What is Smyrna and incense Gifts of Magi. The essence of things: Gifts of Magi
Symbols of "Gold", "Ladan" and "Smirns" APRIL 26th, 2013
Several sentence words about the symbolic meaning of gifts of Magi Jesus. And then I was going to disassembled for a long time, and all the interpretation was not given in my hands. And then the case turned up.
The first gift is gold. Its in view of the multidimensity of the symbol we will look at the end.
The gift is the second - incense. Literally this smelting resin, fragrant wood juice, which hardened in the air and is going with some aromatic trees. The grain of Ladan, being laid on the smoldering corner, fill the room with a wonderful unique aroma. Symbolizes the pure prayer of the heart, "fragrance, pleasant to the Lord", as well as the spiritual aroma of grace of God, peace and joy in the spirit of the Holy.
"Yes, my prayer will be, as Fimiam, before your face," - proclaims the Psalmopevets David (Psalm 140). "And the smoke of Fimiam with the prayers of the saints from the hand of the angel,", read in the apocalypse (see Revelation, 8.4). "And when he took the book, then four animals and twenty-four elders fell before Lamb, having every hussley and golden bowls, full of Fimiam, who are the essence of the saints of the saints. And they sing a new song, saying: you can take a book and remove the print with it, For you were shortened, and the blood of God redeemed us from all the knees and the language, and the people, and the tribe, and the kings and the priests were prefeedled (the wise and dedicated to those who renounce themselves. - Avt.) Our God; and we will reign on earth "(ibid, 5.8-10).
Dar Third - Smirna (Mirra). SMIRNA is an incense balm, the ointment, which was subtracted by the body of the dead man, preparing him for the burial. Smyrna was brought by a newborn Messiah as a gift to a person who should die. Christ and the king, and the priest, but he and the sacrifice - the lamb is immaculate, brought to the sin of the world. And this, the last gift, and was the prototype of the Great and Smoked Victim. The invaluable sacrifice of Christ ... An interesting moment is that "Smirna", "Smyster", "humility" - are judging by all single words.
And the gift is the first - gold. As I said, it is a multidimensional symbol found in large quantities Places of text. And it has many interpretation gradations. The most superficial is the royal, as a symbol of power over everyone. Interpreters who stick to this value say that thus the Magi indicated that Jesus was the future king of Jewish. But then the question arises, what kind of kingdom are we talking about? Therefore, we will pay attention to other meanings. One of them means "radiance like sunny" (but at the same time not the sun). Gold is a very warm metal, it radiates like sunlight. Some ancient peoples about gold say that these are the tears of the sun. Most often, this symbol is used as an indication of the light of truth as an image of spiritual grace. But it also happens "wrong gold." In this case, it indicates only the aspect of the temptation and power of sin. As, for example, in this case:
"And the wife was clothed in Porphyra and the bugger, decorated with gold, precious stones and pearls "(Open.17.4).
Andrei Kesarisky explains: "Wife is clothed in Porphyra and the Bugger - symbols and signs of power over everyone, so she is decorated with precious stones and beads." And further: "And held the golden bowl in his hand, filled with the frozosts and the uncleaning of the bloodyness of it."
Andrei Kesarisky explains: "The bowl points to the sweetness of evil before his taste, and the gold on his temptation."
Summary:
That is, in fact, the Volkhva was predicted with his gifts that Jesus was exactly what they would crave and what they serve what they would attract prayers, and what would be to be the murdered world.
Further gospel story about worshiping Magi (Matt. 2 ch.) Very approved. This is, above all, a story about " epiphany", Or the phenomenon phenomenon.
Another Joseph and the Most Mother of God with the infant Jesus remained in Bethlehem, as from the distant country from the East (from Persia or Babylonia) in Jerusalem Volkhiva.
