Bunavestire (Buna Vestire) – Cea mai importanta sarbatoare inchinata Fecioarei Maria

Tintoretto - Buna Vestire

Buna Vestire sau popular Blagovestenia (termenul slav corespunzator celui de Buna Vestire), este praznicul in amintirea zilei in care Sfantul Arhanghel Gavriil a vestit Sfintei Fecioare ca va naste pe Fiul lui Dumnezeu.

Buna Vestire este prima sarbatoare confirmata in documente, dintre sarba­torile Maicii Domnului. Data acestei sarbatori a variat la inceput. Astfel, unii o sarbato­reau in ajunul Bobotezei (5 ianuarie), iar in unele Biserici din Apus, ca cele din Spania, Galia si Milano, Buna Vestire s-a sarbatorit la 18 decembrie. Parintele profesor Ene Braniste sustine ca sarbatoarea a fost introdusa la Roma de papa Leon al II lea (681-683), la inceput ca o sarbatoare locala si cu denumirea de sarbatoare a asteptarii Nasterii Dom­nului; dar va­riatia datei ei a durat in Apus pana in sec. XI, cand data de 25 martie s-a generalizat in toata lumea catolica de atunci. Numai la armeni Buna Vestire se praznuieste pe 7 aprilie, in raport cu data veche a sarbatorii Nasterii Domnului (6 ianuarie).

In Rasarit insa, data de 25 martie s-a generalizat probabil indata ce Nasterea Domnului a inceput sa fie sarbatorita peste tot la 25 decembrie, adica inca din prima jumatate a sec. al V lea.

Buna Vestire este sarbatorita in fiecare an in perioada Postului Mare, fiind una dintre sarbatorile pentru care Biserica acorda dezlegare la peste, indiferent in ce zi ar cadea aceasta.

Temeiul scripturistic al sarbatorii Bunei Vestiri

„Iar in a sasea luna a fost trimis ingerul Gavriil de la Dumnezeu, intr-o cetate din Galileea, al carei nume era Nazaret, catre o fecioara logodita cu un barbat care se chema Iosif, din casa lui David; iar numele fecioarei era Maria. Si intrand ingerul la ea, a zis: Bucura-te, ceea ce esti plina de har, Domnul este cu tine. Binecuvantata esti tu intre femei. Iar ea, vazandu-l, s-a tulburat de cuvantul lui si cugeta in sine: Ce fel de inchinaciune poate sa fie aceasta? Si ingerul i-a zis: Nu te teme, Marie, caci ai aflat har la Dumnezeu. Si iata vei lua in pantece si vei naste fiu si vei chema numele lui Iisus.

Acesta va fi mare si Fiul Celui Preainalt se va chema si Domnul Dumnezeu Ii va da Lui tronul lui David, parintele Sau. Si va imparati peste casa lui Iacov in veci si imparatia Lui nu va avea sfarsit. Si a zis Maria catre inger: Cum va fi aceasta, de vreme ce eu nu stiu de barbat? Si raspunzand, ingerul i-a zis: Duhul Sfant Se va pogori peste tine si puterea Celui Preainalt te va umbri; pentru aceea si Sfantul care Se va naste din tine, Fiul lui Dumnezeu se va chema. Si iata Elisabeta, rudenia ta, a zamislit si ea fiu la batranetea ei si aceasta este a sasea luna pentru ea, cea numita stearpa. Ca la Dumnezeu nimic nu este cu neputinta. Si a zis Maria: Iata roaba Domnului. Fie mie dupa cuvantul tau! Si ingerul a plecat de la ea." (Luca I, 26-38).

Nicolae Cabasila observa ca daca la crearea primului Adam, Tatal se sfatuieste cu Fiul si cu Sfantul Duh, venirea la existenta a Fiului lui Dumnezeu ca om are loc dupa obtinerea consimtamantului cu totul liber al Sfintei Fecioare. Cea care-L naste nu e folosita ca mijloc al venirii lui Lui la existenta ca Om, fara voia ei. Nicolae Cabasila ne marturiseste ca "Dumnezeu nici nu a instiintat de mai inainte pe Adam, nici nu l-a induplecat sa-si dea coasta, din care avea sa se zideasca Eva, ci lipsindu-l de simtire, i-a rapit madularul. Dar procedand la zidirea noului Adam, a instiintat-o mai inainte pe Fecioara si a asteptat credinta si invoirea ei.

