DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.27365#0048
36
/COJVOG/M/WC PROGRAMME
in Pec, Serbia^. There a church standing between two altars without ciborium is
shown in the centre of the composition. The building reproduces the forms of the
Anastasis Shrine and the rotunda of the Holy Sepulchre. Before it stands a six-winged
seraphim, recalling the gates of paradise defended by an angel. This reminded its
viewers that this was no ordinary church in the "Communion of the Apostles" but an
image of Celestial Jerusalem. Comparison of these two quite unconnected paintings,
one in Armenia and the other in Serbia, entitles us to suggest the existence of a special
iconographic motif intended to stress Christ's rank as high priest. The evolution of this
motif can easily be traced. From the restrained tone of the early 13th century it grew
into the intellectually complex and narrative image to be found in Palaeologean
murals. Investigation of this motif enables to uncover an aspect of the Eastern
Christian iconography of Celestial Jerusalem which has as yet hardly been studied^.
Holy BAhopx
The liturgical theme is further developed in the two lower tiers of the sanctuary
murals with the frontal depiction of standing holy bishops. To both sides of the face of
each bishop there is a large Greek inscription with his name, duplicated at knee-level
by a small Georgian inscription. We can therefore identify the majority of these saints.
In the second tier we find Gregory of Nazianzus, Basil the Great and John
Chrysostom. St Sylvester and St James are depicted in the central window,
accompanied by the inscriptions "Pope of Rome" and "the Brother of the Lord". In the
north window are shown Blasios of Sebaste and Abercios of Hierapolis while Cyprian
of Carthage and Ambrose of Milan occupy the south window. The upper of the two
tiers devoted to this theme concludes with a depiction of the Deacon Romanos
preserved on the north face of the south-east pillar. In the lower or first tier on the
north wall there were depictions of Timothy of Pruss, Acacios of Melitene, Dionysios
the Areopagite, Eusebios of Caesarea, Cyril of Alexandria, Gregory the
Wonderworker and Jacob of Nisibus. To the left of the synthronon in the centre was
shown St Clement "Pope of Rome" and to the right, St Gregory "of Greater Armenia".
Following the national apostolic saint of Armenia on the south wall come Germanos
of Constantinople, Amphilocios of Iconium, Gregory of Agrigentum, Paul the
Confessor, Thaddaeos of Thessaloniki and Peter of Alexandria.
The holy bishops in the first tier are shown wearing the usual multicoloured
phelonions. The higher status of those depicted in the second tier is emphasised by
their white phelonions decorated with crosses or the polystavrions that denoted
archiepiscopal rank. The only exception in this two-stage hierarchy is James, "the
Brother of the Lord" on the jamb of the central window. He wears a chiton and
himation and over the latter an omophorion. This distinctive dress recalls the special
role played by James as the first high priest who was consecrated as bishop of
Jerusalem by Christ himself.
42 A. Stojakovic, "Pokusay odredjivanja reatnih vrednosti jednog siikanog arhitektonskog tipa",
Z6orn;k arMektonykog JaAadteta lAderzdefa a Feograda, sv. 3 (1961), pp. 3-12.
42 For the Western Christian iconography, see Ca Gera.m/cmme ce/erte. /mn:agad dei/a JeraMdemme
ce/erte da/ /// a/ A7Mreco/o, Miiano, 1983.
/COJVOG/M/WC PROGRAMME
in Pec, Serbia^. There a church standing between two altars without ciborium is
shown in the centre of the composition. The building reproduces the forms of the
Anastasis Shrine and the rotunda of the Holy Sepulchre. Before it stands a six-winged
seraphim, recalling the gates of paradise defended by an angel. This reminded its
viewers that this was no ordinary church in the "Communion of the Apostles" but an
image of Celestial Jerusalem. Comparison of these two quite unconnected paintings,
one in Armenia and the other in Serbia, entitles us to suggest the existence of a special
iconographic motif intended to stress Christ's rank as high priest. The evolution of this
motif can easily be traced. From the restrained tone of the early 13th century it grew
into the intellectually complex and narrative image to be found in Palaeologean
murals. Investigation of this motif enables to uncover an aspect of the Eastern
Christian iconography of Celestial Jerusalem which has as yet hardly been studied^.
Holy BAhopx
The liturgical theme is further developed in the two lower tiers of the sanctuary
murals with the frontal depiction of standing holy bishops. To both sides of the face of
each bishop there is a large Greek inscription with his name, duplicated at knee-level
by a small Georgian inscription. We can therefore identify the majority of these saints.
In the second tier we find Gregory of Nazianzus, Basil the Great and John
Chrysostom. St Sylvester and St James are depicted in the central window,
accompanied by the inscriptions "Pope of Rome" and "the Brother of the Lord". In the
north window are shown Blasios of Sebaste and Abercios of Hierapolis while Cyprian
of Carthage and Ambrose of Milan occupy the south window. The upper of the two
tiers devoted to this theme concludes with a depiction of the Deacon Romanos
preserved on the north face of the south-east pillar. In the lower or first tier on the
north wall there were depictions of Timothy of Pruss, Acacios of Melitene, Dionysios
the Areopagite, Eusebios of Caesarea, Cyril of Alexandria, Gregory the
Wonderworker and Jacob of Nisibus. To the left of the synthronon in the centre was
shown St Clement "Pope of Rome" and to the right, St Gregory "of Greater Armenia".
Following the national apostolic saint of Armenia on the south wall come Germanos
of Constantinople, Amphilocios of Iconium, Gregory of Agrigentum, Paul the
Confessor, Thaddaeos of Thessaloniki and Peter of Alexandria.
The holy bishops in the first tier are shown wearing the usual multicoloured
phelonions. The higher status of those depicted in the second tier is emphasised by
their white phelonions decorated with crosses or the polystavrions that denoted
archiepiscopal rank. The only exception in this two-stage hierarchy is James, "the
Brother of the Lord" on the jamb of the central window. He wears a chiton and
himation and over the latter an omophorion. This distinctive dress recalls the special
role played by James as the first high priest who was consecrated as bishop of
Jerusalem by Christ himself.
42 A. Stojakovic, "Pokusay odredjivanja reatnih vrednosti jednog siikanog arhitektonskog tipa",
Z6orn;k arMektonykog JaAadteta lAderzdefa a Feograda, sv. 3 (1961), pp. 3-12.
42 For the Western Christian iconography, see Ca Gera.m/cmme ce/erte. /mn:agad dei/a JeraMdemme
ce/erte da/ /// a/ A7Mreco/o, Miiano, 1983.