Wisely, or wise men called scientists peopleengaged in the observation and study of stars. At that time, people believed that at the birth of a great man, a new star appears in the sky. Many pagans within Persia, scientific disassembled Jews, knew about the coming Mesia in the world - the great king of Israel. From the Jews, they could know the following Valaam's prophecy regarding the Messiah: "I see it, but now there is still no. I say it, but not close. The star from Jacob rises and rises the rim from Israel, and (he) will strike the princes of Moab "(Numbers 24:17), here" Moab "is the personification of the enemies of the Messiah. Persian Volkhiva was waiting that when the promised king is born, a new star will appear in the sky. Although Valaam's prophecy spoke about the star in spiritual senseBut the Lord, by His mercy, to bring pagans to faith, gave sign in the sky in the form of an extraordinary star. Seeing her, Magi understood that the expected king was born.
After a long and distant journey, they finally reached the capital of the Jewish kingdom of Jerusalem and began to ask: " Where born Tsar Judaian? For we saw a star in the east and came to bow him". These words of such prominent strangers stirred by many residents of Jerusalem and in particular King Herod, who immediately reported on the arrival of mysterious oriental scientists.
From the first days of the first time, the throne of Herod was shit. He hated him, considering him by the Usurper David of the throne and Tiran and bent them, as a pagan. Last years Herod's life was complicated by another personal adversities and bloody sprapers. He became extremely suspicious and on the slightest occasion was executed his obvious and imaginary enemies. For this reason, there were several children of Herod and even his wife, which he earlier loved. Sick and stale, Herod now lived in his new palace in Zion. Hearing about the born tsar, he was especially worried, fearing, no matter how people did not take advantage of his old age, to take away power from him and transfer it to the newborn king.
To find out who this new challenger on his throne, Herod gathered all the priests and scripts to himself, - people who knew the books of Holy Scripture well, and asked them: " Where should Christ be born? " They said: " In Bethlehem Jews, because the prophet Micah is written". Then Herod secretly called on Magi, the time of the star was exposed and sent them to Bethlehem. Pretending to be pious, Sly Herod told them: " Go and there everyone's carefully about the baby, and when you find him, come and tell me, so that I can go to worship him". In fact, Herod was going to take advantage of their message to betray the baby.
Magi, listening to the king of Herod and unaware nothing, went to Bethlehem. And here again starThey saw before in the east, appeared in the sky and, moving across the sky, walked in front of them, pointing to them. In Bethlehem, the star stopped over the place where the Baby Jesus was born.
Magnies entered the house and saw the foremen of Jesus with his mother. They bowed to him to the ground and brought him her gifts (gifts) their own: gold, Ladan and Smyrna (precious fragrant oil). In the gifts of Magi, you can see the following symbolic meaning. They brought gold to him as the king (in the form of a date or grant), incense, like God (because incense is used in worship), and Smyrna, as a person who should die (because at the time of the dead was anxious with oils mixed with fragrant Smirny).
Having bowed to all the expected king, the Magi was going, it was the next day to return to Jerusalem to Orod. But the angel, who appeared in a dream, opened it the insanity of Herod and commanded them to return to his country, taking another path that does not pass around Jerusalem. The legend kept the names of the Magi, which then became Christians. These were Melchior, Gaspar and Valtasar.
In a story about Christmas, Christ is still remarkably, the first to bow to the Savior to the Savior, the true children of nature, who could only reveal the treasury of their hearts, full of simplicity, faith and humility. Already much later, the Magi came from the east, saturated with a scientist wisdom, which was attacked by the Godhead, along with a reverent joy of gold, Ladan and Smyrna. They had to make a long way before the Jews reached and even, being already in Jerusalem, could not immediately find the birthplace of the Tsar Jewish. Does this not say that the simplicity of the heart, and the deep conscientious scholarship is equally leading to Christ. But the first way is straight, in short and or rather the second. Shepherds led the angels directly, and the Volkhivi "Uch but husya "from a wordless star and through Herod from the scribes and elders of the Jewish. Not without difficulty and dangers, they reached the desired goal and did not hear the heavenly harmony, which sounded over the Earth - " Glory to the highest of God and on Earth the world, in human favor"(Metropolitan thought Anastasia).
The gifts of Magi are gold, incense and Smyrna, who Magi brought a newborn baby as a gift.
