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.