Rare temple icons placed in the tomb. Entombment

- “The Entombment”, an icon from the workshop of A. Rublev (a folded shroud is visible next to the coffin) “The Burial of Christ”, painting by Dirk Bouts The Burial of Christ, The Entombment, the burial of the body of Jesus Christ by the disciples described in the Gospels after his ... Wikipedia

Entombment (Raphael)- ... Wikipedia

POSITION- provisions, cf. 1. Location, arrangement in space. The position of the moon during an eclipse of the sun. Determine the position of the ship. The division occupied the most advantageous position. Place the clock in a strictly vertical position. 2. Posture; special... ... Dictionary Ushakova

THE LORD'S SEMBLE- a tomb in Jerusalem near Golgotha, where the body of Jesus Christ was laid after the crucifixion; the greatest of the shrines of Christianity, evidence and symbol of the miracle of the Resurrection of Christ. Chapel of the Holy Sepulcher (Edicule) Chapel of the Holy Sepulcher (Edicule)G ... Orthodox Encyclopedia

Holy Sepulcher- Holy Sepulcher. Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Jerusalem. View from the entrance... Wikipedia

Position of the Robe of the Blessed Virgin Mary- Position of the Robe of the Mother of God (icon of the workshop of Dionysius, ca. 1485, Tretyakov Gallery) Robe of the Virgin Mary revered in Orthodox Church relic, clothing that, according to legend, belonged to the Virgin Mary. In honor of the relic, a celebration was established “The State of the Honest ... ... Wikipedia

position- I; Wed see also position 1) Location in space, location. Geographical location. Change position. Determine the position of the vessel. 2) Positioning of the body or its parts; pose. Polo... Dictionary of many expressions

position- I; Wed 1. Location in space, location. Geographical item. Change item. Determine the location of the vessel. 2. Positioning of the body or its parts; pose. P. hands with emphasis. Uncomfortable head position. In a sitting, lying position. Return to original point 3.… … Encyclopedic Dictionary

Holy Sepulcher- The Lord's. Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Jerusalem. View from the entrance of the Holy Sepulcher, Holy Sepulcher (Greek: Αγιος Τάφος) main shrine Christendom, rock tomb; in this tomb, according to the Gospel, Jesus Christ was buried after the crucifixion... ... Wikipedia

Safe coffin- “Improved coffin” designed by Franz Wester. US Patent No. 81437 dated August 25, 1868. Safety coffin is a type of coffin equipped with an escape mechanism in case of mistaken burial of a person alive: for example, a small bell, ... ... Wikipedia

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Entombment

The Entombment icon describes the Gospel scene of the funeral of the crucified Jesus Christ. The secret disciple of Christ, Joseph of Arimathea, begged the Roman governor Pontius Pilate for the body of Jesus for burial. The body taken from the cross was wrapped in shrouds (shroud), soaked in incense, and placed in a tomb carved into the rock, where no one had ever been laid, and a stone was rolled to the door of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary Joseph looked where they laid Him.

The iconography of the “Entombment” includes the coffin with the body of Christ, the Mother of God crouched at the tomb, John the Theologian, the secret disciples of Christ Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, and the myrrh-bearing women.

Against the backdrop of a very structural landscape of mountains with slate flanks, seven figures are depicted in two rows, standing and bending near the tomb over the body of the deceased Christ. The coffin, placed frontally and built in “reverse perspective,” represents, as it were, the base of this composition, very architectonic in shape. A compact mass of seven figures forms the center of the composition, highlighted by bright, flaming colors, where cinnabar, powder green, ocher and sienna make up a simple but masculine range of local colors. Upper part The icons are designed in a light ocher tone and, both in pictorial forms and in color, seem to be the lightest and most airy. Thus, using purely architectural techniques, the artist divided the surface of the icon into three successive tiers. In the lower part (the coffin) the pictorial form is static, in the second (the figures) it is full of restrained movement, in the third (mountain ledges) it forms two streams of slate floes rapidly sliding downwards.

