XXIV. Бирюзовое окружение Софии и символика голубого и синего цвета (к стр. 375).

The meaning of the circles near Sofia indicated in the text can be confirmed by the symbolism of the blue color and colors related and close to blue. (We note right away that we will use their names as synonymous, because we are, in fact, talking about the color of the sky, and the sky, in different countries and at different times of the day and year, comes in very different shades, from dark blue to pale turquoise inclusive). Blue, as you know, symbolizes the air, the sky and, hence, the presence of the Divine in the world through his creativity, through his powers. Thus, Philo 898 saw in the blue robe (תְחלֵֶת tekhelet, sky blue, coeruleus, hyacinth) of the high priest (Ex. 27:31; Lev. 7:7) a symbol of air; Josephus 899, explaining symbolically the colors adopted when painting the Tabernacle and the clothes of the high priest, interprets the hyacinth or blue color as air, and the hyacinth tiara as the sky; bl. Jerome 900 reproduces Josephus's explanations. This naturalistic interpretation is naturally associated with a moral interpretation. Thomas Aquinas 901 sees in the hyacinth color the contemplation of heavenly things. Indeed, the Israelites had to place tassels with hyacinth threads at the four corners of their bedspreads, so that “you,” says the Lord, “looking at them, would remember all the commandments of the Lord, and fulfill them, and not walk after your heart and your eyes, which lead you to fornication; that you may remember and do all My commandments, and be holy to your God” (Num. 15:38–41; cf. Deut. 22:12). So, the blue color is a symbol of what is opposite to fornication and falling away from God - a symbol of spiritual purity and chastity. Bl. Jerome 902 says that the hyacinth robe of the high priest, representing the color of the air, symbolizes the elevation of the heart above earthly things. Thomas Aquinas 903 sees in this garment an image of communication with heaven through works of improvement. He adds 904 that the hyacinth stripes on the bedspreads were a symbol of the heavenly aspiration - which should lead all actions. The newest interpretations are similar to this. Thus, according to O. Weininger, “blue color is the color of joy and bliss of the highest life. The red color of hell is the opposite of the blue color of heaven" 905. In view of this blue symbolism, Contemplative Theology, alone of the seven figures representing the seven heavenly sciences, in the fresco of Simon Memmi in the Spanish Chapel of Santa Maria Novella in Florence, is represented in blue and red robes, while Practical Theology in green, Mystical in white, Polemical, as well as Civil Law, in red, and Ecclesiastical Law in gold and white. 906. Therefore, in the same church, in a fresco by Giotto (1276–1333), depicting the renunciation of the world by Francis of Assisi, “the angry father is dressed in red, changeable like passion, and the mantle with which the bishop covers the saint. Francis, blue - a symbol of heavenly peace." Let us also add that this distribution of colors is not at all an accident: Giotto is one of the greatest colorful symbolists and, moreover, not just used the conventional coloring of the tradition, but created new symbols for each picture and, therefore, personally experienced them 907. Again, this is why the color of the blue mosaic is especially suitable for the decoration of the church, bringing the soul of the worshiper into inexplicable awe. “The very dark blue color on the ceiling of the mausoleum of Galla Placidia is unusually and somehow incomprehensibly deep,” says one traveler 908, describing the Ravenna mosaics of the 5th century. “Depending on the play of light penetrating here through the small windows, it amazingly and unexpectedly shimmers with greenish, lilac, or crimson shades. “When you see all this splendor, you can’t help but think that humanity has never created a better artistic means for decorating church walls. – The air shining with blue fire, which shrouds the sarcophagus, is worthy of being the dream of a fiery religious imagination. Isn’t this what the colored glass artists in Gothic cathedrals were striving for, in a different way?” We find the most systematic and detailed study of the symbolism of flowers in Fr. Portal 909. Let us briefly outline the thoughts he developed. They are based on the recognition that the religious consciousness of humanity is gradually degenerating and coarsening and that therefore religious symbols are becoming more and more carnal. Taking further into account the message of St. Clement of Alexandria about three types of writing among the Egyptians and Varro about three theologies, Portal develops the idea that in the history of religion there are three stages, marked by three languages ​​that differ from each other. The spiritual world disintegrates in the human mind into its attributes, and these latter, degenerating further, acquire significance as phenomena of this world. This is the process of spiritual degeneration. It corresponds to a sequence of three languages. “The divine language first addresses all people and reveals to them the existence of God; symbolism is the language of all nations, just as religion is the heritage of every family; there is no priesthood yet; every father is a king and a priest. “The sacred language is born in sanctuaries, it controls the symbolism of architecture, sculpture and painting, as well as cult rites and priestly robes: this first incarnation encloses the divine language in impenetrable veils. “Then the worldly language – profane, – the material expression of symbols, becomes food thrown to nations that have turned to idolatry” 910. So, every symbol is threefold; the same should be said in particular about color symbols. “The history of symbolic colors testifies to this threefold origin, each shade having a different meaning in each of the three languages ​​- divine, sacred and profane” 911. In particular, the blue color, the azure of the firmament, means initially, in the divine language, the eternal Divine truth; then, in sacred language, it becomes a symbol of human immortality and, hence, the color of death, the color of sadness and mourning. Finally, in the language of the world it means fidelity. “Thus, from the dogma of eternal wisdom, man moves on to the contemplation of his immortality; dogmas are forgotten, the symbol becomes solidified and, in our days, has only the meaning of fidelity” 912. The basis of color symbolism is, according to Portal, the production of all colors from light and darkness. Red, the color of divine love, and white, the color of divine wisdom, come directly from Light; yellow, coming from red and white, is a symbol of the revelation of God's love and wisdom. Blue - also comes from red and white; it means divine wisdom revealed through the life, spirit, or breath of God; he is a symbol of the spirit of truth; he indicates the discovery of love and wisdom in action; he was a symbol of love and the rebirth of the soul through exploits. In other words, three points can be seen at the heart of the symbolism: 10, being in itself [i.e. that is, according to the concept of our book - God in himself, the Father and the Trinity]; The predominant colors here are red and white. 