The theme of the incarnation of the Savior in Eastern Christian art is reflected not only in icons depicting the Nativity of Christ, but also in images dedicated to the feast of the Council of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The liturgical annual circle has the following feature: after the “main”, “main” holiday, the next day the special memory of those persons associated with this holiday is celebrated. So, after Epiphany, the “Cathedral of John the Baptist” is celebrated, after the day supreme apostles Peter and Paul - “The Council of the 12 Apostles.” The word “cathedral” in this context means a certain gathering of the faithful, not limited by time or space, held in honor of a saint. The celebration of the Council of Our Lady takes place on the second day of the Nativity of Christ, January 8 (NS). The services of these days are closely related in meaning and character, and the iconography of these holidays is also related. On the day of the Council of Our Lady, we honor Her as the Most Holy Virgin and Mother of the Son of God, who served great secret Incarnation.

The celebration in honor of the Mother of God, associated with the holiday of Christmas, arose in the Church very early, already in the 4th century. This was the very first Mother of God feast, from which other Mother of God celebrations were later formed.

The iconography of the “Cathedral of Our Lady” was formed quite late, only at the end of the 13th century. It was based on the iconography of the Nativity of Christ and some important elements, introduced under the influence of the text of the Christmas stichera. This is the fourth stichera Great Vespers Christmas holiday: « What shall we bring to Thee, O Christ, since He appeared on earth as a Man for our sake? Every former creature from You brings thanksgiving to You: Angels - singing; heaven - a star; volsvi – gifts; shepherding is a miracle; earth is a den; desert - manger; we are the Mother of the Virgin. Like before the ages, God, have mercy on us.” In a manuscript from the Sofia Library of the 14th century. (No. 193) it is said that the shepherds bring a “wondering” to Christ as thanksgiving.

The earliest known composition on this theme is the narthex fresco of the Church of Our Lady of Periveleptus in Ohrid (1295). During the Palaiologan period, iconography spread in the Orthodox ecumene. The oldest Russian icon on this subject comes from Pskov and was created at the end of the 14th - beginning of the 15th century. This most interesting monument both in its iconography and style. The icon differs significantly both from previous Byzantine monuments and from Russian icons and frescoes of a later time. Perhaps the peculiarities of the composition of the icon are related to the fact that it was based not only on the text of the stichera “What shall we bring to You...”, but also on other holiday chants. Some details of this particular Pskov icon still remain a mystery to researchers.

In the center of the icon is the Blessed Virgin seated on a throne, which has a curved asymmetrical back and is decorated with a white curtain. However, the Mother of God does not hold the Child Christ in her arms, although this is how She is depicted in all other works on this subject. On the Pskov icon, in front of the Mother of God, on Her chest, is placed the image of Christ Emmanuel, enclosed in a two-color eight-pointed “glory,” which She seems to be holding.

This image of the Savior and the Mother of God is reminiscent of the iconography of Our Lady of the Sign. On the “Sign” icons, the placement of the image of Emmanuel in the “glory” on the chest of the Mother of God indicates His hidden, mysterious presence and emphasizes the main theological idea of ​​the image - the dogma of the incarnation of God the Son from the Ever-Virgin Mary predicted by the prophets. In the iconography of the “Cathedral of Our Lady,” such an unusual move further emphasizes the theme of the Incarnation.

Another feature of the Pskov icon is the image of a cave, inside which is a manger with a swaddled Baby. This episode, borrowed from the image of the Nativity of Christ, is not found in other works of the Cathedral of Our Lady iconography. It can be assumed that both of these unique features appeared as a reflection, for example, of the text of the kontakion for the holiday of Christmas: “Today a virgin gives birth to the Most Essential, and the earth brings a den to the Unapproachable: angels and shepherds glorify, and wolves travel with a star: for our sake born When I was young, Eternal God». In this case, the image of a manger with a newly born Baby reinforces the very theme of birth, and the image of Christ-Emmanuel in “glory” is intended to emphasize that he is born from the Virgin, incarnate, not a common person, namely “Eternal God”, the Second Hypostasis of the Most Holy Trinity.

Otherwise central and top part the composition of the icon follows the established tradition. To the left of the throne of the Mother of God are depicted the wise men bringing gifts, one of whom points to a star, the image of which has not survived. To the right and left of the foot of the throne are two peculiar figures: half-naked women with disheveled hair. These are personifications - images personifying the Desert and the Earth. The desert, dressed in red, offers Christ a manger, and the Earth, dressed in a green cloak, seems to hold out a nativity scene with one hand, and holds a flourishing branch in the other.

At the top, above the hills, angels and marveling shepherds are written. In the upper corners there are semi-figured images of especially revered saints: Nicholas the Wonderworker and St. Barbarians, which, apparently, were made at the request of the customer and are not directly related to iconography.

Usually in the compositions “Cathedral of Our Lady” the solemn Christmas service is depicted below: a choir of singers, hymnographers John of Damascus and Cosmas of Mayum, priests, monks; Patriarchs and kings may also be depicted. This group, on the one hand, personifies the entire human race, which, according to the stichera, brings the Virgin Mother to Christ. On the other hand, the depicted liturgical glorification of the Mother of God takes place right before our eyes. This enhances the liturgical, liturgical function of the image.

At the bottom of the Pskov image, a unique iconographic solution is again revealed. It depicts three men in white robes similar to surplices, a young reader, and a young man in an intricate pose reminiscent of a dance movement. This whole scene still has no clear interpretation. IN scientific literature Conflicting interpretations may be found.

It is assumed that the whole group as a whole can personify various shapes glorification of the Mother of God, which is performed by all humanity (that’s why the characters are depicted different ages and peoples). The three central figures were interpreted as a choir of singers, as deacons, as the Godfathers David, Joseph and Jacob. They were defined as “shepherds in the concrete and allegorical meaning of the word,” meaning by this also wandering performers of spiritual verses dedicated to biblical events.

Some researchers see men as magicians. Indeed, three men are very similar to the Magi depicted in the middle part of the icon in appearance and age: an old man, a middle-aged man and a young man. The change in color and character of the attire can be explained by the legend according to which, after Pentecost, the Magi were baptized by the Apostle Thomas. White robes are a sign of the newly baptized person’s cleansing from the burden of original sin.

It should be noted that in Western Europe the Magi were highly revered. Their relics, according to legend, acquired by Queen Helena, came from Constantinople to Milan, and from there to Cologne. In the 12th century, a special Christmas liturgical rite arose in the West, which was a kind of performance performed by clergy, singers and readers. The Magi were the main characters of this mystery. Much later, having got to Western Ukraine A theatrical performance of this kind was called “Nativity Scene”. Pskov was the westernmost Russian city and Western European traditions and influences were strong in this principality. It is quite possible that in the 14th century the people of Pskov knew about such performances, and perhaps a similar ritual was included in the celebration of Christmas in this city. This is not difficult to imagine if we remember that in Rus' there was a rite similar in nature - “Cave Action”. Thus, a specific festive church rite can be represented on the Pskov icon. In exactly the same way, in the version of iconography discussed above, the Christmas service was depicted, but without indicating any specific part of the service.