At Christmas, it is customary to give each other gifts. This tradition dates not only to the image of Saint Nicholas, who became the prototype of Santa Claus. She has both Evangelical roots - the history of Magi and their gifts.
Symbolism:
The gifts of the Magi are symbolic and prophetic meaning:
- Gold - as a gift of the king,
- Incense - as a gift to the high priest and god,
- Smirna - as a gift to the mortal person.
History:
The evangelist Matthew writes about the wrappers:
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem Jews in the days of Tsar Herod, came to Jerusalem Magi from the east and they say: where is the Born Tsar Judaian? For we saw a star in the east and came to bow to him (MF 2: 1-2).
Without knowing nothing from Herod, Magi went further behind the star, which led them to Bethlehem: and the star ... came and stopped above the place where the baby was ... And entering the house, they saw the baby with Marieu, his mother, and, surfactant, bowed to him; And, opening their treasures, they brought her gifts: gold, incense and Smyrna (MF 2:11).
Who are such a magic:
In the original of the new Testament, the Volkhiva is named as μάγοι, that is, magicians. In ancient Greek, this word denotes Persian (Iranian) priests, astrologers and astronomers who possessed special knowledge.
From the word "wolf" is formed russian word "wizard".
The gospel does not specify the number of magic and their names, but the church legend calls three: Kaspar, Balthazar and Melchior.
According to the same legend, they all subsequently became Christians and adopted baptism from the Apostle Thomas. Western legend says that the apostle has ordained the Magi in the Bishops. Their relics were acquired by the Holy Queen of Elena and today are in the Cologne Cathedral (Germany).
West excitement in Western tradition or "three king"
In some European countries, Saints Kaspar, Balthazar and Melchior are especially honored and called "three kings". On January 6, children in crows and other German cities walk through the streets of Cologne and other German cities, symbolizing Magi. They knock at home, congratulate the inhabitants and get in return for sweets or minor money. On the doors of such hospitable hosts, the inscription "B + C + M" appears - initial letters Volkhov names in the Latin alphabet. This is done as a sign that the dwelling was visited by the "Three Kings" and blessed him.
Monastery of St. Paul on Athos. Photo from afonua.com
History of gifts after the Assumption of the Virgin
The Mother of God kept her gifts carefully and before his detention handed over to the Jerusalem Church, where they were up to 400. Later, the Byzantine Emperor Arkady suffered a gift to the Konstantinople Church of St. Sophia. After the capture of Constantinople by Turkis-Osmans, in 1470, the Giftsov, the Serbian monastery of St. Paul on Mount Athos Widow of the Turkish Sultan Murat II Mary, the daughter of the ruler of Serbia (she did not accept Islam and until the end of the life remained a Christian).
According to legend, Maria personally wanted to bring the gifts of Magi into the monastery, but heavenly voice stopped in front of the walls and reminded the ban on women is located on the Holy Mountain. In memory of this, the monks have established a cross, which is called Tsaritsyn, and in standing near the chapel depicted a meeting of the great shrines by the monoplepiors.
Gifts of Magi to this day are stored in 10 special arks on the Holy Mount Athos (Greece) in the monastery of St. Paul.
How do the gifts look now:
Gold is 28 plates of different geometric shapes with different patterns that never repeated. Smyrna and Ladan joined together, now it is about 70 dark balls, similar in shape on the olives. They are risen on the silver thread, which is attached to the golden plates.
The United Ladan and Smyrna also bear symbolic importance: connected, they resemble two nature of Jesus Christ - Divine and Human.
In January 2014, the gifts of Volkhvov were first brought within the Russian Orthodox church For blessing and worshiping believers. For 30 days of stay at the canonical territory, the ROC shrine bowed 1.6 million people.
Everyone heard pro Gifts VolkhvovWho were in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and now continue to travel in the Slavic lands. This is a Christian relic, holy for believers subject. The first reaction of those who met their photos on the Internet, - surprise. All, including the bulk of believers, expected to see the ingots of gold or coins and an ancient view of the jugs and chests. Whatever, just not what is shown in the photo. The impression was unexpected: we saw a magnificent performance the subject of decorative art, jewel
. That's about this decorative, Relic side, let's talk today.
