DOI Artikel:
Sulikowska, Aleksandra: The Old-Believers' Images of God as the Father: Theology and Cult
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18949#0122
On all the icons and crucifixes from the National Museum in Warsaw
God Sabaoth is depicted in their upper parts, in the symbolic heavenly
realni, the naturę of which is confirmed by clouds surrounding the figurę
and golden background of the medallions. This position accords with
a hierarchical principle governing the 16th and 17th century programs of
painted decorations in temples and iconostases where such compositions
as Paternitas or the New Testament Holy Trinity were always placed in the
uppermost realni symbolising suprasensory reality.50 Furthermore, such
a position corresponds to a popular religious view, whereby all parts of the
sky have their origin in God: the Sun from his visage, the moon from his
chest, the stars from his robes, night from his thoughts and dawn from his
eyes.51 In popular imagination the sky is God’s realm, just like the earth is
for human beings. However, even people, provided they are true believers,
will ascend to Heaven in the futurę. “We have a passport from the high city
of Jerusalem - says one of spiritual poems - we broke free from the bondage
of evil master, we were liberated by a different master - the supreme and
only God! [...] He is calling us to Him, He is extending His hands towards
us and does not recall our sins.’”2
The words addressed to God take a form of petitionary prayer: “O, God,
deliver us, sinners, from torment, tear us from Antichrisfs hands, thou, the
sole Creator of all beings.”5’ God, who from his love for mankind sacrificed
his Son, remains merciful towards the devoted believers: “He ąuiets down
his wrath and forgives a terrible revenge. He absolves all sins and takes the
soul above the stars. ”54 55 In one of the versions of The Pure Soul in 01d-Believer
lubok a good Soul standing in front of the Lord of Hosts is depicted as
a crowned virgin with a bunch of flowers in her right hand pouring a jugfull
of tears on the devil. The virgin prays to God who can be seen among
clouds.” God’s creative act makes him the Father of all visible reality. God’s
depictions as an old man on icons and crucifixes stress his Paternitas not only
of the Son of God but of all mankind.
“In the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the
dew of thy youth.” (Ps 110:3)
The chief motif concerning God the Father in Russian spiritual poetry and
01d-Believer lubok is always his act of creation, man’s happiness in paradise
50 Bryusova, Russkaya zhivopis XVII veka, Moscow 1984, pp. 68, 80, 97; Russische Ikonen und
Kultgerat aus St. Petersburg, exh. cat., Staatliche Kunsthalle Baden-Baden 5. Oktober 1991 -
6. Januar 1992, Cologne 1991, cat. no. 50.
51 Golubnaya kniga. Russkie narodnye dukhovnye stikhi XI-XIX vekov, Moscow 1991, p. 36.
52 T.S. Rozhdestvenskiy, Pamyatniki staroobryadcheskoy poezii, Moscow 1910, p. 131.
53 Ibid., p. 181.
54 Ibid., p. 142.
55 Russkiy risovannyy lubok końca XVIII - nachala XX veka, Moscow 1992, cat. no. 22, 24,
pp. 180-181.
120
God Sabaoth is depicted in their upper parts, in the symbolic heavenly
realni, the naturę of which is confirmed by clouds surrounding the figurę
and golden background of the medallions. This position accords with
a hierarchical principle governing the 16th and 17th century programs of
painted decorations in temples and iconostases where such compositions
as Paternitas or the New Testament Holy Trinity were always placed in the
uppermost realni symbolising suprasensory reality.50 Furthermore, such
a position corresponds to a popular religious view, whereby all parts of the
sky have their origin in God: the Sun from his visage, the moon from his
chest, the stars from his robes, night from his thoughts and dawn from his
eyes.51 In popular imagination the sky is God’s realm, just like the earth is
for human beings. However, even people, provided they are true believers,
will ascend to Heaven in the futurę. “We have a passport from the high city
of Jerusalem - says one of spiritual poems - we broke free from the bondage
of evil master, we were liberated by a different master - the supreme and
only God! [...] He is calling us to Him, He is extending His hands towards
us and does not recall our sins.’”2
The words addressed to God take a form of petitionary prayer: “O, God,
deliver us, sinners, from torment, tear us from Antichrisfs hands, thou, the
sole Creator of all beings.”5’ God, who from his love for mankind sacrificed
his Son, remains merciful towards the devoted believers: “He ąuiets down
his wrath and forgives a terrible revenge. He absolves all sins and takes the
soul above the stars. ”54 55 In one of the versions of The Pure Soul in 01d-Believer
lubok a good Soul standing in front of the Lord of Hosts is depicted as
a crowned virgin with a bunch of flowers in her right hand pouring a jugfull
of tears on the devil. The virgin prays to God who can be seen among
clouds.” God’s creative act makes him the Father of all visible reality. God’s
depictions as an old man on icons and crucifixes stress his Paternitas not only
of the Son of God but of all mankind.
“In the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the
dew of thy youth.” (Ps 110:3)
The chief motif concerning God the Father in Russian spiritual poetry and
01d-Believer lubok is always his act of creation, man’s happiness in paradise
50 Bryusova, Russkaya zhivopis XVII veka, Moscow 1984, pp. 68, 80, 97; Russische Ikonen und
Kultgerat aus St. Petersburg, exh. cat., Staatliche Kunsthalle Baden-Baden 5. Oktober 1991 -
6. Januar 1992, Cologne 1991, cat. no. 50.
51 Golubnaya kniga. Russkie narodnye dukhovnye stikhi XI-XIX vekov, Moscow 1991, p. 36.
52 T.S. Rozhdestvenskiy, Pamyatniki staroobryadcheskoy poezii, Moscow 1910, p. 131.
53 Ibid., p. 181.
54 Ibid., p. 142.
55 Russkiy risovannyy lubok końca XVIII - nachala XX veka, Moscow 1992, cat. no. 22, 24,
pp. 180-181.
120