Using and transforming the version of the depiction of a special holiday rite representing the worship of the Magi, we dare to suggest that the three husbands may not be Magi, but shepherds. The shepherds depicted at the top of the icon are also an old man, a medieval man and a young man. There is also a certain external similarity. Men in white robes and shepherds have the same attributes - staves. This version is supported by the fact that since the 11th century in the Western Church there has been a liturgical rite dedicated exclusively to the worship of shepherds.

This church rite It was done like this: near the Throne, on a special dais, a manger was installed, in which there was a statue or icon of the Mother of God with the Child. Several canons (clerics) in church vestments, with linen scarves on their heads and staffs in their hands, represented Bethlehem shepherds. A boy from the choir, portraying an angel, informed them about Christmas, quoting the Gospel. Accompanied by the singing of the choir “Glory to God in the highest...”, the shepherds walked into the altar, where two canons, portraying midwives, were waiting for them at the manger. They asked: “Whom are you looking for in the manger, shepherds?” “We are looking,” the shepherds answered, “for the Savior Christ.” The midwives pulled back the curtain that hid the image Holy Virgin with the Divine Child. Pointing to him, they said: “Here he is - this Baby with his Mother.” The shepherds bowed and sang prayers, then the liturgy began.

This version would explain well unusual shape the throne of the Mother of God, and a white curtain, extremely rare for Russian monuments. However, this motif - the veil on the throne - arose in early Christian art, and was later developed in South Slavic paintings and icons. The above reasoning is nothing more than a cautious guess, since it is not possible to know for certain whether such a rank could have been known in the Western Russian lands. And such an attribute as a staff could easily move from one “scenario” to another and become an attribute of a traveling sorcerer.

The mysteries of the icon do not end there. The most difficult figure to interpret remains the dancing young man. There is an opinion that this is a young shepherd marveling at the miracle of Christmas. Amazed, he covers his face with his hand, which reminds him of the shepherd depicted in the upper corner of the icon - he, seeing the star, also closes his eyes. The young man's clothing - a short chiton - corresponds to the tradition of depicting shepherds. It’s easier to define the image of a young man with a book in his hands. Some researchers see in him Roman the Sweet Singer; others, pointing to the absence of a halo, the reduced size of the figure and other details, believe that this is some kind of collective image of a hymnographer or reader.

In the monuments of the 16th–17th centuries, the composition greatly expands, it includes personifications of the sea and winds, which bring the Child, according to the expression of the iconographic original, obedience and obedience. The image of those praying is becoming more and more multi-figured.

Reformatskaya M.A. Pskov icon painting of the 13th – early 15th centuries (Towards an understanding of the concept “ local school"): Dis. M., 1979. S. 117, 118.

Ovchinnikov A.N. Experience in describing ancient Russian easel painting: Technique and style: Pskov school of the 13th - 16th centuries. M., 1971. Issue. 1. P. 13.

CATHEDRAL OF THE HOLY VIRGIN

Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary - holiday Orthodox Church, takes place the day after the Nativity of Christ.
The second day after Christmas is called the Council of the Blessed Virgin Mary, i.e. a meeting that included persons personally close to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Joseph the Betrothed, and also the Lord Jesus Christ.

As part of the Council of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the memory of those who were close to Christ in the flesh is celebrated:
- Saint Joseph the Betrothed;
- King David (ancestor according to the flesh of Jesus Christ);
- Holy Apostle James, brother of the Lord (son from the first marriage of Joseph the Betrothed). Saint James, together with his father Joseph, accompanied the Mother of God and the Infant Jesus during their flight to Egypt.

Being an 80-year-old man, Joseph the Betrothed, with the blessing of the high priest, accepted the Virgin Mary in order to preserve her virginity and purity. And although he was betrothed to the Most Pure One, his entire ministry was to protect the Mother of God.

“But for many people who did not know the secret of the Incarnation, Joseph was the father of the Lord Jesus Christ,” we note that the Mother of God also said, addressing Jesus, who at the age of twelve remained in the Jerusalem temple and was lost to his parents, that the Youth had upset his father - after all, Joseph was like a father to those around him (cf. Luke 2:39-52).

On the first Sunday after Christmas Christ Church also remembers the king, prophet, psalmist David - a holy man who sinned gravely, but repented so much that with his words people today call on the name of God, remembering the great lines addressed to the Creator: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy” (Ps. 50:1). “The Prophet David was in the flesh the ancestor of the Lord and Savior, because, as it should have been, the Savior, the Messiah, came into the world from the line of David.”

The Apostle James is called the brother of God because he was the eldest son of Joseph the Betrothed - from his first marriage. Jacob was a very pious man and after the Resurrection of Christ he was elected primate of the Jerusalem Church. Jacob, fulfilling the prescriptions of the Old Law, was the bishop of the New Testament and proclaimed the Lord Jesus Christ as both the Messiah and the Deliverer of Israel. Jacob's preaching was displeasing to all those who brought Jesus Christ to Calvary, and the holy Apostle James was thrown from the roof of the Jerusalem Temple.

On the meaning of the holiday “Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary”

The birth of the Savior was from the Holy Spirit. This was no ordinary birth. But in the earthly life of the Savior important His family played: His Most Pure Mother, Joseph the Betrothed, His closest relatives - those who surrounded the Child and Youth Jesus. And therefore, the Church, paying special veneration to everything that the Lord God brought into the world through the incarnation of His Son, at the same time remembers and earthly life the Savior, and His loved ones and relatives. And it could not be otherwise, because in the Church the Divine and the human, the heavenly and the earthly are united, and in this union one is not diminished by the other.

God willed that human nature, human life, with its joys and sorrows, was raptured into the Mystery of the Holy Trinity, so that this human life would be deified. This was pleasing to the Lord in relation to His beloved Son, and after the incarnation of the Son of God, this God’s plan for the glorification of all creation, for the glorification human nature has become completely obvious, for in Christ the heavenly and earthly, the Divine and the human are united.

That is why a Christian, striving for what is above, striving for eternal salvation, should never pursue the path to salvation by offending his family and friends, refusing good family relations and generally degrading the human principle. Some people think that in the human beginning there is sin. But sin is not in human nature itself, but in the evil human will. And everything that a person does for the glory of God, everything that is the result of his work, is blessed by God. This is a kind of shrine through which we serve God. This is why human creativity: both the highest and the most insignificant - this is all our gift to God, this is the sacrifice that we make to God.

If we have such an understanding human existence, such an understanding of human nature, such an understanding of human relationships, then this being, this nature and these relationships will be filled with the grace of God - so that, according to the word of the Apostle, the heavenly is united with the earthly and so that at the head of everything is God, who fills everything and contains everything by His power.

The Nativity of Christ - the mystery of the Divine Incarnation - teaches us a lot, including the attitude of man towards his earthly life that is pleasing to God. Let us glorify the Lord in our souls and bodies, which are God’s, the apostle calls upon us. And today, emphasizing the family and human relationships of the Savior with those who surrounded Him, again and again calls us all to godly life, to good relationships with our loved ones and relatives, to building human relationships according to the commandment of God, in order to truly glorify God both in our souls and in our bodies. Amen.

Word His Holiness Patriarch Kirill

Troparion to the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary:
Most Pure Mother of God, Mother of God,
Your honorable cathedral is decorated with many different kindnesses,
Many worldly people bring gifts to You, Lady,
Break our sinful bonds with Your mercy
and save our souls.

