The invasion of Khan Batu

In the early thirties of the 13^th century Russia was invaded by Mongol-Tatar hordes. In December 1240 the Mongol-Tatar forces led by Khan Batu besieged Kyiv. Batu's army was claimed to be so great that the noise made by the creaking waggons, neighing horses and bellowing camels drowned the sound of people's voices inside the city walls. Kyiv offered a fierce resistance but the superior forces of the enemy broke through the defences. The Church of the Tithes was the last stronghold of the townsfolk. In an effort to save themselves they fortified its walls, and the women, children and old people sought refuge inside the Church, particularly in the gallery of the building. The weight of the people was so great that the Church collapsed burying beneath its ruins the last of Kyiv's defenders.

The Mongol-Tatars burned down the greater part of the city and destroyed most of its churches and palaces. Kyiv, whose fame had grown through the ages, was laid waste within a few days. On Mount Staro-Kyivska nothing but charred ruins were left standing among the weeds. It was only by a miracle that such buildings as the Cathedral of St. Sophia, St. Michael's Monastery and the Golden Gate survived the invasion half-ruined.

The staunch, heroic resistance of Kyiv and other Russian towns weakened the conquerors and prevented the Mongol-Tatars from over-running the whole of Europe. By repelling the main attack of the Mongol-Tatar hordes Rus saved the western countries from ruin and devastation.

The Mongol-Tatars ruled Kyiv for more than a century. Gra­dually the town resumed its everyday life. Houses were rebuilt, people returned to their daily occupations; crafts, trade and agriculture were revived.

?7. Find the English equivalents to the following Ukrainian words and word combinations:

осаджувати Київ; шум від скрипучих возів, іржачих коней, рикаючих верблюдів; обуглені руїни; стійкий героїчний опір; відбивати головний напад.

? 8. Explain the meanings and give the context of the following words from the text above. Find the appropriate synonyms for the words:

Invade, besiege, claim, fierce, fame, stronghold, fortify, refuge, collapse, destroy, staunch, repel, resume, devastation, revive.

? 9. Transcribe the following words to avoid possible mispronunciation and miscommunication in future:

Khan Batu, besiege, fierce, refuge, survive, charred ruins, staunch, occupations, resume, devastation, revive.

— Role-play.

You are with foreign tourists in Podil. Tell them about the history of ancient Kyiv Rus.

St. Sophia Cathedral

& 1. Read the text carefully. Make sure you study the language of the text to be competent in further exercises and discussions.

ST.SOPHIA CATHEDRAL

St. Sophia Cathedral was the main cathedral among the numerous monumental temples built in the 10-12^th centuries. It was founded in 1037 by Prince Yaroslav the Wise, at the site where the year before the ancient Rus troops had defeated the pechenihy hordes, who attacked Kyiv. At that time, this site was beyond the city walls and was described by the Chronicler as "a field outside the city". [1]

The Cathedral, as the main temple of Kyivan Rus, was situated on the cross-way of the four central road-streets of the city. The first sight for pilgrims entering the city was the enormous multidomed bulk of the Cathedral.[2]

St. Sophia was of great importance in ancient Rus life. Ceremonies and burials of princes were held there.

Its founder, Yaroslav the Wise, died in 1054 and was buried there, too, and his marble sarcophagus was placed in the far northern nave. His son, Vsevolod, and Volodymyr Monomakh were buried here too. [3]

Yaroslav the Wise, founded the first library and a centre for correspondence and foreign book translations at St. Sophia Cathedral. [4]

The Cathedral was originally a grand five-nave temple. It was surrounded by two rows of open galleries and surmounted by thirteen domes. On its west side, there were two circular wide tower-belfries, in which staircases led to the galleries. This was where the main chambers of the prince and his court were located. The most interesting characteristic feature of the Cathedral architecture is, undoubtedly, its pyramidal composition crowned with thirteen domes. Research workers point out the influence of the traditional forms of ancient wooden architecture in this composition. [5]