A fost mai usor pentru Apostoli sa creada ca Hristos a inviat, de vreme ce L-au vazut inviat. A fost usor pentru crestini sa creada in invierea lui Hristos, pentru ca au avut marturia Apostolilor. Dar Maica Domnului, a crezut pe baza unei simple fagaduinte ca se va petrece cu ea un fapt ce depaseste legea firii. A crezut posibil, imposibilul. Si prin aceasta l-a facut posibil, dupa cum sustine parintele Dumitru Staniloae. E o lege a firii sa nu poata zamisli cele ce si-au ales viata fecioriei. De aceea Maica Domnului intreaba: "Cum va fi aceasta, de vreme ce eu nu stiu de barbat?". Insa, dupa ce ingerul ii comunica modul zamislirii minunate - "Duhul Sfant se va cobori peste tine si puterea Celui Prea Inalt te va umbri", Fecioara nu s-a mai indoit de vestirea ingerului. In clipa in care declara ca se increde cu desavarsire in minunea ce se va savarsi cu ea, Fiul lui Dumnezeu se si salasluieste in ea, zamislindu-Se Om.

Buna Vestire in calendarul popular

Buna Vestire este cunoscuta in calendarul popular sub denumirea de Ziua Cucului. De ce ziua cucului? Pentru ca in aceasta zi are loc primul sau cantec, prin care anunta vestirea primaverii.

Potrivit traditiei, daca primul cantec al cucului era auzit pe stomacul gol, in spatele omului, era semn rau: "Cucu-n spate mi-a cantat/ si moartea m-a sagetat!"

Exista obiceiul ca in aceasta zi, sa se numere de cate ori cucul isi canta numele, numar care ar descoperi cati ani mai avem de trait.

Flacaii si fetele il intrebau pe cuc cand se vor casatori: "Cucule voinicule/ Cati ani imi vei da/ pan’ m-oi insura (marita)?" Daca se intampla ca dupa rostirea acestor cuvinte, cucul sa cante, cantecul sau echivala cu un an de astepare. Dimpotriva, daca el tacea, tacerea sa era semn ca avem de-a face cu o casatorie grabnica.

De asemenea, craca pe care a cantat cucul de ziua sa, era taiata si pusa in scaldatoarea fetelor, in speranta ca flacaii nu le vor ocoli.

Adrian Cocosila

Sarbatorea crestina a BUNEI VESTIRI.

Data de 25 martie este la 9 luni înainte de Crăciun (sărbătoarea Naşterii Domnului) şi aminteşte de ziua în care îngerul îi vesteşte Fecioarei Maria că a fost aleasă să devină Mama lui Iisus Christos.

Arhanghelul Gabriel îi apare Fecioarei Maria şi o anunţă că va avea un fiu.
Legat de aceasta Luca ne relatează (Cap. 1, 26): «În a şasea lună (de graviditate a lui Elisabeta) a fost trimis îngerul Gabriel de la Dumnezeu, într-o cetate din Galileea, al cărei nume era Nazaret, către o fecioară logodită cu un bărbat numit Iosif, din casa lui David; iar numele fecioarei era Maria. Şi intrând îngerul la ea, a zis: "Bucură-te, cea care eşti plină de har, Domnul este cu tine. Binecuvântată eşti tu între femei."» Şi aceasta a fost tulburată de un astfel de salut şi se întreba ce fel de închinăciune este aceasta. Şi îngerul i-a spus: "Nu te teme, Maria căci ai aflat har de la Dumnezeu. Şi iată, vei lua în pântece şi vei naşte fiu şi vei chema numele lui Iisus... "

http://angelinspir.ro/evenimente/25-martie-buna-vestire.html

Totem Animals - EAGLE

Eagle

Spirit

Connect with Spirit.
Feel the freedom found in Oneness.
Let your spirit soar.

Eagle medicine is the power of the Great Spirit, the connection to the Divine. It is the ability to live in the realm of spirit, and yet remain connected and balanced within the realm of Earth. Eagle soars, and is quick to observe expansiveness within the overall pattern of life. From the heights of the clouds, Eagle is close to the heavens where the Great Spirit dwells.