GOLD
So, what are the first gifts to the baby Christ? Flat plates measuring approximately 5x7 cm from glittering gold, more precisely, from gold wire, soldered into a single pattern filigin technique with grain. Remember the winged expression: "Filigree work"? So, very thin, accurate, elegant. So, the gifts of the Volkhvov are the most filigree work, in direct and figurative meaning.
To weave the openwork gold liner, from a solid piece of gold "pulled" the finest thread, which was then left smooth, or twisted several threads among themselves, receiving small "codes" with a millimeter thickness. By the way, from the word "twist, twist", in Staroslavlyansky - "Ska", the name of the Russian version of the filigree, which was known from us from the oldest times and is still applied - "Skan"or "scanish".
Photo: Igor blocopes
Then the masters were taken to lay out the pattern from this wire using various tools. Slicing the right amount, the golden thread of the flexible, curl, intertwined, or vice versa, they did almost smoothly. So the masterpiece was born, thin and sophisticated jewelry work. Then, with the help of soldering, all elements were connected to a single whole, and small golden balls were attached to specially reserved places - "Grains", which slightly performed above the surface of the plate and made the appearance of things even more difficult and richer.
Such gold plates from Athos brought three. Rest 25 Stored in the monastery of St. Paul for several centuries for several centuries. The pattern of each of them is unique, and not found among all the plates of the two are the same. Forms They are also diverse and not quite familiar to the jewelry of antiquity: they quadricular. Proper geometric shapes, as if from a mathematical set for a first grader: a trapezium, squares, rectangles. Unusual!
Photo: Igor blocopes
Gold In those days, the kings were presented in a sign of special respect, chosenness and as a symbol of power. Persian wise people believed that the newborn Christ was the king of the world. They read about it in prophecies. Generally speaking, by that time, many nations in the East knew that a special king should come, the Savior, and waited for him. That's why Magi brought gold: "Seeing the star, they rejoiced to the joy very great, and by entering the house, they saw the baby with Marieu, his mother, and, surfactant, bowed to him; And, opening his treasures, they brought her gifts: Gold, incense and Smyrna " (Matthew Gospel, Chapter 2, Poems 10-11).
Frame from the film Arkady Mamontov "Gifts of Magi" (2014)
INCENSE
Of course, you managed to notice uneven dark beads in the photos, similar to olives. They are risen on silver wire, attached arcuate to each of the gold plates, ahead with coral and glass (or pearl) beads. These dark "olives" are a mixture of special substances, incense and humble. 
Incense
Ladan - smelting resin, fragrant woody juice, which in the air becomes hard and going with aromatic trees.Great incense, if they put them on the smoldering corner, fill the room with a wonderful aroma.
Since ancient times, incense has been used in worship as a symbol of prayer to God. When the wise men were going to the way, they put in bags except gold and incense. This part of the gift symbolized that Jesus Christ was God.
According to legend, Ladan and Smyrna Volkhva brought in separate containers, and already when the relics hit Mount Athos, the monks were mixed and the other attached a mixture to each of the gold plates. So it turned out to be unusual items that we saw in Russia - unlike any other decorations for a person or home, unlike even the usual religious items.
Smirna
Another substance with which Ladan is mixed is Smyrna.
On icons and pictures from the scene of worship of Magi, they usually depict a house, which soon moved sv. Joseph, Holy Mother of God And a little baby-Christ. Here are ingenic guests, "open their treasures" and ... give the fragrant substance for the burial burial.
Book illustration. Children's Bible. Institute for the Translation of the Bible. 1992.
Smyrna is Mirrie tree resin, inthe Entry of Incense, widely known in the ancient world and used as a groove for the bodies of the dead. They rubbed the body of a person, accomplishing it on the last path. This part of the gift meant that the king and God is also a person, as we all.
