Alessandro Botticelli "Mystical Christmas". Botticelli and Dark Subtext "Mystical Christmas Historical Context and Publishing Aspects
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Greek inscription above translates as: "This picture, at the end of 1500, in the problems of Italy, I am Alessandro, for a break after time painted, according to the eleventh [chapter] of St. John, in the second mountain of the apocalypse, during the release of the devil for three and a half years; Then he must be connected in the twelfth [chapter], and we will see [his buried] as in this picture. " Botticelli believed that he lived during misfortune, perhaps due to coups in Europe at the time, and predicted the millennium of Christ, as stated in the biblical text.
It was proposed that painting could be related to the influence of Savonarol, the influence of which appears in many last pictures of Botticelli, although the content of the image may have been determined by a person who authorizes it. Painting uses a medieval agreement of the show of the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus, larger and, than other numbers and than their environment; It was, of course, made consciously for the effect, since the earlier use of BotTicellis corrects the graphical perspective.
Historical context and puzzling aspects
Mystical Christmas Pictures the scene of joy and celebration, earthly and heavenly admiration, with angels dancing at the top of painting. At the top of the painting name Sandro Botticelli - but also apocalyptic and disturbing words. And there are dark warnings - helpless children's rest on a sheet, which causes Savan, in which his body turns out once, while the cave in which the scene is installed, reminds his grave. Kings on the abandoned bear no gifts, but their own devotion. Upstairs painting twelve angels dressed in the colors of faith, hopes and charity dance in a circle holding olive branches, and above them, heaven open in a large gold dome, while the founding of painting three angels cover three men, seeking them to raise them from the ground. They hold the scrolls who declare in Latin, "the world on the ground of men benevolence." Behind them, the seven devils flee the criminal world, some of the arms are populated on their own weapons. In the Renaissance, the paintings of the terrible court of times showed the audience the score of the damned and saved during the Second Coming of Christ. In the repetition of this type of painting of mystical Christmas, asking us to think not only the birth of Christ, but also his return .. "(Jonathan Nelson, Syracuse University in Florence).
Painting appeared from the city of Florence during, when Savonarola's fanatic preacher kept the city in his power. He arrived in Florence in 1490, but was reflected by artistic glory and enormous wealth, which was impressed by the world. He preached it, it was corrupt and the place where the villages. Big Beach was approaching - and then his words took a terrifying reality: Italian War 1494-1498. In 1494, the huge French army invaded Italy, and the troops entered Florence so that the Florentines were afraid that the king of France wanted to dismiss the city. Savonarola stepped into a political vacuum, he met with the French king and convinced him to leave Florence peacefully. In their gratitude and alleviating the Florentine, the monk as a prophet and his preaching huge crowds in the Florentine Cathedral were increasingly considered. Savonarola argued that Florence could become new Jerusalem if citizens would repent and leave their sinful luxury - and which included most of their art. His beliefs were made real, while groups of evangelical young people continued to encourage people to part with their luxury, their obscene paintings, and books, their vanity, comb, mirrors. Botticelli may have seen their own paintings feeding fire. Yet the artist may not objected because, as much of the city, he also arrived under the influence of Savonarola. It seems that the sermon preached by the Savonarola has directly to mystical Christmas.
In one preaching, Savonarola preached, he formulated a vision that came to him, in which he saw the extraordinary heavenly crown. It was based on twelve hearts with twelve ribbons, wrapped around them, and written on them on Latin were unique mystical qualities or the privileges of the Virgin Mary - She is the "mother of his father", "her son's daughter", "the bride of God", and t. d. Although most of the letter on the tapes conducted by the dancing angels are now invisible for the naked eye, infrared reflectography has shown that the original words on the angel tapes correspond to exactly 12 privileges of the Savonarol of the Virgin. In his preaching, preached on the day of assumption, Savonarola continued to explore the 11th and 12th chapters of the opening book - the exact chapters mentioned in the inscription painting. He connected the fame of Mary with the inevitable to come out of the power of Christ on Earth.