20, life detection [vol. e., again according to the thoughts of our book - Logos in the world and Sophia]; Here the colors yellow and blue serve as symbols. 30, action, hence the resulting [i.e. e., in the same cycle of thoughts, - Creation, enlivened by the Holy Spirit], whose symbol is the color green 913. Without now touching on other fundamental issues of color symbolism, let us proceed directly to consideration of Portal's views on the three meanings of the color blue 914. First of all, the Portal talks about the meaning of blue in the divine language. Air, and therefore azure, the color of air, symbolizes the Holy Spirit, says our researcher, referring to the story of Holy Scripture about the descent of the Spirit (Acts 2) and to the conversation of the Lord with Nicodemus (John 3:8). Further, the meaning of blue color is established as a symbol of creative divine wisdom. The red-horned blue ram on which Agni sits among the Hindus; blue Jupiter-Ammon with ram horns; the meaning of fire in the word azur - azure - in eastern languages; Zeus, like ethereal fire among the Greeks, according to St. Clement of Alexandria, etc., all this points, according to the Portal, to the union of wisdom and love in the supreme deity. In cosmogonies, divine wisdom creates the world; therefore God the Creator is always blue. Thus, in Hindustan, Vishnu was born from blueness, and when he is depicted as creating the world, he is written with a sky-blue body. In Egypt, the supreme deity, the creator of the universe, Knef, was written in a heavenly color. In Greece [?], azure is the color of Jupiter, the father of gods and people. In China, the sky is the supreme deity, and in Christian symbolism, the azure vault is the mantle that covers and envelops the Deity. The Eternal Truth, embodied on earth, is also symbolized by azure - as saving and, as it were, re-creating humanity. Among the Hindus, Krishna, in the myth of which one can find some analogies to the Gospel, and, perhaps, direct borrowings, is depicted with a blue body. In the same way, Amon, the divine Word of the Egyptians, according to Eusebius 915, was represented as azure in color, and he appears as such in Egyptian images. Let us now turn to the sacred language. There are three different blue colors; one coming from red, another from white, and a third approaching black. These colors sometimes differ in shades, sometimes merge into one. Blue, derived from red, represents ethereal fire; its meaning is heavenly love for truth. In the Mysteries it refers to baptism by fire. – Blue, coming from white, indicates the truth of faith; it refers to the Bible's living waters, or baptism in the spirit. Blue approaching black leads us to cosmogony, to the Spirit of God floating above chaos; it refers to natural baptism. These three types of the same color correspond to the three main degrees of ancient initiation and the threefold Christian baptism: water, Spirit and fire. These same three degrees were depicted, more separately, by colors: red, blue and green. Green, black and dark blue (all one symbol) indicate the world born in the womb of primeval waters and the first degree of initiation. Azure represents rebirth or spiritual formation of a person, and red represents sanctification. The primeval chaos over which the Spirit hovered, the creation of Adam and the sanctification of the Sabbath - these are the three steps in the Bible. Pagan deities were symbols of the attributes of God and the rebirth of man. Therefore, when Vishnu represents the last stage of rebirth, he is greenish or dark blue in color. Saturn, like Memnon, like Osiris-Serapis, like Knef-Ammon-Agathodemon-Nile, like Vishnu-Narayana, Krishna, Buddha, was black or dark blue; and all these gods have something to do with water. Krishna is the embodiment of divine truth, and therefore his body is azure; but, having descended into the conditions of human existence, he is subject to the temptations of evil, and Indian symbolism also devotes to him the colors dark blue and black. Plutarch says that Osiris was black in color, because water makes the substances it nourishes dark. Under this popular explanation it is easy to grasp the main idea - about God setting chaos in motion. The statue of Saturn was made of black stone, and his priests were also black, in blue robes, with iron rings. When the king visited the church of this deity, his retinue was dressed in blue or black. The opposition of these two colors represents the struggle of life and death in the spiritual state and in the material state, which is found in time; a Saturn is a symbol of Time. The church and statue of Mercury were made of blue stones; one of his hands was white, and the other was black; Macrobius gives him one wing that is white and the other blue, or, according to other mythographers, black. Associated with black, blue is the attribute of the initiate who crushes the gates of spiritual death with the power of truth; white indicates complete rebirth. The myth of the Argonauts, which has a mystical meaning, tells of the sacrifice to Juno and Neptune in Kianei, in the Blue Gorges. But Juno-air is a symbol of heavenly truth, and Neptune-water is a symbol of natural truth. Neptune was draped in green, and black bulls were sacrificed to him; the blue one was dedicated to Juno. We find similar symbols in Christianity, the Chinese, and Lao Tzu. Azure, in its absolute meaning, represents heavenly truth; what is true, what is in itself, is eternal, and vice versa, what is transitory is false. Azure was therefore an indispensable symbol of divine eternity, human immortality and, as a result, naturally became a mourning color. The Egyptian high priest wore a sapphire on his chest, “and this decoration was called Truth - καὶ ἐκαλεῖτο τὸ ἄγαλμα Ἀλήθεια”; so says Elian 916. But it is known, in addition, that on this stone was carved an image of the goddess of Truth or Justice, Tme - Thmé, - whose name תם ТНМ or תמה ТНМЭ means justice and truth in Hebrew. The Jewish high priest wore on his chest a stone that had the same name: Truth, Justice, תמים ТНМИМ 917. The very name sapphire, םפיר SPR or SPHIR, is derived from the root םפר SPR or SPHR, which means to write, speak, glorify, praise, scribe, scripture, book. These various names indicate the word, written or spoken speech, the wisdom of God contained in the Sepher of the Hebrews or the Bible 918. In the Mysteries, the Egyptian high priest was dressed in a sky-blue robe, studded with stars and tied with a yellow belt. The same with Aaron. This garment signifies the guardians of eternal truth; in relation to people, as it is said, azure is a symbol of immortality. A large number of blue figurines and amulets are found in Egyptian burial grounds. This color should be seen as a symbol of the soul rushing into eternity. In China, blue is the color of the dead, symbolizing souls after death, and red means the living. In Christian symbolism, Christ in the tomb was sometimes depicted with a blue face and surrounded by blue stripes 919; one of the angels was also painted with a blue halo. In the miniatures of some manuscripts, the color blue again symbolizes death 920. According to Mon, the Virgin often, after the death of Christ, appears dressed in blue; That is why, as Guigniaut notes, the priest in Lent often dresses in blue and, before Holy Week, images of Christ are covered with veils (for Catholics) of the same color 921. In these