Establishment of the feast of the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The establishment of this celebration dates back to ancient times Christian Church. Already Epiphanius of Cyprus († 402), as well as Saint Ambrose of Milan and Blessed Augustine, in their teachings on the feast of the Nativity of Christ, combined praise of the born God-man with praise of the Virgin who gave birth to Him. An indication of the celebration of the Council of the Most Holy Theotokos on the next day after the Nativity of Christ can be found in Rule 79 of 6 of the Ecumenical Council, held in 691.

VI Ecumenical Council - Rule 79

We confess the divine birth from the Virgin, as if it were seedless, to be painless, and preach this to the whole world, and subject to correction those who do, out of ignorance, something that is not proper. Some people, on the day of the holy birth of Christ our God, are seen preparing bread cookies and passing them on to each other, as if in honor of the diseases of birth of the all-immaculate Virgin Mother: then we determine that the faithful should not do anything of the kind. For this is not an honor to the Virgin, more than the mind and the word, who gave birth in the flesh to the incontainable Word; if its ineffable birth is defined and presented according to the example of an ordinary birth that is characteristic of us. If from now on anyone is found doing such a thing, then the cleric will be deposed, and the layman will be excommunicated.”

The Legend of the Flight of the Most Pure Virgin Mary with the Infant God to Egypt

After the Magi left Bethlehem, the Angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, commanding him that he, together with the newborn baby Jesus Christ and His Mother, the Most Pure Virgin Mary, should flee to Egypt and remain there until he was led from there to return, since Herod wants to look for the Baby in order to destroy Him. Joseph got up, took the Child and His Mother at night and went to Egypt.

But first, before his departure there, he fulfilled in the temple of Solomon everything that was determined by the law of the Lord, for the days of the purification of the Most Pure and Immaculate Mother of God had already arrived, and in that temple the elder Simeon and Anna the prophetess met our Lord. Then, having fulfilled everything that was specified in the law, Joseph went to Nazareth, to his home. For this is what Saint Luke says: “And when they had completed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their city of Nazareth” (Luke 2:39).From this it is clear that they did not immediately go from Bethlehem to Egypt, but first went to the temple of the Lord, then to Nazareth, and finally to Egypt. Saint Theophylact also testifies to this in his interpretation of the Evangelist Matthew, when he writes: “Question: How does the Evangelist Luke say that the Lord retired to Nazareth after 40 days after His birth and after He met the elder Simeon?

And here Saint Matthew says that he came to Nazareth after returning from Egypt? Answer: Know that the Evangelist Luke mentions what the Evangelist Matthew kept silent about, namely, that the Lord (says Luke) after His birth went to Nazareth. And Matthew speaks about what happened after that, namely: how our Lord fled to Egypt and how, upon returning from there, he again went to Nazareth. In general, the Evangelists do not contradict each other, but only Luke speaks about the removal of Christ from Bethlehem to Nazareth, and Matthew talks about His return to Nazareth from Egypt." So, upon leaving the temple of the Lord, the holy travelers first went to Nazareth and immediately made orders regarding their home, and then, having taken everything necessary for the journey, hastily, at night (so that the closest neighbors would not know it) set off along the road to Egypt. At the same time, they took with them, for service, Jacob, the eldest son of Joseph, who was later called the brother of the Lord , as can be seen from the church hymn on October 23rd (s.st.), where it is sung like this: “brother appeared, a disciple, and a witness of divine mysteries, ran with him, and was in Egypt with Joseph.” Hence it is clear that Jacob accompanied the holy family on their way to Egypt, serving them during the journey.

And the Lord fled to Egypt partly in order to show that He was a true man incarnate, and not a spirit and a ghost (as St. Ephraim points out in his word on the Transfiguration when he says: “If He had not been flesh, then with By whom did Joseph flee to Egypt?" and partly in order to teach us to flee the anger and rage of man, and not proudly resist them. This is how Chrysostom explains it: “In our flight,” he said, “the Lord teaches us to give place to rage, that is, to flee from human rage. And if the Almighty flees, then we, the proud, learn by this not to expose ourselves to danger.” The purpose of the Lord's flight into Egypt was also to cleanse Egypt from idols and, as Saint Pope Leo says, so that not without this country, in which for the first time the saving sign of the cross and the Passover of the Lord were foreshadowed through the slaughter of the lamb, the sacrament of the most holy sacrifice would be prepared. Also, so that the following prophecy of Isaiah would be fulfilled: “The Lord will sit on a light cloud, and will come to Egypt. And the idols of Egypt will shake at His presence” (Is. 19:1). In this place, under the cloud, Saint Ambrose means the Most Pure Virgin, Who brought the Lord in Her arms to Egypt, and the idols of the Egyptian gods fell. That cloud, the Most Pure Virgin, is light, for She is not burdened with any burden of any sin or carnal lust and knowledge of marriage.

It is also transmitted that when righteous Joseph The Most Pure Virgin and the Child of God were going to Egypt, in one deserted place robbers attacked them and wanted to take away their donkey, on which they carried the little that they needed for the journey, and on which they themselves sometimes rode. One of those robbers, seeing the Child of extraordinary beauty and being surprised at such beauty, said:

If God took upon Himself human body, then I would not want to be more beautiful than this Baby.

Having said this, he forbade his comrades, the other robbers, and did not allow them to offend these travelers in any way. Then the Most Pure Mother of God said to that robber:

Know that this Child will reward you generously for protecting Him.

This robber was the same one who later, at the crucifixion of Christ, was hanged on the cross right side, and to whom the Lord said: “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). And the prophetic prediction came true Mother of God, that “This Child will reward you.”

When they entered the Egyptian country and were within the borders of Thebaid, they approached the city of Hermopolis. Near the entrance to this city there grew very beautiful tree, called "Perseus", which the local inhabitants, according to their idolatrous custom, revered as a god, because of its height and majestic beauty, worshiping it and making sacrifices to it, for in that tree lived a demon, which they revered. When the Most Pure Mother of God with the Divine Child approached that tree, it immediately shook violently, for the demon, fearing the coming of Jesus, fled. And the tree bowed its top to the very ground, paying due veneration to its Creator and His Mother, the Most Pure Virgin; in addition, it protected them from the heat of the sun with the shade of its many leafy branches and thus gave the weary holy travelers the opportunity to rest. And in this tilted form that tree remained as an obvious sign of the coming of the Lord to Egypt. After the Lord, His Mother and Joseph rested under this tree, this tree received healing power, for all sorts of diseases were healed from its branches. Then the holy travelers first of all entered that city and the idol temple that was in it, and immediately all the idols fell. Palladius mentions this temple in Lavsaik: “We saw,” he says, “there (in Hermopolis) an idol temple, in which, during the coming of the Savior, all the idols fell prostrate to the ground. Also in one village called “Siren”, three hundred and sixty-five idols in one temple, while Christ entered there with the Most Pure Matter.

After this, the holy travelers turned a little away from the city of Ermopolis and, looking for a place to stop, entered a village called "Natareya", lying not far from Iliopolis. Joseph, near this village, left the Most Pure Virgin Mary with Christ the Lord, and he himself went to the village for the sake of acquiring necessary. And that fig tree, which sheltered the holy pilgrims under itself, split in two from top to bottom and lowered its top, forming, as it were, a canopy or a tent over their head: and below, at its root, it formed in that cleft a kind of depression, convenient for staying, and there the Most Pure Virgin and Child lay down and rested from the journey. That place is still in great veneration not only among Christians, but also among the Saracens, who to this day (as told by reliable eyewitnesses) light a lamp with oil in a cleft of a tree in honor of the Virgin and Child who rested there.