Savonarola has kept Florence in his hand, but his rigid line charismatic rule made it with influential political enemies. He was challenged to prove his holiness, going through the fire and when he refused the flow of opinion turned against him. He was arrested, and under the torture, in which they admit to being a false prophet. May 23, 1498 he was hanged with two of his leading lieutenants, their burned bodies and their ashes, dissatisfied in the Arno River. Some see the figures of these three men at the base of painting as representatives of the three executed holy men raised and returned to the grace - but the persecution did not wait for the followers of Savonarol, and it was in the atmosphere of oppression of Botticelli intended to create Mystical Christmas.
Painting is on canvas - Usually he would use a wooden panel - perhaps for painting with a dangerous message, the canvas had an advantage that it could be rolled and hidden. With his canvas prepared, he would make a sketch of detailed design on paper, then he handed it to his canvas. He attracted many sources - dancing angels repeat his own three graces Primavera., carrying the devil was inspired by the German engraving on the tree. X-ray shows that very little original project has changed - the wing only angel was adapted, and the trees are added on the roof of the stable. Botticelli was now ready to create an image using oil paint - like canvas experimental medium. To create a heavenly dome, Botticelli turned to the craft of a jeweler, which he studied like a boy. "The symbolism of gold belongs to the unchanged, unwitting nature of heaven - gold does not break down, it does not darken like silver. Botticelli would use the adhesive layer made of oil mixed with The resin is not polished, gold, just flattened on the surface, after the surface malfunctions of the canvas - shine, confusing, it will help the gems as the quality of painting - it would pull the eye from Christmas to heaven. Vera, hope and charity, [Angels dressed in ] White, green and red - but copper, based, green pigment has discolored over time to bronze. It would be originally bright. "
Fate painting
In 1510 Botticelli died. Mystical Christmas It remains hidden for another three centuries. Rome at the end of the 18th century was very different from Renaissance Florence - with the exception of the presence of French invaders. Many foreigners left, but not a young Englishman, William Young Ottley. He was an artistic fan, and rich with slave plantation in the Caribbean. He bought many pictures cheap. In Villa Aldobrandini, he saw a small, unknown job, Mystical Christmas Botticelli. Botticelli was then in the darkness.
This arrived in London, where the Ottley house became actually a private museum of Italian masterpieces. After the death of Ottley, William Fallele Maitland Stansheda took painting at an auction for 80 £. When he gave him to the application of masterpieces, Manchester 1857, it was now on the open display. Newspaper exhibition The auditor is masterpieces Printed a new engraving it.
John Reskin helped give painting his name; After observing it in London, he mentioned the "mystical symbolism of Botticelli." When Martland died, the National Gallery in London entered. According to Nicolas Penny Gallery "was affected to buy work with earlier Renaissance - earlier it was his highest priority to buy masterpieces that would not be contradiction at all. There was an element of avant-garde excitement about buying paintings as in the 19th century. " The gallery was supposed to find 1,500 £, being almost 20 times, which she brought only thirty years earlier.
Natività Mistica) - one of the last paintings of the Florentine artist Sandro Botticelli, created in the period marked in his work with a layer of optimism of the Quatrocheto, the growth of religiosity and sharply tragic perception of the world.The canvas was practically not known until he saw him at Villa Aldobrandini and did not acquire the Englishman. Botticelli was "renounced" with art critics with the beginning of the movement of Pre-Faelitis, it was then John Ryuskin gave his chille his current name. In 1878, a London National Gallery acquired a picture for 1500 pounds. In the upper part of the web, a Greek inscription is preserved, which says:
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To give any interpretation of this text with apocalyptic alluses is extremely difficult. Obviously, the work belongs to Botticelli, as it is signed ( Alessandro, Sandro - Derivative from Alexander) and dated 1501 year (Florentine year ended on March 24, and the artist mentions the end of 1500). In addition, the author mentions political riots in Italy, that is, the picture is written during political and military unrest, shook the native to the artist Tuscan after the death of Lorenzo magnificent.