rituals the first degree of incarnation is visible: the symbol of divine eternity and human immortality becomes the emblem of bodily death. “The color blue,” says La Mothe-Lévaillé 922, “is considered the color of death throughout a large part of the East, where mourning is worn only in blue, and where no one dares to appear to kings in clothing of such a sad sign, nor, for the same reason, is the unpleasant word of death ever uttered in their presence.” These customs show us the symbol in full flesh. But the last degree of consolidation is expressed by the language of the world. The color of the firmament, azure, was in the divine language a symbol of eternal truth; in the sacred language - immortality; and in the popular language it becomes a symbol of fidelity. Blue stone scarabs adorned the rings of Egyptian warriors; there are many of them in collections of antiquities; these rings were symbols of the oath of allegiance that the soldiers took. According to Horapollo 923, the scarab was a symbol of masculinity. The ring on which was his image, and which the soldiers were obliged to wear, meant, according to Aelian 924, that all who fought had to be men, i.e., that they had to remain faithful to the oath 925. In heraldry, the color blue means chastity, legality, fidelity and, as a consequence of this, a worthy reputation 926. Portal’s theory of the origin of colors from light and darkness is presented symbolically, as a visual image of religious and philosophical ideas. Prevailing throughout antiquity, it was originally so; but, as happened with other religious symbols, the visual image of the heavenly became self-sufficient, became a scheme of the earthly. In other words, what was previously a signified reality of another world has now become an abstract auxiliary concept of this world, and what previously signified - that is, symbolic language, the symbol itself - has now become a signified reality, a sensory representation. The relationship between higher and lower being was distorted, and the philosophical symbol thus degenerated into a physical or psychophysical theory. Thus the symbol itself became coarsened and corrupted; and its meaning, having separated from its body, became abstract moralism, allegorically, that is, conventionally and accidentally, attached to one or another sensual language. Here is an example of how secular science arose from the corruption of spiritual science, this prodigal daughter who does not know her mother. We find an example of this degenerate religious symbolism already in Plato 927, in his scientific theory of the origin of colors from light and darkness. True, the idea that Plato is playing the fool for the sake of the uninitiated, who cannot be trusted with the secrets of the heavenly world, is quite acceptable. But, if so, then this predilection for scientific foolishness is characteristic of the century: it means that according to the conditions of the time it was precisely this that was required. And then, this scientific language finally turns into science and loses all the flavor of its highest meaning 928. Repeated in various modifications many times throughout the history of antiquity and the Middle Ages, this theory finds a response from Leonardo da Vinci and here, as always, arises in connection with the direct observations of the artist’s eye, sophisticated in colors. “White,” says Leonardo, “we liken to light, without which no color can be seen, yellow to earth, green to water, blue to air, red to fire, and black to the darkness above the element of fire, for there is no matter or dense substance on which the sun’s rays could strike and illuminate them.”929 “Blue and green are not elementary colors in themselves. The first is made up of light and darkness, like the blue of the air, made up of completely black and completely white” 930. But it finds the most magnificent development and thoroughness of treatment, as is known, in Goethe 931. We will not present here Goethe’s explanation of the origin of colors from the participation of turbid media. Let us dwell only on Goethe's explanations regarding the psychology of colors, i.e., the general effects on the psyche that are produced by the perceptions of colors. In other words, let us pay attention to the psychological foundations of the symbolism of flowers, for, of course, a well-known color becomes for us a symbol of this or that idea because it arouses in us a kind of premonition of this idea, inclines us to this idea, evoking something akin to it. All colors, both in their origin and in their mental effect, are divided, according to Goethe, into two groups, positive and negative. “The colors of the positive side - Plusseie: - yellow, red-yellow (orange), yellow-red (red lead, cinnabar). They set the mood cheerfully, lively, swiftly” 932. “The colors of the negative side are Minusseite: blue, red-blue and blue-red. They induce an anxious, meek and contemplative feeling” 933. The color yellow, according to Goethe, is “the color closest to light” 934, so to speak, the first phenomenon of light in matter. On the contrary, blue is like the thinnest haze, like the most luminous substance 935. “Just as yellow always brings with it light, so it can be said that blue always brings with it something dark” 936. Blue color is something incomprehensible. “This color produces a special and almost indescribable effect on the eye. Like color, it is energy; but, only, it stands on the negative side and, in its highest purity, is at the same time an exciting Nothing. This is a kind of contradiction between excitement and peace in the gaze” 937. It deepens reality and, creating an aerial perspective, as if spiritualizes the visible. “Just as we see the high sky and distant mountains blue, so the blue surface seems to recede before us” 938. In blue color - spiritual relaxation. “Just like an attractive object passing in front of us, we willingly follow, so we willingly peer into blue, not because it comes at us, but because it attracts us to itself” 939. – “Blue gives us a feeling of coldness and also reminds us of shadow. We know how it comes from black” 940. “The room, which is covered with pure blue wallpaper, seems to us, perhaps, spacious, but, rather, empty and cold” 941. “Blue glass shows objects in a sad light” 942. “It’s nice if blue has a positive side to a certain extent. The green color of the sea is rather a gentle color – liebliche” 943. Goethe's theory of colors contained two aspects: psychological-physiological and physical-philosophical. In its further development, both of these points are isolated, but hardly to the benefit of the theory. The psychological and physiological side of it was taken up by the physicist Thomas Seebeck 944 , L. Genning 945 and, partly, the famous physiologist Johann Muller 946 ; but most consistently tried to substantiate Goethe’s theory physiologically Art. Schopenhauer 947. From the physical and philosophical side, this same theory was accepted and substantiated by Hegel 948 and, partly, Schelling 949. We will not cite their theories; Let us only note that the color “blue corresponds, according to Hegel, to meekness, the expression of a full mind and spiritual silence, a sentimental [– in the good, ancient, sense of the word –] direction, since it has as its beginning darkness, which does not produce the opposite” 950. But, whatever the value