DOI article:
Zaprzalska, Dorota: Ikona tzw. kompozytowa w klasztorze Wlatadon w Salonikach – zagadnienie formuły ikonograficzno-kompozycyjnej i funkcji ideowo-dewocyjnej
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.51255#0031
of Angels, Cherubims and Seraphims”,45 which, together with the inscription above
the head of Christ, charges the stage with an apocalyptic dimension.46 In the bot-
tom row, the Virgin Mary with Child is depicted between the archangel Michael
and John the Baptist, who is holding a scroll with the inscription: IAE O A/M[N]
O(X) TOY/ 0(EO)Y O AI/PQ(N). These words, referring to a fragment from
the Gospel of John (1:29), are spoken by the priest when he extracts the central
part (Amnos) from the prosphora, while preparing the Eucharistic gifts: “Behold
the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world”.47 This prompts researchers
to read similar representations as a representation of the Proskomedia rite.48 This is
confirmed by the texts in which Amnos was seen in the middle of the prosphora as
a symbol of Christ in the womb of the Virgin Mary.49 Emphasizing the role of the
Mother of God means that the message of both icons can be read as a simultane-
ous reference to the Incarnation, the Passion of Christ, and Salvation. This inter-
pretation is confirmed by the texts of Symeon of Thessaloniki, bishop of the city
from the beginning of the fifteenth century, and author of the work On the Tempie
of God.50 The latter includes a description of Proskomedia: “cantors sing antiphons,
reflecting the choir of the prophets [...] and they preach through the psalms [...]
the Incarnation of God-Word, and through hymns they present the grace [already]
accomplished, and the Son of God who has already taken on flesh and he has done
everything for us”.51 This work also contains a description of the hymn Epinikios:
“And [the hierarch] begins the victorious hymn along with them, crying: holy, holy,
holy [...]. Then the hierarch, when he already praised the greatest of Gods works
in the hymn: the incarnation of the Only Begotten - and in turn the greatest of his
earthly lifes works: his death [suffered] for us, begins to recollect the mysteries”.52
This demonstrates the combination of the ideas of the Incarnation and Salvation in
the minds of the congregation, for whom hymnography was an expression of theol-
ogy, transferred through musie to the sphere of religious sentiments.53
The larger icon repeats not only the patterns and composition of the inserted
image, but also its dogmatic message. The Crucifixion on the reverse extends and
depicts the symbolism of Christs Passion as expressed in the verse on St. Johns
scroll. A. Tourta emphasized that this constitutes a continuation of the Incarnation,
and that the themes of these two icons are closely linked to one another, and relate
to the Passion and Glory of Christ.54 Considering this extremely well thought-out
45 Liturgikon bizantyński: Liturgia Eucharystyczna św. Jana Chryzostoma, translated by J. Czerski,
Opole 2002, p. 41 (ąuotation translated by Dorota Wąsik).
46 A. Xyngopoulos, Une icone, p. 124; A. Toupra, EiKÓveą, p. 176.
47 J. Czerski, Boska liturgia, pp. 51, 69.
48 See: S. Der Nersessian, Two Images ofthe Virgin in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection,“Dumbarton
Oaks Papers”, 14,1960, pp. 75-77; E. Kitzinger, The Mosaics ofthe Cappella Palatina in Palermo: An
Essay on the Choice and Arrangement of Subjects, “The Art Bulletin”, 31,1949, no. 4, pp. 273-274.
49 Such comparisons can be found in Theodore of Andidas commentary on the Liturgy, see:
Theodori Episcopi Andidorum Commentatio Liturgica, Patrologiae Cursus Completus. Series
Graeca (henceforth: PG), edited by J.-P. Mignę, vol. 140, Parisiis 1865, col. 429.
50 Symeonis Thessalonicensis Archiepiscopi Expositio de divino templo, PG 155, Parisiis 1866,
col. 697-750.
51 Symeon z Tessaloniki, O Świątyni Bożej, translated by A. Maciejewska, Kraków 2007, pp. 57-58
(ąuotation translated by Dorota Wąsik).
