“Greek clergy and
public figures are going to present a gift to Russian
President Vladimir Putin a unique icon - Patriotissa
Panagia (Virgin of patriot), or "Unity". It was written
specifically for Russia, in gratitude for their
contribution to preserving the traditions of Orthodoxy,
for his contribution to the development of Europe, told
Russian journalists clergy and representatives of the
NGO ELAIA ("Elia", "Oliva").
Present the icon as a gift planned in 2016 year, when the cross year Russia and Greece.
Icon painters of Mount Athos wrote, it is unique not only for work but also in size - 2,3 1,8 meters per meter. Weighs icon 150 kilograms. And it is called "Unity", because it is a line from the Gospel - "Let there be one."
At the writing of icons blessed Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill, said rector of the church of Panagia Sumela in Minidi Father Gregory. In his temple to be stored icon until it is transported to Russia.”
[The full text of the article released English is provided in the Appendix below.]
Present the icon as a gift planned in 2016 year, when the cross year Russia and Greece.
Icon painters of Mount Athos wrote, it is unique not only for work but also in size - 2,3 1,8 meters per meter. Weighs icon 150 kilograms. And it is called "Unity", because it is a line from the Gospel - "Let there be one."
At the writing of icons blessed Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill, said rector of the church of Panagia Sumela in Minidi Father Gregory. In his temple to be stored icon until it is transported to Russia.”
[The full text of the article released English is provided in the Appendix below.]
This news item first appeared on the 16th of February on Russian news websites. The English text above appears on the website ‘News CYPRUS’ and is reproduced exactly.
Before going any further I must clarify that the title
(or name) of the icon which was, for some reason,
mistranslated into English as “Virgin of
patriot”.
The word “patriot” is indeed written on the right side
of the halo of the Mother of God, immediately below the
customary Greek four-letters abbreviation “MP
OY”
–
“Mother of God”; this is the title of the icon. However,
the word in question is written in Russian and says
“ПAT-PИO-TKA” (“patriot-ka”) that is a single female
form of the word “patriot” – “female patriot”.
Properly translated, the title of the icon is “Mother of
God the Patriot” and this is in fact how it has been
translated in Russian mass-media. It is noteworthy that
in Russia we have many kinds of icon of the Mother God
like “Mother of God the Milk Giver”, “Mother of God the
Hope of those who have lost hope”, etc. We have never
had “Mother of God the Patriot” though.
--------------------------------------------------------
Just a few years ago the text of this news release would
be perceived as a parody or delirium. Today very little
there causes strong emotions. This exhaustion of the
soul is, I think, further proof that Russia continues in
its steady movement towards absolute evil. Already very
little amazes because our perceptions have grown dull
from the abundance of absurdity and lies. The fact that
this story comes not from Russian but from Greece does
not change anything: Greece simply partook the Russian
disease and assumed its place on the Russian
metaphysical map.
I will leave the reader to make their own conclusions
about the various statements the text makes and
immediately move to the most important matter – to the
icon itself or, speaking more precisely, to its
iconographic scheme which gives the key to its
understanding.
Anyone familiar with the world of icon painting would
immediately recognise in the icon ‘Mother of God the
Patriot’ (Lord forgive me!) the icon ‘Mother of God of
the Sign’ much venerated in Byzantium and Ancient
Russia.
 |
| ‘Mother of God of the
Sign’ Yaroslavl, 13 c. |
In Russia it was also called the ‘Mother of God of Incarnation’. This is probably theologically the deepest icon of the Mother of God. The iconography of the ‘Mother of God of the Sign’ is based on the Old and New Testament prophecies about the birth of the Saviour: by the prophet Isaiah “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel”[1] and by the archangel Gabriel “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be cold holy, the Son of God”[2]. The Mother of God is depicted standing with her hands raised up in a prayer; “on” her chest is a glowing circle/ heavenly sphere – there the blessing Baby Jesus is depicted. The meaning of this representation is clear; from now God is with us, “The Word became flesh”[3], in the Incarnation of Christ, which is taking place on the icon immediately before the eyes of a viewer, all the creation is blessed and transfigured. Occasionally the heavenly sphere is only hinted at and the Baby Jesus is painted directly on His Mother’s cloak in the semi-circle formed by the folds of the cloak. On icons of ‘Mother of God of the Sign’ quiet often would be painted the figures of the saints, archangels and angels, that is, the part of the creation which has already entered the Heavenly Church. Whoever would be depicted on the icon the central figures would always remain the same – the Mother of God with the Baby Jesus Christ. Regardless of the details the icon depicts the fundamental Christian dogma of the Incarnation without which nothing is left of Christianity. Perhaps because of this the prototype “Mother of God of the Sign” has been found on the earliest frescos in the Christian catacombs.