of all these justifications in themselves, for our task, namely to explain the nature of the blue color as a symbol, they do not provide anything essentially new, and we can safely not present them. Let us turn to some particulars of this symbolism. In connection with the above symbolic properties and the direct effects of these colors on a person, the mysterious power attributed to precious stones - blue, indigo and violet - that is, colors close to blue, becomes understandable. After all, in gems, the ancients paid attention primarily to their color, as indicated by the very name “semi-precious stones,” and in their color one must primarily look for their secret power 951. This can be seen from the fact that the stones are identical or almost identical in all respects except color, but have very different mystical and symbolic meanings 952 . Of the blue and light blue stones, sapphire is the most remarkable. And indeed, the Middle Ages recognized the property of blue sapphire to cool passions, and therefore priests and all persons who devoted themselves to chastity could wear it 953. In the same way, violet amethyst was recognized in ancient times as having the ability to resist drunkenness, both physical, from wine, and spiritual; hence its very name, ἀμεθύστος, from ἀ and μεθύω, intoxicating 954. The sapphire stone, אבן־םפיד ’even sappr, and from the likeness of which, in Ezekiel’s vision, was the throne of the glory of the Lord (Ezekiel 1:26), in the vision, in all likelihood, denotes the firmament of heaven, the sky. But one should not be deceived by the name of this stone: sapphire or sapphire of the ancients is not at all the sapphire of modern mineralogy or the Middle Ages, but rather lapis lazuli or azure stone, lapis lazuli - or, according to some authors, modern turquoise 955. Perhaps in connection with the vision of Ezekiel, lapis lazuli slabs began to be used for church altars, with the same meaning as the sapphire of the vision; the deep blue of this stone matches the color of the southern sky, and the golden sparkles scattered throughout its mass are reminiscent of the stars 956. Therefore, it was from this stone that the ball for the marble group of the Holy Trinity on the tomb of St. Ignatius in Rome 957. The blue ball generally means the celestial sphere, the sky 958. Here again we are faced with the basic meaning of blue and blue colors - as symbols of the sky, and from here - with all the derivatives that were mentioned earlier. But all these derivative meanings, apparently different from different authors and at different times, are very definitely united in the concept of spirituality. This does not exclude the meaning of sapphire indicated by John Geminian, namely, that “contemplatio assimilatur saphyro - contemplation is likened to sapphire,” for which, according to Geminian, there are three reasons. Firstly, the sky-blue color of the sapphire, color caeruleus (note by the way that the very word caeruleus, and originally caeluleus, comes from caelum -), secondly, its rarity and high cost, and thirdly, the lack of shine in it - propter defectum fulgoris 959. The contemplation of the heavenly, according to the instructions of the same author, is also likened to the zimeth stone, and - also for three reasons, of which the first, again, is its sky-blue color 960. So, the blue surroundings of Sofia mean air, sky and the mountain world. However, this general indication needs some depth. After all, iconographic symbols are not only emblems, but also some mystical realities; They, after all, are not naked icons of another world, not algebraic formulas of the spiritual world, but also robes and pictures of a higher reality. For example, the aureole on images of saints is not only a pictorial title “St.” or “venerable,” but also an approximate image of the actual property of a spirit-bearing personality, its true luminosity. In the same way, a natural question asks for the heart, for reason, however, devoid of an irresistible sufficient basis: this is, precisely, the question: “How to understand the turquoise or greenish-turquoise surroundings of Sofia that occupy us?” Yes, after all that has been said, there is no doubt that this is heaven. But this azure and this turquoise, are they attached to Sophia for abstract reasons and superficial associations of the mind, or has the more compelling force of living perception made blue a natural symbol of Sophia? Was the rational “because” at work here, or was the source here a direct “it is so”? Usually, after all, the origin of this attribute of Sophia is represented according to the scheme: “Heaven means Sophia; the sky is blue; therefore, Sophia can be assigned the attribute blue surroundings.” But it is possible that things happened completely differently, and precisely according to the scheme: “Sophia is true Heaven; in Sophia’s experiences there is a perception of blueness; therefore, blue is the natural symbol of Sophia, and therefore Heaven, the symbol of Sophia, appears blue to us.” In short, it is not because Sofia appears with a blue environment because the sky is blue, but because the sky is blue because Sofia has a blue environment. Just as sunlight is a natural symbol of the Trinitarian, so the blue transparent veil is a natural symbol of Sophia. It cannot be otherwise: the spiritual world is more real than the corruptible world; and: it is not the higher that is determined by the lower, but the lower by the higher, but the properties of the lower are nothing more than the properties of the higher, darkened by sin and coarsened by corruption. Spiritual contemplation, “revealing invisible things,” does not conventionally clothe them in that figurative shell, but embodies them in a symbolic body, consistent with them, although adapted to our earthly, obscured ability of cognition. Sophia's contemplations, in their immediate, present reality, are characterized precisely by this airy-blue, heavenly “body.” So, there is a genuine report from Fr. Archimandrite Juvenaly, later Bishop, one of the novices of the Kursk Root Nativity of the Theotokos Hermitage about his vision. This novice saw paradise and there, by the way, there was “a great multitude of people, everyone was in great admiration and indescribable joy. And there was a fragrant air floating there, thin and pleasant, as if blue. And one of the young men said to me,” the self-witness reports, “Look, this is the peace of worldly people” 961 . J. G. Bourges 962 talks about one remarkable case when, at the age of ten, he had to experience dying and he developed such clairvoyance that, although with his eyes closed, he saw everything that was happening in his room and in other rooms - he saw through a wall 25 centimeters thick. In unspeakable suffering, his soul languished near his dying body. “How suddenly,” the narrator narrates, “how suddenly, as if descending from the ceiling, with the speed of lightning, a luminous image appeared before me. This image stopped at the edge of my bed, near the column supporting the draperies. Little by little I began to make out a head, the features of which emerged with amazing clarity, the rest of the body was shrouded in a bluish fog. I observed the phenomenon rather in amazement than in fear; on the contrary, this cute and beautiful personality attracted me... The spirit stood before me all the time. His face