there had not been found on earth the Most Worthy to receive the highest Gift of God:
According to the interpretation of Irenaeus of Lyons, the obedience of the Virgin Mary balances the disobedience of Eve. Mary becomes the "new Eve". The text of the famous hymn Ave maris stella (9th century) says that the name Eva is an anagram of the word Ave, with which Gabriel addressed the “new Eve”. In other words, to name Eve meant to mention Mary. Jerome deduced a concise formula: " death through Eve, life through Mary". Augustine wrote: through a woman, death, and through a woman, life.
The mystical conception of the Virgin Mary, according to the teachings of the Orthodox Church, refers to the great mystery of piety: in it, humanity brought as a gift to God its purest creation - the Virgin, capable of becoming the mother of the Son of God, and God, having accepted the gift, answered him with the gift of the grace of the Holy Spirit. About how, in what way the Son of God enters into the womb of the Most Holy Virgin, he knows, according to the words of St. only God Himself, and one should not argue about the nature of that which is inscrutable and incomprehensible”.
The Orthodox Church firmly believes that Mary remained the Virgin even after the birth of the firstborn Jesus, according to prophecy (pr. Ezek.44:2). " And the Lord said to me, This gate will be shut, it will not be opened, and no man will enter through it, for the Lord God of Israel has entered through it, and they will be shut.". Three stars are depicted on the icons of the Mother of God - on the shoulders and on the head cover of the Blessed Virgin. They symbolize the virginity preserved by Her before Christmas, at Christmas and after Christmas.
According to St. Theophan the Recluse, the Annunciation is closely connected with the establishment of the sacrament of the Body and Blood. " We take communion true body and the true Blood of Christ, the same ones that were received in incarnation from the immaculate blood of the Most Pure Virgin Mary. Thus, in the incarnation that took place at the hour of the annunciation, the foundation was laid for the sacrament of the Body and Blood. And now this is brought to memory by all Christians, so that, remembering this, they honor the Most Holy Theotokos as their true Mother, not only as a prayer book and intercessor, but also as a nourisher of all. Children feed on mother's milk, and we feed on the Body and Blood, which are from the Blessed Virgin Mary. Eating like this, we drink essentially milk from Her breasts.».
The date of the feast of the Annunciation is connected with the date of the Nativity of Christ: March 25 is exactly 9 months away from December 25. It is believed that on the same day, March 25, the Creation of the world took place - thus, humanity was given a second chance.
St. John Chrysostom called the Annunciation "the root of the feasts", the beginning of all others. Among the ancient Christians, it bore various names: "The Conception of Christ", "Annunciation of Christ", "The Beginning of Redemption", "Annunciation of the Angel of Mary", - and only in the 7th century it was forever assimilated the name "Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos". During the 5th-8th centuries, due to heresies that humiliated the Face of the Mother of God, the holiday was especially exalted in the Church. In the 8th century, St. John of Damascus and Theophanes, Metropolitan of Nicaea, composed the feast canons, which are now sung by the Church.
According to the charter on this day, despite great post, the full liturgy must be performed, even if the Annunciation happens on Good Friday (on this day the liturgy is excluded). In its grandeur, the feast of the Annunciation is not canceled even if it falls on Easter. It very rarely happens that the Annunciation coincides with Easter and the holiday seems to be doubled. Then Easter is called Kyriopaskhoy. Such a coincidence was in 1817, 1828, 1912, 1991. The next Kyriopaskha will be in 2075.
The events of the Annunciation were described by the only evangelist, the Apostle Luke. There are also apocryphal texts, but they do not change the general history of the Annunciation, but add a number of details to it. In the Apocrypha - the so-called "Proto-Gospel of James" and the "Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew" ("The Book of the Birth of Blessed Mary and the Childhood of the Savior") tells of two appearances of an Angel. First, Gabriel appeared to the Virgin at the well, and only then in the house of Joseph, where she spun a purple veil for the Jerusalem temple by lot. These apocryphal traditions significantly influenced the iconography of the holiday.