Joseph and the Most Holy Theotokos wanted to stay in that village and, having found a hut for themselves not far from that tree, they began to live in it. Another miracle also happened by the power of the Divine Infant, for there, near their location and near that wonderful tree, a source of living water suddenly appeared, from which the Most Pure Virgin drew for her needs and in which she arranged a bath for Her Infant. That spring exists to this day, with very cold and healthy water. And what is even more surprising is that in the entire land of Egypt this is the only source of living water, and it is famous in that village. This ends the story about the stay of the Most Pure Mother of God with Christ in Egypt, where they stayed for several years. But there is no exact information about how many years the Lord spent in Egypt. St. Epiphanius says that - two years, and Nicephorus three years, and George Kedrin five years; others, like Ammonius of Alexandria, think that it is seven years. In any case, it is certain that before the death of Herod, like the Gospel, he says: “And he was there until the death of Herod” (Matthew 2:15).

After the murder of the Bethlehem babies and after the accursed Herod died an evil death, the Angel of the Lord again appeared in a dream to Joseph, commanding him to return from the land of Egypt to the land of Israel, “for (he said) those who sought the soul of the child had died.” Joseph stood up, took the Child and His Mother and went to Judea, which was the best and most land of Israel. Having heard that Archelaus reigned in Judea instead of Herod his father, he was afraid to go there. For Herod left behind three sons: the first Archelaus, the second Herod Antipas, and the third, the youngest, Philip. All of them, after the death of their father, went to Rome, to Caesar, because of rivalry, since each of them wanted to receive their father’s kingdom. Caesar, without giving any of them royal honor, divided the kingdom into four parts, calling them tetrarchies. He gave Judea to his elder brother Archelaus, Galileo to Herod Antipas, and younger brother Philip - Trachonite country; He gave Avilinia to Lysanias, youngest son Lisany the elder, once a friend of Herodov, and then killed by him out of envy.

Releasing all of them from Rome, Caesar promised Archelaus royal honor if only he would show good and careful management of his part. But Archelaus was no better than his cruel father, torturing and killing many, for, having come to Jerusalem, he immediately killed three thousand people in vain, and ordered many citizens to be tortured on the day of the holiday, in the middle of the temple, in front of the entire assembly of the Jews. Because of such cruelty, he was, after several years, slandered, deprived of power and exiled to prison. Joseph, on his return, heard that this evil Archelaus was reigning, although without the royal title, and was afraid to go to Judea, having received notification in a dream from that angel who had already appeared to him before, went into the borders of Galilee, into the possession of Herod Antipas, brother of Archelaus, for this Herod ruled the people with greater meekness than his brother; and Joseph settled in the city of Nazareth, in his house, where they had lived before, so that what was predicted about Christ the Lord by the prophets would be fulfilled, that He would be called a Nazarite. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Dimitri, Metropolitan of Rostov "Lives of the Saints"

On the next day of the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Church established the celebration of the Council of the Most Holy Theotokos. The name of this festival “cathedral” means the collection of all holidays, celebrations of the Most Holy Theotokos in one day, the gathering of believers on this day to glorify the Heavenly Lady, who gave birth to our Savior. On the first day of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ, the Church glorifies the Redeemer of the human race himself, who deigned to save the sinful world from the snares of the enemy, and on the second day after the remembrance of this great event, believers are called upon by the Church to honor and worthily please the Ever-Virgin Mary, the Mother of our beloved Lord, who served in the great event of salvation of the race human.

Many holidays have a “cathedral” the next day. These are the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, on the second day after which the righteous Joachim and Anna are honored; after Epiphany, on the second day, a festival was established in honor of John the Baptist, etc.

The establishment of the Cathedral of Our Lady dates back to very ancient times. In the 4th century, some holy fathers, for example, St. Epiphanius of Cyprus, the teachings were already said on the day of this celebration.

In ancient monthbooks, the feast of the Synaxis of the Blessed Virgin Mary is also called “Gifts of Birth.” They think that this name hides an indication of the gifts brought to the newborn King of the Jews - the Infant Jesus from the Eastern Magi. The feast of the Council of Our Lady is also called the “Flight into Egypt.” Probably, in the ancient Church, the memory of the worship of the Eastern sages and the flight to Egypt was combined with the celebration of the Council of the Mother of God. Therefore, on icons depicting the Nativity of Christ with the adoration of the shepherds and wise men and the flight of the Holy Family to Egypt, one can often find the inscription “Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos.”

Source: Book “E. Villager. Our Lady.
Description of Her earthly life and miraculous icons"

On the meaning of the holiday “Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary”

The birth of the Savior was from the Holy Spirit. This was no ordinary birth. But in the earthly life of the Savior, His family played an important role: His Most Pure Mother, Joseph the Betrothed, His closest relatives - those who surrounded the Infant and Youth Jesus. And therefore, the Church, paying special veneration to everything that the Lord God brought into the world through the incarnation of His Son, simultaneously remembers the earthly life of the Savior, and His loved ones. And it could not be otherwise, because in the Church the Divine and the human, the heavenly and the earthly are united, and in this union one is not diminished by the other.

God wished that human nature, human life, with its joys and sorrows, should be raptured into the Mystery of the Holy Trinity, so that this human life would be deified. This was pleasing to the Lord in relation to His beloved Son, and after the incarnation of the Son of God, this God’s plan for the glorification of all creation, for the glorification of human nature, became completely obvious, for in Christ the heavenly and earthly, the Divine and the human are united.

That is why a Christian, striving for heavenly things, striving for eternal salvation, should never pursue the path to salvation by offending his family and friends, abandoning good family relationships and generally disparaging the human principle. Some people think that the human beginning is sin. But sin is not in human nature itself, but in the evil human will. And everything that a person does for the glory of God, everything that is the result of his work, is blessed by God. This is a kind of shrine through which we serve God. This is why human creativity: both the highest and the most insignificant - this is all our gift to God, this is the sacrifice that we make to God.

If we have such an understanding of human existence, such an understanding of human nature, such an understanding of human relationships, then this being, this nature and these relationships will be filled with the grace of God - so that, according to the word of the Apostle, the heavenly will be united with the earthly and so that at the head of everything will be God, who fills everything and contains everything with His power.

The Nativity of Christ - the mystery of the Divine Incarnation - teaches us a lot, including the attitude of man towards his earthly life that is pleasing to God. Let us glorify the Lord in our souls and bodies, which are God’s, the apostle calls upon us. And today, emphasizing the family and human relationships of the Savior with those who surrounded Him, calls us all again and again to a pious life, to good relationships with our loved ones and relatives, to building human relationships according to the commandment of God, in order to truly glorify God and in our souls and in our bodies. Amen.

Word of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill

Divine service

Dear brothers and sisters, today is the second day of the great holiday of the Nativity of Christ. This day is called the day of the Council of the Mother of God, because in ancient times the first Christians on the second day of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ gathered in the temple to glorify the One who gave the earth the Savior of the world. She was the author of our salvation, through Her humility, obedience to the will of the Lord, purity, and highest chastity, deserving to become the Mother of Christ, the Son of God.