began to express compassion for me more and more clearly, I felt that I was attracted to him, but I could not separate myself from my body, which was holding me back, paralyzing me, despite all the tension of my will. Several minutes passed; suddenly a violet cloud seemed to surround the vision; then the cloud dissipated, rising upward. “All this happened in full light, but this light almost scared me.” About two months after this incident, the boy recovered and, at one of his relatives, he saw a full-length portrait of the one who had appeared to him during his illness. “On his face there was the same expression of meekness and kindness, and he himself was dressed in a shiny military uniform.” It turned out that this was the boy’s great-grandfather, Jean Bourget. In both of the above cases, the vision of a blue spiritual atmosphere - this mystical air of the underworld - was given in an exceptional state of the whole organism. But, with increased natural sensitivity, or in connection with special psychometric training, the “astral plane” becomes visible constantly. We will not now discuss the undesirability of this premature “rejection of feelings” 963; the fact is that it happens, and then the light shells or “auras” surrounding all bodies become visible. This shell is especially developed near the human body, and here its color is determined by the spiritual state of the bearer of this aura. According to Leadbeater's research, in his book "The Visible and Invisible Man", the blue color of the aura reveals religiosity, and purple - spirituality 964. “Blue tones of flowers appear,” says R. Steiner 965, “in reverent, devoted natures. The more a person sacrifices his “I” to serve some cause, the more significant the blue shades become. And here, too, there are two completely different kinds of people. There are natures with limited thinking power, passive souls who have nothing behind them that they could throw into the flow of world events, the edge of their “good character.” Their aura glows a beautiful blue color. The same is true for many selfless religious people. Compassionate souls and those who willingly spend their lives in charity have a similar aura. If these people are also intelligent, then blue and green radiations alternate, or blue then takes on a green tint. A distinctive property of active souls, as opposed to passive ones, is that their blueness shines through with light colors from the inside. Inventive natures, those who have fruitful thoughts, radiate bright colors as if from some inner center. This is observed to a high degree in those individuals who are called “wise,” and precisely in those who are filled with fruitful ideas. – An inventive person, who uses all his thoughts to satisfy his sensual passions, displays blue-dark red shades; for those who devote their fruitful thoughts disinterestedly to essential interests, light red and blue colors predominate. Life in the spirit, accompanied by noble devotion and self-sacrifice, is reflected in shades of rose-red or light purple.” A more careful study allows us to distinguish, according to the teachings of theosophists, in the total mass of the aura there are actually three auras. The first aura reflects the influence of the body on the soul; the second is the independent life of the soul, which has risen above sensuality; the third is “the power that the eternal spirit has acquired over transitory man.” In the first aura, “timidity, fear of sensory impressions are manifested in brown-blue or gray-bluish colors.” In the second aura, “blue color is a sign of a pious mood. The more this latter approaches religious rapture, the more the blue turns into violet. Idealism and a serious attitude towards life, in the highest sense of the word, are seen as indigo blue.” In the third aura, “blue is a sign of selflessness and the desire to sacrifice oneself for everyone. If this tendency to self-sacrifice becomes so strong that it is transformed into a strong act of will, expressed in active service to the world, then the blue brightens to light violet” 966. This same perception of Sophia’s world, strong, but not distinct and not dissected for an unsettled consciousness, is sometimes given to poets and those whose soul, without self-obstinacy and hospitably open to everything, both pure and impure, is sometimes able, as an accidental gift, to receive, despite its sinfulness, the contemplation of another world. Thus, we find a literal coincidence with the above description of paradise in the image of Olympus, the home of the gods: “- the bright-eyed daughter of Zeus flew again to Olympus, where they say they founded their monastery gods, where the winds do not blow, where the rain does not rustle coldly and where winter does not blow snowstorms, where the air is cloudless poured with light azure and permeated with the sweetest radiance - there for the gods all days pass in unspeakable joys” 967. But the most remarkable thing in this case is the fact that this “light azure, spilled in the cloudless air” and its “penetrating sweetest radiance” - a creative addition by the Sofia translator-poet - is obvious from personal experience. At least the Greek script says simply: πέπταται ἀνέφελος, λευκὴ ἐπιδέδρομεν αἴγλη τῷ ἔνι τέρπονται μάκαρες θεοὶ ἤματα πάντα" 968 . Such is also the poem, amazing in its realism and insight, marked June 28th and describing with the greatest accuracy, undoubtedly!, the Poet’s experience in the stubble: “Is it your blue curtain, The wife whose breath is joy, covered before the eyes, washed in the ether of the light-rune prayers, and midday appeared to the midwives The sun was already approaching the sun, the unspoken word of the soul, - the revealed miracle smoked, and the blue incense obscured The poem given below is similar in content, but “heaven on earth” appears in the perception described in it through a violet haze. Here is the poem: Deep mornings of cold summer! Half the sky is dressed in mother-of-pearl fire. A little mist and blue invigorating distance. Where is the bitterness of sadness? Where is the heaviness of wormwood? And hands limply caress your heart. Super-peaceful sounds ring piously. Like in a wine chalice, in fiery moisture there are amethysts at the bottom; in the heavenly ether the joy is diffused with violet haze. I'll go to the crossroads of the kind garden. Purple spots overgrown with porridge! Here death is pleasant - immortality is not hard. How it smells like flowers and fragrant honey! To rose-leafed lips, humbly with lips I will cling; and I know who looks into your soul: The Queen looks out from the violet distance. The same idea of ​​​​the blue of the blissful country of Horai is characteristic of the Japanese, and they even depict Horai with paints on silk kakemonos. In the following lines of an expert on Japan, the English writer Lafcadio Hearne, a description of this blue country of bliss is given, and then Hearne tries to interpret Japan itself - ancient Japan - as Horai. Having become a perfect Japanese both in his way of life and in his way of thinking and feeling, Hearn knows how to express the religious and mystical essence of Japanese experiences. And we see with the deepest interest how the idea of ​​blue is intertwined in him with the feeling of the atmosphere of souls, that is, something like a “Great Being” - a relationship that we have already