The development of action within this structural form proceeds from left to right, first involving the four standing figures, and then, making a turn, continues from right to left, including the three bent figures. The action begins with the leftmost figure - this is one of the righteous wives present at the burial of Christ. She entered and, seeing Jesus lying in the burial shrouds, expressed bewilderment with a gesture of her hands, as if asking: “How could this happen?” The small figure of this woman indicates that the moment captured here is only an introduction (overture) to a further developing action.

The next figure of the righteous woman is shown with her hands raised up. The bright red tone of her himation forms the central color spot of the composition. In terms of size, this is the largest figure, and in terms of gesture, the most expressive. Grief reached its culminating expression here. All nature echoes the gesture of raised hands: like a repeated echo, the splash of palms is repeated in the rhythm of the slate ledges that fill the entire landscape.

The next moment, excitement gives way to depression. Feelings go deep into the soul. The eccentric (expanded) gesture is replaced by a concentric (collapsed) one. The entire appearance of the third female figure expresses powerlessness, breakdown, and quiet mental suffering.

It is very interesting to note that the two central figures are depicted standing close to each other. Here the same experience is expressed in two different, but psychologically related and logically consistent forms: excitement and depression. These two central fused figures are separated by spacing from the outer ones (from left to right). The result is a rhythmic structure of three chords with three different “fillings”. The extreme figures (left and right), due to their rotation towards the center, are, at the same time, symmetrical links closing the composition.

Nicodemus (right figure), with his palms forward and his shoulders and head bowed slightly, is preparing to kneel in front of the coffin. His gesture, closing the composition of four standing figures, at the same time begins a new one, outlining a line of movement, expressed in three faces bent near the tomb: Joseph of Arimathea, John and Mary. The intention to give the final bow and kiss, indicated by the gesture of Nicodemus, was continued and carried out in three successive stages: Joseph leaned towards the coffin and took a step forward; John fell to his knees and covered his head with his palm, froze for a moment in a contemplative and thoughtful pose; Mary, continuing the intended movement, kisses her deceased Son. The flow of traffic here goes without intervals, forming a continuous line of the slope. The final coda of this movement is the head of Christ. It forms, as it were, a barrier, thanks to which the composition in this second line acquires closure both on the left and on the right.

So, within seven figures, the artist developed the plot, starting from the first impression when looking at the deceased, ending with the last kiss. The gestures personify the flowing element of time, woven into the architectonic framework of the compositional structure. These two points form a single whole. Without the first, the composition would be dead, without the second, the movement would be deprived of constructive support. The first is a rhythmic beginning, the second is structural...".

Tarabukin N. M. "The meaning of the icon"

find out how the Savior was buried

Tasks:

• find out who dared to ask for the Savior's body for burial
• understand why women who wanted to perform the required rites over the Deceased did not have time to do this
• understand why the Pharisees posted guards at the tomb of the Savior

Used literature:

1. The Law of God: In 5 books. – M.: Knigovek, 2010. – T.3. Chapter 45 “The Descent from the Cross and Burial of the Savior.”
2. Kokin I., diac. The life and teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. // Workbook. – M.: Mirozdanie, 2015. Lesson 20 “The Crucifixion and Burial of Christ.”

Further reading:

1. Serebryakova Yu.V., Nikulina E.V., Serebryakov N.S. Fundamentals of Orthodoxy: Tutorial. – M.: PSTGU Publishing House, 2009. Chapter “Burial of the Savior.”
2. Averky (Taushev), archbishop. Four Gospels. Apostle. A Guide to Studying the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament. – M.: PSTGU Publishing House, 2005. Chapter 32 “The Burial of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
3. The Bible retold to older children. – St. Petersburg: Printing Yard, 1991. Chapter VII. "The Great Days of Passion Week."
4. Kokin I., diac. The life and teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. In 2 books. // Textbook for secondary children school age. – M.: Mirozdanie, 2013. Lesson 20 “The Crucifixion and Burial of Christ.”