During the celebration of the Council of the Blessed Virgin Mary in divine services, the Church calls on the faithful to glorify the Mother of God: “ Come, let us sing to the Mother of the Savior, who after His birth still remained a Virgin: « Rejoice, City animated by the King and God - Christ, having dwelt in Him, accomplished salvation.” With Gabriel we glorify You, with the shepherds we glorify You, exclaiming: “Mother of God, intercede with Him who became Incarnate from You for our salvation!»» (Matins of the Feast).

The icon usually depicts the Mother of God seated on a throne with the Child of God in her arms. Above, next to and below are angels, wise men bringing gifts, and Old Testament elders.

Troparion of the Theotokos, tone 4:
Most Pure Mother of God, Mother of God, Thy venerable Cathedral is adorned with many different kindnesses, gifts are brought to Thee, O Lady, by many worldly people, break our sinful bonds with Thy mercy and save our souls.

Establishment of the feast of the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary

We do not have accurate information about the origin of this holiday. It is known that the establishment of a special celebration of the Nativity of Christ immediately entailed the honoring of the Mother who gave birth, already embodied in the sermons of Sts. Epiphany of Cyprus, Ambrose of Milan and Blessed. Augustine (in their teachings on the Feast of the Nativity of Christ they combined praise for the born God-Man with praise for the Virgin who gave birth to Him). However, the message found on some sites that “the official indication of the celebration of the Council of the Most Holy Theotokos on the day after the Nativity of Christ can be found in Rule 79 of the VI Ecumenical Council, held in 681,” is somewhat inaccurate.

Firstly, the canonical rules, which are attributed to the VI Ecumenical Council, which actually took place (more precisely, ended) in 681, were not adopted at it (the V and VI Ecumenical Councils were devoted to dogmatic issues and did not issue canons), but at the so-called Trullo Council, convened in 691 (also called the “Fifth-Sixth”), which was considered by its participants as a continuation of the VI Ecumenical Council.

Secondly, in the mentioned rule there is no indication of the celebration of the memory of the entourage of the Blessed Virgin, and even more so, there is no reason to consider this holiday a cathedral institution. The 79th rule indirectly points to the established custom of celebrating the memory of the Most Holy Theotokos on the day after the Nativity of Christ, but it concerns not so much the celebration itself as the widespread ritual form, which the fathers of the Council considered to be contrary to church teaching, and exposed the ignorance of the “Orthodox people” who , honoring the Most Pure One by preparing ritual food similar to what was usually prepared in honor of “diseases of birth” (“bread cookies”), showed a lack of understanding of the exclusivity of the mystery of the Incarnation: seedless conception and painless birth, “for this is not an honor to the Virgin, more than the mind and the word, the flesh that gave birth to the inconceivable Word, even if its ineffable birth is defined and represented according to the example of the ordinary birth that is characteristic of us.”

It can be said that by this conciliar order, the celebration of the Most Holy Theotokos, which spontaneously arose in the church environment, was cleansed of alien impurities, sanctified and churched, and then grew into veneration for all of her immediate circle. Celebrating this holiday, it’s as if we find ourselves at a quiet family celebration. Only the family in this case is special and the guests of honor are such that the mere mention of them evokes a joyful, respectful thrill from touching the mystery of the Incarnation, and it was as if the air of those very days smelled when, as it is said in the Christmas kontakion, “The angels with the shepherds praise, the wolves travel with a star."

Archpriest Igor Prekup

VI Ecumenical Council - Rule 79

“We confess the divine birth from the Virgin, as if it were seedless, painless, and preach this to the whole world, to correct those who do, out of ignorance, something that is not proper. Some people, on the day of the holy birth of Christ our God, are seen preparing bread cookies and passing them on to each other, as if in honor of the diseases of birth of the all-immaculate Virgin Mother: then we determine that the faithful should not do anything of the kind. For this is not an honor to the Virgin, more than the mind and the word, who gave birth in the flesh to the incontainable Word; if its ineffable birth is defined and presented according to the example of an ordinary birth that is characteristic of us. If from now on anyone is found doing such a thing, then let the cleric be deposed, and let the layman be excommunicated.«.

Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary - a quiet family celebration

The veneration of the Most Holy Theotokos was naturally expressed in the fact that in the annual liturgical circle the day immediately following the feast of the Nativity of Christ was singled out, gathering us in honor of the Mother of God, and also in the fact that on this day not only the memory of the Most Pure One herself is celebrated, but also those who were participants in the events associated with the appearance of the Infant of God into the world. First of all, this is St. Joseph the Betrothed and his son from his first marriage, Jacob, brother of the Lord, first bishop of Jerusalem. This is also the day of remembrance of St. King David, from whose family the Most Pure One came, this is the holiday of all those who rejoiced with her about the birth of the Son of Man - both shepherds and wise men - all gathered around her not only and not so much in a spatial, but in a spiritual sense.

- Saint Joseph the Betrothed;
- King David (ancestor according to the flesh of Jesus Christ);
- Holy Apostle James, brother of the Lord (son from the first marriage of Joseph the Betrothed). Saint James, together with his father Joseph, accompanied the Mother of God and the Infant Jesus during their flight to Egypt.

Being an 80-year-old man, Joseph the Betrothed, with the blessing of the high priest, accepted the Virgin Mary in order to preserve her virginity and purity. And although he was betrothed to the Most Pure One, his entire ministry was to protect the Mother of God.

“But for many people who did not know the secret of the Incarnation, Joseph was the father of the Lord Jesus Christ,” we note that the Mother of God also said, turning to Jesus, who at the age of twelve remained in the Jerusalem temple and was lost to his parents, that the Youth had upset his father – after all, Joseph was like a father to those around him (cf. Luke 2:39-52).

The Church also remembers the king, prophet, psalmist David - a holy man who sinned gravely, but repented so much that with his words people today call on the name of God, remembering the great lines addressed to the Creator: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy” (Ps. .50:1). “The Prophet David was in the flesh the ancestor of the Lord and Savior, because, as it should have been, the Savior, the Messiah, came into the world from the line of David.”

The Apostle James is called the brother of God because he was the eldest son of Joseph the Betrothed - from his first marriage. Jacob was a very pious man and after the Resurrection of Christ he was elected primate of the Jerusalem Church. Jacob, fulfilling the prescriptions of the Old Law, was the bishop of the New Testament and proclaimed the Lord Jesus Christ as both the Messiah and the Deliverer of Israel. Jacob's preaching was displeasing to all those who brought Jesus Christ to Calvary, and the holy Apostle James was thrown from the roof of the Jerusalem Temple.

The Legend of the Flight of the Most Pure Virgin Mary with the Infant God to Egypt

After the Magi left Bethlehem, the Angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, commanding him that he, together with the newborn baby Jesus Christ and His Mother, the Most Pure Virgin Mary, should flee to Egypt and remain there until he was led from there to return, since Herod wants to look for the Baby in order to destroy Him. Joseph got up, took the Child and His Mother at night and went to Egypt.

