Ferapontov monastery and frescoes of Dionysius

Ferapontov Monastery (Vologda Region),towering above the village of Ferapontovo, is a unique beauty ensemble, which is a monument of the history of world significance. At the moment it is included in the UNESCO list. The history of the monastery is directly connected with those significant events that took place in Moscow in the XV-XVII century. Here, in the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin, there are many frescoes made by the famous icon painter Dionysius.

Ensemble of the monastery

The Ferapontov Monastery is built on a hill betweenlakes Borodaevsky and Pavsky, which connects a small river Pasca. In its ensemble harmoniously combined architectural details of various centuries. Of particular interest is the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin. This is the main church of the monastery, the construction of which was started in 1490. Not far from the Cathedral in 1530 the Church of the Annunciation was built, and in 1640 the construction of the Church of St. Martimian began.

How the monastery was founded

The Ferapontov Monastery was founded in 1397year Ferapontom, a native of the ancient family Posskochiny. He tonsured the saint at the Simonov Monastery in Moscow for forty years. Here he became friends with the Monk Kirill Belozersky. Together they listened to the sermons of Sergius of Radonezh, who often visited the monastery. Performing obedience, Ferapont went north, to Beloozero. Severe northern edge liked the saint, and a little later he decided to return there for exploits. This time to the north they went along with the Monk Cyril. Here at the Siversky Lake they founded the Kirillo-Belozersky monastery.

After a while, Ferapont founded his ownThe abode on the hill between the lakes of Pavsky and Borodaevsky. At first he lived in a cell built by him in hermitage. He had to endure many hardships. Over time, the monks began to come to him, who also built cells here. So gradually this place turned into a monastery.

The heyday

The well-known Ferapontov Monastery becamethanks to the efforts of the Monk Martinian, the disciple of Cyril Belozersky, who, at the insistence of the brethren, became his hegumen. Here the worship was once visited by the most famous representatives of the Russian nobility - Elena Glinskaya, Ivan IV, Vasily III, etc. In the XV-XVI centuries. Out of the walls of this monastery came the most prominent figures of the Russian church - the Bishop of Vologda and Perm Philotheus, the Bishop of Yaroslavl and Rostov Joasaph and others. Over time, the monastery becomes the place of exile of prominent figures who fought for the supremacy of the Church in the state - the patriarch Nikon, Metropolitan Spiridon-Savva, etc.

Among other things, Ferapontov Monastery was also the largest estate. In the XVII century. The monastery owned about 60 villages, three hundred peasants and 100 wastelands.

Devastation

Despite the fact that in the monastery, from the XV andending with the XVII century, was built many stone buildings, a real fortress, he never did. Its fence remained wooden until the 19th century. This was the reason for the ruin of the monastery in 1614 by Polish-Lithuanian robbers. Stone construction was resumed only 25 years after the invasion. It is to the fact that the monastery has decayed, we are obliged to preserve the frescoes in its original form. The monastery was not rich, and therefore the renovation of the murals was never carried out.

In 1798, the monastery was abolished by a decree of the Synod. In 1904 a monastery was re-opened here, but this time it was a female monastery. It did not last long - until 1924. Today, the museum of the frescoes of Dionysius operates on the territory of the monastery.

The iconographer Dionysius

In 1502 the monastery was invited to Ferapontovthe iconographer Dionysius with the artel. His task was to decorate the Nativity Cathedral. By that time, Dionysius was already famous and was considered the leading Moscow master. He received his first serious order between 1467 and 1477. At this time he was offered to take part in the decoration of the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin in the Pafnutyevo-Borovsky Monastery. In 1481, he started another important task - the execution of icons for the iconostasis of the Assumption Cathedral (Moscow Kremlin). With the order the master has coped simply magnificently and since then became an embodiment of the Moscow school of painting.

The Ferapontov Monastery. Frescoes of Dionysius

Frescoes of Dionysius in the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virginrepresent the only surviving to the present day murals master. Before alterations of the facade in the XVI century. the stories depicted on it were visible from afar. On both sides of the gate are depicted the archangels Gabriel and Michael. The portal is decorated with scenes of the "Nativity of the Virgin" and the "Desus" fresco. In the head you can see a medallion with the image of Christ. Above the door, Dionysius placed an image of the Mother of God himself, surrounded by Cosmas of Mayum and Johan Damascene. It is this fresco that becomes the beginning of related images of the images dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. In the central saddle there is the Virgin Hodegetria sitting on the throne with the angels kneeling before her. In the temple there are other frescoes representing the viewer of the Virgin Mary. Ferapontov Monastery is famous, above all, thanks to the murals of the Nativity Cathedral of the Virgin.

Features of the murals of the temple

The temple painting system is organized very strictly andconcisely. Frescos are made taking into account the architectural features of the building. Another special feature that makes the decoration of the temple harmonious, is the skill of composition. This can be attributed both to the placement of frescoes, and to each individual story. The drawing is distinguished by the flexibility of the lines and at the same time their conciseness. All images look weightless, looking up. The paintings are populous and dynamic. In order to view all the frescoes in the sequence of the plot, you need to go around the entire temple in a circle several times.

Another of the distinctive features of the frescoesDionysia is the softness of colors and elegance. The images are dominated by white, sky-blue, yellow, pink, cherry and light green tones. For the background, the icon painter used a bright blue color. Presumably, the paints were delivered to Moscow from Moscow. The richest in terms of color scheme are the medallions under the drum and on the spring-loaded arches. At their performance, both pure colors and mixtures were used.

Wall murals of the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin can bewith confidence to call the pinnacle of creativity Dionysius. An interesting fact is that all the frescoes of the Ferapontov Monastery were performed in just 34 days (from August 6 to September 8). And this despite the fact that their total area is 600 m².

Ferapontov Luzhetsky Monastery

In the XV century Beloozero belonged to Prince Andrew,son of Dmitry Donskoy. In 1408 he appealed to Ferapont for the establishment of a monastery in the city of Mozhaisk. After much meditation, the saint agrees to become the hegumen of the new monastery. The monastery built on the bank of the Moskva River was called Luzhetskiy. In 1420, the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin was built in it. Not far from the Luzhetsky Monastery is now a spring with healing water. They call it the well of Saint Ferapont. According to legend, he was openly the saint himself.

St. Ferapont remained in the Luzetsky Monastery untilhis own death in 1426. In 1547 he was ranked as a saint. His relics are still buried in the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin. Vologda and Luzhetsk Ferapontov monasteries are nowadays the most valuable monuments of medieval Russian culture.