Our Lady’s miracle-working icons and the semiotics of the world tree
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32420/2019.87.1317Keywords:
symbolAbstract
The article is devoted to study of the modes of inheritance of cultural symbols. In particular, it is a research of perception in Christianity of preceding cultures’ archetypes. The study provides the analysis of semantic links between the symbols of the World Tree, the Vivifying Cross and the meaning of the Blessed Virgin image. The article shows how the pre-Christian symbols of the World Tree and the cross itself were merged and transformed in Christian theology, liturgy and iconography in the image of Golgotha Cross. The cross acquires the features of a Cosmic Tree, which combines the lower and the upper worlds – the heaven and the earth, life and death. The symbol of the tree is often substituted by the image of a woman appearing in this case as a symbol of life and fertility and evokes the associations with the genealogical tree. Therefore, the connection between the World Tree and the Blessed Virgin is proved to be natural.
On the basis of the historical sources the author analyzes the legends and evidences of the revelations and discoveries of the Blessed Mary’s icons on the trees of a certain kinds. The study explicates the symbolic meaning of those trees spread in a global world, in Slavic and Ukrainian cultural traditions. In particular, the research encloses the semantics of the following kinds of trees: fir tree, linden, pear tree, oak, willow, blackthorn. Every kind of those trees has a special symbolic meaning. The novelty of the research is that it for the first time proves the semantic connection of sacred meaning of miracle icons and of the certain kinds of trees. The study defines the limited range of those trees and, on the other hand, the kinds of other trees believed to be vile and thus never appeared in the legends about the discoveries of miracle icons.
As a conclusion, the research proves the existence of the autochtonal tradition of correlation of the semantics of miracle icons of Our Lady with the certain kinds of trees in the result of synthesis of the ancient symbolism and Christianity. In every case, the symbolic meanings of trees had archaic origin and connection with the ancient cosmogonical concepts. Depending on the particular semantic nuance emphasized in the World Tree, the priority of a certain kind of tree determined. On the whole, the study demonstrates the importance of the symbols in forming of cultural identity and for understanding of interrelations of cultures at the deep semantic level.
References
Аverintsev, S.S. (1973). Gold in the system of symbols of Byzantian culture // Byzantine Empire, Western Slavs and Old Rus, Western Europe. – М., p. 43-52. [in Russian].
Аfanasiev, А. (1868).Poetical views of Slavs on the nature. The experience of comparative study of Slavonic legends and believes related to mythic stories of other kindred nations. – М.,оscow. – V.2., 788 p. [in Russian].
Begicheva, V. (2006). Pear: the tree of the Milky Way // Science and religion. – №8 – p.43-45. [in Russian].
Bulashev, G. О. (1992). Ukrainian nation in its legends, religious views and believes: cosmogonical Ukrainian people views and believes. – Кyiv: Dovira, 414 p. [in Ukrainian].
Galiatovskiy, Іоаnіkіy. (1985). The key to understanding. – К., 448 p. [in Ukrainian].
Galiatovskiy, Іоаnіkіy. (1665). The new sky. – Lviv, 216 p. [in Ukrainian].
Galiatovskiy, Іоаnіkіy. (1676). The treasury required. – Novgorod -Siverskiy,113 p. [in Ukrainian].
Golichenko, Т.S. (1994). Slavonic mythology and Antic culture. – К., 92 p. [in Ukrainian].
Dushechkina, Е.V. (2012). Russian fir tree: history, mythology, literature. – SPb., 360 p. [in Russian].
Каrsavin, L.P. (1997). The foundations of Medieval religiousness in ХІІ –ХІІІ centuries.- SPb, 395 p. [in Russian].
Кyslashko, О.,Kyslashko, J. (2003). Orthodox fests and falk customs. – К., 384 p. [in Ukrainian].
Lotman, Y., Uspenskiy, B. (1971). Оn the semiotic mechanism of culture // Works about symbolic, systems. – Issue 5 // Scientific papers of Tartu state university. – Issue. 284. – Таrtu, p. 144-166. [in Russian].
Маkoviy, G. (1993).The downtrodden flowers. Ethnology stories . – К., 205 p. [in Ukrainian].
Міliaeva, L. (1994). The miracle-working icons of Our Lady in Kyiv in ХУІІ century and image of Lubel’s Mother of God of the paintbrush of Ivan Shchyrskyi // Notes of Shevchenko society. – V. CCXXVII: Works of the Section of art studies. – Lviv, 1994. – P.124-140. [in Ukrainian].
Оhіenko, І. (Metropolitan Іlarion). (1992). The pre-Christian believes of Ukrainian people: historic and religious monograph. – Кyiv: Оberehy, 424 p. [in Ukrainian].
Оhіenko, І. (Metropolitan Іlarion). (2005). Holy Pochaiv lavra. – К., 250 p. [in Ukrainian].
The song about Roland // Library of the world literature. – V.10. – tr. frоm old French of U.Коrneev. (1976). – М., 666 p. [in Russian].
Pоpоvych, М. (1985). The world views of ancient Slavs. – К., 165 p. [in Russian].
Pоsеlianin, Е. (2002). The Mother of God. Description of her earthly life and miracle-working icons. Book.1. – М., 688 p. [in Russian].
Pоsеlianin, Е. (2002). The Mother of God. Description of her earthly life and miracle-working icons. Book.2. – М., 704 p. [in Russian].
Rozhko, V. (1998). The miracle-working icons of Volyn and Polissia. – Lutsk: Меdіа, 356 p. [in Ukrainian].
Snesareva, S. (1997). The earthly life of Our Lady and description of her holy miracle-working icons. – Jaroslavl, 460 p. [in Russian].
Sumtsov, N.F. (1888). Studies of the history of the Southern Russian apocryphal stories and songs. – К., 173 p. [in Russian].
Usacheva, V. V. (2008). Маgic of word and action in the falk culture of Slavs. – М., 368 p. [in Russian].
Uspenskiy, V. (2006). Sоlar and moon symbols in the image of the Russian temple // The cross and the ring: on the history of Christian symbolism. – Моscow: Languages of Slavonic cultures, P. 225-258. [in Russian].
“Walking” of abbot Daniel // The memorials of literature Ancient Rus. XII cеntury. (1980). – М., P.25-114 [in Russian].
Shevchenko , І. (2001). Ukraine between the East and the West. Studies on history of culture before ХУІІІ сent. – Lviv, 269 p. [in Ukrainian].
Chubynskyi, P. (1995). Wisdom of ages // Ukrainian ethnology in the heritage of creative work of P.Chubynskyi. Book.1. – К., 224 p. [in Ukrainian].
Shcheglov, G.E. (2008).The legend about Jelskaya (Vasylkovskaya) miracle-working icon of Our Lady. – Мinsk, 64 p. [in Russian].
Eliade, М. (1994).Holy and laic. - М., 144 p. [in Russian].
Eliade, М. (2005). History of faith and of religious ideas: From the Stone Age to Elevsian mysteries. – М., 622 p. [in Russian].
Eliade, М. (2008). History of faith and of religious ideas: From Gautama Buddha to the triumph of Christianity. – М., 767 p. [in Russian].
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2019 © Author of Article
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
