AllatRa by Anastasia Novykh 2 www.allatra.org

AllatRa by Anastasia Novykh
Anastasia: Unfortunately, that is so. If we take a look at modern Kiev, the first thing
that catches the eye is the large number of trade centres, banks and other similar
institutions where one is richer than another. One gets an impression that everybody is
obsessed only with trade, instead of real spiritual and creative deeds worthy of a
civilized human society.
Rigden: Such large cities of the world is a vivid example of the prevailing choice of
mankind. But I repeat, to improve the situation is in the hands of people themselves. So,
even at that time Agapit suggested to Yaroslav that he “reinforced” these “Western
Gates” with a spiritual and cultural object with a sign which would balance the invisible
forces to avoid tilting towards the Animal nature of the people who visit this place. So a
church dedicated to the Presentation of the Lord was built here. This was symbolic.
Firstly, the old Slavic word “sretenie” meant a “meeting”, and according to the old
Slavic beliefs, it meant a meeting of man with the divine and his glorification. Secondly,
the Biblical story of the Presentation was dedicated to the Mother of God (Virgin Mary),
who brought the Baby Christ to the temple on the fortieth day since His birth. In
Orthodoxy, the Presentation was celebrated a week before February, 25th, and in the
spiritual aspect it was considered as a renewal, as a meeting of the old and the new. That
is why it was very symbolic that the “Western Gates” in ancient Kiev were reinfornced
exactly with this spiritual and cultural object.
If Sophia’s Cathedral was a centre, “Golden Gate” was conditionally the Front aspect;
the Church of the Church of the Mother of God (Church of the Tithes) was the Back
aspect, and the “Western Gates” were the Right aspect, then “Lach Gates” were the
symbol of the Left aspect of the ancient capital of Kievan Rus. They were located at the
place where today the city’s central square is situated – the Independence Square, which
is popularly known as “Maidan”.
Anastasia: You know, when I had heard this information from you for the first time, I
was overwhelmingly surprised thinking: “That’s interesting, whose idea was it to move
the capital’s main square exactly to this place, deliberately emphasising the Left
aspect?” Because this place, as the capital’s square, gathers crowds of people.
Rigden: Perfectly true. It was done not accidentally but quite consciously, as they say,
3
www.allatra.org