John's Apocalypse is most likely due to the end of long tests (the beginning of which Botticelli's creativity researchers are referred to by the burning of Fra Dzhirolamo Savonarola or with cruel military campaigns of Cesare Bordjia), when evil will be defeated.
In the composition of "Mystical Christmas", the artist relied on both the sacred submission and the sermons of Savonarolls. This is evidenced by the illustration of one of the collections of the sermons of Fra Dzhirolamamo (1496, Florence, the National Library). The iconography of the picture, as well as the intonation of the inscriptions, is noted by the influence of mysticism and the rigor of the teaching of the preacher.
About the speeches of Savonarolls, in particular about his Christmas preaching, spoken under the Florentine 1494, where he called on the inhabitants of Florence to turn the city into a new Nazareth, remind those who came to worship the infant of the figure in the modern artist's clothes, peaceful by saving arms with the angels; Meanwhile, the demons at the bottom of the paintings are rushing to hide in the gap exposed in the ground.
On the roof of the hut - three angels dressed in white, red and green. These colors personify grace, truth and justice, often figured in Savonarolls speeches. The scene dominates the theme of peace and peace, undertaken by the symbols of olive wreaths and branches accompanying characters. Olive branches are kept in hands and circling angels over the hut - a plot borrowed from practicing churches of churches for sacred representations.
Christmas in the whole Christian world is the most beloved holiday. He is full of exciting expectations, anticipation of a miracle, hopes. The premonition of the update of life, which must come after the Christmas night, paints the days long before the occurrence of the festive event, only with the thought of him. Merry Christmas is associated with the brightest dreams and the most bold plans for the next year. Now they are often quite secular in nature, but this complex of emotions have been folded during the centuries in line with the religious experiences of one of the main holidays of the Christian Church. Art - painting, drama, music - actively participated in his decoration and embodied these experiences.
Matthias Grünevald. Christmas.
The sash of the Isoremian altar. OK. 1515. Unterlinden Museum, Colmar
IN The sacred writings of the birth circumstances of Christ are summarized enough, without mentioning accurate facts (which gave the basis of the next century to argue even about the date of Christmas). The most detailed description of the event contains the Gospel of Luke (Lux. 2: 6-7): "When they were there (in Bethlehem. - N.M.), it's time to give birth to her; And the Son gave birth to his firstborn, and he was ripe, and put it in Nursery, because there was no place in the hotel. " But this story is a meager for the details.
The earliest images appeared on the walls of the Roman catacombs, and the event was not so much the event, as they denote it. In the next century apocrypha, works of church writers, the compositions of mystics, the Mystery Drama has bloomed the plot in many details and experiences. The beginning of this movement was put on the mystical teachings of Bernard Clervoskoy (1090-1153), the rod of which was the love of Christ the baby and Christ - a passion recorder, as well as revered and love for the Mother of God.
In "Revelations", the Swedish brigitts (approx. 1304-1373) The christmas scene is described with many details as a picture that appeared in front of it so clearly, as if the real event, when this nun, making a pilgrimage to the Holy Earth, was in Bethlehem. In memory and in honor of the Nativity of Christ, Francis Assisi (1181 / 2-1226), first arranged the submission of the scene in the manle with the Divine Infant as an independent action, not included in the liturgy, so that as much laity as possible, including those inexperienced in Latin and illiterate , could see, "as it was." It happened in 1223, and the medieval religious drama is leading from this date.
XV - The first half of the XVI century is the time of its highest popularity and distribution.
The main theme of these theatrical ideas (mysteries) was the life of Christ, the performance of "passions" was most successful, stretched often for several days and fulfilled for many hours. The scenic platform served to restore the cathedral, the platform on the market square or just the square and the streets of the city. A variety of technical devices: blocks for "ascension", hatches for "falling into hell" - contributed to the brightness of the impression. To make a submission of "passions" was the best and higher than just the city could celebrate an outstanding event.
Sandro Botticelli. Mystical Christmas.OK. 1500.
