Global Journal of Human-Social Science, A: Arts and Humanities, Volume 23 Issue 1

As we can see from the description of the painting program of this temple, its main theme is the dedication of the temple, moreover, this is the only theme presented in the “lower” (earthly world). The murals occupy only one level; there are no images of holidays, the Blessed Virgin Mary, plots of the Holy History, Passion or Easter cycles. The painting in the altar also occupies one level, the “upper” of the temple (heavenly world) is indicated by the image of Cherubim. As another example of a program for painting a church with a similar internal architecture, consider the program for the gate church of the Holy Dormition Nikolo-Vasilevsky monastery with. Nikolsky, Donetsk region. The temple is dedicated to the Iberian Icon of the Mother of God. The architecture of the temple dates back to the “under the bells” type, since the central temple dome is the dome above the bell tower. In the internal architecture of the Holy Iberian Church, there is no dome, as in the previously considered temple in honor of St. Sergius of Radonezh. The altar also depicts the Lord the King of Glory, on both sides of which the Most Holy Theotokos and St. John the Baptist are depicted, then two angels. On the northern and southern altar walls there are images of saints in medallions. In the central part of the temple, the murals occupy two levels: in the upper part, 4 twelfth feasts of the Theotokos are depicted, respectively, on 4 sides: the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos on the northern wall, the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos on the eastern side, the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos on the southern wall, the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos on the western wall. The bottom row is represented by images of saints (mostly Iberian saints) presented both in medallions and in full growth. In the upper corners of the central part of the temple there are architectural details resembling sails, but relatively small in size; they depict 4 evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). In the altar part in the vim there is an image of an icon of light, in the central part of the temple on a flat ceiling there is a decorative ornament and a starry sky, referring to the events of the night of the Nativity of Christ and the night of the Last Judgment. The temple was painted in the period from 2004 to 2013. icon painters Vladislav Yushkov and Pavel Nifontov in the Byzantine (Paleologian) style, that is, in the same period as the church of St. Sergius. The painting takes 2 levels. The central theme of this temple is also its dedication - it is dedicated to the Most Holy Theotokos, which is especially emphasized in the program of its painting. Not only in Ukraine, but also in other Orthodox countries during this historical period, the theme of dedication also becomes dominant in the programs for painting new churches. For example, in the temple of St. Nektarios of Aegina on the island of Aegina in the conch of the apse, i.e. the Assumption of St. Nektarios (2020) is written in the "higher", which, on the one hand, contradicts the canons of constructing the church painting program, on the other hand, is explained by the desire to emphasize the significance of the personality of the saint in whose honor the church was consecrated (Fig.1, 2). Fig. 1: The Assumption of St. Nektarios of Aegina. Author's photo. Volume XXIII Issue I Version I 29 Global Journal of Human Social Science - Year 2023 ( ) A © 2023 Global Journals Features of the Programs of Murals of Modern Ukrainian Orthodox Churches