The tradition of temple murals Bashny.Net

The decoration of the Church is created not as an end in itself – it is part of religious worship, the observance of ancient traditions and covenants. Since Byzantine times began the tradition of decorating Christian shrines – the temple.

Preserved from the times of Ancient Rus painted murals allow you to learn about the unique painting traditions of the Christian churches. So, in Kiev's St. Cyril's Church you can see the magnificent frescoes of the XII century. Here is one of the earliest depictions of the last judgment. Amazing example of a traditional temple painting was the Church in honor of the Transfiguration of our Savior on the Nereditsa, which was built in 1198 in Veliky Novgorod. The entire surface of the roof and walls covered with fresco paintings, complement the architectural design of the temple. This unity of the picturesque and architectural forms creates an amazing feeling of reverence, admiration for the beauty of the Church. Not surprisingly, this painting has acquired wide popularity and attracted the attention of believers from around the world.
Preserved ancient frescoes, and in the Vladimir Dormition Cathedral, made well-known masters of iconography by Andrei Rublev, Daniil Cherny. In the assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin also continued the tradition of temple murals – here you feel a unified style, was continued by the son of an icon painter from the God Dionysus. They, along with his sons Feodosy and Vladimir have created a whole school recreates many of the nuances of traditional painting.
Traditionally, each mural to its location. So, the Central dome is usually painted with image of Christ Pantocrator on the arches of writing Holy images of the Archangels, the Prophets and the Patriarchs. On the walls of the West are traditionally frescoes depicting the last judgment. The Northern part is painted with various scenes of the Apocalypse.

Among the paintings we often find images of Byzantine emperors and Russian princes, which is particularly emphasizes spiritual and cultural continuity of Russian Orthodox Church from the Church of ancient Byzantium.
The tradition of temple murals allowed and many years later, in the late nineteenth century to create outstanding examples of Church culture. Suffice it to recall the built in 1896 Vladimir Cathedral in Kiev, painting which came from the recognized masters of painting: V. M. Vasnetsov, M. V. Nesterov, M. A. Vrubel and others.

These ancient traditions were not destroyed and today in the modern painting of the ascension Cathedral (Rostov) according to the traditional canons of the depicted Holy scenes, creating in the Church a special atmosphere of beauty.

Getting acquainted with these works of contemporary temple painting, there is a possibility not to lose a sense of continuity, feeling the rich potential of contemporary artists to follow the ancient canons, to read centuries-old foundations.