The texts of the drama consisted of hundreds and even thousands of poetic lines, and the priests usually wrote them. In the registration of the most direct participation of artists and artisans of urban guilds, they, along with spiritual persons, were performers. The goal of theatrical action was to imagine the Divine, the sacred reality of these distant events as possible. At the same time, the persistentness of the details fell out of the surrounding life. Poetic texts that accompanied the action of the music, the naturalism of the presentation (and it reached shining extremes, when a person who actually took the role of Judah, at the last moment I was hardly alive taken out of the loop) - everything appeared to the feelings of the audience, captured their emotions. And if "passions" were painted in tragic, sorrowful experiences, then Christmas was joyful, bright feelings.
IN XV-XVI centuries. The art of painting has reached such a level of development that artists could create their own interpretations of canonical Christian plots, very strongly moving away from traditional iconography and endowing the works by their own emotional system. Here are just a few examples to judge how large was the range of this creative freedom.
The scene of the Christmas of the German artist Mattias Grunevald overwhelms the joy reaching some ecstatic gas. It is transmitted by light and even as if shining flowers of Angels and Mary's clothes. Old construction, usually portrayed in this scene as the place of birth of Jesus, here is replaced by an elegantly decorated loggia, filled with chorus and an angels orchestra, the famous Mary Maria and the baby barefaches, whom she with tenderness holds in her arms. (The latter circumstance goes beyond the canon, according to which the baby usually lies in the nursery or on Earth, and Maria or lies on the bed, or stands on his knees and worships him.) The fact that Angelic singing accompanied Christmas can be concluded from the words of the Gospel from Luke (Luke 2: 13-14), telling about the angel's appearance to the shepherds with good news: "And suddenly appeared with the Angel's numerous host of heaven, the famous God and writing: Glory in the High of God, and on Earth, the world, in humans, favor!"
Later, the Swedish brigitt written about this at all: "Then (after the wonderful birth of Maria Baby.- N.M.) I heard the singing of angels, it was unusually gentle and beautiful. "
From above in golden radiance (symbolizing the mountain world and heavenly heavenly) looks like a father's father with a baby, and piercing darkness and clouds, the flow of divine light reaches the earth.
But the joy of not-sitting. The black background of an angelic concert, a change of light and thunderstorm sky in the landscape behind Mary fill her alarming dynamic contrasts, in which you can guess the foresight of further tragic events.
L. The picture of Botticelli "Mystical Christmas" is infused about the coming into the world of Christ.
Angels not only sing and musitize, they supply shepherds and Magi to wet the baby, hugging mortals and drive away the dance in heaven, according to such an exposure and appealing their golden gloomy glow, in every way embodying the "Great Joy", "which will be all people, for Now it was born in the city of David Savior, who is Christ the Lord "(Luke 2: 10-11). Angels have rainbow wings and olive branches in hands, symbolizing the world. It runs and hides under the ground, in Rasseks, any evil in the form of small devils.
Gusting joyful, exalted feelings, the artist transmits the rhythm of the directed towards almost falling into the arms or moving in a circle of figures. Drawing of trembling folds of light clothes is not so much fluctuations in air, how much, it seems, there is a cast of movements and excitement of the soul.
The shade of mystical exaltation is clearly tangible in the BotticeLel cannon associated with the fact that, creating a picture (about 1500), the artist was covered by the expectation of the end of the world and a terrible court, which, according to many, had to come at the beginning of the new century and the second half of the Millennium . These eschatological sentiments exacerbated experiences associated with the first coming to the world of Christ - his birth. The Version "Christmas" at Botticelli is extremely unusually known and multifaceted and is not exhausted only by the theme of joy, but there is no possibility for its detailed analysis.
Italian artists of the XV century depicted Christmas as a scene with bright daylight. Particularly transparent and beautiful, he was delolding French, as if the light from the Divine Baby poured all the land, and the emphasis was on the bright joy, which this event was in the world.