The architectural masses of the Cathedral are concentrated towards its centre and this gives the edifice its grandiose and triumphant image. The walls of the Cathedral were built by the method of mixed masonry whereby the rows of stone were alternated with rows of brick. Thus as to its architectural design and construction, St. Sophia Cathedral is akin in appearance to the Byzantine stone buildings of the 10-13th centuries (only the presence of the open galleries differs them), but no direct analogy can be made with the medieval architecture. By the way, it got its name from a cathedral in the Byzantine capital Constantinopol. [6]

St. Sophia Cathedral was considerably damaged and looted during the Tatar-Mongol invasion in 1240, and during the rule of Lithuanian and Polish feudal lords in Kyiv. The cathedral stood neglected for many years until 1636 when it was restored by Metropolitan Petro Mohyla. It acquired its present aspect at the end of the 17th century and during the first half of the 18th century. [7]

The Cathedral was reconstructed and replastered, spacious external galleries were added, six new domes were erected and the facade was covered with stucco decorations. It was at this time that the majority of the buildings around St. Sophia were erected: the monastery buildings, the fence with the South and West Gates, the belfry, the Metropolitan's palace, the seminary and other buildings, and the monasterial refectory. [8]

The most interesting building is the four-storeyed belfry. Standing 76 m in height, it is an important line not only to the ensemble of St. Sophia Cathedral but to the Kyiv skyline. Its construction began at the end of the 17th century and was completed in 1748. The stucco moulding on the facade was done by masters of Ukrainian folk art. The fourth storey was added in 1851-52. Notwithstanding the additions of annexes and ornamentation over the centuries, St. Sophia has maintained its original form. [9]

The model of St.Sophia placed in the Cathedral's museum undoubtedly represents its form at the end of the 12th century. It's not difficult to imagine the great impression this grandiose and triumphant Cathedral produced in ancient times when it was surrounded by low wooden buildings. As to its size, the Cathedral is 55 m wide and its length (without apses) reaches 37 m. [10]

Entering the Cathedral, the visitor finds himself in mysterious semi-darkness as he is surrounded by breaks of light and shadow. Approaching the central nave he is startled with the bright light of the central semi-cupola, ornamentated with multi-coloured mosaics and frescoes. They were created in 1040s and are of a great interest and artistic value. [11]

According to Christian symbolics and dogmas, the images in the Orthodox Churches are placed in definite and strict order. [12]

In the most important parts of the Cathedral, the images were done in mosaics. These are the central apse where the altar is situated, the vaults of the central dome, the arches, and the east columns of the central temple. All the remaining walls and pillars are covered with frescoes. [13]

The mosaic picture of Christ, which is notable for its monumental look and strict appearance, is located in the central cupola of the Cathedral. [14]

Christ's image soars in the height, and is at the top of a complex multi-coloured composition which adorns the central part of the temple. [15]

The colours of Christ's clothes are outlined in gold. His light lilac tunic with red trimming and light-blue cloak with blue shadows wonderfully go with each other. [16]

The medallion's diameter is 4.1m. Below Christ there are four figures with banners. Placed on four quarters of the world they symbolize the forces of the heaven. They were originally made in mosaic, but only one (dressed in the blue tunic embroidered with gold) was preserved. The rest of the figures were painted with oil-colours in 1885. [17]

Below them in the windows are figures of the twelve apostles, among them only the mosaic picture of Apostle Paul remains intact. [18]

In medallions under the window were the pictures of Christ and the Virgin Mary and four apostles-evangelists, among which only the figure of Mark the Evangelist remains. The medallions with the semi- figures of 40 martyrs with their heroic deeds and deaths for the Christianity have been confirmed. [19]

Over the main apse are the medallions of Christ, the Virgin Mary and Ioan Precursor. This is the praying scene before Christ which is a traditional feature of Orthodox churches. The picture of the Virgin Mary is both lyrical and soul-searching and is by far one of the best Cathedral's mosaics. [20]

On the side pylons of the eastern arch (before the apse) on the background is the mosaic composition The Annunciation. On the left column is Archangel Gabriel; and on the right, the Virgin Mary. The Archangel is dressed in a white tunic and short cloak.