But first, before his departure there, he fulfilled in the temple of Solomon everything that was determined by the law of the Lord, for the days of the purification of the Most Pure and Immaculate Mother of God had already arrived, and in that temple the elder Simeon and Anna the prophetess met our Lord. Then, having fulfilled everything that was specified in the law, Joseph went to Nazareth, to his home. For this is what Saint Luke says: “And when they had completed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their city of Nazareth” (Luke 2:39). From here it is clear that they did not immediately go from Bethlehem to Egypt, but first went to temple of the Lord, then to Nazareth and finally to Egypt. Saint Theophylact also testifies to this in his interpretation of the Evangelist Matthew, when he writes: “Question: How does the Evangelist Luke say that the Lord retired to Nazareth after 40 days after His birth and after He met the elder Simeon?

And here Saint Matthew says that he came to Nazareth after returning from Egypt? Answer: Know that the Evangelist Luke mentions what the Evangelist Matthew kept silent about, namely, that the Lord (says Luke) after His birth went to Nazareth. And Matthew speaks about what happened after that, namely: how our Lord fled to Egypt and how, upon returning from there, he again went to Nazareth. In general, the Evangelists do not contradict each other, but only Luke speaks about the removal of Christ from Bethlehem to Nazareth, and Matthew talks about His return to Nazareth from Egypt.” So, upon leaving the temple of the Lord, the holy travelers first went to Nazareth and immediately made orders regarding their home, and then, having captured everything they needed for the journey, hastily, at night (so that their closest neighbors would not know this) they set off along the road to Egypt. At the same time, they took with them, for service, Jacob, the eldest son of Joseph, who was later called the brother of the Lord, as can be seen from the church hymn for October 23rd (s.st.), where it is sung like this: “You have appeared as a brother, a disciple, and witness of divine mysteries, ran with him, and was in Egypt with Joseph.” From this it is clear that Jacob also accompanied the holy family on the way to Egypt, serving them during the journey.

And the Lord fled to Egypt partly in order to show that He was a true man incarnate, and not a spirit and a ghost (as St. Ephraim points out in his word on the Transfiguration when he says: “If He had not been flesh, then with By whom did Joseph flee to Egypt?" and partly in order to teach us to flee the anger and rage of man, and not proudly resist them. This is how Chrysostom explains it: “In his flight,” he said, “the Lord teaches us to give place to rage, i.e. run around human rage. And if the Almighty flees, then we, the proud, learn not to expose ourselves to danger.” The purpose of the Lord’s flight into Egypt was also to cleanse Egypt from idols and, as Saint Pope Leo says, so that not without this country, in which for the first time the saving sign of the cross and the Passover of the Lord were foreshadowed through the slaughter of the lamb, the sacrament of the most holy sacrifice would be prepared. Also, so that the following prophecy of Isaiah would be fulfilled: “The Lord will sit on a light cloud and come to Egypt. And the idols of Egypt will shake at His presence” (Is. 19:1). In this place, under the cloud, Saint Ambrose means the Most Pure Virgin, Who brought the Lord in Her arms to Egypt, and the idols of the Egyptian gods fell. That cloud, the Most Pure Virgin, is light, for She is not burdened with any burden of any sin or carnal lust and knowledge of marriage.

It is also reported that when righteous Joseph, the Most Pure Virgin and the Infant of God were going to Egypt, in one deserted place robbers attacked them and wanted to take away their donkey, on which they carried the little that they needed for the journey, and on which sometimes and went on their own. One of those robbers, seeing the Child of extraordinary beauty and being surprised at such beauty, said:

“If God took upon Himself a human body, He would not want to be more beautiful than this Baby.”

Having said this, he forbade his comrades, the other robbers, and did not allow them to offend these travelers in any way. Then the Most Pure Mother of God said to that robber:

- Know that this Child will reward you generously for protecting Him.

This robber was the same one who later, at the crucifixion of Christ, was hanged on the cross on the right side, and to whom the Lord said: “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). And the prophetic prediction of the Mother of God was fulfilled that “This Child will reward you.”

When they entered the Egyptian country and were within the borders of Thebaid, they approached the city of Hermopolis. Near the entrance to this city grew a very beautiful tree, called "Persea", which the local inhabitants, according to their idolatrous custom, revered as a god, because of its height and majestic beauty, worshiping it and making sacrifices to it, for in that tree lived and the demon revered by them. When the Most Pure Mother of God with the Divine Child approached that tree, it immediately shook violently, for the demon, fearing the coming of Jesus, fled. And the tree bowed its top to the very ground, paying due veneration to its Creator and His Mother, the Most Pure Virgin; in addition, it protected them from the heat of the sun with the shade of its many leafy branches and thus gave the weary holy travelers the opportunity to rest. And in this tilted form that tree remained as an obvious sign of the coming of the Lord to Egypt. After the Lord, His Mother and Joseph rested under this tree, this tree received healing power, for all sorts of diseases were healed from its branches. Then the holy travelers first of all entered that city and the idol temple that was in it, and immediately all the idols fell. Palladius mentions this temple in Lavsaik: “We saw,” he says, “there (in Hermopolis) an idol temple, in which, during the coming of the Savior, all the idols fell prostrate to the ground. Also in one village, called “Sirens,” three hundred and sixty-five idols fell in one temple, while Christ entered there with the Most Pure Matter.

After this, the holy travelers turned a little away from the city of Ermopolis and, looking for a place to stop, entered a village called “Natarea”, lying not far from Iliopolis. Joseph, near this village, left the Most Pure Virgin Mary with Christ the Lord, and he himself went to the village for the sake of acquiring necessary. And that fig tree, which sheltered the holy pilgrims under itself, split in two from top to bottom and lowered its top, forming, as it were, a canopy or a tent over their head: and below, at its root, it formed in that cleft a kind of depression, convenient for staying, and there the Most Pure Virgin and Child lay down and rested from the journey. That place is still in great veneration not only among Christians, but also among the Saracens, who to this day (as told by reliable eyewitnesses) light a lamp with oil in a cleft of a tree in honor of the Virgin and Child who rested there.

Joseph and the Most Holy Theotokos wanted to stay in that village and, having found a hut for themselves not far from that tree, they began to live in it. Another miracle also happened by the power of the Divine Infant, for there, near their location and near that wonderful tree, a source of living water suddenly appeared, from which the Most Pure Virgin drew for her needs and in which she arranged a bath for Her Infant. That spring exists to this day, with very cold and healthy water. And what is even more surprising is that in the entire land of Egypt this is the only source of living water, and it is famous in that village. This ends the story about the stay of the Most Pure Mother of God with Christ in Egypt, where they stayed for several years. But there is no exact information about how many years the Lord spent in Egypt. St. Epiphanius says that - two years, and Nicephorus three years, and George Kedrin five years; others, like Ammonius of Alexandria, think that it is seven years. In any case, it is certain that before the death of Herod, like the Gospel, he says: “And he was there until the death of Herod” (Matthew 2:15).

After the murder of the Bethlehem babies and after the accursed Herod died an evil death, the Angel of the Lord again appeared in a dream to Joseph, commanding him to return from the land of Egypt to the land of Israel, “for (he said) those who sought the soul of the child had died.” Joseph stood up, took the Child and His Mother and went to Judea, which was the best and largest part of the land of Israel. Having heard that Archelaus reigned in Judea instead of Herod his father, he was afraid to go there. For Herod left behind three sons: the first Archelaus, the second Herod Antipas, and the third, the youngest, Philip. All of them, after the death of their father, went to Rome, to Caesar, because of rivalry, since each of them wanted to receive their father’s kingdom. Caesar, without giving any of them royal honor, divided the kingdom into four parts, calling them tetrarchies. He gave Judea to his elder brother Archelaus, Galileo to Herod Antipas, and the Trachonite country to his younger brother Philip; He gave Avilinia to Lysanias, the youngest son of Lysanias the elder, once a friend of Herod, and then killed by him out of envy.