IN The work of the Netherlands and German painters had a Christmas version as a night scene. The basis for such an interpretation contains the Gospel of Luke, where the statement of the shepherds says: "In the country there were a shepherd field that contained night (italics mine. - N.M.) Casting her herd "(Lux. 2: 8). The time when an angel came to the shepherds, was transferred to the most event. Picture of Herrtgen That Sint-Jan "Night Christmas" gives a vivid example of such a "nocturna".
Gertgen That Sint-Jan. Night Christmas.1484–1490
National Gallery, London
The scene is immersed in the night darkness, which cuts the radiance emanating from the baby lying in the nursery. It highlights the face and clothing of the angels and Mary on an almost monochrome black and brown background, shows the head of the ox and the donkey warming up their breath of the newborn. In such an image, the words of the Swedish brigitta are exactly embodied: "... she made a son on the light of the son, from which the inexpressible light and radiance came, so the sun could not compare with him, and even more so the candle that Joseph put here, - the Light of the Divine completely absorbed Light material. "
In the figures there are a touching naivety of a folk sculpture; In the puppet fairs, a direct innocent response to a miracle was captured: Maria bent in prayer, the angels are seriously and concentrated, and one widespread his hands from surprise. They are very close to the Dutch wooden church sculpture of the XV century. Simplicity, humility and dignity fill this scene, and these feelings are characteristic of that new piety, which developed among the laity in the Northern Netherlands in the XV century.
T. Night Christmas Radiation lived in Holland for a very long time. In the XVII century Rembrandt gave her tribute, not only in painting, but also in the etching, with inimitable skills, creating the "Night scenes" printing charts, immersed in a deep velvety or shimmering darkness.
Both traditions happily merge in one of the most famous works on the topic of Christmas - the picture of Antonio Correjo "Holy Night."
Antonio Corredjo. Christmas (Holy Night).1522-1530. Gallery of old masters,
State Art Collections, Dresden
The picture was ordered as an altar image for private chapel and represents the first in European painting a monumental night scene. But the most amazing, as the artist managed to fill this religious scene deeply humane feeling. Traditional iconographic moments have gained a natural explanation from Corredago. Maria is written by the crankshake, because it is more convenient for her to keep the baby lying on the sheep of wheat, ripping nursery. (Wheat instead of the sacrament of communion is symbolizing commonly depicted in this scene.) The newborn Christ is surrounded by ordinary people, and their reaction is competitive together and immediately. In the biography of Corredjo Vazari described in detail the picture and especially noted how believable the artist portrayed a woman, "who wanted to look at Christ from which the radiance comes, and we could not make deaths of his divinity, as if striked her figure, closes her rays hand eye; It is so expressive that it is truly a miracle. " This light emanating from Christ brightly illuminates the shapes and highlights the whole group of a deep dusk at night, in which the landscape is immersed. But he does not produce a mystical impression. The golden heat of this radiance seems to be filled with the love and tenderness of the young beautiful Mary to the baby. In the monumental altar image of the presenter, the penetrated lyrical theme - maternal love, beautiful earthly feeling.
Each element of the picture is interpreted with all the persuasive reality, without losing at the same time its symbolic meaning. Strip of engaged in dawn on the horizon - a sign of a new faith. Stone steps to which the shepherd is based on - the ruins of the building of the Old Testament, bringing to the new messiah.
The movement of people, the whirlwind of singing angels in the embroilment transmit an excitement caused by a wonderful event - the coming of God to Earth. Night darkness envelops his secret mystery.
Corredito created a work truthful and sublime at the same time. High degree of generalization and idealization of people and nature images and together the sincerity of human emotions brought him a deserved glory of one of the most advanced incarnations of the plot in world art.
P Ostropkka in the New Testament about the time of birth of Christ is said only indirectly (which it happened during the census of the population of the Roman Empire), in the first centuries, various churches celebrated him at different times - in January, in the spring, in autumn. The first written certificate of the birth of Christ contains the Roman calendar of 354 (stored in the Vatican Library), where against December 25, with the immutability of the historical fact, it was written: "Christ was born in Bethlehem Jewish." This entry and gave the holiday date.
