Red Square
This square is the central square of Moscow. Since the time of Ivan III (l5th
century) this square has been the scene of great public events, mainly political —
rallies, demonstrations, processions.
In earlier times, Red Square was also a place of execution. Its name does not,
however, come from the blood which has been split here: in old Slavonic “krasny” =
“red”, also meant “beautiful”, since red was regarded as a particularly beautiful color.
But up to the end of the XIX century, this so called “Beautiful” square wasn’t
particularly beautiful. What is really was —just the scene of markets, trading rows,
fairs and religious festivals, like so called Palm (Pussy-Willow) Sunday procession
when Patriarch, mounted on an ass and the Czar with their retinues drove out on to the
square. The procession started at the Assumption Cathedral in the Kremlin and
through the Savior’s Gate moved along round the St. Basil’s Cathedral.
So really it was the scene of the most important state events. And when at the end
of the 9 century the buildings of the Historical Muse um and GUM Department Store
marked its border, Red Square indeed became “Beautiful Square”.
St. Basil’s Cathedral
Many would think that St. Basil’s Cathedral alone would justify a visit to
Moscow. Since the year of 1561 when it was erected to commemorate the capture of
Kazan, the capital of Khanate of Kazan, it has always aroused admiration.
The legend runs that when Napoleon entered Moscow in 1812 and this miracle
stood before his eyes he exclaimed: “Oh, what’s this? Such a huge and abnormal
confectionery!”
Indeed, one of the English travelers described St. Basil’s like this: “It consists of
eleven small dark chapels arranged into stories and combined in a most extraordinary
agglomeration. The building is surmounted by a dozen domes and spires painted in all
the colors of the rainbow and of the most varied forms. Some of them are shaped like
bulbs or pineapples, some are twisted in strange spirals, some are serrated, some are
covered with facets or scales. All of them bulge out over their supporting drums and
are crowned by massive crosses. The deco ration is of the most exuberant character.
The whole effect is quaint and fantastic in the extreme.”
The history of St. Basil’s is covered with legends. The best-known is the one
running that when the masters who built this cathedral (and their names were Postnik
and Barma) completed their work they were brought to Ivan the Terrible. The severe
Tsar asked them: “You’ve worked a miracle. Can you create anything similar once
more?”
“Sure, Your Majesty”, was the answer, “We can build even a more beautiful
cathedral”.
And by these words the masters sentenced themselves to death, for the Tsar got
into fury and ordered his men to blind them.
The other version runs that it was the English Queen who having heard about the
Moscow miracle asked the Moscow Sovereign to send those miracle-workers to
England to create something similar. And the masters set off on their long journey to
England. But when they once stayed in an inn for the night they were blinded by some
robbers, as it was claimed.
But anyway, neither of the versions is likely to be true. For Postik and Barma are
known to have added the chapel at the north-eastern corner of the cathedral housing
the tomb of the holy fool Basil, by whose name the cathedral is now known.
The point of the matter is that the original name of the famous St. Basil’s is the
Cathedral of Intercession for the date of the capture of Kazan coincided with the
church feast of Intercession. This church feast is known from the XII century; it is
actually glorifying the Holy Virgin as a defender, an intercessor for the Russians.
So, why is St. Basil’s? Obviously, because of the tomb of the holy fool Basil, that
is in the north-eastern chapel.
The holy fools, or fools in Christ, were itinerant ascetics who enjoyed great
popularity among the ordinary people of Russia; many of them were revered as saints.
The holy fool Basil the Blessed died in 1552, the year of the capture of Kazan. He was
well known for his fearless denunciation of Ivan the Terrible’s cruelties. And when,
after Ivan the Terrible’s death, his chapel was built on to the cathedral the name of the
chapel gradually came to be applied to the whole cathedral. That’s how it happened.
Answer the following questions:
1. Can you describe the forms of the chapels of St. Basil’s?
2. What are some legends about the creators of the cathedral?
3. What is the original name of St. Basil’s Cathedral?
4. Why was the name of the holy fool Basil the Blessed given to the cathedral?
Translate the following into English:
1.
Этот храм состоит из одиннадцати маленьких часовен, сформированных
самым причудливым образом.
2.
Это сооружение увенчано дюжиной куполов и шпилей различных форм,
разукрашенных всеми цветами радуги.
3.
Одни из них имеют форму луковиц или ананасов, другие скручены в форме
причудливой спирали.
4.
Блаженные,
странствующие
отшельники,
пользовались
большой
популярностью среди простого населения на Руси. Многих из них почитали
за святых.
5.
Василий Блаженньий был одним из таких почитаемых святых. Он был
известен тем, что совершенно бесстрашно подвергал осуждению все
жестокие дела, творимые Иваном Грозным. Он умер в 1552 году, как раз в
год взятия Казани.