indicated earlier. But let's give the floor to Hearn: “Blue vision: heights buried in depths, sea and sky merging in a radiant aroma. Spring morning. Only the sea and sky - blue infinity... In front are silvery sparks dancing across the ripples of the sea, and whirling, foamy fibers. There is no further movement, only colors - delicate, warm azure, airy blue, merging with the blue of the sea. There is no horizon, there is only a distance, striving for other distances... Bottomless depths open up, boundless heights rise, and the higher, the deeper the colors become. And in the farthest blue, a vision as light as a haze hovers: palaces with high, crescent-shaped roofs - a silhouette full of distant and alien beauty illuminated by the sun, beautiful as a memory..." This painting is called "Shinkiro", i.e. Mirage. “This is the entrance to Horai, the peaceful abode, the land of the deity. There are many miracles, many enchantments in Horai, but not a single Chinese writer talks about the most wonderful thing: this is the air of Horai. Such air is only in this blissful country. And the sunlight there is whiter than anywhere else - an opal light, not blinding, amazingly clear and gentle... This is not the air of our perishable world - it is amazingly old, so old that I shudder when I try to imagine how old it is. This is not a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen, it is not even air, but spirit, the totality of souls of trillions and quintillions of generations who thought and felt differently, different from us. Everyone who at least once breathes the air of Horai is imbued with the awe of these souls, and they transform his feelings, transform his idea of ​​time and space, make him look the way they look, feel with their feelings, think with their thoughts. This transformation envelops us like a tender dream -» 970. This is how Sophia and Sophia are perceived with natural mysticism, by a consciousness that, although sensitive and hospitable, is not spiritual or almost not spiritual. In the experiences of a purified and organized mind, this Sophia blue, this amethyst transparency, this blue fragrant joy appears with complete certainty. Let me allow myself, as a topic for further research, to make one statement, one guess that still needs verification, namely, that the deep honor of the Most Pure Virgin Mary - that is, when She is honored in Herself, as the Ever-Virgin, and when - in relation to Christ, as the Mother of God - is also marked during Her appearances - by Her different colored veils and robes. When She appears as the Ever-Virgin, as the first Nun 971, as the Patroness of virginity, that is, as the Existing Virgin, she has a blue or blue cover on herself. When She appears as the Mother of God, that is, as the Existing Mother, then her cover is purple, the color of the royal grandeur of spirituality, or red, the color of suffering and fiery love. At least in the life of one of the most remarkable representatives of this organic virginity, - the one who is unflatteringly called by the biography writer “heavenly man” and “earthly angel” 972 - in the life of our reverend and God-bearing father Athanasius of Athos, who labored in the 10th century, we read how the brethren of Abbot Athanasius fled from hunger and how, remaining Alone, he, overcome by hunger and without a piece of bread, decided to leave the depopulated Lavra and go somewhere else. “In the morning St. Athanasius, says the Life, with his iron rod, in a vague mood, sadly walked along the way to Karei. He walked this way for two hours, finally got tired, and just wanted to sit down to rest, when a certain wife under a blue airy blanket appeared walking towards him. St. Athanasius was embarrassed, and, not believing his own eyes, crossed himself. “Where can a woman come from here? - he said to himself. “Women are not allowed to enter here.” Marveling at the vision, St. Afanasy went to meet the stranger. -Where are you going, Elder? – the stranger modestly asked St. Afanasy, having met him. St. Athanasius examined the stranger from head to toe, looked into her eyes, and, in an involuntary feeling of respect, lowered his head. The modesty of her clothes, the quiet, virginal gaze of a stranger, her touching voice - all this showed her as no random woman.” As it later turned out, it was the Ever-Virgin Mary herself, who promised from now on to forever remain the house-builder - the economist - of the Lavra 973. It is difficult to imagine that what Rev. Athanasius “transparent blue veil” of the Blessed Virgin, - or, rather, a blue environment, a blue halo, a blue transparent cloud - so that it was an accident; in the knowledge of the heavenly world there are no accidents, there is neither superfluous nor missing, but everything is significant. Yes, besides, this detail would not have made it into the Life if Afanasy himself had not paid attention to it. It is possible, in confirmation of this inherent blue color of the Mother of God, to also point out that it is customary, and for immediate taste it seems natural and inevitable, that church services on days dedicated to the memory of the Most Pure One should be performed in blue vestments. Based on a very ancient legend, the Most Pure Virgin Herself is also depicted in blue clothes. Thus, the mural of the “Adoration of the Magi” in the catacomb of Sts. Peter and Marcellina on Via Libicana, in Rome, dating back to the 3rd century, represents the Virgin Mary in a white tunic with blue claves 974. In the tomb of St. Agnia, dating back to the 4th century, she is presented in the form of the Unbrided Bride. Her face is of inexpressible nobility and purity, her eyes are brown, as legend also testifies. Her lower clothes are brownish (probably the purple paint has faded with time), and her upper clothes are light blue 975. Likewise, on the murals of the tomb of St. Sixta, the Mother of God, is represented in a red lower robe and a dark blue upper robe 976. Remains of a mosaic depicting the “Adoration of the Magi” from the sacristy of the Church of St. Maria in Cosmodemin in Rome, transferred from the ancient Basilica of St. Peter and dating back to the very beginning of the 8th century, represents the Mother of God in a dark purple robe, covered on top with a dark blue cloak, enveloping the head, shoulders and arms 977. On the enamel cross of the 9th century, the Mother of God is depicted in a blue tunic and a short red cloak 978. In one of the frescoes in the catacomb of St. Siriaki Our Lady is written in the form of Oranta. Her lower dress is lilac, her upper dress is red; the head is shrouded in a white cloth, on top of which there is a second, blue one. This image, according to d’Agencourt, dates back to the 9th-11th centuries 979. The mosaic image of Our Lady of Oranta in the chapel of S. Pietro Crisologo in Ravenna, transferred there after the restoration of the Basilica of Ursa and dating back to the 10th century, represents Our Lady dressed in blue chiton and maforium 980. In the miniature “Adoration of the Magi” from the menology of Emperor Basil II, dating back to the 11th century, the Mother of God is wrapped in a dark blue tunic, covering Her from head to toe 981. The Praying Mother of God, depicted in mosaic above the right arch of the main facade of the Basilica of St. Mark in Venice, dressed in a blue tunic and a green cloak; this image