Initially, the holiday was purely religious in nature and celebrated a solemn festive mesca in the walls of the Cathedral - following the example and in the memory of the first Mass, from the very Virgin Mary immediately at the birth of Christ. ("When Verova realized that she had already gave birth to his baby, she immediately began to pray to him." Brigitta Swedish. "Revelations about the life and passages of Jesus Christ and the Presvah Mary, his mother," Angels and the Shepherds joined Mary. . Starting from the XIII century, the celebration splashes on the city streets and squares, where mysterial theatrical acts accompanying the celebration are unfolded. And in the XVI century. Christmas holiday for the first time comes to the house of Mijan. The legend binds the beginning of this custom with the name Martin Luther (1483-1546), an outstanding operator of the Reformation. According to legend, Luther began to put in his house on Christmas Eve, on Christmas Eve, a fir as a symbol of power and peace and eternal life, which through the coming of Christ to man, and decorate her candles, symbolizing the light that the Divine Baby lit up Christmas night. There is a gravy of the XVI century, depicting a Luther with a family next to the Christmas tree.
Contemporaries Luther were in no hurry to follow his example. The home holiday of Christmas was encouraged, it was forbidden by the church and finally and universally established in Germany in the middle of the XVIII century. It is Germany that became the classic country of the Christmas tree holiday.
In it, Christian Christmas has connected with the ancient pagan images of the world tree and the Tree of Life, who worshiped Druids. In Germany, the world tree has long been embodied in ate; The Germans are connected with her most of the legends and belief.
However, the symbolism of the Christmas ate was in line with Christian concepts. In addition to the already marked, the star at the top is strengthened in honor of the Bethlehem star, which led Magi. The crosses in which the trunk is attached, should remind of Christ's God's Flies. Under the tree is placed the so-called "nursery" (Ial. presepio.) - A group of figurines made of wood or clay depicting the scene of the Nativity of Christ. And in memory of the Baby Christ the center of the Christmas holiday are children. For them - gifts under the Christmas tree, apples and nuts, candy and toys on its branches: the material signs of the gifts of Christ.
The most famous "Christmas" literary works arose in the era of romanticism: "Nutcracker and Mouse King" E.T.A. Hoffman and stories H.K. Andersen "Tree" and "Girl with matches", which laid the foundation of Christmas stories and leads in the literature of the XIX - the first half of the 20th century.
From Germany, the custom of the Christmas tree around 1840 was rapidly spread to European countries and to Russia. In Soviet times, during religious persecutions, the Christmas tree feast was banned for a while, and then transformed into the holiday of the New Year tree with a completely secular, not related to the Christian tradition of the program. He is celebrated with a scope today.
"Mystical Christmas" (Ital. Natività Mistica) - one of the last paintings of the Florentine artist Sandro Botticelli, created in the period noted in his work with a layer of optimism of the Quatrochet, the growth of religiosity and sharply tragic perception of the world.
The canvas was practically not known until he saw him at Villa Aldobrandini and did not acquire the Englishman. Botticelli was "renounced" with art critics with the beginning of the movement of Pre-Faelitis, it was then John Ryuskin gave his chille his current name. In 1878, a London National Gallery acquired a picture for 1500 pounds. In the upper part of the web, a Greek inscription is preserved, which says:
She was written at the end of 1500 during the riots in Italy, me, by Alexander, in half of that period, at the beginning of which the head of the IX of St. John and the second revelation of the Apocalypse, when Satan reign on the ground three and a half years. According to this period, the devil will be chained again, and we will see the overthrown, as in this picture.
