THEOLOGICAL SOURCES OF IMAGES-SYMBOLS OF HYMNS DEDICATED TO EPIPHANY CELEBRATION

Abstract

Hymnography is based on biblical parables. Reasoning with symbols is based on scriptures.The Savior speaks with the parables to the nation.In his epistles, Apostle Paul symbolically links the ancient events of the Old Testament to the New Testament. Separate images-symbols have been established in solid forms and are repeated from one hymn to another. It is noteworthy that these images-symbols are found not only in the hymnographic texts, but they are largely used in theological writings. Nevertheless, it is natural that they are encountered in the hymnographic texts more frequently and diversely. This is natural because a hymnographer can choose any symbol-allegory, artistic method, association and parallelism of images by means of using any hypodigmatic or paradigmatic data to reflect his mood and emotions. However, vast information - a kind of narrative hides beyond the aforementioned symbols and requires the reader and the listener with the theological consciousness. This is especially evident in the hymns devoted to the Lord’s celebrations.

The mediator of the Old and New Testaments, as St. John Chrysostom called John the Baptist, appealed to the Jews for repentance and baptized in the Jordan. That was how he would prepare the way of Lord, because the Savior, by means of his incarnation, provided the mankind with the faith based on repentance and love.

The hymnographers adorn John the Baptist with numerous images-symbols and thus, by means of reasoning with images-symbols, bring the spiritual significance of Epiphany to the forefront, the source of which is theological literature. At this point, it is worth noting that very often a hymnographic text itself is the source, especially in symbolic terms.