The order of the arrangement of icons in the temple halls of Orthodox churches is not accidental, however, as are the canons used in the writing of the images themselves. Certain traditions, location rules on the central iconostasis are subject to every image located there.
The specific order in which specific images are located has its own name. Accidentally or arbitrarily, no icon can be placed in the temple hall. The Deesis rite is one of such unshakable rules for the location of images on the part of the central iconostasis in the temple, but not only. This concept has other meanings.
What is this in the iconostasis?
The deesis of the iconostasis is the traditional arrangement of images in its second row. It is the second row that is considered the main one, both in the large, main iconostasis of the Orthodox church, and in the small one.
Of course, the image of the Lord is central to this series. As a rule, this is an icon depicting Christ the Almighty, less often - another, for example, the image of "Savior in the Forces." Next in the row are John the Baptist and, of course, the Virgin. The Deesis rite, of course, is not limited to this.
What other icons are included in the deesis series?
The second row in the iconostasis of the Orthodox church includes both obligatory images and secondary ones. Their number directly depends on the size of the iconostasis and the status of the church. This means that in the city’s cathedral of images the deesis row will contain much more than in the rural not very large church.
As already mentioned, the central place in the rank is the image of the Lord. Further on the sides of Jesus are two images, each deesis rite includes them, regardless of the status or size of the temple. These are icons depicting the Virgin and John the Baptist.
Further, the places on the iconostasis row are occupied by the archangels - Michael and Gabriel, the apostles - Paul and Peter. Following them are icons with images of martyrs, saints, reverends.
What is the meaning of the deesis series?
Of course, the deesis order did not arise just like that, and the location of icon-painting images carries a certain meaning. To understand it is not at all difficult even for a person far from a religious worldview with a careful look at the iconostasis.
In the center of the row is the image of the Lord, sternly looking before himself. Continues the deesis of the Virgin, located on the right hand of Christ. The gaze of the Virgin is no longer addressed to believers, but to the Lord. The image of John the Baptist or the Baptist, located on the left hand of Jesus, is also deployed to the Lord. The location of the remaining images that complement the series is similar.
Thus, the essence of this series is intuitive and perceived by each person. The Deesis Rite depicts the Lord's judgment on people. The Virgin and John act as intercessors, prayers for human souls. Therefore, their images in the iconostasis are turned towards Christ, turned to him, and not to the parishioners of the temple looking at them.
Why is the series so called?
The word underlying the name "deesis" is of Greek origin. Its exact pronunciation is a matter of dispute between linguists and philologists. Many of them are inclined to believe that "deesis" is a simplified pronunciation, that is, an Russified form of the word. Pronounce it more correctly - "deisis". However, the clergy have no position regarding the correct pronunciation; the clergy allows both.
The word "rite" is originally Slavic. It has several meanings, but in worship this word means a strictly defined order of something. It can be either a sequence of prayers during the service, or its charter or some other order.
What does the name itself mean?
The semantic meaning of the word "deesis" is petition, prayer for something or someone else. The main row of the iconostasis is thus named because it is executed in the traditional style of prayer intercession for Orthodoxy. All minor figures are turned by persons or even the corps to God, they pray him for mercy and forgiveness.
It is in the mediation prayer for forgiveness and mercy that the dogmatic meaning of the deesis ritual lies. The Mother of God and other saints pray for forgiveness of the human race of Jesus; they embody intercession for the souls of people before the Lord's throne.
Is this the only name in the church iconostasis?
The Deesis rite is not only a row in the temple iconostasis. Rather, the term refers to an artistic composition expressing a specific meaning. This can be a combination of many icons arranged in one row, or a long wall mural. Of course, simple icons are executed in the same style and with the same meaning.
Icon painting in the deesis style arose due to the establishment of the liturgy in Byzantine churches. This period was associated with the so-called time of iconoclasm. In the temples of Byzantium during that period, during the services on the architrave of the altar barrier, a small icon with a deesis plot was placed. As a rule, only the Lord himself, John the Baptist and the Mother of God were depicted on it. This was due to the fact that the similar content of the icon accurately conveyed the essence of Christianity - forgiveness, intercession, love and mercy.
After the end of the era of iconoclasm, the deesis genre remained one of the most popular. Small altar images developed to triptychs in houses and, of course, a number of Orthodox church iconostases.
What are they like?
A separate composition, placed on a small board, is called “The Right Queen Appears to You”. Christ is depicted on such an icon in the form of the King of Kings. In solemn clothes the images of the Mother of God and John are also prescribed.
No less famous is the icon-painting composition on which the Lord is with two archangels - Gabriel and Michael. An icon with such a composition is called “Angelic Deesis”. The history of the appearance of this version of the plot of the deesis icon is unknown. Many historians who study Orthodoxy and everything connected with it, believe that this image is not related to the deesis direction, but is a rethought presentation of the plot of the Trinity. However, churchmen attribute this version of the icon to the deesis images.
In addition to individual small images, the composite rows in the home Red Corner also belong to the deesis. The red corner is the place in the house where the images of saints, lamps, candles are placed. That is, this place in the house, designed for prayer. In the home deesis row, various deviations from the canons observed in the temple iconostases are allowed. For example, the image of the Baptist in Russia is often replaced with an icon with the face of Nicholas the Wonderworker.
Temple deesis rows can be ogrendny, growth or main. Regardless of how the series is designed, the arrangement of images in it is strictly observed. The central place is occupied by the Lord, next to him are the figures of the Baptist and the Virgin. Two archangels follow. Following their images, a series of apostles sets in, and then martyrs, saints and saints are located.
When decorating iconostases in temple halls, this order is never violated. However, this is true for deesis wall paintings in churches. Images with the subject “Angelic Deesis” are presented in temples exclusively in the form of separate icons located in the hall.