SMIRNA (Mirra)
PRESENTS
Gold as a king, incense like God, Smyrna - as a man. All three parts of the gifts were mixed, joined, buried in one subject. Gifts are symbolic: looking at them, the believer there is something to think about. And the unbeliever is to admire the art of creating a filigree master, surprised by the resourcefulness of Afonov monks, "finalized" an artistic idea, and, perhaps, to get inspiration for his work.
"When Jesus was born in Bethlehem Jewish in the days of King Herod, came to Jerusalem from the east and they say: where is the born king of Judaian? For we saw a star in the east and came to bowed to him "(Matt. 2: 1-2)," says Evangelist Matthew.
Over the 6th centuries before the Nativity of Christ, during the Babylonian captivity of the Jews, the religious thinkers of the East first discovered the Bible for themselves and met an ancient prophecy about the Vafleemonary star of Providant and the Belaama's sonor, who predicted the arrival of the Messiah: "The star from Jacob rises and rises a rim from Israel" (Numbers. 24:17). At the same time, during the Babylonian captivity, the Prophet Daniel predicted the exact date of birth of the Messiah (Dan. 9:25). They knew about her in every Jewish house. He knew her and king Herod.
That is why the questions of the magic about the royal baby so frightened Herod. After consulting with the high priests and scribes, Herod found out that it was Bethlehem that was the place where the Messiah of the Prophet MICHE should be born (Mich. 5: 2).
Then "secretly," as the gospel tells us, calling me to the Palace of Magi and learning from them that the star became visible in the sky even before the birth of the one they are looking for, and that it was she who led them in the way, Herod instructed them to find them in This small town of baby, so that he, Herod, could worship him. When the Magheva came out of Jerusalem, the star again illuminated the path and led them to the house, where in the time of the Mother of God and the Son and the Righteous Joseph Wrap: "And, by entering the house, they saw the baby with Marieu, his mother, and, surfactant , bowed to him "(Matt. 2:11).
Who were the Magi, who came to bow to the Bogomladstan? This event becomes the subject of reflections of many interpreters already in the earliest monuments of Christian literature. Following the Old Testament Tradition, Christianity initially evaluates magic and astrology as classes incompatible with the idea of \u200b\u200bthe freedom of will and the fishery of God about a person. However, the evangelist Matthew says about the wrappers in a positive sense, as people who commit a pious act, unlike the Jews who did not accept the Savior. The pagan world acknowledged the Savior, and the God-membered people did not recognize their Lord and the Creator. Speaking oh, the evangelist uses the term μάΓοι (magicians, wizards). In the ancient literature there are 2 values \u200b\u200bof this term: people belonging to the Persian Zoroastrian Priests, and the Babylonian Priests-Astrologers. From which country came these wisely stars, it is impossible to definitely: most likely, from Persia or Babylonia. In these countries, Messianic expectations of Jews were known thanks to the Prophet Daniel. Already from the II century, the Arabian Peninsula was often called the Arabian Peninsula in the early Christian literature, thereby tying them with the Old Testament Prophecies about the worship of the Inoments Messianic Tsar Israel: "Tsari Arabia and Sava will bring gifts; And all the kings worship him; All nations will serve him, for he will save the beggar, blatant and oppressed ... and the soul of poor will save "(Ps. 71: 10-13).
Persian king of Hosras II Parviz, destroying during the conquest of Palestine in the VII century almost everything christian temples, spared the Bethlehem Church of the Nativity of Christ because of the frescoes, on which the Magi is depicted in Persian robes.
In the gospel, it is not said, how many Magi came to a baby, but it is believed that there were three of them by the number of gifts. Their names are Kaspar, Melchior and Valtasar - for the first time they are found in the presence of honorable († 735). In some narratives there are data and their appearance: Kaspar turns out to be a "faboride young men", Valtasar is a bearded elder, and Melchior - "blacks" or "black" originating from Ethiopia.
So, by entering, the Magi "Pav, bowed to him; And, opening his treasures, they brought him gifts: gold, incense and Smyrna "(Matt. 2:11). Each of these gifts had a symbolic meaning. Gold was brought by Jesus as the King Jewish, incense - like God. SMIRNA (Mirra) is an expensive aromatic substance applied to balsaming bodies during the burial - as a savior who has become the Son of Human, who were predicted by "many suffering and burial".