Key concepts:

• Burial
• Shroud

Lesson vocabulary:

• Calvary
• Nicodemus
• Joseph of Arimathea
• Guard at the coffin
• Seal of the Sanhedrin

Lesson content: (open)

Illustrations:

Test questions:

1. Where was Christ buried?
2. Why did Pilate refuse them?

Progress of the lesson. Option 1:

Teacher's retelling of relevant Gospel passages.

Reinforce the story with illustrations or presentation.

Watching videos.

Progress of the lesson. Option 2:

Studying new topic. Collective reading aloud by children of relevant passages from the Gospel.

Explanation by the teacher of unclear expressions or circumstances.

Reinforce what you have learned by solving a crossword puzzle.

Video materials:

1. TV project "The Law of God". Part 218. “The Descent from the Cross and Burial of the Savior”:

1. TV project “Stories about Saints”. Part "Holy Saturday".
2. TV show " Good word" "Descent from the Cross"

(Matthew 27:57-66; Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-55; John 19:38-42)

1) Burial of Jesus Christ

Those who knew Jesus Christ and the women who followed Him from Galilee stood at a distance and looked at everything that was happening (see Luke 23:49).

Then someone named Joseph, from Arimathea, a member of the council, a rich, kind and righteous man, who did not participate in the council and the work of the Sanhedrin, turned to Pilate, asking him to give him the body of Jesus. Pilate was surprised to learn that Jesus had already died. Having called the centurion and received from him confirmation of the death of Christ, he allowed Joseph to take the body of Jesus for burial.

Nicodemus, a secret disciple of the Pharisees, who had previously come to Jesus at night, also appeared. They took the Lord's body down from the Cross. Looking at the lifeless body of the Teacher, Nicodemus could not help but remember the mysterious words once spoken to him by Christ in a secret conversation: “ And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up... For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life"(John 3:14-16).

Now Joseph and Nicodemus buried the Lord. Joseph bought a new linen, called the Shroud, to wrap the body of Christ, and Nicodemus brought about a hundred liters of a mixture of myrrh and aloes. " So they took the body of Jesus and wrapped it in swaddling clothes with spices, as the Jews are wont to bury."(John 19:40).

Near Golgotha ​​there was a garden belonging to Joseph, and in the garden there was a new tomb, that is, a cave carved into the rock in which no one had yet been buried. There they laid Jesus for the sake of Jewish Friday, because the tomb was close. Joseph leaned against the door of the cave big stone and left. " And Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb."(Matt. 27:61).

2) Sabbath rest

The day was drawing to a close. The sun disappeared behind the horizon. The bloody crosses had not yet been removed and their appearance aroused fear among passers-by.

Mary Magdalene and the other with her were the last to leave the garden where Christ rested. Saturday was coming - the great day of rest. Both enemies and friends of Christ remained in their homes. Life in Jerusalem seemed to have stopped. Pilate regretted his action, his wife mourned the death of the Righteous One, the high priests and Pharisees celebrated their victory, and the apostles and friends of Christ indulged in inconsolable grief. It was all over for them. The teacher is no longer alive. He died a terrible death, the worse of which nothing could be imagined.

The women, believing that the burial of Christ was not yet completed and that perfumes should be poured on His body, which they did not manage to do in a hurry before sunset, were now forced to wait until the next day, since on Saturday, the day of great rest, it was impossible to do this. Therefore, having returned from Golgotha, they prepared incense and ointments at home." and on Saturday they remained in peace according to the commandment"(Luke 23:56).

3) Posting guards at the coffin

The chief priests and Pharisees were very pleased. Although with great difficulty and a lot of trouble, they still managed to quickly and completely deal with the Prophet of Galilee. Now, according to all the statutes of the Law of Moses, they could solemnly celebrate the Great Saturday. However, something was stopping them. My soul was restless. They remembered that Jesus predicted not only His death, but also His Resurrection on the third day. What if His disciples came at night, stole His body and announced to the people that He had risen? And how did it happen that they themselves, the Pharisees, left the tomb unguarded? And this despite the fact that Pilate gave the body to the traitors of the Sanhedrin - Joseph and Nicodemus. And then they decided to break the peace of the Sabbath and immediately go to Pilate. " Mister!- they told him. – We remembered that the deceiver, while still alive, said: after three days I will rise again; So, give orders that the tomb be guarded until the third day, so that His disciples, coming at night, do not steal Him and say to the people: He has risen from the dead; and the last deception will be worse than the first"(Matt. 27:62-64).