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The plot of the Annunciation has long been popular in religious painting. His iconography began to take shape very early. Its main attributes are: lily- a symbol of the purity of the Virgin Mary; spinning wheel, spindle (with red yarn) - the image of the flesh of Christ; book the prophet Isaiah, which is read by Mary; paradise branch in the hand of the archangel Gabriel; the olive branch is a symbol of the reconciliation of God and creation; well is a symbol of Mary's purity. The first images appeared already in the II century in the Roman catacombs, for example, on the wall of the tomb of St. Priscilla. They were finally formed in the Middle Ages, finding the most complete embodiment in the works of the 15th century.
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In the Western European painting of the proto-Renaissance, it is especially worth noting the works of Fra Beato Angelico, Simone Martini; from the Renaissance works - paintings by Leonardo da Vinci and Botticelli, and from the northern works - Jan van Eyck, Robert Campin and Rogier van der Weyden. In the next era, several memorable paintings were painted by El Greco. Starting from the Baroque era, as happened with other plots, many liberties and digressions penetrate the interpretation of the plot.
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In the icon-painting tradition, it is customary for one wing of the archangel to remain outstretched behind his back, and the other to be raised as a sign of greeting. This symbolic movement has entered the Orthodox liturgical system and is performed by the deacon during the pronunciation of litanies. He raises with his right hand an orarion - an image of the uplifting of the Archangel's wing as a sign of greeting and respect. The Annunciation is translated from Greek as good news
. Traditionally in Orthodox Church The icon of the Annunciation is placed on the Royal Doors, surrounded by four evangelists. Thus, all the symbolism of the Royal Doors turns out to be connected with the gospel: “... through the Annunciation, the Word became the flesh that we can taste in Communion. And we can take part in this Eternal Meal only because we are called by the apostles-evangelizers. The gates are an additional symbol of the Mother of God (an image from the Old Testament prophecy of Ezekiel about the “enclosed” doors facing the east, through which the Lord enters).
The earliest "Annunciation" in Russian art (1040s) is a mosaic on two pillars in the Kiev Hagia Sophia.
The oldest depiction of a scene in Russian art. In the hands of the Mother of God is red yarn, which came from apocryphal stories.
Among the Russian icons on this subject, it is worth noting the Ustyug Annunciation, painted in the 12th century in Veliky Novgorod, the icons of Rublev and Daniil Cherny, as well as the fresco of Dionysius in the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin. The works of Borovikovsky belong to a later time.
The miraculous icon of the Annunciation was previously especially revered in the Moscow Kremlin. Tradition says that in the reign of Ivan the Terrible, she miraculously appeared written on the wall of the Kremlin tower. Her appearance was associated with the prayers of the Most Holy Theotokos for her release of some innocently condemned prisoner who was kept in the tower. Having learned about the "self-painted" icon, Tsar Ivan the Terrible released the prisoner. Soon miraculous icon a wooden chapel was built, then a stone church, and the tower was called Blagoveshchenskaya.
One of the most famous temples dedicated to this holiday - founded as a house temple royal family at the Kremlin Palace. And the protopresbyter of the Annunciation Cathedral until the 20th century was the confessor of the most august persons. In March 1584, Ivan the Terrible saw a cruciform comet from the porch of the Cathedral of the Annunciation. "Here is the sign of my death," he said, and a few days later he was gone.
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Cathedral of the Annunciation in the Moscow Kremlin
On this day, according to an ancient Russian tradition, after the Liturgy in the Annunciation Cathedral of the Kremlin, the patriarch, clergy and children release birds into the wild. This custom was revived in 1995 and is now performed in many temples.
According to the words of His Holiness the Patriarch, this tradition, full of deep meaning, “symbolizing that the birds are no longer in a cage, but in freedom, reminds us that in our free will there is a search for the Kingdom of God.”
This tradition of the feast of the Annunciation was very fond of St. Patriarch Tikhon, on this holiday, he ended his confessional journey, letting his soul go to God.
The gospel words of the Archangel Gabriel and the righteous Elizabeth formed a well-known prayer - the Song of the Most Holy Theotokos: " Virgin Mother of God, rejoice, Blessed Mary, the Lord is with you; Blessed are you in women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, as if the Savior gave birth to our souls».