The mosaic cubes of his tunic are an infinite variety of tones ranging from almost-white to light green and blue, with light- green shadows. This light of colours underlines grand news. Our Lady is in the blue tunic that is in contrast with the gold background. [21]

In the central apse is the mosaic of the Virgin Mary-Oranta (our Lady praying with uplifted arms). Our Lady was the most popular saint among the Slavs. In spite of its tremendous extent (the hand of Mary is 0.9 m high and the entire figure is almost 6 m high), the picture was made of small mosaic cubes expressively and skillfully. Mary was in a blue tunic with violet-brown shadows. [22]

The wide pleats of her tunic and cloak underline her monumentality and majesty. As the figure of Mary Oranta is placed on the curved surface and because the cubes of gold smalt were placed specially unevenly, the glimmering gentle brilliance around her figure is seen from many angles. [23]

Beneath Oranta, and separated from her with strips of beautiful ornament, is the scene of the apostles receiving the Eucharist. A little lower there are the figures of archdeacons. In the centre of the composition, The Eucharist is the throne guarded by the angel. Christ is depicted to the right and to the left giving bread and wine to the apostles. He gives bread to six apostles approaching from the left; to those from the right, he gives wine. [24]

The extreme solemness and sacrament of that passing are underlined by the slightly bent figures of the apostles with their symmetric poses. The festivity of the event is underlined by the harmony of light tones of their clothes with light blue, pink, green and grey-brown tones in the shadows. [25]

The figures of The Church Fathers and archdeacons are situated below. The Eucharist ensemble is the Cathedral's finest mosaic and was created by first-class masters. The pictures of the archdeacon, Basil the Great, Ioan Zlatoust, Hryhoriy Bohoslov on the apse's right were executed with superb taste and craftsmanship. The face of each of them is extremely individual and expressive, and is exemplified by the comparison of the kind face of Mykolai the Thaumaturgist (Mykolai Chudotvorets) with dry, severe, ascetic face of Ioan Zlatoust. [26]

All the other walls of the Cathedral are covered with frescoes. Like the mosaics, the frescoes of St. Sophia Cathedral were created by highly qualified masters. Almost all of the frescoes belong to the second quarter of the 11th century, except for the several compositions done in the first half of the 12th century and in the 13th century. [27]

The most important were the Yaroslav family frescoes, which were placed in the central nave of the Cathedral. Against the altar in the centre, Christ was depicted sitting on the throne, with Yaroslav the Wise and his wife Irene presenting the model of the Cathedral to Christ. Two of Yaroslav's sons were depicted on the southern wall of the nave with his five daughters. Among them (on the northern wall) Elizabeth, who later became Queen of Norway, and Anna (Queen of France), and Anastasia (Queen of Hungary). [28]

Unfortunately, only a portion of the south side where Yaroslav's daughters are depicted and a fragment of the portraits of Yaroslav's two sons on the north side have been preserved. [29]

The fresco works in the south and north towers are of particular interest. The walls of the towers are covered with the realistic scenes from the life (the so-called secular art of Ancient Rus) depicting the recreation, the war, the prince's hunt, trapping of wild horses, and amusement showing dances, musicians, acrobats and so on. [30]

Large fresco compositions dealing with biblical subjects are located on the walls of the second storey chambers. [31]

The ancient decorative ornaments of the Cathedral that have been preserved include multi-coloured mosaic floors in several places, parapet plates of rose slate covered with richly carved ornaments, and numerous carved marble sarcophagi of Kyiv princes. [32]

The Cathedral and the belfry were damaged during the German-fascists occupation of Kyiv. After the war a great deal of work was carried out restoring the buildings, the mosaic work and the frescoes. The restoration of the Cathedral and the gilding work of its domes were completed in 1952-54. During the long history of the Cathedral the frescoes were covered over with other paintings, and had several layers of oil-colours. The restorers recovered, inch by inch, the original masterpieces and they did not allow for the slighest deviation from the originals. The mosaic works were also restored with the same care. At the same time, scientific research work was carried on in studying this fine historical monument. [33]

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