Releasing all of them from Rome, Caesar promised Archelaus royal honor if only he would show good and careful management of his part. But Archelaus was no better than his cruel father, torturing and killing many, for, having come to Jerusalem, he immediately killed three thousand people in vain, and ordered many citizens to be tortured on the day of the holiday, in the middle of the temple, in front of the entire assembly of the Jews. Because of such cruelty, he was, after several years, slandered, deprived of power and exiled to prison. Joseph, on his return, heard that this evil Archelaus was reigning, although without the royal title, and was afraid to go to Judea, having received notification in a dream from that angel who had already appeared to him before, went into the borders of Galilee, into the possession of Herod Antipas, brother of Archelaus, for this Herod ruled the people with greater meekness than his brother; and Joseph settled in the city of Nazareth, in his house, where they had lived before, so that what was predicted about Christ the Lord by the prophets would be fulfilled, that He would be called a Nazarite. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Dimitri, Metropolitan of Rostov “Lives of the Saints”

Viewed (2436) times

The Cathedral in the name of the Most Holy Theotokos, in honor of Her icon, called "Kazan", was built in the Empire style in 1801–1811 on Nevsky Prospekt according to the design of the architect A.N. Voronikhin for storing the revered copy of the miraculous Kazan icon.
In 1813, Field Marshal M.I. was buried here. Kutuzov.
In 1932, the Kazan Cathedral was turned into the Museum of the History of Religion and Atheism.
Since 1991, the operating temple has coexisted with the museum exhibition for several years. From the year 2000 - Cathedral St. Petersburg Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Other facts from the history of the Kazan Cathedral:

The cathedral project was proposed to Emperor Paul I by Count Alexander Sergeevich Stroganov. The project was developed by his former serf A.N. Voronikhin.
The foundation of the temple took place on August 27 (September 8), 1801 in the presence of Emperor Alexander I.
Construction was completed in 1811 and cost the treasury 4.7 million rubles.
On January 1, 1811, the author of the Kazan Cathedral project, architect A.N. Voronikhin was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir, 4th degree.
On September 15 (27), 1811, Metropolitan Ambrose consecrated the cathedral.
In 1812, honorary trophies were delivered here: French military banners and the personal baton of Napoleonic Marshal Davout.
Until the end of 1829, finishing work continued in the cathedral, led by O. Montferrand.
The first renovation of the cathedral took place in 1844–1845, the second, which included the restoration of images and wall paintings, in 1862–1865.
On October 28 (November 9), 1893, the funeral service for P.I. was held in the cathedral. Tchaikovsky.
On February 21 (March 6), 1913, a stampede occurred in the cathedral during the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty, which, according to the official version, claimed the lives of 34 people.

On January 25, 1932, the cathedral was closed; on November 15, 1932, the Museum of the History of Religion and Atheism was opened in the building. The interior was restored in 1950–1956, and the facades were restored in 1963–1968.
Divine services resumed on May 25, 1991 in the left aisle. The following year the main chapel was consecrated. On April 30, 1994, a cross was raised onto the dome.
The full consecration of the cathedral took place on March 29, 1998. It was performed by Metropolitan Vladimir (Kotlyarov).

In 2000, the cathedral received cathedral status.

Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called, sculpture in a niche in the northern portico of the cathedral.
Sculptor V.I. Demut-Malinovsky.

Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir, sculpture in a niche of the northern portico of the cathedral.
Sculptor S.S. Pimenov.

Tomb of M.I. Kutuzova.

Keys to the cities taken by the Russian army: Denberg, Bremen, Aven.

View of the main, Kazan, chapel of the cathedral.

Queue for the miraculous copy of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.

View of the northern porch of the cathedral.

View of the southern porch of the cathedral.

A copy of the Shroud of Turin.

Image of the Holy Great Martyr Catherine.

Altar apse of the cathedral.

Panoramic view of the Kazan Cathedral from the observation deck of St. Isaac's Cathedral.

The theme of the incarnation of the Savior in Eastern Christian art is reflected not only in icons depicting the Nativity of Christ, but also in images dedicated to the feast of the Council of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The liturgical annual circle has the following feature: after the “main”, “main” holiday, the next day the special memory of those persons associated with this holiday is celebrated. So, after Epiphany, the “Cathedral of John the Baptist” is celebrated, after the day of the supreme apostles Peter and Paul - the “Cathedral of the 12 Apostles”. The word “cathedral” in this context means a certain gathering of the faithful, not limited by time or space, held in honor of a saint. The celebration of the Council of Our Lady takes place on the second day of the Nativity of Christ, January 8 (NS). The services of these days are closely related in meaning and character, and the iconography of these holidays is also related. On the day of the Council of Our Lady, we honor Her as the Most Holy Virgin and Mother of the Son of God, who served the great mystery of the Incarnation.

The celebration in honor of the Mother of God, associated with the holiday of Christmas, arose in the Church very early, already in the 4th century. This was the very first Mother of God feast, from which other Mother of God celebrations were later formed.

The iconography of the “Cathedral of Our Lady” was formed quite late, only at the end of the 13th century. It was based on the iconography of the Nativity of Christ and some important elements introduced under the influence of the text of the Christmas stichera. This is the fourth stichera of the Great Vespers of the Nativity: « What shall we bring to Thee, O Christ, since He appeared on earth as a Man for our sake? Every former creature from You brings thanksgiving to You: Angels - singing; heaven - a star; volsvi – gifts; shepherding is a miracle; earth is a den; desert - manger; we are the Mother of the Virgin. Like before the ages, God, have mercy on us.” In a manuscript from the Sofia Library of the 14th century. (No. 193) it is said that the shepherds bring a “wondering” to Christ as thanksgiving.

The earliest known composition on this theme is the narthex fresco of the Church of Our Lady of Periveleptus in Ohrid (1295). During the Palaiologan period, iconography spread in the Orthodox ecumene. The oldest Russian icon on this subject comes from Pskov and was created at the end of the 14th - beginning of the 15th century. This is a most interesting monument both in terms of its iconography and style. The icon differs significantly both from previous Byzantine monuments and from Russian icons and frescoes of a later time. Perhaps the peculiarities of the composition of the icon are related to the fact that it was based not only on the text of the stichera “What shall we bring to You...”, but also on other holiday chants. Some details of this particular Pskov icon still remain a mystery to researchers.

Icon from the Pskov Varvara Church. Late XIV - early XV centuries. Pskov. Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

In the center of the icon is the Blessed Virgin seated on a throne, which has a curved asymmetrical back and is decorated with a white curtain. However, the Mother of God does not hold the Child Christ in her arms, although this is how She is depicted in all other works on this subject. On the Pskov icon, in front of the Mother of God, on Her chest, is placed the image of Christ Emmanuel, enclosed in a two-color eight-pointed “glory,” which She seems to be holding.