The feathers of the Eagle are considered to be the most sacred of healing tools. They have been used for centuries by shamans to cleanse the auras of patients coming to them for healing. Within the belief systems of native American tribes, Eagle represents a state of grace achieved through hard work, understanding, and a completion of the tests of initiation, which result in the taking of one's personal power. It is only through the trial of experiencing the lows in life as well as the highs, and through the trial of trusting one's connection to the Great Spirit, that the right to use the essence of Eagle medicine is earned.

If you have pulled this card, Eagle is reminding you to take heart and gather your courage, for the universe is presenting you with an opportunity to soar above the mundane levels of your life. The power of recognizing this opportunity may come in the form of a spiritual test. In being astute, you may recognize the places within your soul, personality, emotions, or psyche that need bolstering or refinement. By looking at the overall tapestry, Eagle teaches you to broaden your sense of self beyond the horizon of what is presently visible.

In learning to fiercely attack your personal fear of the unknown, the wings of your soul will be supported by the ever-present breezes which are the breath of the Great Spirit.

Feed your body, but more importantly, feed your soul. Within the realm of Mother Earth and Father Sky, the dance that leads to flight involves the conquering of fear and the willingness to join in the adventure that you are co-creating with the Divine.

If Eagle has majestically soared into your cards, you are being put on notice to reconnect with the element of Air. Air is of the mental plane, and in this instance, it is of the higher mind. Wisdom comes in many strange and curious forms and is always related to the creative force of the Great Spirit.

This information is copied directly from the Medicine Cards set by Sams and Carson

Mirrors and folklore

THE SOUL AS REFLECTION

The belief that the soul projects out of the body and into mirrors in the form of reflection underlies perhaps the most widely known mirror superstition: that breaking a mirror brings seven years' bad luck. Many believed that breaking a mirror also broke the soul of the one who broke it. The soul, so angered at being hurt, exacted seven years of bad luck in payment for such carelessness. The Romans, who were the first to make glass mirrors, attributed the seven years' bad luck to their belief that life renewed itself every seven years. To break a mirror meant to break one's health, and this "broken health" would not be remedied for seven years. The bad luck could be averted, though, by grinding the mirror shards to dust so that no shattered reflections could again be seen in them. The early American slaves adopted a less grueling way to deal with this kind of ill luck: submerge the broken mirror pieces in a stream of south-running water, and the bad luck would be washed away in seven hours.
In some cultures, the breaking of a mirror was thought to presage a death in the family within the year. This association of mirrors with death is common in folklore, and stems from the belief that the soul could become trapped in the mirror, causing death. For this reason, young children were often not allowed to look in a mirror until they were at least a year old. Mirrors were covered during sleep or illness so that the soul, in its wanderings, would not become trapped and unable to return to the body. After a death in the family, mirrors were also covered or turned to the wall to prevent the soul of the newly departed from becoming caught in the mirror, delaying its journey to the afterlife. In Bulgaria, this practice warded off more sinister intentions -- that the soul of the dead person, lingering about its former home until the burial of its body, would carry off the soul of a living person whose reflection appeared in a mirror. Mirrors appear commonly as grave goods in Serbo-Croatia, particularly for those who die prematurely. These are the most "dangerous" dead, apt to roam from their graves and harry the living. Mirrors are believed to trap the soul of the deceased at the gravesite where it belongs.
The belief that the soul could be caught and trapped in a mirror appears in many other ways. The peoples of northern India considered it dangerous to look into a mirror that belonged to someone else. It was especially so to look into the mirrors of a house you were visiting: when you left, you would leave part of your soul behind trapped in the mirrors, which could then be manipulated by your host to his advantage. In 18th century India, women were seen to wave mirrors before the image of death goddess Kali, apparently to appease her need for human sacrifice with the reflection of a person rather than the sacrifice of a real human being.