AT Catholic tradition it corresponds to the prayer Ave Maria - one of the most beautiful and famous chants in the world. Many pieces of music have been written on the text of the prayer. Among the authors of the music are Palestrina, Gounod (based on the Bach prelude), Dvorak, Verdi, Mascagni, Caccini, Liszt, Saint-Saens.
Franz Schubert's Ellen's Third Song is often inaccurately referred to as Schubert's Ave Maria, although the lyrics to which this music is actually taken from the German translation of Walter Scott's poem about the Celtic Lady of the Lake (Lady of the Lake, 1810) include only the first two words of the prayer. Subsequently, Ave Maria began to be sung entirely to the music of this song by Schubert, although the composer did not have this in mind.
In Russia, the feast of the Annunciation has always been treated with reverence. The Orthodox did not work on this day and strictly observed this rule. It was said that on this day "the girl does not weave braids, and the bird does not nest." The day of the Annunciation was considered the day of mercy. People visited prisoners in prisons, gave alms. For the poor, dinners were arranged in the royal chambers, during which the Sovereign himself presented the poor with generous alms.
Svetlana Finogenova
Troparion of the holiday, Ch. four
The day of our salvation is the main thing, and the hedgehog from the age of mystery is a manifestation; The Son of God The Son of the Virgin happens, and Gabriel proclaims the good news. The same and we cry with him to the Theotokos: Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you!
Holiday kontakion, Ch. eight
To the chosen Voivode, victorious, as if having got rid of the evil ones, thankful we sing Thy servants, Mother of God, but as if having an invincible power, from all troubles of freedom, let us call Ty: rejoice, Bride.
From the Gospel of Luke, we learn how the Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Bride with a joyful message that she was to become the Mother of the Savior of the world, which She accepted in amazement, but unconditional obedience.
The tradition of the church says that at that moment the Most Pure One was reading the Old Testament, the Book of Isaiah's prophecies, and just about this prophecy (Is. 19:1). It must be said that the entire Old Testament is replete with prophecies about the Mother of God, starting with the Book of Genesis (Gen. 3:15), and they are also found in some places in the Psalter of the king-singer David, from whom the lineage of the Virgin Mary and Joseph the Betrothed descended, and in others prophets, so that sometimes the icons of the "Annunciation" depict an open book of the Old Testament. The Mother of God is depicted here with yarn in her hand - a symbol of the Kingdom of Her Son and Herself, it also informs us that She is weaving a crimson robe for Her Son, which will clothe His flesh while She wears Him under Her heart.
The archangel seems to be floating in the air, blessing the Blessed Virgin, whose head is bowed in amazement and unconditional obedience - “behold, the Servant of the Lord, let it be done to me according to your word ...” There is incredible greatness and incredible modesty in this obedience - the greatest example of humility and obedience to God's will , which is often compared, contrasted, with the disobedience of Eve. She is the “new Eve”, who, by her obedience, atones for the original Evin sin, as Her Son, the Savior, born of Her, then atones for all the sins of mankind. She is the guarantee of the salvation of mankind, which is sung about in the festive divine service, in the troparion for the holiday.
Description of the plot from apocryphal sources
The essence of the event is conveyed by Luke quite clearly and completely, but little is said about its external side: such is the peculiarity of many gospel (canonical) stories. Apocrypha supplement these stories detailed descriptions external circumstances of events.
Based on the story of the apocryphal Protoevangelium of James (10:1–10), the type of icons “Annunciation with needlework” appears: “Then there was a meeting among the priests, who said: Let us make a veil for the temple of the Lord. And the high priest said: Gather together the pure virgins from the lineage of David. And the servants went. They got it and found seven virgins. And the high priest remembered the young Mary, who was from the lineage of David and was pure before God. And the servants went and brought her. And they brought the virgins into the temple of the Lord. And the high priest said: Cast lots, what shall be spun to whom: gold, and amyant, and linen, and silk, and hyacinth, and crimson, and true purple. And true purple and crimson fell on Mary, and she took them. She returned to her house. During this time, Zechariah was mute, Samuel replaced him, until Zachariah began to speak again. And Mary, taking the scarlet, began to spin.