52 Ibidem, p. 76 (ąuotation translated by Dorota Wąsik).
53 E. Wellesz, Historia muzyki i hymnografii bizantyjskiej, Kraków 2006, p. 179.
54 A. Toupra, Appinpómonr], p. 152.
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Dorota Zaprzalska
the head of Christ, charges the stage with an apocalyptic dimension.46 In the bot-
tom row, the Virgin Mary with Child is depicted between the archangel Michael
and John the Baptist, who is holding a scroll with the inscription: IAE O A/M[N]
O(X) TOY/ 0(EO)Y O AI/PQ(N). These words, referring to a fragment from
the Gospel of John (1:29), are spoken by the priest when he extracts the central
part (Amnos) from the prosphora, while preparing the Eucharistic gifts: “Behold
the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world”.47 This prompts researchers
to read similar representations as a representation of the Proskomedia rite.48 This is
confirmed by the texts in which Amnos was seen in the middle of the prosphora as
a symbol of Christ in the womb of the Virgin Mary.49 Emphasizing the role of the
Mother of God means that the message of both icons can be read as a simultane-
ous reference to the Incarnation, the Passion of Christ, and Salvation. This inter-
pretation is confirmed by the texts of Symeon of Thessaloniki, bishop of the city
from the beginning of the fifteenth century, and author of the work On the Tempie
of God.50 The latter includes a description of Proskomedia: “cantors sing antiphons,
reflecting the choir of the prophets [...] and they preach through the psalms [...]
the Incarnation of God-Word, and through hymns they present the grace [already]
accomplished, and the Son of God who has already taken on flesh and he has done
everything for us”.51 This work also contains a description of the hymn Epinikios:
“And [the hierarch] begins the victorious hymn along with them, crying: holy, holy,
holy [...]. Then the hierarch, when he already praised the greatest of Gods works
in the hymn: the incarnation of the Only Begotten - and in turn the greatest of his
earthly lifes works: his death [suffered] for us, begins to recollect the mysteries”.52
This demonstrates the combination of the ideas of the Incarnation and Salvation in
the minds of the congregation, for whom hymnography was an expression of theol-
ogy, transferred through musie to the sphere of religious sentiments.53
The larger icon repeats not only the patterns and composition of the inserted
image, but also its dogmatic message. The Crucifixion on the reverse extends and
depicts the symbolism of Christs Passion as expressed in the verse on St. Johns
scroll. A. Tourta emphasized that this constitutes a continuation of the Incarnation,
and that the themes of these two icons are closely linked to one another, and relate
to the Passion and Glory of Christ.54 Considering this extremely well thought-out
45 Liturgikon bizantyński: Liturgia Eucharystyczna św. Jana Chryzostoma, translated by J. Czerski,
Opole 2002, p. 41 (ąuotation translated by Dorota Wąsik).
46 A. Xyngopoulos, Une icone, p. 124; A. Toupra, EiKÓveą, p. 176.
47 J. Czerski, Boska liturgia, pp. 51, 69.
48 See: S. Der Nersessian, Two Images ofthe Virgin in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection,“Dumbarton
Oaks Papers”, 14,1960, pp. 75-77; E. Kitzinger, The Mosaics ofthe Cappella Palatina in Palermo: An
Essay on the Choice and Arrangement of Subjects, “The Art Bulletin”, 31,1949, no. 4, pp. 273-274.
49 Such comparisons can be found in Theodore of Andidas commentary on the Liturgy, see:
Theodori Episcopi Andidorum Commentatio Liturgica, Patrologiae Cursus Completus. Series
Graeca (henceforth: PG), edited by J.-P. Mignę, vol. 140, Parisiis 1865, col. 429.
50 Symeonis Thessalonicensis Archiepiscopi Expositio de divino templo, PG 155, Parisiis 1866,
col. 697-750.
51 Symeon z Tessaloniki, O Świątyni Bożej, translated by A. Maciejewska, Kraków 2007, pp. 57-58
(ąuotation translated by Dorota Wąsik).
52 Ibidem, p. 76 (ąuotation translated by Dorota Wąsik).
53 E. Wellesz, Historia muzyki i hymnografii bizantyjskiej, Kraków 2006, p. 179.
54 A. Toupra, Appinpómonr], p. 152.
30
ARTICLES
Dorota Zaprzalska