DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.27365#0054
42
rcOJVOGR/UW/C PROGRAMME
the congregation, one of the most distinctive innovations of the Cathoiic rite^. This
became the subject of wide discussion, one may suppose, in Eastern Armenia as well:
ali the shifting fortunes of the union were attentively fohowed there. The repetition of
the phrase "this is my blood" in the Akhtaia frescoes which gives the symbolic and
dogmatic justification for communion in two kinds seems very iikeiy, in this light, to
have been an echo of current theological disputes. The erroneous Roman Catholic rite
was thereby rejected and the obligatory communion in two kinds in the Armenian-
Chalcedonian church asserted in the iconographic programme.
3. The naos: the arms of the domed cross
The dominant theme in the domed space, as we have suggested, was the
glorification of the Pantocrator. in the altar apse the celestial liturgy is at the centre of
attention. The arms of the domed cross contain the main events in the History of
Salvation. In the north and south arms, in accordance with tradition, extends the
Mariological cycle, which disclosed the prehistory of the incarnation, and the
Christological cycle in which scenes of the great festivals and of Christ's Passion and
Resurrection were depicted. The large compositions depicting the "Nativity of the
Virgin" and the "Nativity of Christ" face one another in the north and south lunettes,
thereby emphasising their interconnection and enabling their visual comparison. The
west arm contained scenes of the events that followed Christ's Ascension and was
almost entirely filled with the vast composition of the "Last Judgement".
The lost composition of the cupola played an important role in linking these
sequences together. If, as seems highly likely, it contained a depiction of the
"Ascension" this would have provided a link between the scenes in all three arms. As
the Acts of the Apostles especially emphasize, the Ascension not only marked the end
of Christ's earthly presence but was a prologue to the Second Coming (Acts 1:11).
Furthermore, a depiction of the Ascension would also have established the link
between these scenes and the celestial liturgy in the sanctuary apse since this
composition illustrated, more vividly than all the others, the indivisibility of the earthly
and heavenly existence of Christ. The iconographic programme of the cross arms also
includes numerous holy monks who, as it were, supplement the thematic murals.
They acted as intermediaries for those worshipping in the church: they had attained
sainthood and showed the surest path to salvation.
77: c Errgfr: cyc/c
This cycle is made up of five scenes located around the north lunette. Three small
compositions telling the story of Joachim and Anne are to be found immediately
beneath the "Nativity of the Virgin". "The Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple" is
located on the adjoining eastern slope of the vault but today only the silhouettes of
Joachim with the young Mary standing before him have been preserved. This
^ M. Gatterer, "Kommunion", LaM'Aro/: Jiir 77:eotog;e und XircAe, Bd. 6, Freiburg im Breisgau, 1934,
p. 104.
rcOJVOGR/UW/C PROGRAMME
the congregation, one of the most distinctive innovations of the Cathoiic rite^. This
became the subject of wide discussion, one may suppose, in Eastern Armenia as well:
ali the shifting fortunes of the union were attentively fohowed there. The repetition of
the phrase "this is my blood" in the Akhtaia frescoes which gives the symbolic and
dogmatic justification for communion in two kinds seems very iikeiy, in this light, to
have been an echo of current theological disputes. The erroneous Roman Catholic rite
was thereby rejected and the obligatory communion in two kinds in the Armenian-
Chalcedonian church asserted in the iconographic programme.
3. The naos: the arms of the domed cross
The dominant theme in the domed space, as we have suggested, was the
glorification of the Pantocrator. in the altar apse the celestial liturgy is at the centre of
attention. The arms of the domed cross contain the main events in the History of
Salvation. In the north and south arms, in accordance with tradition, extends the
Mariological cycle, which disclosed the prehistory of the incarnation, and the
Christological cycle in which scenes of the great festivals and of Christ's Passion and
Resurrection were depicted. The large compositions depicting the "Nativity of the
Virgin" and the "Nativity of Christ" face one another in the north and south lunettes,
thereby emphasising their interconnection and enabling their visual comparison. The
west arm contained scenes of the events that followed Christ's Ascension and was
almost entirely filled with the vast composition of the "Last Judgement".
The lost composition of the cupola played an important role in linking these
sequences together. If, as seems highly likely, it contained a depiction of the
"Ascension" this would have provided a link between the scenes in all three arms. As
the Acts of the Apostles especially emphasize, the Ascension not only marked the end
of Christ's earthly presence but was a prologue to the Second Coming (Acts 1:11).
Furthermore, a depiction of the Ascension would also have established the link
between these scenes and the celestial liturgy in the sanctuary apse since this
composition illustrated, more vividly than all the others, the indivisibility of the earthly
and heavenly existence of Christ. The iconographic programme of the cross arms also
includes numerous holy monks who, as it were, supplement the thematic murals.
They acted as intermediaries for those worshipping in the church: they had attained
sainthood and showed the surest path to salvation.
77: c Errgfr: cyc/c
This cycle is made up of five scenes located around the north lunette. Three small
compositions telling the story of Joachim and Anne are to be found immediately
beneath the "Nativity of the Virgin". "The Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple" is
located on the adjoining eastern slope of the vault but today only the silhouettes of
Joachim with the young Mary standing before him have been preserved. This
^ M. Gatterer, "Kommunion", LaM'Aro/: Jiir 77:eotog;e und XircAe, Bd. 6, Freiburg im Breisgau, 1934,
p. 104.