Another type of image of the Virgin Mary in this story is the Annunciation at the source. The literary basis here is also the Protoevangelium of James (11:1–9): “And taking a jug, she went for water, and heard a voice proclaiming: Rejoice, full of grace!...”, the well is also mentioned in the Gospel of pseudo-Matthew ( 9:1-3).
The plot of the icon of the Annunciation has been preserved from century to century, but carries not only the canon, but also the spirit and originality of the time in which it arose. “Icons are not copied, they are not reproduced mechanically, but are born from one another,” said Monk Gregory Krug.
So over time, on the icon of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, the position of the figures of the Archangel Gabriel and the Mother of God changed: the Mother of God was depicted either sharply turning around with a pointed ciborium above her and the Archangel striding broadly, or obediently bowed with a rounded canopy above her and the calm figure of the Archangel. Separate details were added and disappeared: the Mother of God at the well (such icons are also called “The Annunciation”); The Queen of Heaven, with needlework in her hands, spins a purple veil for the Jerusalem temple; The Mother of God in the house (in the temple) - sits on the throne, obediently bowing her head, and the archangel Gabriel approaches her, raising right hand in a blessing gesture.
Later, a type of icon appears - the Annunciation with a book. The explanation for the appearance of the book on the icons can be the sixth chapter of the Gospel of pseudo-Matthew (6:7-9), which speaks of Mary's diligence in serving God. From this it can be assumed that at the time of the appearance of the gospel angel, Mary was reading the Holy Scriptures. It is likely that this could be the book of the prophet Isaiah. It is this version that is described in Filimonov’s icon-painting original: “The Most Pure One sits, and before her lies an unfolded book, and it is written in it: this virgin will conceive in the womb and give birth to a son, and you will call his name Emmanuel” (Is. 7:14; this prophecy is cited and Matthew 1:23).
Veneration of the Icon of the Annunciation
The Icon of the Mother of God "Annunciation" as well as the holiday itself occupy an important place in the life of believers. The plot of the Annunciation is placed on the Royal Doors in the church, symbolizing the entrance to the Kingdom of God through the Good News.
The icon of the Mother of God "Annunciation" is also part of the festive iconostasis of the Russian Orthodox church. The earthly life of Christ and the Mother of God is represented here. As a rule, the core of the row is made up of icons of the twelfth feasts, and usually the icons are arranged in this row in the order they appear in the church year.
main topic the iconostasis is the Deesis rank, in the center is the icon “The Savior in Strength”, this is the “heart” of a grandiose symbolic structure, and the plot of the “Annunciation” is also repeated here: opposite the Virgin is the Archangel Gabriel. The special significance of the event of the Annunciation was also reflected in the church painting system, the compositions of the Annunciation are placed on the western faces of the eastern domed pillars, on the border of the altar and the main part of the temple, with the image of the Archangel located on the left support, and the Mother of God - on the right.
What a miracle happened
An event is connected with the icon of the Annunciation, the miracle of which cannot be compared with any other miracle - the phenomenon of the Incarnation. This splendid, inexpressibly significant idea of our Salvation and the opening of the Kingdom of God to us arose at the dawn of Genesis and glides like a thin, light fabric throughout the entire Old Testament history of mankind. And behind it and from it all other miracles flow, performed by our Lord Jesus Christ according to the will of His Father. And the greatest miracle that crowns the entire history of the New Testament Church is the Bright Pascha of Christ, which we look forward to every year and just as annually rejoice at the miracle of His Resurrection, as His Mother, the myrrh-bearing women and the apostles rejoiced - his holy disciples.
Miraculous phenomena of the icons "Annunciation" in Russia
The story of the appearance of the icon of the Mother of God "Annunciation" on the wall of one of the Kremlin towers in Moscow is widely known. According to legend, under Ivan the Terrible, in the tower, which was used in those days as a prison, on a false slander, a certain governor was planted, who could not prove his innocence to the king, and, after his fervent prayers, a self-painted icon of the Annunciation appeared on the wall of the tower.
