By Ioannis Siopis | Ionian University

Description

The katholikon at Cozia Monastery, located in Calimanesti (Romania), is dedicated to the Holy Trinity. It was erected between 1387 and 1391 by the Voivode of Wallachia Mircea the Elder (r. 1386–95 and 1397–1418). Its three-niche architectural structure and the facades' decorations are representative examples of the Morava architectural style that is characterized by the splendor of the sculptural elements. The katholikon was used by the royal family of Wallachia as a mausoleum. The interior of the katholikon is decorated with frescoes depicting extensive image cycles dating to 1390, while constant renovations over the centuries have preserved them to an appreciable degree.

Within the extensive decoration, three narratives see the inclusion of heretics: the Vision of Peter of Alexandria, the Ecumenical Councils and the Last Judgment. In the representation of the Vision of St. Peter of Alexandria, in the narthex, the tightly coiled body of Arius is identifiable inside the dragon’s jaws as he is ready to swallow him. Arius wears priestly vestments and an omophorion on his shoulder. Next to the theme of the Vision of the St. Peter of Alexandria is the Second Ecumenical Council. In front of the Byzantine emperor and the episcopal council, a holy Orthodox hierarch with a halo has a conversation with a group of heretical priests, while one of them pulls with his hands his full beard as an indication of frustration. In the exterior imposing mural of the Last Judgment on the west wall of the katholikon (exonarthex), a group of heretics floats on the fiery river while an angel sinks them deeper with a trident.

In the depictions of the Last Judgment, heretics are usually represented individually or in small groups being swept along with other sinners into the fiery river and ending up in the open mouth of hell. The heretics (e.g., Arius, Macedonios, etc.), together with the Roman emperors, persecutors of Christianity (e.g., Diocletian), are the only named historical figures among the multitude of anonymous sinners in the theme of the Last Judgment.

The theme of the Vision of Peter of Alexandria derives from the narration of the vita of the bishop of Alexandria, - Peter, who was martyred during the persecutions of Roman emperor Maximian (first quarter of 4th century). According to the narration of his martyrdom, while he was in prison, as he was celebrating the Holy Eucharist, Christ appeared to him in the form of a child wearing a ragged tunic. When Peter asked him who it was that tore his tunic, Christ replied that Arius was responsible for this dishonorable act and urged him not to allow the heretic to partake in the Holy Communion as he did not truly repent even though he asked Peter to be accepted back to Church. The narrative of the Vision emphasizes the strict observance of the Church's rules regarding the exclusion of heretics from communion. It is an epiphany that refers to the schism and division caused in the body of the Church by the heresy of Arius as the Byzantine theologians associated the Vision of Peter with the separation of the three persons of the Holy Trinity. The representation of the Vision is introduced in the wall paintings of churches from the beginning of the thirteenth century with a tendency to generalize from the fourteenth century onward because of the special importance given to it due to its intense doctrinal, eloquent and anti-heretical character.

The Ecumenical Councils functioned as doctrinal courts that had the exclusive right to judge who was a heretic. Consequently, the concepts of the Council and heresy were closely linked. As a result, this connection became visible in Byzantine iconography because the theme of the Ecumenical Councils constituted the main space for the representation of heretics.

Significance

The selection of these themes is carefully chosen and placed (Last Judgment on the exterior wall, Vision of Peter of Alexandria, and Ecumenical Councils on the wall of the narthex) since the spectator-believer gets a thorough pictorial representation of the basic principles of the orthodox doctrine by entering from the outer space to the interior of the katholikon. In addition, the three themes in combination with the intense theological symbolism of the rest of the murals of the narthex (such as the scenes from the Akathistos Hymn) render them into an anti-heretical iconographic statement in which the predetermined fate of the condemned heretics becomes obvious.

The inclusion of the representations of heretics in the iconographic programs of the churches of the late Byzantine period is probably related to some doctrinal controversy (e.g. the Hesychast disputes and the issue of the nature of the Incarnation of Christ) or some outbreak of heresy (e. g. Bogomilism). It is worth mentioning that the Athonite monk Nikodemos from Prilep (1320–1406), defender of Hesychasm (a monastic Orthodox movement), was present and participated in the construction of the katholikon at Cozia. He very likely suggested part or the entire iconographic program, thus conveying the prevailing doctrinal trends of Hesychasm that were popular in the holy community of Mount Athos at that time. It is possible to say that the anti-heretical program of the katholikon of Cozia Monastery is inspired by similar iconographic programs of Serbian churches dating from the same period. For example, the Vision of St. Peter of Alexandria exists in churches such as Gračanitsa (1319–1321), Matejče (1348/1352) and Zrze (ca. 1350). Also, the representations of the Ecumenical Councils exist in the Church of the Holy Trinity in Sopocani (1280), in St. Achillios in Ariljie (1297–99), in St. Demetrius in Peć (1317–24), and in Dečani (1348).

Furthermore, this careful selection of illustrating strongly anti-heretical themes in the katholikon of Cozia Monastery also has a political connotation. It promotes the idea of a legitimate reign by the grace of God and the defense and promotion of the Orthodox faith and Church by its founder Mirkea the Elder and the members of the dynasty of Basarab in a turbulent and unstable environment. A similar artistic and ideological connection is observed in St. Achilleios in Arilje where the Council against the Bogomils convened by the Serbian king Stefan Nemanja (at the end of the 12th century) is depicted in the type of Byzantine Ecumenical Councils. This mural projects him and the Nemanjić dynasty as the legitimate successors and defenders of Orthodoxy in Serbia.

At Cozia, the adoption of popular anti-heretical themes coincides with the established position of the spread of Byzantine architectural types and practices in the Balkans in the late 14th century. In other words, Byzantine architectural standards and iconographic themes informed the construction and decoration of the most important churches in the region north of the Byzantine Empire and inevitably received intense cultural influences.

Further Reading

Koukiaris, Silas. “The depiction of the Vision of Saint Peter of Alexandria in the sanctuary of Byzantine churches.” Zograf 35 (2011): 63–71.

In the article, the author thoroughly presents the development and formation of the iconographic theme of the Vision of Peter of Alexandria through the historical, theological, and artistic progress that took place between the 13th and 15th centuries.

Siopis, Ioannis. "The Representations of the heretics in Byzantine art" (in Greek). Unpublished doctoral thesis. Thessaloniki: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, School of History and Archaeology, 2022.

The theme of the doctoral thesis is the research on the representations of heretics in Byzantine and Post-Byzantine art. Its objectives are the typological and morphological study of the representations of heretics, the interpretation of their iconographic framework in relation to the historical, doctrinal, social, and archaeological data of each period, and the extraction of analytical research conclusions.

Walter, Christopher. L'iconographie des conciles dans la tradition byzantine. Paris: Institut francais d'etudes byzantines.1970.

In this book, Walter devotes a chapter to the representations of heretics. He points out that they are most often depicted humiliated in front of the council as in this way are promoted the prestige and correctness of the orthodox dogma. Also, the author reformulates his view on the secondary and complementary character of the heretic as an iconographic type.

Walter, Christopher. “Heretics in Byzantine Art.” Eastern Churches Review 3 (1970): 40–49.

It is the first study of the iconography of heretics in Byzantine art, but limited. Walter concludes that the heretic appears as an inferior person, as a victim, and as a defeated enemy who is humiliated, trampled, or devoured by the dragon of hell. For Walter, the heretic is rarely a portrait with its own characteristics as in most cases it is complementary to broader iconographic themes.

This contribution was sponsored by the Mary Jaharis Center for Byzantine Art and Culture at Hellenic College Holy Cross.