THE VANITY TRAP

Water shares the mirror's reflective nature, and reflections in bodies of water appear at the root of much mirror lore. The soul was believed to be attracted to water, since it was seen to spring into any body of standing water near at hand. Macedonians leave a container full of water in an empty grave after exhumation to capture the soul and keep it in the grave, preventing it from following its bones, which have been moved to the church to allow its former grave to be reused. Jars of water are common sights in Bulgarian graveyards for much the same reason.
The ancient Greeks believed that water spirits, lurking in reflective pools, lakes, and streams, would drag the unwary reflected soul underwater, leaving the now-soulless person to die. These water spirits are strangely reminiscent of the mermaid, comb and mirror -- symbols of heartlessness and vanity -- in her hand. She drags her captive lovers down to briny cities under the sea, drowning them on the way.
The Greeks' belief in malignant water spirits was probably the forerunner of the myth of Narcissus. This beautiful youth followed the hunt in the mountain forests, where the nymphs saw him and fell in love with his beauty. But he cruelly rejected them all. A nymph whom Narcissus had turned away prayed that he might some day come to know how it felt to be spurned. The gods heard her wish and granted it. One day, tired and thirsty from the hunt, Narcissus came upon a clear, unspoiled woodland fountain and stooped to drink. In the still, crystalline water, he saw an image of rare beauty that he took to be the fountain's resident water spirit, and he was smitten with love. He yearned after his love in the fountain's clear water, but received no response. Slowly, rejection overcame him, and he pined away and died. His body was never found -- in its place was the beautiful purple flower that now bears his name. It was told that when his soul crossed over the Styx, he leaned over the boat's edge for another glimpse of his love.

In folklore, mirrors have a dark power – they are held to be a soul stealer. A widespread folk belief calls for turning over the mirrors in a house when someone dies. If a dead person sees himself in a mirror, his soul will become lost or have no rest, or he will become a vampire. The power of mirrors to suck out souls is illustrated in the Greek myth of Narcissus, who sees his reflection in water and then pines and dies.
In Russian folklore, mirrors are the invention of the devil because they have the power to draw souls out of bodies. In other lore, seeing a corpse reflected in a mirror puts the living at risk for having one’s soul carried off by the ghost of the dead. Seeing one’s own reflection in a mirror in a room where someone has died means one’s own impending death.
Folklore also has it that mirrors should be removed from a sick room because the soul is more vulnerable in times of illness. It is considered unlucky for the sick to see their reflections, which puts them at risk of dying. Breaking a mirror is bad luck; since it holds the soul, a broken mirror will damage the soul.
It is also considered unlucky to look into a mirror at night or by candlelight, for one will see ghosts, the devil or a portent of one’s own death. In Persian lore, ghosts may be seen in a mirror by standing in front of it and combing the hair without thinking, speaking or moving.

Irish Faerie Realm - The Dullahan

Variants: dullaghan, far dorocha, Crom Dubh

The dullahan is one of the most spectacular creatures in the Irish fairy realm and one which is particularly active in the more remote parts of counties Sligo and Down.

Around midnight on certain Irish festivals or feast days, this wild and black-robed horseman may be observed riding a dark and snorting steed across the countryside.

W. J. Fitzpatrick, a storyteller from the Mourne Mountains in County Down, recounts:

"I seen the dullahan myself, stopping on the brow of the hill between Bryansford and Moneyscalp late one evening, just as the sun was setting. It was completely headless but it held up its own head in its hand and I heard it call out a name. I put my hand across my ears in case the name was my own, so I couldn't hear what it said. When I looked again, it was gone. But shortly afterwards, there was a bad car accident on that very hill and a young man was killed. It had been his name that the dullahan was calling".

Dullahans are headless. Although the dullahan has no head upon its shoulders, he carries it with him, either on the saddle-brow of his horse or upraised in his right hand. The head is the colour and texture of stale dough or mouldy cheese, and quite smooth. A hideous, idiotic grin splits the face from ear to ear, and the eyes, which are small and black, dart about like malignant flies. The entire head glows with the phosphoresence of decaying matter and the creature may use it as a lantern to guide its way along the darkened laneways of the Irish countryside. Wherever the dullahan stops, a mortal dies.

The dullahan is possessed of supernatural sight. By holding his severed head aloft, he can see for vast distances across the countryside, even on the darkest night. Using this power, he can spy the house of a dying person, no matter where it lies. Those who watch from their windows to see him pass are rewarded for their pains by having a basin of blood thrown in their faces,

or by being struck blind in one eye.