I bowing to the baby, Magi, "Having received a revelation in a dream not to return to Irod", bypassing Jerusalem, returned to their lands.
According to legend, they later all became Christians and preachers of the Gospel. They were baptized by the Holy Apostle Thomas, who gone in Parfia and India. In Western legends, it is even said about the ordinance of their apostle foma in the bishops. The moisies of Magi were acquired by the Holy Equal-Apostolic Queen of Elena in Persia and laid in Constantinople, and in the V century were transferred to Milan. Currently, Golden is located in the Cologne Cathedral.
The honest gifts of Magi Mother of God gently kept all his life. Shortly before his audit, she handed them to the Jerusalem Church, where they were along with the belt and the rice of Our Lady until 400. Later, the gifts were transferred by the Byzantine Emperor Arkady in Constantinople, where they were placed in the temple of St. Sophia.
So what are the gifts of Magi? What are they?
In 1453, Sultan Mohammed (Mehmed) II besieged and took Constantinople. Byzantine empire fell. Mother of the young Sultan was Serbian Princess Maria (Mara) Brankovich. In the days of Ottoman rule, European monarchs often sought to breed with the port to at least somehow facilitate their existence. So the daughter of the Serbian ruler Georgy Brankovich Maria turned out to be married to Sultan Murad (1404-1451). Maria did not accept Islam and until the end of his days remained Orthodox. It is impossible to even imagine that she felt, seeing how the walls of the Great Christian city rushes and die in the flour of her brothers and sisters in faith! But this personal tragedy of the Serbian princess turned out to be real happiness for Christian history. Thanks to her, many Orthodox shrines were saved and preserved. Mehmed II, very loved his mother and respected her religious feelings, did not prevent this.
In addition to the gathering, Shrinn Sultan allowed the mother to take under his personal patronage and the protection of the Holy Mountain of Athos - the monastic country, to help which was considered for the honor of all previous rulers of Constantinople. The tradition, headed by Maria Brankovich, liked the sultans of the subsequent centuries that they, even being Muslims, Istivo shouted this stronghold of Orthodoxy until the port of the port.
In 1470, Maria Brankovich decided to visit Athos, who she loved so much since childhood and on the land of which he dreamed to visit, despite the thousand-year monastic tradition, forbidden to women to come to the holy mountain. Most of all, she wanted to see, in which there was then a lot of Serbs. This monastery loved her father - Georgy Brankovich. He built here the temple in the name of his saint patron George Victorious.
Maria's ship stuck to the shore near the monastery of St. Paul. Mary was brought with me 10 arks with saved shrines, among whom were the gifts of Magi. At the head of the solemn procession, Maria began to rise to the mountain. After halfway to the monastery, she stopped in amazement, having heard the voice: "Do not approach! From here, the kingdom of other ladders, the queen of heaven, Mrs. The Mother of God, the Saddy and the guardian of the Holy Mountain begins. Maria fell on his knees and began to pray, asking for forgiveness for his peculiarity of the Queen of Heaven. To meet Maria from the monastery, Igumen came out with a brother, to whom she handed over the ark with shrines. After that, Maria returned to the ship.
At the place where the crankshake marriage was standing, a cross was raised, called Tsaritsyn. In standing near the chapel, the meeting of these great shrines is depicted.
And the precious gifts with reverence are preserved in the Monastery of St. Paul to this day. The monks understand well, how great the spiritual and historical value of the shrine are great, so after night worship, gifts from the county in a small silver ark to the worship of pilgrims. The gifts exude strong fragrance, and when they are opened, the whole church is filled with fragrance. The monks of Svyatogorsi noted that the gifts serve healing the mentally ill and obsessed with a launcher.
... Some pilgrims say that when the monks brought one of the gold pendants to their ear, he miraculously heard a whisper who tells about a wonderful birth into the world of an eternal infant ...