This image of the Savior and the Mother of God is reminiscent of the iconography of Our Lady of the Sign. On the “Sign” icons, the placement of the image of Emmanuel in the “glory” on the chest of the Mother of God indicates His hidden, mysterious presence and emphasizes the main theological idea of ​​the image - the dogma of the incarnation of God the Son from the Ever-Virgin Mary predicted by the prophets. In the iconography of the “Cathedral of Our Lady,” such an unusual move further emphasizes the theme of the Incarnation.

Another feature of the Pskov icon is the image of a cave, inside which is a manger with a swaddled Baby. This episode, borrowed from the image of the Nativity of Christ, is not found in other works of the Cathedral of Our Lady iconography. It can be assumed that both of these unique features appeared as a reflection, for example, of the text of the kontakion for the holiday of Christmas: “Today a virgin gives birth to the Most Essential, and the earth brings a den to the Unapproachable: angels and shepherds glorify, and wolves travel with a star: for our sake born When I was young, Eternal God ». In this case, the image of a manger with a newly born Baby reinforces the very theme of birth, and the image of Christ-Emmanuel in “glory” is intended to emphasize that it is not an ordinary person who is born of the Virgin, incarnated, but namely the “Eternal God,” the Second Hypostasis of the Most Holy Trinity.

Otherwise, the central and upper parts of the composition of the icon follow the established tradition. To the left of the throne of the Mother of God are depicted the wise men bringing gifts, one of whom points to a star, the image of which has not survived. To the right and left of the foot of the throne are two peculiar figures: half-naked women with disheveled hair. These are personifications - images personifying the Desert and the Earth. The desert, dressed in red, offers Christ a manger, and the Earth, dressed in a green cloak, seems to hold out a nativity scene with one hand, and holds a flourishing branch in the other.

Icon from the Pskov Varvara Church. Late XIV - early XV centuries. Pskov. Tretyakov Gallery Fragment

At the top, above the hills, angels and marveling shepherds are written. In the upper corners there are semi-figured images of especially revered saints: Nicholas the Wonderworker and St. Barbarians, which, apparently, were made at the request of the customer and are not directly related to iconography.

Usually in the compositions “Cathedral of Our Lady” the solemn Christmas service is depicted below: a choir of singers, hymnographers John of Damascus and Cosmas of Mayum, priests, monks; Patriarchs and kings may also be depicted. This group, on the one hand, personifies the entire human race, which, according to the stichera, brings the Virgin Mother to Christ. On the other hand, the depicted liturgical glorification of the Mother of God takes place right before our eyes. This enhances the liturgical, liturgical function of the image.

Mid-15th century Rostov-Suzdal school. House-Museum of P.D. Korina, Moscow

At the bottom of the Pskov image, a unique iconographic solution is again revealed. It depicts three men in white robes similar to surplices, a young reader, and a young man in an intricate pose reminiscent of a dance movement. This whole scene still has no clear interpretation. Conflicting interpretations can be found in the scientific literature.

Icon from the Pskov Varvara Church. Late XIV - early XV centuries. Pskov. Tretyakov Gallery Fragment

It is assumed that the entire group as a whole can personify various forms of glorification of the Mother of God, which is performed by all humanity (therefore, characters of different ages and nations are depicted). The three central figures were interpreted as a choir of singers, as deacons, as the Godfathers David, Joseph and Jacob. They were defined as “shepherds in the concrete and allegorical meaning of the word,” meaning by this also wandering performers of spiritual verses dedicated to biblical events.

Some researchers see men as magicians. Indeed, three men are very similar to the Magi depicted in the middle part of the icon in appearance and age: an old man, a middle-aged man and a young man. The change in color and character of the attire can be explained by the legend according to which, after Pentecost, the Magi were baptized by the Apostle Thomas. White robes are a sign of the newly baptized person’s cleansing from the burden of original sin.

It should be noted that in Western Europe the Magi were very revered. Their relics, according to legend, acquired by Queen Helena, came from Constantinople to Milan, and from there to Cologne. In the 12th century, a special Christmas liturgical rite arose in the West, which was a kind of performance performed by clergy, singers and readers. The Magi were the main characters of this mystery. Much later, when it came to Western Ukraine, a theatrical performance of this kind was called “Nativity Scene”. Pskov was the westernmost Russian city and Western European traditions and influences were strong in this principality. It is quite possible that in the 14th century the people of Pskov knew about such performances, and perhaps a similar ritual was included in the celebration of Christmas in this city. This is not difficult to imagine if we remember that in Rus' there was a rite similar in nature - “Cave Action”. Thus, a specific festive church rite can be represented on the Pskov icon. In exactly the same way, in the version of iconography discussed above, the Christmas service was depicted, but without indicating any specific part of the service.

Dionysius. Painting of the Pokhvalsky chapel of the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. 1481

Using and transforming the version of the depiction of a special holiday rite representing the worship of the Magi, we dare to suggest that the three husbands may not be Magi, but shepherds. The shepherds depicted at the top of the icon are also an old man, a medieval man and a young man. There is also a certain external similarity. Men in white robes and shepherds have the same attributes - staves. This version is supported by the fact that since the 11th century in the Western Church there has been a liturgical rite dedicated exclusively to the worship of shepherds.

This church rite was performed as follows: near the Throne, on a special dais, a manger was installed, in which there was a statue or icon of the Virgin Mary and Child. Several canons (clerics) in church vestments, with linen scarves on their heads and staffs in their hands, represented Bethlehem shepherds. A boy from the choir, portraying an angel, informed them about Christmas, quoting the Gospel. Accompanied by the singing of the choir “Glory to God in the highest...”, the shepherds walked into the altar, where two canons, portraying midwives, were waiting for them at the manger. They asked: “Whom are you looking for in the manger, shepherds?” “We are looking,” the shepherds answered, “for the Savior Christ.” The midwives pulled back the curtain, which hid the image of the Blessed Virgin with the Child of God. Pointing to him, they said: “Here he is - this Baby with his Mother.” The shepherds bowed and sang prayers, then the liturgy began.

This version would well explain both the unusual shape of the throne of the Mother of God and the white curtain, which is extremely rare for Russian monuments. However, this motif - the veil on the throne - arose in early Christian art, and was later developed in South Slavic paintings and icons. The above reasoning is nothing more than a cautious guess, since it is not possible to know for certain whether such a rank could have been known in the Western Russian lands. And such an attribute as a staff could easily move from one “scenario” to another and become an attribute of a traveling sorcerer.

The mysteries of the icon do not end there. The most difficult figure to interpret remains the dancing young man. There is an opinion that this is a young shepherd marveling at the miracle of Christmas. Amazed, he covers his face with his hand, which reminds him of the shepherd depicted in the upper corner of the icon - he, seeing the star, also closes his eyes. The young man's clothing - a short chiton - corresponds to the tradition of depicting shepherds. It’s easier to define the image of a young man with a book in his hands. Some researchers see in him Roman the Sweet Singer; others, pointing to the absence of a halo, the reduced size of the figure and other details, believe that this is some kind of collective image of a hymnographer or reader.

In the monuments of the 16th–17th centuries, the composition greatly expands, it includes personifications of the sea and winds, which bring the Child, according to the expression of the iconographic original, obedience and obedience. The image of those praying is becoming more and more multi-figured.

Dionysius. Painting of the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary at the Ferapontov Monastery. 1502

XVI century Moscow. Moscow Kremlin Museums