To the page “Protection of
historical heritage”
Prof. Dr. S.V. Zagraevsky
The fate of the
relics found in the 1990-ies
in the cathedral
of Andronikov monastery
(the review of the
book by Nun Christina (Butkevich) "God can not be mocked at" (
Attention!
The following text
was translated from the Russian original by the computer program
and has not yet been
edited.
So it can be used
only for general introduction.
History with the relics found during the
excavations of the 1990-ies the Cathedral of the Andronikov monastery, well-known, I touched her and in his
monograph "Issues of architectural history of the CathedralOf the Saviour of the Andronikov monastery" (M.,
2008).
However, I read the book the nun Christina (Butkevich) "God is not
mocked is" with great interest. This book systematically and objectively
considered all complex and complicated situation that
arose after the Cathedral was found burial, with great probability identified
as the grave of the monk Andronicus, Savva, Alexander and Ephraim is the first of the
four priors The Spaso-Andronikov monastery, as well as the great icon
painters Andrei Rublev and Daniel Black. All these saints canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church to the
saints – both locally and nationwide.
In my opinion, the main problem
today is the identification of the graves. In the aggregate data comprehensively reviewed in a book by the nun Christina, the
probability that found
the relics of the monk above, is quite high. But to clarify what exactly the remains belonged to Andronicus,
and some Sawa, what Andrei Rublev, etc., within the framework of the scientific
approach is impossible.
Accordingly, is unclear how to organize the process of finding the relics
and place them in the altar of the Cathedral: will not work if, for example,
that in cancer of the PDP. Andronicus will be power
PRP. Ephraim? Or cancer of the
PDP. Andrew – power PDP. Daniel? Such errors unacceptable, and it's probably the main reason why it is
still not made formal (and, of course, solemn) the acquisition of these
relics, discovered for more than twenty years ago. But
this finding could serve as a point the attraction for many pilgrims and significantly improve
interest in and toAndronikova the monastery and its Cathedral, and its
history and ancient architecture and iconography in General.
The output seen here the
rejection of the personification of the relics and the introduction of the
concept of "Andronikovskaya saints" (for the analogy of Solovki saints Zosima, Savvatii and Herman). ImageAndronikovskaya saints at the Cathedral of the Saviour could be a
great storyline for iconography, and their power could become an object pilgrimage
and worship without personalization.
As for the excavation under the the Cathedral of the Andronikov monastery, I had to speak and
write (in and
in this monograph) that you must save to spend the necessary conservation and restoration work and
open to visit as "the crypt" (by analogy with many of the
largest churches in the world). In this "crypt" might be the relics of the saints
Andronikovskaya, and if these relics after the formal finding will remain in the altar of the
Saviour Cathedral, the icon with images of these saints, the texts of their lives, etc.
© Sergey Zagraevsky
To the page “Protection of
historical heritage”