dates back to the 11th century 982. A similar tunic on the Mother of God, but with a purple cloak, is also depicted in the mosaic Unbreakable Wall of the Kiev-Sophia Cathedral, also dating back to the 11th century 983. The same dark blue tunic and maforia on the Mother of God are in the depiction of the Annunciation in the same Cathedral 984. This symbolism was preserved in later Italian icon painting. Thus, in the icon paintings of Cimabue (XIV century) and in the mosaic of Tafi, the Madonna was painted in a blue dress 985. In modern iconography, as is known, this tradition is also observed. It is not surprising that in other aspects of the Mother of God the same symbolism may be partially preserved; Without going into details, I will at least point out the dark blue clothes of the Sorrowful Mother - Mater dolorosa - 986, etc. In many ancient miniatures, the Mother of God is again depicted in a blue robe 987, or in a blue toga over a purple tunic and then, it seems deliberately, draws closer to Jesus Christ, or, conversely, in a blue tunic under a purple toga and in this respect, again hardly without intention, resembles God the Father 988. - In Western iconography, in those cases when they want to commemorate the Queen of the spiritual Sky in the Virgin Mary, this subtle hint - an airy blue robe - is sometimes intensified to a clear image of the visible sky. She is then represented as a Woman clothed with the sun, with a month under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. In the 16th and 17th centuries, her envelopment in the sun was depicted as an oval of flame, a fiery gloria, surrounding the Virgin. Later painters very often added to the twelve stars on the head a dark blue mantle studded with stars. Sometimes this robe is written green, but again with yellow stars 989. Finally, there are images of the Mother of God in a pink robe, reminiscent of dawn in its color. It is clear that this symbol also marks the Queen of Heaven 990. But the revelation of the symbol that occupies us - the blueness of the Virgin's robe - is not alien to Orthodox iconography. Sometimes on Orthodox icons the Mother of God is depicted wearing a robe speckled with stars. Thus, on the icon of the appearance of the Mother of God, St. To Sergius of Radonezh, the Queen of Heaven is presented in a purple robe and scarlet boots, while Her tunic is dark blue, with golden stars. It is also worthy of attention that the Mother of God is surrounded by an ovoid golden “glory” 991. Philo, - On the Life of Moses, 3. Josephus, - Jewish Antiquities, III, VII, 7. Hieron. , – Pis. 64 18 (Mi lat., T. 22, col. 617). Thomas Aqu. , – Sum. Th. 1st 2nd, CII, 4 ad 4. id. 6 ad 7. [913–919], loan. from: Bähr, – Symbolik des mosaischen Cultus, Heidelberg 1837, Bd. I, SS. 303–311, 316–340 and H. Lesêtre, – Couleurs (“Dict. d. la Bible.” par F. Vigouroux. Paris, 1899, T. 2, coll. 1069–1071). According to the Catholic flower symbolism, “white signifies innocence, joy or simplicity. Blue indicates celestial contemplation. Red proclaims love, suffering, power, justice. Transparent (crystalline) gives the idea of ​​immaculate purity and clarity. Green speaks of hope, or of imperishable youth, or of the contemplative life. Gold is placed for heavenly glory. Yellow means the test of suffering, also envy. Brown or gray is the color of humility. Purple expresses silence or contemplation. Black is the color of sorrow, death or peace. Purple is a symbol of royalty or episcopacy.” (Rev. M. C. Nieuwbarn, O, P., – Church symbolism. A Treatise on the general symbolism and iconography of the Roman Catholic church Edifice. Translated from the Dutch – by the Rv. John Waterreus, London, 1910, pp. 140). O. Weininger, – Last words. Per. A. Gren and B. Ts. Ed. "Sphinx" [s. l. et a.], Metaphysics, p. 143. J. Peskin, – Walks in Florence. Notes about Christians. art. Per. A. Gertsyk, St. Petersburg, 1902, SS. 110–145, pp. 136–146. – In the same way, in the image of “The Seven Sacraments” by Roger von der Weyden, the angels are painted in symbolic types of clothing. So, for example, the Angel in the sacrament of blessing (confirmation) - in green (hope), repentance - in fiery red (redemption), priesthood - in purple (clergy), marriage - in blue (trust and fidelity), etc. (Nieuwbarn, - id., p. 141). Ruskin, - id., § 56, pp. 73–74. P. Muratov, – Images of Italy, M., 1911, T. I, pp. 134–135, – image. describe. vault, to regret. not colorful, see Cabrol's Dictionary, 1907, T. I 2, “Astres”, col. 3019, Lig. 1050. Frédéric Portal, – Des Couleurs symboliques dans l’antiquité, le moyen-âge et les temps modernes, Paris, 1837, 312 pp. – His, – Les Symboles des Egyptiens, comparés à ceux des Hebreux. Paris, 1840, 148 pp. Chp. III, Application aux symboles des couleurs, pp. 109–124. Port. , – Cole. Symb., pp. 10–11. Eusebius, - Evang. ready 3 12. Port. , – Symb. Eg. , pp. 116–117. Lat. Bibl., X century, RKP. Bibl. Royale, No. 6, T.I. Breviarium Sarisber., rkp. the same Bible, XV century. Guigniaut, – Notes sur la Symbolique de Creuzer, T. I, p. 552. La Mothe-Levayer, – Opuscule, p. 245. Horus Apollo, p. 13, ed. Caussin. Aeliani de Animalibus, Χ, 15. Caussin, – Symb. egypt., p. 179. Anselme, – Palis d'Honneur, p. 11. Plato, – Timaeus 67C-68D. – M. Sartorius, – Plato und die Malerei (“Arch. f. Gesch. d. Philos.”, Bd. IX, N. F. II. Bd. SS. 123–148). Walth. Kranz, – Die ältesten Farbenlehren d. Griechen (“Hermes”, 1912, I. XLVII, SS. 126–140). Leonardo da Vinci, – Trattato della pittura, 254 (quoted from E. Mach, – Analysis of sensations, translated from the 5th German ed. by G. Kutler, 2nd ed., M., 1908, IV 6, p. 72. – Exact references right there). Goethe, – Articles on optics (1791 and 1792); The Theory of Colors (1810). W. Göthe, – Zur Farbenlehre, 6-te Abth. Sinnlich-sittlich Wirkung d. Farbe (Goethe's Sam. Wer. in vierzig B-de. Stuttgart u. Tübingen, 1840, Bd. 37) §§ 765–777, SS. 251–254. Thomas Seebeck, – Grundzügen der Farbenlehre, 1811. L. Genning, for the first time in summer. semester 1823, read in Berlinsk. Univ. public lecture “On Goethe’s teaching on flowers from the point of view of natural philosophy” (Cuno Fischer, - Historical modern philosophy, T. 8 1. St. Petersburg, 1902, p. 162). Joh. Müller, – Zur vergleichenden Physiologie des Gesichtssinnes, VIII. Fragmente zur Farbenlehre, insbesondere zur Goetheschen Farbenlehre, Lpz., 1826, S. 395 ff. Schopenhauer - On vision and colors. – His, – Parerga, II, ch. VII, to the doctrine of flowers. - Details. exposition see: K. Fischer, – Art. Schopenhauer, trans. with him. edited by V. P. Preobrazhensky. M., 1896, pp. 191–202. Fr. Hegel, A Course in Aesthetics or the Science of the Fine. Per. You. Modestova. M., 1859. Third part, first part, II 2, pp. 137–139. (=Werke, Bd. X). His, - Encyclopedia of Philosophical Sciences in an Essay (1817), §§ 317–320. (=Werke, Bd. VII, Abth. I, 9 SS. 3, 7). – Presentation: K. Fischer, – East. new philos., T. 8 1, St. Petersburg, 1901, pp. 623–626). Schelling, - On the world soul (1798) I. (Werke I, Bd. 2. S. 399, 400). Hegel, A Course in Aesthetics, pp. 138–139. On the issue of the symbolism of precious stones, literature is indicated in the works of I. Geminian, Menzel, Baer, ​​Patkanov, Levesque and others - from other authors, especially. it is necessary to point out Pliny the Elder (Natural history), Isidore of Spain (Mi lat. TT. 82, 83), Also: D. O. Shepping, - Symbolism of precious stones (“Antiquities”, Proceedings of the Moscow Arch. Islands, M., 1865, T. I., pp. 135–152). – Collection of Svyatoslav (Buslaev, – Historical Christomathy, p. 263). – Mme Felicie d’Ayzac, – Symbolique des pierres précieuses, Paris, 1846. – Grässe, – Symbolik d. Edelsteine ​​(in the collection: Romberg, – Die Wissenschaft der XIX Jahrhundert). – Mélanges Archéologiques, Paris, 1851, II, IV. - I.P. Yuvachev, - Secrets of the Tsar., Part I, pp. 225–231: “Jasper and Sardios” (the author is trying to prove that by Biblical jasper we should mean a diamond, and by sardium a ruby). So: sapphire and ruby ​​in the corundum group; different types of zircon; topaz and aquamarine; garnets - brownish-red, blood-red, bright red, yellow, green, black, white; all kinds of quartz: black crystal, smoky. topaz, amethyst, jasper, heliotrope, chalcedony, carnelian, agate, etc., etc. C. W. King, – The natural History, ancient and modern of precious stones and germs, and of the precious metals, London, 1865, p. 195. Quote. no: K. P. Patkanov, – Precious stones, their names and properties according to the concepts of Armenians in the 17th century, St. Petersburg, 1873, p. 14. C. Plinius Secundus, – Hisorae naturalis IX 41. Ed. ex. rec. J. Harduini, Parisiis, 1723, T. 1, p. 527. – “Eas gemmas Magorum vanitas resistere ebrietati promittit, et inde appelatos” (id. XXXVII 40, T. 2, p. 784). – Same: Marbodeus, – Lib. de lapidib. pret. 4; Albertus Magnus, – Lib. 2 de miner., p. 228: “(ameth.) operatur autem contra ebrietatem, ut dicit Aaron, et facit vigilem” (id., T. 2. p. 784, note 14). E. Levesque, - Pierre precieuse, IV 19 (article in the Dictionnai de la Bible, publié par F. Vigouroux, Paris, 1908, Fasc. XXXII, col. 426). Oh so. for the use of lapis lazuli, see: Wolfg. Menzel, - Christliche Symbolik, Regensburg, 1854, Erster Theil, S. 135 with references to: Ritter, - Vorhalle, 133, Beckmann, - Gesch. d. Erfindungen, III, 184. Menzel, S. 135, with references to: Bunsen, - Beschr. von Rom. III, 3. 504. Joannes S. Geminianus, – Summa de exemplis et rerum similitudinibus locupletissima… post omnes alias editiones diligenti curâ aucta à Magistro D. Aegidio Gravatio. Antverpiae, 1630. Lib. II, cap. VI, fol. 123v. – Here are the original words of Geminian: “Contemplatio assimilatur saphyro. – Primum propter aspectum coloris. Est enim saphyrus gemma caerulea coelo sereno in colore simillima. Similiter contemplativi viri habent colorem, id est conversationem serenam & caelestem, secundum illud Phil. (4) Nostra conversatio in coelis est. Supra firmamentum, quod erat imminens capiti eorum, quasi aspectus lapidi sau[p?]hyri. – Secundo, propter excessum valoris” etc. id., id. fol. 123 v.-r.: “Item centemplatio coelestium assimilatur Zimeth, id est venae terrae, de qua fit laturium. – Primo, ratione coloris. Quia lapis hic est tanto melior, quanto colori coelesti similior. Et habet quaedam corpuscula, quasi aurea intersecta: Ita contemplativi viri, tanto sunt meliores, quanto coelestibus civibus sunt in contemplatione, & conservatione similiores. Unde virginitas coniugio praefertur, quia incorruptioni vitae coelestis similius conformatur (Luc. 20). In resurrectione neque nubent, neque nubentur, sed erunt sicut Angeli Dei in coelo. Secundo...", etc. – Let us also add that, according to the instructions of Pope Innocent III in his letter to Richard, King of England, “the heavenly color of sapphire indicates our hope turned to heaven, on the contrary, the whiteness of beryl, similar to the color of water when the sun’s rays are reflected in it, personifies the Holy Scriptures, imbued with the wisdom of the Divine Word” (D. O. Shepping, - Symbolism of Precious Stones, p. 139, with reference, in addition to the above-mentioned message, to J. Brunon. Praefat. sup. – For more information about sapphire, see I. Geminian, id. fol. 128 [there is a typo in the book – 123) v.-r, 135 r. S. Nilus, – Testimony of living faith, III. Vision of one novice (S. Nilus, - The Power of God and Human Weakness, Serg. Pos. 1908, p. 264). J. G. Bourget, – Magic. Per. Bargus from the 3rd fr. ed., St. Petersburg, 1911, ch. III, pp. 52–56. Ep. Ignatius Brianchaninov, – Works, T. 3, pp. 13–15; T. 4, pp. 277–278; T. I, pp. 108–109, 118. Bourges, ch. IX, p. 135. Steiner, – ΘΕΟΣΟ-ΦΙΑ, IV 6, pp. 150–151. Compare: His, - The Path to Initiation. id., Feos., pp. 154–158. - Excellent color illustrations of auras and further details can be seen in: Annie Besant and C. W. Leadbeater, - Thought-Forms, London and Benares, 1905. - Ethel M. Mallet, - First Steps in Theosophy, London, 1905; – also: Leadbeater, – Man Visible and Invisible. Gom. , – Odis., VI 39–41, pp. 160–161. Vyach. [I.] Ivanov, - Intercession (Vyach. Ivanov, - Cor ardens, 1911, department “Compline”, p. 77. - Here, by the way, is one of the countless examples of “strange” coincidence of “accidents”: Numbers 7, 77, etc. are the numbers of Sophia, and poems about Her are on the 77th page. Laf. Hern, - Japanese. sk., pp. 112–113, 114. Hieroschim. Parfeniy “once, reflecting with a certain doubt about what he read somewhere that Rev. The Virgin was the first nun on earth, dozed off, and sees a majestic nun in a robe, with a staff in her hands, walking from the holy gates of the Lavra, accompanied by a large host of monks. Approaching him, She said: “Parthenius, I am a nun!” He awakened and from that time on, with heartfelt conviction, he called Pr. Mother of God of the Cave-Lavra Abbess" ("Legend", p. 26). Athos. Pat., Part I, p. 105. Life of Athanasius, borrowed. from Καλοκαφίνη. id., p. 106. – We find an amazing parallel to the above case in the words of Bl. Nila: “If anyone wants to see renewal - κατάστασις - of his mind,” says Bl. Nile, “let him deprive himself of all thoughts and then see himself like a sapphire or heavenly paint.” These words are reported by St. Gregory Palamas (Mi gr., T. 150, col. 1083. - Bishop Alexy, - Byzantine church mystics of the 14th century, Kazan, 1906, p. 45). Catalog of the exhibition of images of Our Lady, M., 1897, p. 7, no. 5. Perret, – Catacombes de Rome, Vol. 2, pl. VI. id., p. 19, no. 44. This RKP. kept in the Vatican. Bibl., No. 1613. Color reproduction of the Unbreakable Wall according to fig. F. G. Solntsev, see: Antiquities of the Russian State. Kiev St. Sophia Cathedral. Ed. Imp. Rus. Arch. Islands. Table 3. J. Ruskin, – Walks in Florence. Per. A. Gertsyk. St. Petersburg, 1902, § 27, p. 37. Menzel, – id., T. II, S. 99. This is the icon, belonging. Church Museum at Moscow. Spirit. Ak. – To complete all that has been said, we will provide another testimony from a researcher of Catholic symbolism. “Her colors,” he says about the Mother of God, “have their own symbolic meaning. In the image of the Crowning, She is dressed in very magnificent clothes, and at the same time from the same material as her Divine Son. In the depiction of the Annunciation, She wears, as the “Handmaiden of the Lord,” simple red and blue clothing. As the Queen of Heaven, She is clothed in azure, often studded with golden stars, or dressed in a royal robe of purple or gold brocade. Rose-red represents the dawn preceding the rising of the Sun of Truth. Green in veils and lower garments, precisely in images of the Annunciation, speaks of the expectation of the nations, and spotless white indicates the Virgin of virgins” (Nieuwbarn, pp. 113–114).