Now, armed with this knowledge, let us look at the new
icon from Athos.
 |
| “Mother of God the Patriot” Athos, 21 c. |
Now, armed with this knowledge, let us look at the new
icon from Athos. There is the Mother of God, there is
the sphere within her but inside it is panted not the
Baby Jesus but… the map of Greece! The adult Jesus
Christ is depicted above, over the Mother of God. His
figure appears as if it is inside an invisible circle
(see the shape of the outline of the bottom of the
figure) and He is blessing in exactly the say manner as
the Baby Jesus, that is, with two hands. Christ
Pantocrator (“Christ the Judge”, the iconographic type
in which Christ is now represented on this icon) always
blesses with one hand and always holds the scroll of the
book of the Gospels in the other, this is why His figure
here, with two blessing hands and “cut” by an invisible
semi-cycle looks extremely artificial. Perhaps it would
look different in a different context but here, in the
frame of the iconography of ‘Mother of God of the Sign’
it looks as if it was “extracted” from the circle in
which the map of Greece is now placed, was expanded and
then glued above.
Thus this icon has acquired a new symbolism, quite
blasphemous. The Mother of God is now “pregnant” with
Greece, not with the Saviour. The “Sign of God” is
already not the incarnation of Jesus Christ but Greece.
Jesus Christ is blessing the new order of things from
heaven.
Other figures and details are enriching the new meaning:
the state officials of Greece and Russia, the two
churches of Aghia Sophia, one in Istanbul and the other
in Kiev, in the hands of the Mother of God; the double
headed Byzantine/ Kiev / Russian eagle. This is not so
much an icon but the genealogical tree or the crest of
“patriots”, Greek and Russian. It is not clear though
why the Mother of God herself is call “patriot”? Would
it not, in that case, be logical to paint the map of
ancient Israel instead of Greece in the circle? Or maybe
Greece is the New Israel that “adopted” Russia so to
speak?
Next I was planning to write about the aesthetics of the
icon but, longer I looked at it, the harder it was to
believe that it actually exists in reality. It cannot be
so! It is so terribly painted, combining completely
incompatible depictions: holy warriors, stand secure and
heavily on the concrete-grey ground, higher – the
archangels on oblong carpets, higher – much bigger
figures of the prophets, their figures cut along their
waist by horizontal straight lines, and the figure of
Christ above them somehow cut by a circular line… The
figure of the Mother of God with enormous wooden arms,
disproportionally short, and the map of Greece somehow
made in a way that its white border looks very much like
the outline of a female waist beneath the dress of the
Mother of God. The letter “E”, the emblem of an entirely
earthly organisation ‘ELAIA’, is somehow written on the
ground just before the Mother of God, in the icon space
= the space of the Kingdom of Heaven. In the halo of the
Mother of God is painted the olive branches which form
the emblem of that organization. The style of painting
is crude while the Athos style has always been
recognized for its fine nuances in the modeling of
faces. But forget about the style! – Such a strange
composition, the figures which are rotating like balls
in the hands of a juggler, sharply diminishing in their
proportions from the top to the bottom and appear almost
to fall down into the space below them. I cannot believe
my eyes!
Then what is all this about? Maybe someone made a
deliberately blasphemous icon in Russia, by some
commission from a “high level”, with some enigmatic
purpose? Maybe it is just another “test”; will the
blasphemy be digested or not? Or was it really painted
in Greece but not on Athos – in some bizarre icon studio
and presented as if “from Athos”, for the additional
weight so to speak? Or – and this is the worst – all is
true, it is made on Athos, and some elder truly blessed
it. Who knows, perhaps they truly tried to make an icon
for Putin and this what came up – the depiction of the
true state of affairs in Russia, Greece, and everywhere
this hellish disease has touched.
Despite its absurdity the “icon for Putin” is still the
sign, of what has come and is to come. This is the
reality so much desired by so many: the Incarnation is
cancelled, God is not with us – with us are our lands
and our patriot-warriors. Instead of Christ, at the door
of our hearts is now knocking a scary figure,
something-like the goddess Athena, something-like the
Mother-homeland, with wooden arms something-like those
of a wind mill or a swastika. Instead of Christ the
“Mother of God” gives birth/ sanctifies “the original
land” and together with it – the new people united by
the national idea. The love of Christ is swapped with
love for the homeland and one’s own people and this is
proclaimed holy – this is why the “Mother of God” was
given the title “Patriot”. This is – the nauseously
familiar, eternal attempt to swap the heavenly with the
earthly, God – to make idols.
Why speak if everything is so obvious? Please compare the “icon for Putin” with the old-Russian icon ‘Mother of God of the Sign’[4]. I have deliberately placed their fragments beside each other.
