Liturgical texts and iconography of the Baptism of the Lord in the museum collection

The Baptism of the Lord is one of the oldest holidays in the Christian calendar. On this day, one of the central events in the history of Christianity is remembered. The holiday has another name - "The Epiphany".. Epiphany (from the Greek theophany от теос – Бог and appear – явлать) the holiday is called that, that the Trinity God appeared at the Baptism of Christ on the Jordan River.

In the ancient Church, Epiphany was a holiday that combined the commemoration of the Nativity of Christ and Baptism. In the IV century. first in the West, and at the end of the century and in the Christian East, the Christmas of Christ was separated into an independent celebration. At the same time, the name "The Epiphany" was preserved for the holiday, which mentions the Baptism of the Savior. The unity of these holidays can be easily traced in liturgical books, the structure of their services is very similar. As well as Christmas, Saint Baptism has a special order of worship. Thus, on the day of Vespers, Great Times are fulfilled (a special service that is characteristic only for Christmas and Easter). At Baptism, as well as all twelfth holidays, there are special days before and after the holiday. Всі двунадесяті свята мають один день передсвята. According to the church charter, only Christmas is an exception (5 днів) and Baptism (4 day). Baptism, like Christmas, there is a special Sunday ahead, which is called "The Sunday before Epiphany".

Всі ці богослужбові особливості свята гарно відображені в музейному стародруці виданому в 1678 році в Новгород-Сіверській друкарні – «Анфологіоні» (inv. No. Al-955).

In the text of the book we find another name of the holiday - "Enlightenment". This ancient name speaks of that, that God is light and came into this world to enlighten those, who sits in the darkness of sin. An important liturgical feature of the holiday is the Great Consecration of Water, the follow-up of which is also included in this book. The texts of the services are preceded by a beautiful screen saver with the iconography of the holiday in a medallion.

And the hymnography of the Epiphany, and iconography express the meaning of the holiday, believers are reminded of evangelical events. The image of the Baptism of the Lord is also found in the Holy Gospel (inv. № Al-181), which is a gift of Vasyl Dunin-Borkovskyi, general of the Zaporozhian Army, to the Savior and Transfiguration Cathedral. The silver print of this Gospel was made in Wroclaw in 1685 year. It is decorated with floral ornament, looks quite massive. Engraved images of the "Transfiguration of the Lord" on silver plates (top board) and "Baptism of Jesus Christ" (bottom board) performed in the baroque style.

The Gospel is decorated with an exquisite work of the image of the Baptism of the Savior in the Jordan (inv. № Al-185), which in 1701 year was presented to the Borys-Hlib Cathedral by the General Clerk of the Zaporizhzhya Army, and later Chernihiv regimental judge Karpo Mokrievich with his wife Anna Kokhanovska. The frame was made in the German city of Augsburg, which was the center of jewelry production in Europe at the time. On a red background are fixed pictorial finift medallions with the image of Christ the Almighty in the center and the twelfth holidays around, among which is Baptism.

_______________

Arendar A. Silver salaries of the Gospels of the XVII-XIX centuries from the collection of the Chernihiv Historical Museum named after V.V.. Tarnovsky. К., 2021.

Collection Cyrillic old collection of Chernihiv Historical Museum. В.В.Тарновського: Catalog / Compilers S.O. Polovnikova, І.М. Ситий. К., 1998.

Старший науковий співробітник музею,
Candidate of Theology Miroslav May-Boroda