Grigory Isaev
Saint Tikhon’s Orthodox University, Russia
The paper examines interaction of religion and art. Any culture is in fact a cult of certain spiritual powers: either light — creative, or dark — destroying. Russia spiritually belongs to a Christian civilization whose cornerstone is a statement from the Bible: God is a Spirit of freedom and love. The author considers the Orthodox Christian culture in a historical context as incarnate activity of life-giving gifts of the Holy Spirit. The purpose of Christian art is to behold the Heavenly in the terrestrial and to bring the humanity revelation of the Light of Christ’s Truth. “Palestine” created by patriarch Nikon near Moscow reveals an image of Sacred Russia as reflection of Heavenly Jerusalem.