The dullahan is usually mounted on a black steed, which thunders through the night. He uses a human spine as a whip. The horse sends out sparks and flames from its nostrils as it charges forth. In some parts of the country, such as County Tyrone, the dullahan drives a black coach known as the coach-a-bower (from the Irish coiste bodhar, meaning 'deaf or silent coach'). This is drawn by six black horses, and travels so fast that the friction created by its movement often sets on fire the bushes along the sides of the road. All gates fly open to let rider and coach through, no matter how firmly they are locked, so no one is truly safe from the attentions of this fairy.

This fairy has a limited power of speech. Its disembodied head is permitted to speak just once on each journey it undertakes, and then has only the ability to call the name of the person whose death it heralds. A dullahan will stop its snorting horse before the door of a house and shout the name of the person about to die, drawing forth the soul at the call. He may also stop at the very spot where a person will die.

On nights of Irish feast days, it is advisable to stay at home with the curtains drawn; particularly around the end of August or early September when the festival of Crom Dubh reputedly took place. If you have to be abroad at this time, be sure to keep some gold object close to hand.

The origins of the dullahan are not known for certain, but he is thought to be the embodiment of an ancient Celtic god, Crom Dubh, or Black Crom. Crom Dubh was worshipped by the prehistoric king, Tighermas, who ruled in Ireland about fifteen hundred years ago and who legitimised human sacrifice to heathen idols. Being a fertility god, Crom Dubh demanded human lives each year, the most favoured method of sacrifice being decapitation. The worship of Crom continued in Ireland until the sixth century, when Christian missionaries arrived from Scotland. They denounced all such worship and under their influence, the old sacrificial religions of Ireland began to lose favour. Nonetheless, Crom Dubh was not to be denied his annual quota of souls, and took on a physical form which became known as the dullahan or far dorocha (meaning dark man), the tangible embodiment of death.

Unlike the banshee, the dullahan does not pursue specific families and its call is a summoning of the soul of a dying person rather than a death warning. There is no real defence against the dullahan because he is death's herald. However, an artefact made of gold may frighten him away, for dullahan's appear to have an irrational fear of this precious metal. Even a small amount of gold may suffice to drive them off, as the following account from County Galway relates:

"A man was on his way home one night between Roundstone and Ballyconneely. It was just getting dark and, all of a sudden, he heard the sound of horse's hooves pounding along the road behind him. Looking around, he saw the dullahan on his charger, hurtling towards him at a fair speed. With a loud shout, he made to run but the thing came on after him, gaining on him all the time. In truth, it would have overtaken him and carried him away had he not dropped a gold-headed pin from the folds of his shirt on the road behind him. There was a roar in the air above him and, when he looked again, the dullahan was gone".

http://www.irelandseye.com/paddy3/preview.htm

Iconografia rusa

Icoana, mijloc de comuniune cu Hristos

Iconografia este fundamental diferita de pictura profana, cu care omul modern este obisnuit si, prin urmare, cateva explicatii si comentarii sunt cu adevarat necesare.

Mai intai, in icoana pictorul nu reprezinta, ceea ce observa in jurul sau, ci un anumit prototip. Icoanele sunt reprezentari ale Mantuitorului, ale Maicii Domnului si ale Sfintilor, iar cinstirea unei icoane, se fundamenteaza pe inchinarea la prototipul ei. Arta icoanei este o arta bisericeasca, ea avand un rol important atat in cultul divin public, cat si in cel particular: icoanele sunt cinstite prin inchinare si sarutare, iar persoanelor sfinte reprezentate, cerem prin rugaciuni, ajutor in nevoi sau, aducem multumire pentru binefacerile primite.

In icoanele Sfintilor, Parintii Bisericii au vazut o salasluire a lui Hristos, respectiv a puterii si lucrarii dumnezeiesti necreate, "o trecere in revista a faptelor lor sublime", un mijloc de comuniune, cu El, prin contemplare.