“So when you see the desolating sacrilege spoken by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place, then…”[5]
19 February 2015
--------------------------------------------------------
Appendix
‘News CYPRUS’
17.02.2015 - 10: 03
17.02.2015 - 10: 03
The monks on Mount Athos wrote a unique icon for the
President of Russia
Greek clergy intend to present as a gift to Russian
President unique icon "Unity". "This icon represents the
heritage of Byzantine culture, which perceived Russia.
And we very much believe in this difficult hour, that
the Mother of God can help Greece to improve relations
with Russia," - said the elder Athos George Alevras
Kavsokalivit.
Greek clergy and public figures are going to present a
gift to Russian President Vladimir Putin a unique icon -
Patriotissa Panagia (Virgin of patriot), or "Unity". It
was written specifically for Russia, in gratitude for
their contribution to preserving the traditions of
Orthodoxy, for his contribution to the development of
Europe, told Russian journalists clergy and
representatives of the NGO ELAIA ("Elia", "Oliva").
Present the icon as a gift planned in 2016 year, when
the cross year Russia and Greece.
Image worthy of Russian Orthodox people
Icon painters of Mount Athos wrote, it is unique not
only for work but also in size - 2,3 1,8 meters per
meter. Weighs icon 150 kilograms. And it is called
"Unity", because it is a line from the Gospel - "Let
there be one."
At the writing of icons blessed Patriarch of Moscow and
All Russia Kirill, said rector of the church of Panagia
Sumela in Minidi Father Gregory. In his temple to be
stored icon until it is transported to Russia.
According to him, and frame the icon has a meaning - it
shows the first governor of Greece Ioannis Kapodistrias,
Admiral Fyodor Ushakov, revered as a saint, St. George.
In the coming days, the icon will be delivered to the
Ministry of National Defense of Greece, the territory of
which there is a small church. Icon will meet Russian
Defense Minister and the heads of the armed forces of
Greece. There it will be several days.
"She will worship, pray, and then the icon will bring to
the military hospital, and then, on the day of the
Triumph of Orthodoxy, will bring to our church. It has a
symbolic meaning, we have Russian church, our
congregation - speaking population. The icon would first
bring in Russian Church in the center of Athens, but
there are no such conditions, as we have. We icon will
be up to 2016, when during the days of Russia in Greece,
we would like to pass it on to the Russian state, "-
said Father Gregory.
Create Russian version of the image of Our Lady of
Unity, in all its grandeur worthy of the Orthodox people
of Russia, it was decided in 2006 year, said Athos
Archimandrite George Elder Alevras Kavsokalivit.
In the beginning was written by the Greek version of the
icon, it is smaller in size - 1,5 1 meters per meter and
is located on Mount Athos. In 2009 was written by the
Russian version of the icon.
"When we visited Russia in 2009 year, we received a copy
of the icon of Our Lady patriot Patriarch Kirill and
received the blessing of writing large icons, which we
would like to give the President of Russia. And no
matter whether the icon will go to Russia or not go, it
belongs Russia ", - said the old man.
He said he loved Russian as their second home. "The
Russian Church is strong and free Orthodox Church," -
said Archimandrite.
"This icon represents the heritage of Byzantine culture,
heritage, who took Russia. And we very much believe in
this difficult hour, that the Mother of God can help
Greece to improve relations with Russia. That's what we
were engaged in recent years, with the head of the fund
ELAIA Ioannis Kornilakisom" - said Archimandrite George.
Icon and the first governor of Greece
The words "Let there be one" used the first governor of
Greece Ioannis Kapodistrias in a letter to the clergy of
the Greek Church at the time, told the writer and
researcher Ioannis Kornilakis, CEO of the nonprofit
organization ELAIA. He has been studying the life and
work of John Kapodistrias, former Minister of Foreign
Affairs of Russia and the first governor of Greece after
independence. Kornilakis book "Ioannis Kapodistrias -
holy policies". Rare book includes letters 930 ruler,
historical documents on the history of Greece, Russia
and the whole of Europe, that have not been published.
Preface to the book written Patriarch of Moscow and All
Russia Alexy II shortly before his death and the present
Patriarch Kirill, Patriarch of the Ecumenical Patriarch
of Jerusalem, President of Cyprus.
Icon - a reciprocal gift of Greece, said Kornilakis.
"King Nicholas I did not want to let go of Kapodistrias,
but he said that for many years given the service of
Russia and would like to spend the last years of his
life to the service of his country. The mother of two
emperors Maria Feodorovna gave him a gift - an icon of
the Mother of God, which Kapodistrias never parted. We
are now more than 180 years, created a Russian version
of the icon of the "Unity" - said the researcher.
"I think it reflects the aesthetics of the Russian
people," - said Kornilakis. According to him, in
particular, the icon has a picture of St. George - the
same as the emblem of the Russian president.
"We would like to see the icon was transferred to the Russian president," - said the researcher.
Kornilakis said that when the icon was brought to the
temple two metropolitans - in Trikalle in Karditsa, it
was met with special military honors.
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