Original text (Greek)
Εγώ, ο Αλέξανδρος, ζωγράφισα το έργο αυτό, στο τέλος του έτους 1500, σε καιρούς ταραγμένους για την Ιταλία, στο μισό του χρόνου, κατά την εκπλήρωση της προφητείας του 11ου κεφαλαίου [της Αποκάλυψης] του Ιωάννη, στην εποχή της δεύτερης πληγής της Αποκάλυψης , όταν ο Διάβολος αφήνεται ελεύθερος για τρεισήμισι χρόνια. Μετά θα αλυσοδεθεί σύμφωνα με σύμφωνα με και κε εάλαιο και θα τον Δούμε να συντρίίβεται, όπως σε αυτό τον πίνακα.
To give any interpretation of this text with apocalyptic alluses is extremely difficult. Obviously, the work belongs to Botticelli, as it is signed ( Alessandro, Sandro - Derivative from Alexander) and dated 1501 year (Florentine year ended on March 24, and the artist mentions the end of 1500). In addition, the author mentions political riots in Italy, that is, the picture is written during political and military unrest, shook the native to the artist Tuscan after the death of Lorenzo magnificent.
John's Apocalypse is most likely due to the end of long tests (the beginning of which Botticelli's creativity researchers are referred to by the burning of Fra Dzhirolamo Savonarola or with cruel military campaigns of Cesare Bordjia), when evil will be defeated.
In the composition of "Mystical Christmas", the artist relied on both sacred submissions and for the sermons of Savonarola. This is evidenced by the illustration of one of the collections of the sermons of Fra Dzhirolamamo (1496, Florence, the National Library). The iconography of the picture, as well as the intonation of the inscriptions, is noted by the influence of mysticism and the rigor of the teaching of the preacher.
About the speeches of Savonarol, in particular about his Christmas sermon uttered under the Florentine 1494, where he called on the inhabitants of Florence to turn the city into a new Nazareth, remind those who came to worship the infant of the figure in the modern artist's clothes, peaceful by saving arms with angels; Meanwhile, the demons at the bottom of the paintings are rushing to hide in the gap exposed in the ground.
On the roof of the hut - three angels dressed in white, red and green. These colors personify grace, truth and justice, which often appeared in Savonarol speeches. The scene dominates the theme of peace and peace, undertaken by the symbols of olive wreaths and branches accompanying characters. Olive branches are kept in hands and circling angels over the hut - a plot borrowed from practicing churches of churches for sacred representations.
Christmas is Christo - the greatest holiday, marking his inener gift of love and the mercy of God to us the sinner - the phenomenon of the Son of God on the ground that has come down from heaven.
The abbot of Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, the Metropolitan Vyshgorod and Chernobyl Lord Paul, told about the holiday of Wests, Metropolitan
"All prophecies were fulfilled, which were told about the Mother of God, who was the greatest fertile vessel prepared by God's grace, to coming to the world of Christ the Savior. So the Lord loved the world that he gave his son of his only society so that every believer in him was not died. The Presznoral Annunciation, which brought the joy of salvation to the whole world, today brought to the world and other greatest joy - Christmas of Christ, the beginning of the fertile kingdom of God on Earth, "said Metropolitan.
Christmas Christ: History
Vladyka Paul reminded that Christ was born in a wretched cave, pointing to us by these meekness and humility, for the love of man.
The Son of God could come to the world in the dwelling most comfortable, bright, luxurious and spacious. But the Savior chose another: Born in poverty to show us with all the example of patience and contents small.
"In life is always more unfortunate than happy, more poor than rich. But how hard it is to carry poverty! As an unhappy hard to take its position at the sight of happily living! And yet, take your such idea in my heart: Your poverty, your misfortune shares your savior. If you find it difficult to transfer it all, look at the Savior lying in the manger. You are poor - he is poorer, and he dismissed, being rich - the owner of everything. He is God - and in poverty. He and as a person could have everything, but she chose not to have anything, "the abbot of Lavra stressed.
Why did Christ be born in such a moon? He came not in order for him to serve, but to serve us - sinful and unworthy. He came not to bliss here, on Earth, and suffer for us. All my life, to the very death of God for us for the thoughts of the righteous anger of God, all sorts of deprivation, renovation, grief.