Realizarea icoanelor a fost reglementata de catre cel de-al Saptelea Sinod Ecumenic de la Niceea, tinut in anul 787. Astfel, arta icoanei poseda canoanele sale traditionale, care trebuie respectate. Insa, chiar si in contextul subiectelor biblice traditionale, urmand prescriptiile erminiei, pictorii au avut intotdeauna o libertate creatoare, imbogatind si dand o interpretare proaspata vechilor randuieli.

Iconografia rusa - origine si inceputuri

In 988, Rusia Kieveana a adoptat in mod oficial credinta ortodoxa, care ajunsese in Rusia mult mai devreme, mici comunitati ortodoxe existand inainte de 980. Crestinismul rus a preluat numeroase traditii culturale din Bizant, una dintre ele fiind arta icoanei.

Cateva caracteristici ale picturii iconografice rusesti timpurii, pot fi explicate prin originile sale bizantine. Primele icoane au fost aduse in Rusia din Constantinopol, unde, primii maestrii ai artei icoanei erau greci. Icoanele bizantine se disting prin finetea tehnicii. In unele distingem maretia fastului imperial, iar in altele experienta ascetica monahala.

Insa, oricat de puternica si fructuoasa a fost influenta Bizantului asupra artei icoanei in Rusia Medievala, tot putem remarca cateva diferente semnificative intre cele doua, inca din aceasta perioada timpurie. Icoanele ruse prezinta caracteristici distinctive: tonuri plate, luminoase si vii; alungirea proportiilor; sinuozitatea liniei; simplitate si sobrietate, calitati laudate si in proverbele populare.

In secolele XI -XII pictura bisericeasca din Rusia a capatat un caracter eminamente bizantin.

Comoara cea mai de pret a Rusiei este icoana Maicii Domnului din Vladimir. A fost adusa in Rusia din Bizant, la inceputul secolului al XII-lea, si se crede ca este una din cele trei reprezentari ale Maicii Domnului, pictate de catre Sfantul Apostol Luca. Acest tip de icoana – Dulcea sarutare – a interesat in mod deosebit lumea slava fiind unul din cele mai cunoscute tipuri de icoana aici. Compozitia a fost repetata de mii de ori de-a lungul veacurilor.

In secolele XIII – XIV, traditiile pre-mongole au fost pastrate si dezvoltate in cateva lucrari. O noua manifestare a acestei perioade a fost aparitia artei primitive rusesti. Lucrarile acestori pictori sunt naive, insa spontaneitatea expresiei, stralucirea culorilor si simplitatea copilareasca, sunt captivante. Acesta reprezinta inceputul scolii rusesti de pictura iconografica.

Apogeul iconografiei ruse – Teofan Grecul, Andrei Rubliov si Dionisie

Scolile locale s-au afirmat in Rusia la Novgorod si la Pskov, apoi la Moscova incepand de la mijlocul veacului al XIV-lea. Cronicile ne-au pastrat amintirea unor artisti greci veniti sa lucreze la Novgorod si la Moscova: in 1338, "grecul Isaia si prietenii sai" au pictat frescele din biserica Intrarii in Ierusalim de la Novgorod, astazi disparuta, iar in 1344 alti mesteri greci au zugravit vechea catedrala a Adormirii de la Moscova.

La sfarsitul secolului al XIV-lea un nou val de influente bizantine, in vreme Paleologilor, a traversat intrega Rusie. Reprezentatul cel mai de seama al acestei perioade a fost Teofan Grecul, nascut pe la 1330, care, dupa ce decorase biserici la Constantinopol si in imprejurimi, la Galata si la Calcedonia, a venit la Novgorod prin jurul anului 1360 sau 1370. Robustetea formelor confera deplina forta unei prezente reale a figurilor sale, pe care le simti insufletite de o apriga incordare spirituala. Coloritul este redus si atenuat in acelasi spirit de schematizare dinamica. El este dominat de semitonuri: carnatia chipurilor cu umbre de culoare a lutului ars; galben-pal, alb-sidefiu, trandafiriu si verde pentru vesminte.