But Pilate was irritated and demanded that the high priests leave him alone. " Do you have guards?, he told them, go protect it as best you can"(Matt. 27:65).

Then the Jewish leaders made their own decisions. They placed a guard at the tomb of the Savior, consisting of Roman soldiers, who were given to them to maintain order at the temple during the holiday. Before going on guard, the guards carefully examined the cave and, by order of the high priests, put the seal of the Sanhedrin on the stone.

Test questions:

1. Why did Pilate agree to give Christ's body for burial?
2. Who performed the burial of the Savior?
3. Where was Christ buried?
4. Why did the women who followed Christ not have time to anoint their bodies with incense before burial?
5. On the eve of which Jewish holiday was the Savior buried?
6. Why did the Pharisees demand from Pilate the guards at the tomb of the Savior?
7. Why did Pilate refuse them?
8. Did the Pharisees break the Law of Moses?

The episode belongs to the Passion of Christ, follows the Lamentation of Christ and immediately precedes the scene of the discovery of the empty tomb, that is, it is the last moment in which the earthly body of Jesus still appears. According to Christian doctrine, after the burial of the body of Christ, His soul descended into hell to defeat death and save the Old Testament righteous.

The burial of Christ was reflected in theological writings, which viewed it as the completion of the redemptive mission of Christ, as well as in apocryphal literature. In art, the theme of burial was reflected in numerous paintings and sculptures.

Burial

Gospel narrative

All four evangelists narrate the burial of Jesus Christ, and each gives his own details. Moreover, of all four evangelists, only Matthew mentions sealing the tomb and assigning guards to it.

Gospel	Description of the burial
From Matthew (Matt. 27:57-66)	When evening came, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also studied with Jesus; He came to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered the body to be given up; and, taking the body, Joseph wrapped it in a clean shroud and laid it in his new tomb, which he carved into the rock; and, having rolled a large stone to the door of the tomb, he left. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb. The next day, which followed Friday, the high priests and Pharisees gathered to Pilate and said: Master! We remembered that the deceiver, while still alive, said: after three days I will rise again; So give orders that the tomb be guarded until the third day, so that His disciples, coming at night, do not steal Him and say to the people: He has risen from the dead; and the last deception will be worse than the first. Pilate said to them: You have a guard; go and protect it as best you can. They went and placed a guard at the tomb and put a seal on the stone.
From Mark (Mark 15:42-47)	And when evening had already come - because it was Friday, that is, before Saturday - Joseph from Arimathea, a famous member of the council, who himself was expecting the Kingdom of God, came, dared to go to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate was surprised that He had already died, and, calling the centurion, asked him how long ago He had died? And, having learned from the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. He bought a shroud and took Him off, wrapped him in the shroud, and laid Him in a tomb, which was hewn out of the rock, and rolled the stone to the door of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary of Joseph looked where they laid Him.
From Luke (Luke 23:50-56)	Then someone named Joseph, a member of the council, a good and truthful man, did not participate in the council and in their work; from Arimathea, the city of Judea, also expecting the Kingdom of God, came to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; and, taking it off, he wrapped it in a shroud and laid it in a hewn tomb where no one had ever been laid. That day was Friday, and Saturday was coming. The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee also followed and looked at the tomb and how His body was laid out; Having returned, they prepared incense and ointments; and on the Sabbath they remained in peace according to the commandment.
From John (John 19:38-42)	After this, Joseph from Arimathea - a disciple of Jesus, but secretly out of fear from the Jews - asked Pilate to remove the body of Jesus; and Pilate allowed it. He went and took down the body of Jesus. Nicodemus, who had previously come to Jesus at night, also came and brought a composition of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred liters. So they took the body of Jesus and wrapped it in swaddling clothes with spices, as the Jews are wont to bury. In the place where He was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden there was a new tomb, in which no one had yet been laid. They laid Jesus there for the sake of the Friday of Judea, because the tomb was close.