He came with suffering and death to redeem and save us. "And here are these suffering and its life begins on Earth. Only he is born - and already suffers: suffers from poverty, from poverty, from what has now had and put it. Remember why a person lost bliss? Because of what the first Adam was expelled from Paradise? He fell for pride - it wasveling to be equal to God. And now the return of this bliss should be accomplished through the deepest humility, by self. Pride, the desire of more deprived of the man of love of God, and humility, patience of deprivities should return this love, return the lost paradise, "Metropolitan reminded.
"And on this greatest night when I fell asleep every malice, when the prayers of the righteous, as a burning candle, are ascended to the sky, we are witnessing the angels of the gossip shepherds about the greatest miracle. Why are shepherds only? Because he, according to the teachings of the Holy Fathers, was Crescent and humble, pure hearts. Here, the Lord and the Savior ours show that he accepts everyone and everyone - whether it is a simple person, not sophisticated with sciences, but with a clear conscience and life as directed to God; Whether the person is sophisticated by many knowledge, but not relying on his wisdom, but the search for the light of the mountain, the Light of the Divine. The Lord looks at the meek and humble heart - the man who makes his daily, every minute, praying to God and working on this long-suffering land. These people, the Lord procresses the greatest miracle about this, because they deserve to bring this news and others, "said Lord Paul.
Angels challenged: "Glory in the High GOD!" - They gave praise to the one who created them, who created the greatest love of Heavenly forces to give them the joy of communication.
"And on the world of the world!" "That is, that the long-awaited world came, about whom Adam dreamed about when he was expelled from Paradise.
"Sedge Adam straight Paradise, and sobs his nude crying ..." sobbing about what? Not that he lost heaven! And about what was deprived of the appearance of God. The fact that he was good in paradise is one thing. But the worst thing is to stay without communicating with the Lord.
"In man in favor!" - Merry Christmas, man returns to the abode of the father of heaven, that he lost the Old Adam through his sin, today is updated through the new Adam. That the blow, which the Lord once blurted out into the body, in the soul of Adam's Old, a certain little part of eternity makes us involved in Eternity, the Sons of the Kingdom of Heaven, the heirs of the kingdom of God.
Christmas Christ: Value of Holiday
Merry Christmas is updated all, because this greatest holiday gives a man the opportunity to rethink his life, again and reopping his soul to the Lord.
"Stars serving star studios to you, the sun is truth," so the Magi, the wisest men of that time, and today we are taught not to be caught in a deep reverence, mind and heart, bow to the embodied son of God - the Savior of our.
What did these East Tsari be brought to the Lord? Gold, incense and Smyrna, as the best of everything that was in the East, which was famous for the fatherland of Magi Gold - as the king and chapter of the human race, incense - as a high priest and teacher, Smyrna - as a man and a petition, having death to destroy the death of death.
"What do these gifts mean for us? What will we bring to the Lord from ourselves? They brought gold - the most expensive metal. But David-Psalm People says that the Word of God is more expensive and lustful of expensive gold. So, if we study the Word of God and take it in our heart, as a possible possible, I will bring a gift that is more precious than gold for the Lord - this gift is his truth. Magi brought incense, which, in an inquisition climbing heaven, serves as a thankful gift, a pleasant God. If we again and again in the prayers of our souls, we will thank our Savior for everything that he sends us for our salvation, will it be nicer to God than incense? Magi brought to Smyrna. The word Smyrna means "bitterness", "sorrow". Our crushing about your sins, our confession in front of him in the heart chagrin of our sins, for which he died - here is our Smirna. If we grow in themselves the wonderful gifts to our Savior, then our way is faithful to the abode of the kingdom of heaven, "Metropolitan Paul stressed.
And in conclusion, I called on all believers: "Rejoice to this Great Day. Instead of a man, let's bring your heart born to Christ so that the Lord can stand in it. I will open him the doors of your soul and let him in your home. We will quickly look at this star - the Church of Christ, who announced the Great Joy to us, and we will follow it. Because there is no greater joy than to follow Christ and he serve to serve. "
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