Insa, o arta autentic rusa va triumfa odata cu pictorul-calugar Andrei Rubliov, autorul unui numar de icoane infatisind Praznicele Mari, care impodobesc iconostasul catedralei Blagovescenie din Kremlin, unde a lucrat in 1405 alaturi de Teofan Grecul si de un alt rus, Prohor din Gorodet. Dar cea mai pura capodopera a sa este Sfanta Treime. Dupa tragicul plin de patos al lui Teofan Grecul, Rubliov introduce o simplitate senina, mai potrivita temperamentului rus. Prin prestigiul legat de creatiile sale el a deschis cai noi artei din tara sa.

Icoanele lui Andrei Rubliov si cele ale contemporanilor sai reprezinta expresia unui extraordinar avant al scolii rusesti la inceputul secolului al XV-lea.

Aproape de sfarsitul secolului al XV- lea a noua stea, Dionisie, aparea pe fimamentul Moscovei. Arta lui Dionisie este una matura, contemplativa, rafinata si nobila in acelasi timp. Dionisie a fost un colorist exceptional, de o rara delicatete, culorile sale sunt subtile, transparente, formant armonioase acorduri, in special in scenele statice solemne, ce includ un mare numar de personaje.

Dionisie a avut se pare o influenta mai mare asupra contemporanilor decat avusese Rubliov in vremea sa. Poezia culorilor sale se reflecta in intreaga arta a primei jumatati a secolului al XVI-lea. Unele icoane din secolul al XVI-lea au o abundenta vasta de teme, asemenea unui intreg ciclu de fresce.

Iconografia rusa - decadere si renastere

Mijlocul secolului al XVI-lea a adus o schimbare brusca. Dezbaterile dogmatice asupra noilor icoane si afirmarea de catre “Sinodul celor o suta de capitole”, a adus sfarsitul apogeului iconografiei ruse. Chiar daca Sinodul l-a afirmat pe Andrei Rubliov drept exemplu de urmat, deja din secolul al XVIII-lea, in vremea lui Petru cel Mare, arta apuseana avea sa influenteze in mod radical iconografia rusa. Chiar daca practica cinstirii icoanelor s-a pastrat, pictura icoanelor, vadea influente majore ale artei laice.

In secolul al XIX -lea , maestrii rusi care au decorat noile biserici si catedrale, au folosit tehnici moderne de pictura. Traditia orala care fusese pastrat si dusa mai departe de iconarii din vechime, a fost pierduta aproape in intregime.

A doua jumatate a secolului al XX-lea a fost una a renasterii interesului fata de arta icoanei. In prezent, sunt numerosi pictori, nu numai in Europa de Est, ci chiar si in Vest, care urmeaza traditia vechilor maestrii iconari, si care au redescoperit icoana autentica ortodoxa.

Sursa: CrestinOrtodox.ro

Mythology and Folklore of the OaK

Throughout the major cultures of Europe the oak tree has been held in high esteem. To the Greeks, Romans, Celts, Slavs and Teutonic tribes the oak was foremost amongst venerated trees, and in each case associated with the supreme god in their pantheon, oak being sacred to Zeus, Jupiter, Dagda, Perun and Thor, respectively. Each of these gods also had dominion over rain, thunder and lightning, and it is surely no coincidence that oak trees appear to be more prone to lightning strikes than other trees, whether because of their wood's low electrical resistance or the fact that they were frequently the largest, tallest living things in the landscape.

The Druids frequently worshipped and practised their rites in oak groves (the word Druid was probably a Gaelic derivation of their word for oak, Duir, and meant men of the oaks). Mistletoe, probably the Druids' most potent and magical plant, frequently grew on oak trees and its presence was believed to indicate the hand of God having placed it there in a lightning strike.

Ancient kings presented themselves as the personifications of these gods, taking on the responsibility not only for success in battle but also the fertility of the land, which relied on rainfall. They wore crowns of oak leaves, as a symbol of the god they represented as kings on Earth. Similarly, successful Roman commanders were presented with crowns of oak leaves during their victory parades, and oak leaves have continued as decorative icons of military prowess to the present day. Oak leaves' connection with rainfall also survived in more recent folklore in a variety of similar rhymes about which tree's leaves appeared first, such as the Irish saying:

If the oak before the ash,
Then we'll only have a splash.
If the ash before the oak,
Then we'll surely have a soak!