Historians, studying the gospel story, come to the conclusion that the burial of Jesus was carried out in accordance with the Jewish funeral traditions of that time.

Participants of the burial

According to the Gospel narrative, the burial of Jesus was attended by women and secret disciples of Christ from the upper class of society, that is, those who, unlike the apostles, were less at risk of being arrested:

• Joseph of Arimathea (rich man, " famous council member", secret disciple of Christ): asked Pilate for the body of Jesus for burial, bought a shroud, provided his new tomb;
• Nicodemus (Pharisee, " one of the leaders of the Jews", secret disciple of Christ): brought a fragrant composition of myrrh and aloes to anoint the body of Jesus (mentioned only by John);
• Mary Magdalene;
• Mary of Joseph (in Matthew - another Maria): according to a number of theologians (John Chrysostom, Theophylact of Bulgaria) this is the Mother of God: “ Mary, the mother of James and Josiah, is the Most Holy Theotokos, since Jacob and Josiah were the children of Joseph from his first wife. And just as the Mother of God was called the wife of Joseph, she was rightfully called the mother, that is, the stepmother of his children" At the same time, there is also an opinion that it was Mary, the wife of Cleopas, the sister of the Mother of God.

Apocryphal tales

Gospel of Peter

In the apocryphal “Gospel of Peter,” written in the first half of the 2nd century, the only participant in the burial of Jesus is Joseph of Arimathea:

“And then they pulled the nails out of the Lord’s hands and laid Him on the ground. And the whole earth shook, and great fear began. Then the sun shone, and it became clear that it was still nine o’clock. The Jews rejoiced and gave His body to Joseph so that he could bury the body, for he saw how much good He had done. He took the Lord, washed him and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and carried him to his own tomb, called the garden of Joseph.”

Gospel of Peter (6:21-24)

The author of the apocrypha reports that guards were posted next to the tomb and that it was sealed, thereby repeating the story of the Evangelist Matthew. At the same time, the name of the centurion sent by Pilate to guard the coffin is called. He was a certain Petronius. Orthodox tradition believes that among the guards at the tomb was the centurion Longinus, who participated in the crucifixion of Jesus and pierced his ribs with his spear.

Gospel of Nicodemus

The apocryphal "Gospel of Nicodemus" (the earliest versions date from the 4th century), written on behalf of one of the participants in the burial, adheres to canonical details about the burial.

The text then tells us that Joseph of Arimathea was arrested by the Jews for participating in the funeral and providing the tomb:

“And they bolted the doors of the prison, and Annas and Caiaphas appointed guards. And the priests and Levites held a council to gather together after the Sabbath and decide what kind of death to put Joseph to death. When they all gathered together, Annas and Caiaphas ordered to bring Joseph. They, seeing that the shutters were intact, opened the locked doors and did not find Joseph. When they saw this, they were afraid, for they found the prison closed, but Joseph was not found. And Annas and Caiaphas left.”

After the spread of rumors about the Resurrection, which caused panic among the Jews, Nicodemus, who was a secret disciple, while occupying a prominent position, gives the priests advice that allows him to protect Joseph, who by this time was at home in Arimathea, from further attacks.

"The Passion of Christ"

In the 17th century Old Believer collection “The Passion of Christ,” compiled on the basis of early Christian apocrypha, a detailed story is given “ About the placing of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ the Son of God in the tomb and about His burial, and about the weeping of the Most Holy Theotokos over the tomb».

The basis of the story is the cry of the Mother of God over the body of her son: she calls on all mothers, widows and orphans, elders, heavenly bodies and heavens, angels to cry with her:

“O unsetting sun, my eternal God, and creative of all and creator of all creation, as soon as you entered the grave; Have you not spoken a word to your servant, son, and God? Wouldn’t the Master show mercy to your family; I think that no one will hear your voice, and I will see the kindness of your face.”

