AncienT MosAics of Kyiv

Premier Club Magazine #7 17
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The construction of the cathedral began in
1011 CE by Prince Volodymyr, who adopted Christianity for
the Kievan Rus’ and named it St. Sophia, whose name in Greek
means “wisdom”. The building was completed in 1018 by Volodymyr’s
son, Prince Yaroslav the Wise. Visitors to the ancient capital
would have seen the golden domes of St. Sophia’s upon entering
any of the city’s fortified gates.
Only a portion of the cathedral’s original mosaic decoration has
survived to this day, but what remains still evokes wonder with its
177 shades of colour. Those mosaics were made by eight painters,
each of whom would lay down as much as 3.75 m2 of smalt daily,
with the whole work completed in just one year. The uniquely
rich colours of these Kyivan mosaics rate as one of the world’s
most impressive such works of art as there are 9 tinctures of blue,
35 tones of green, 31 shades of red and 43 hues of yellow.
Над головами молящихся находится мозаика с изображением
Христа Вседержителя, а вокруг – четыре архангела.
Сохранился лишь один мозаичный – остальные в XIX веке
М. Врубель дописал масляными красками. Под главным
куполом в княжескую эпоху совершались торжественные
государственные церемонии. В алтаре собиралось высшее
духовенство, а наверху – на хорах – князь и его свита. Самая
известная мозаика – Богородица Оранта – словно охраняет
и обнимает распростертыми руками всех входящих в храм.
В ней видели небесную заступницу Киева, ограждающую от
врагов. В годы испытаний ее прозвали «Нерушимой стеной»
и верили, что Богородицу не сразит ни одно оружие.
Интерьер храма и сейчас великолепен, хотя в нем уже нет
напольных богатых мозаик, светильников и чудотворных
икон. Князь и его свита, стоя на хорах, видели потоки
Up overhead visitors can see the
mosaic showing Jesus Christ and
the four archangels around him.
Only one of the original archangels
remains; the other three were
repainted by Mikhail Vrubel in the
19th century. Coronation ceremonies
featuring the princes of ancient
Ukraine were carried out under the
main dome of the cathedral, while
top clergy would normally gather
near the altar, with the prince and
his retinue staying in the choir loft
above. The most famous mosaic –
the Blessed Virgin – seems to welcome
all those who visit this holy
place, offering protection to one
and all. Many Ukrainians consider
her as the divine guardian of Kyiv
and refer to her as an “unbreakable
wall”, believing no weapon can ever
harm the Blessed Virgin.
The cathedral’s interior has retained
its beauty and splendour through
the ages, but many of its ancient
historic details have vanished or
been lost to time. Kievan Rus’
princes and their coterie standing
in the choir loft would have seen
light coming through the windows
and making the golden background
of the mosaics glitter in the
sunshine. Commoners would have
stood down below in shadow, giving
the choir loft with their rulers
and nobility the semblance of an
unreachable place, as remote as the
pictures of the saints looking down
on them.
The cathedral interior is partially
covered with frescoes, including
scenes of Calvary, the Resurrection,
the Visitation with the Apostles and
the anointment of the the Apostles
by the Holy Spirit. Frescoes also
света, льющиеся сквозь окна и заставляющие
сверкать золотые фоны
мозаики. Простые люди находились
внизу, в полузатененном пространстве,
и княжеские хоры казались им
недосягаемыми, так же, как и изображения
святых.
Часть интерьера расписана фресками.
Сохранились сцены Страстей
Христовых, Воскресения, отослания
апостолов на проповедь и сошествия
на них Святого Духа. Фресками представлены
сцены жития Богородицы,
деяния апостолов и архангела Михаила,
а также житие святого Георгия.