The spiritual appreciation of oak did not cease with the advent of Christianity, however, although many oak groves were supplanted by early Christian churches. St. Columba was said to have had a fondness and respect for oak trees and to have been reluctant to fell them, though his early chapel on Iona was constructed of oak from the nearby Mull oakwoods. St. Brendan was divinely inspired to use oak boards instead of traditional hides to cover his coracle, which legend says may have carried him to the New World some thousand years before Columbus.

It was also favoured for its strength and durability in the distinctive Tudor timbered houses, and artists used its even-grained, honey-coloured beauty for carving and turning. The bark was valued by the leather tanning industry for its high tannin content, and large amounts were sent from managed oak woodlands in the north west of Scotland to Glasgow for this purpose during the Industrial Revolution. The bark would also yield a brown dye, and oak galls gave the strong black dye from which ink was made. A tonic derived from boiling the bark was used to treat harness sores on horses.

Perhaps because of the oak's size and presence, much of its folklore concerns specific, individual oak trees. Many parishes used to contain what became known as the Gospel Oak, a prominent tree at which part of the Gospel was read out during the Beating of the Bounds ceremonies at Rogantide in spring. In Somerset stand the two very ancient oaks of Gog and Magog (named after the last male and female giants to roam Britain), which are reputed to be the remnants of an oak-lined processional route up to the nearby Glastonbury Tor. The Major Oak in Sherwood Forest is purported to be the tree where Robin Hood and his Merry Men hatched their plots, and is now a popular tourist attraction (though this particular tree probably does not predate the 16th century).

In Leicestershire the Topless Oaks in Bradgate Park were said to have been pollarded as a sign of mourning following the beheading, in 1554, of Lady Jane Grey who had lived at the nearby Bradgate Hall. After the battle of Worcester in 1651 King Charles II hid from the Roundheads in a large oak at Boscobel. In 1660 he instigated the 29th of May as Royal Oak Day to celebrate the restoration of the monarchy.

Children would wear oak leaves (or better still, oak apples) as part of a custom which officially lasted until 1859 but in fact continued until well into the twentieth century. Once again the symbol of oak leaves had royal connections. And so it won't be a surprise which plant was the clan badge of the Royal Clan Stewart.

Paul Kendall

http://www.treesforlife.org.uk/forest/mythfolk/oak.html

Ploaie in luna lui Marte

Ploua infernal,
si noi ne iubeam prin mansarde.
Prin cerul ferestrei, oval,
norii curgeau în luna lui Marte.

Peretii odaii erau
nelinistiti, sub desene în creta.
Sufletele noastre dansau
nevazute-ntr-o lume concreta.

O să te ploua pe aripi, spuneai,
ploua cu globuri pe glob si prin vreme.
Nu-i nimic, iti spuneam, Lorelei,
mie-mi ploua zborul, cu pene.

Si mă-naltam. Si nu mai stiam unde-mi
lasasem în lume odaia.
Tu mă strigai din urma: raspunde-mi, raspunde-mi,
cine-s mai frumosi: oamenii?... ploaia?...

Ploua infernal, ploaie de tot nebuneasca,
si noi ne iubeam prin mansarde.
N-as mai fi vrut să se sfirseasca
niciodata-acea luna-a lui Marte.

(Nichita Stanescu)

Un pupic pe inserare

Primavara Mea

(Charles Archer - Flori de primavara)

PRIMAVARA MEA

Muzica: Tudor Gheorghe

Versurile: Virgil Carianopol


Din somnul lor, de noapte-ntunecosă

De unde-au stat, departe de frumos

Se reîntorc livezile acasă

În rochii înflorate pana jos.

E primăvară, iarăşi primăvară

Pe fiecare margini de făgaş

Îşi scot strămoşii degetele-afară

De ghiocei, de crini, de toporaşi.

Se simte iarăşi morosul cîmpiii,

Din nou aruncă soarele pojarul

La cântecul înalt al ciocârliii,

Ies roadele cu capetele-afară.

Aruncă ziua peste tot cu vrăbii,

În codrii cucii iar au năvălit,

Se bat cu cântul, păsăsrile-n săbii

Şi glasurile-şi dau la ascuţit.

E primăvară, iarăşi primăvară

Pe fiecare margini de făgaş

Îşi scot strămoşii degetele-afară

De ghiocei, de crini, de toporaşi.