In response to his mother’s suffering, Jesus secretly addresses her with words of comfort: “ O my mother Mary, do not weep for me while you are in the grave... I will rise again and I will magnify you as God of heaven and earth, and I will bring fallen Adam into the kingdom of heaven..." The Lament of the Virgin Mary formed the basis Orthodox canon « To cry Holy Mother of God ”, read on Good Friday before the shroud (see the section “Liturgical Veneration” below).

In contrast to the gospel narrative, one of the participants in the burial of Christ in “ Passion of Christ"John the Evangelist is mentioned. This influenced the iconography of this plot, where the figure of this young apostle is always present near the body of Christ.

In Islam

Islam, while honoring Jesus as the prophet Isa, believes that he was not killed and therefore was not buried. In the Koran (sura 4 " Women") it is said this way: “Allah punished them... for their words: “ Verily, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah“(but they did not kill him or crucify him, but it only seemed to them); truly, those who disagree on this matter are in doubt and do not know anything about it, but only follow guesses. And they, of course, did not kill him. It was Allah who raised him to himself...”

Muslims believe that Jesus was taken alive into heaven and will return before the last judgment to fight Dajjal. Having defeated him, Isa, according to Muslim theologians, will live on earth for 40 years, and then die and will be buried next to the Prophet Muhammad in Medina.

Prophecies about the burial of Christ

Christian tradition connects two biblical prophecies with reference to the burial of Jesus Christ:

• Old Testament: He was assigned a grave with evildoers, but He was buried with a rich man, because He committed no sin, and there was no lie in His mouth.(Isa. 53:9). The prophecy points to the burial of Jesus in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea (a rich man, member of the Sanhedrin).
• New Testament: Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said: Teacher! We would like to see a sign from You. But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign; and no sign will be given to him except the sign of the prophet Jonah; For just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.(Matt. 12:38-40). The prophecy refers to the burial itself, as well as the period within which Jesus should resurrect after burial.

Liturgical veneration

The burial of Jesus Christ is remembered in the Orthodox and Catholic Churches during various end-of-life services Holy Week. In addition, mention of the burial of Christ was included in Christian Symbol faith, beginning with its earliest apostolic recension, and in 325 on the First Ecumenical Council was included in the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed (“ crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, suffered and buried, rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures»).

In the Orthodox Church

In the Orthodox Church, the burial of Christ is remembered during the service. good friday, but can also be traced in the liturgical texts of Holy Saturday (connected with the memory of the descent into hell). According to Protopresbyter John Meyendorff: “ The pinnacle of the redemptive ministry of Jesus Christ is His presence in the tomb: the mystery of Holy Saturday. Liturgical action expresses this mystery much better than speculative statements.».

Removal of the Shroud

The removal of the shroud, a piece of cloth depicting the body of the dead Jesus Christ taken from the cross, takes place at the Vespers of Good Friday, which is usually celebrated during the day.

Before the start of the service, the shroud is placed in the altar on the throne, the Apostle and four Gospel passages telling about the death and burial of Jesus are read. During the service while singing the famous troparion “Blessed Joseph, I took down Your Most Pure Body from the tree, wrapped it in a clean shroud, and covered it with stinks in a new tomb.” the priest, having made three prostrations to the ground, lifts the shroud from the throne and through the northern gate takes it to the middle of the temple and places it on the “tomb” prepared for it, which is traditionally decorated with flowers. The removal is carried out preceded by the priests and the deacon with a candle and censer. During the cathedral service, the rector walks under the shroud, carrying the Gospel above his head or in his hands. If there is only one priest, then the Gospel is carried in the left hand by the deacon, holding a censer in the right, and if there is no deacon, then one of the pious parishioners carries the Gospel wrapped in cloth. Then, after censing three times around the Shroud, the clergy worship and kiss the Shroud. These actions symbolically repeat the burial of Christ described in the Gospels.