The miraculously revealed icon attracted worshipers, and soon a wooden chapel was built near the tower, which stood for more than a hundred and fifty years. And in 1731, Empress Anna Ioannovna ordered to build a stone church on this site in the name of the Annunciation so that the revealed icon would be inside the church, and the tower would serve as a bell tower. Just a few years later, in 1737, there was a terrible fire in which the Tsar Bell burned down. The Church of the Annunciation was also damaged in the fire, but the miraculous icon remained intact.
icon painter Yuri Kuznetsov |
One of the earliest icons of the Mother of God with the plot "Annunciation" is in the State Tretyakov Gallery, this is an icon of the XIII century. This icon of the Mother of God "Annunciation" (Ustyug) has its own history and its own day of celebration. She became famous in 1290, when the holy fool Procopius announced to the inhabitants of Veliky Ustyug that God wants to punish them for their sins. On a certain day, June 8, terrible clouds covered the sky, a black cloud was approaching the city. The people gathered in the church, where, together with the holy fool, they prayed before the icon of the Annunciation. Suddenly, myrrh flowed from the eyes of the Virgin. The people took this sign as a sign of the Mother of God's tearful prayer before Her Son for the human race. The clouds swept past, on an empty place fell, as the legend says, a stone rain.
Since then, the icon has been considered miraculous. In the 16th century, under Ivan the Terrible, it was moved to Moscow, to the Assumption Cathedral. A copy of this icon remained in Ustyug. During the time of Ivan the Terrible, many lists were made from this miraculous icon.
Another miraculous icon of the Mother of God "Annunciation" (Tinos) is located in the Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the island of Tinos in Greece and also has its own separate day of celebration. According to local church tradition, this icon was painted by the holy apostle and evangelist Luke. It is a symbol of independent Greece, as it was acquired at the beginning of the 19th century during the national liberation struggle of the Greek people against the Turkish yoke. The appearance of this miraculous icon was perceived in Greece as a sign of God, confirming the rightness of the national struggle, since the beginning freedom movement coincided with the feast of the Annunciation and the feast day of this icon.
The icon was found on January 30, 1823 after a miraculous vision of the holy nun Pelageya. Two years earlier there was also a vision to a certain elder Michael Polizois, but in 1821 the search for the icon did not lead to anything. And after the vision of the nun, the search for the icon continued for six months, people despaired and stopped searching, and then, as the Mother of God announced, illnesses began on the island. And finally, in January, during construction work, the icon of the Annunciation to the Most Holy Theotokos was found in the ground. One of the workers, while digging, pulled out a piece of wood and, having cleaned it, examined the image of an Angel. Rejoiced, they began to look for the second half of the icon with the image of the Mother of God, which was soon found.
The icon was burned and split, but the images of the Mother of God and the Angel remained unharmed. It is surprising that despite the high humidity and being in the ground for several centuries, the icon has survived. The technique of writing the icon testifies to its origin in the early years of Christianity. well and miraculous power emanating from the icon testifies to its blessing itself Mother of God and, therefore, the authorship of the icon is attributed to the Apostle Luke. Since the opening of the Tinos icon of the Mother of God, more than 70 miraculous events have been recorded.
The meaning of the icon
The event reflected on the icon is incredibly ambiguous. It was foretold by everyone Old Testament, giving a person a vague hope that there will be something that will give atonement for his sins, but this secret was hidden for many centuries, until a great miracle crystallized from the bowels of the tribe of David - the only Virgin who could bear the One who became the Sun of Truth, God by the word and the Savior of the entire human race, the “new” Eve, who humbly accepted what the Almighty had judged Her to do. Her humility saved everyone. The Ever-Virgin was the source of our opportunity to know the Lord through His Word, to feel on ourselves all His unspeakable Mercy, an indication of the right path to the Kingdom of God. God has revealed himself to us in all His fullness. He was hungry, tired, lacked sleep along with His disciples, and His Mother, knowing what was destined for Him, grieved for Him, but she never said a word that would stop Him, not only because it was impossible to stop him from fulfilling the will of the Father. In the obedience of the Son - the obedience of the Mother, which lasted all the time from the Annunciation to Her Dormition, after which She found Her royal place next to the throne of God.
