AllatRa by Anastasia Novykh 2 www.allatra.org

AllatRa by Anastasia Novykh
were set for society, diplomacy at the international level was adjusted. So it is not
surprising that Kievan Rus reached the height of its development during the reign of
Yaroslav the Wise.
Anastasia: These facts are really interesting, and they explain many things in such an
extreme change of the behaviour of Yaroslav: from the cruel ruler who wouldn’t hesitate
to use any means to seize power in Kiev to a leader who became “wise” during his reign
in Kievan Rus after meeting Agapit of Pechersk… Also, the symbols and the unusual
architecture of the five-naval cross-domed temple of Sophia’s Cathedral is far from
accidental, taking into account the 13 cupolas and the pyramidal composition. By the
way, could you explain to readers what the concept of “nave” means in architecture?
Rigden: This word is derived from the Latin word “navis” meaning a “boat”. In
architecture, it refers to an elongated part of the building, such an elongated room
resembling a ship, like the symbolic “Sun boat” (which was known already during the
Tripolye civilization, when it was depicted with a circle in the form of the “AllatRa”
sign), or as it was called in the Ancient Egyptian mythology, the “Boat of Eternity”. By
the way, later in 12th century, seagoing sailing ships received that name (nave). In the
symbolic meaning of this cathedral, it meant a “boat sailing through time”; in general, a
“spiritual ark” of Kievan Rus.
Anastasia: It should be mentioned that the building of Saint Sophia’s Cathedral in Kiev
experienced numerous partial destructions by time and people. In 17th-18th centuries, as
a result of the temple’s reconstruction, its external shape was significantly changed.
Rigden: This is true. But interestingly, despite all these vicissitudes of almost a
thousand years, up to this day in a special niche – in the arch of the main altar, the same
Old Russian Orthodox pearl is shining in a special niche – a six metre mosaic of Mother
of God, the so-called “Oranta”. In Christianity, it is considered to be one of the
iconographic types of Mother of God, who is portrayed full length with her arms bent in
elbows and her arms raised to the level of her face.
Anastasia: So the arms of the Mother of God are depicted in the form of the symbolic
sign of Allat – the same ancient symbol of spiritual fusion of the Personality with the
Soul, enlightenment and cognition of the Truth, and achieving the spiritual liberation.
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