After Vespers, before the Shroud, Little Compline is celebrated, at which the Canon on the Crucifixion of the Lord and “For the Lamentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary”- chants composed in the 10th century by Simeon Logothetes. Then, after the dismissal, the parishioners come up to worship and kiss the shroud. The shroud is in the center of the temple for three incomplete days, reminding believers of the three-day stay in the tomb of Jesus Christ.

Church utensils

Some objects used in the Orthodox Church are symbolically associated with the burial of Jesus Christ. These include:

• Antimens- boards with sewn-in particles of relics, without which it is impossible to celebrate the liturgy. It depicts the position of Jesus Christ in the tomb. The antimension is consecrated in a special manner only by the bishop.
• Throne- symbolizes the Holy Sepulcher, as well as Jesus Christ himself lying in the tomb. When consecrating the throne, the corners of its upper board ( meal) at the junction with the pillars are filled with wax mastic (an alloy of wax, mastic, crushed marble powder, myrrh, aloe, incense). These substances, according to the interpretation of Simeon of Thessalonica, “ form the burial of the Savior, since the meal itself forms the life-giving Tomb of Christ».
• Paten- symbolically depicts the coffin in which the body of Jesus Christ was buried, as well as the Bethlehem manger.

In the Catholic Church

IN Catholic Church the burial of Christ is also remembered during the Good Friday service. On this day, after the Eucharistic Liturgy, at the end of the service, the so-called “ procession to the Holy Sepulcher", during which the Holy Gifts are transferred from the main tabernacle of the temple, which remains empty, to the side chapel, symbolically representing the Holy Sepulcher, where they remain until the solemn ceremony. Easter service. The procession symbolizes the removal of the Savior's Body from the Cross and His burial. At the beginning of the procession, the head of the service places the Gifts on the altar and censes, then covers the monstrance with a special white veil, symbolizing the shroud in which the Body of Christ was wrapped during burial. Unaccompanied choir during the procession musical instruments performs hymns about the Passion of Christ.

The burial of Christ is the final, fourteenth stage of the service Way of the Cross, held during the days of Great Lent and, of course, on Good Friday.

With. 155¦

From the festive ceremony. Last quarter of the 15th century. Novgorod school (?) 1.

1 Five icons from this festive rank were simultaneously purchased from an ofeni merchant at a fair in Gorodets on the Volga. The collection of A. V. Morozov received the Descent into Hell (see No. 105), the collection of I. S. Ostroukhov - The Descent from the Cross (see No. 107) and the Entombment (see No. 106), and the collection B . N. Khanenko - The Last Supper and the Beheading of John the Baptist (Kiev state museum Russian art. Catalog, Kyiv, 1955, p. 9). According to the information of the restorer P. I. Yukin, Ofenya, who sold these icons to collectors, purchased them in Kargopol. These icons combine the features of Novgorod art - epic images, silhouettes, pronounced linear rhythm - and Moscow - the lightness of figures outlined by a smooth, flexible line, small, subtle facial features. The colorful range of Kargopol icons is based on the combination of red, green and yellow flowers, but in a more relaxed tone. The stylistic relationship of these icons with icons Nizhny Novgorod, Gorodets and other nearby suburbs, collected in the Gorky State Art Museum, makes one doubt the reliability of the information received from the restorer Yukin, or assume that the icons for the Kargopol Cathedral were painted by masters of the Nizhny Novgorod movement. See note. 1 to No. 123.

The coffin with the body of Christ in white shrouds and the figures of the Mother of God, John the Evangelist and Joseph of Arimathea crouching on the body, as well as Nicodemus and the wives standing behind them, are located in clear horizontal rows. Behind the same rows are mountain peaks with rectilinear flanks and edges, decorated on the sides with an ornament in the form of dashes on top of red and brown vertical stripes. The figures are light, outlined by flexible lines, faces with small, delicate features. The swirl is filled with melting, light ocher, with a blush, on an olive sankir. In the colorful palette, built mainly on a combination of greens, ocher and dark red tones, the white shrouds of Christ and the cinnabar maphoria of Mary Magdalene, standing with her arms raised high, stand out as bright, sonorous spots. Background and color fields ivory with traces of gold. The inscriptions are cinnabar, updated.