"The Saviour in Powers" in Doxography and reality: analysis of a concept
The icon of the Saviour in Power in the centre of the Deesis tier was the compositional and conceptual keynote of iconostasis, and researchers suppose that this iconography is the key to understanding the latter. The author challenges some stipulations on the origins and meaning of the icon. In particular, the article rejects the hypothesis of the lack of Eastern sources of this iconography and the necessity to search of Western Catholic sources. The text of first chapter of the Book of Ezekiel, which is usually considered one of the sources of the iconography, had been well-known in Rus’ by the time this icon appeared, and there were two translations of it: liturgical translation by Methodius and explanatory translation by Simeon with comments by Blessed Theodoret of Cyrus. The article removed association of iconography with this text, which was allegedly introduced into liturgy after the adoption of Jerusalem Typikon in Russia; the appearance of iconography was stated to be simultaneous with introduction of this text into the readings. The author demonstrates that apart from full commentary to the Book of Ezekiel by Blessed Theodoret there were other works by Eastern writers on this apocalyptic vision from the first chapter, including those texts that associate four apocalyptic “beasts” with four Gospels and Evangelists (as they are interpreted in the icon of the Saviour in Power). Some of these texts correlated directly or indirectly with various Eastern images of the Saviour in Power with symbols of Evangelists, as well as with iconography of the Saviour in Power. The latter is confirmed in a number of artifacts. The author defies the necessity of searching for origins of this iconography in the Western Catholic comments to this text, which was suggested by researchers. The author discovered in Eastern sources the origins and counterparts of iconography of the Saviour in Power, as well as its details and graphic elements.