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Terracotta Ikons - Vinica
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In
the creation of the cult of Archangel Michael, the Jewish influence was
crucial. Michael appeared in the role of a soldier and a physician. The
cult was formed and cherished in the region of Asia Minor called Phrygia,
from where it spread in the other Byzantine areas. According to the old
manuscripts from 3rd, 2nd and 1st centuries B.C., Michael was patron and
minister to the Jews, thus we can conclude that the cradle of this cult
is of Jewish origin, from the regions of Asia Minor. The cult founded on
the pre-Christian tradition continued to live in the legends written by
the Christian writers. Michael appeared as protector of the funeral premise,
which was the reason why the churches erected on the graveyards or in the
chapels were dedicated to him.
It is supposed that the cult of the Byzantine archangel Michael was established
in the 4or 5th century. He was reckoned as a creature with features of many
antique Gods embodied in him. The Christians assumed him from the Judeo-Babylon
magic and created his cult before the 5th century in Asia Minor. Later,
this cult would spread through the other areas of the Empire where it would
be highly respected and in northern Africa, but with less popularity. 128
The cult of Archangel Michael as a physician, formed among the Jews in Asia
Minor, is a successor to the ancient local cults of the Gods connected with
water and curative springs, thus approaching Christ as healer and miracle-maker.
The cult regarding the gift of archangel Michael to cure people with water,
known in Constantinople and in the sanctuaries in Asia Minor, was unfamiliar
at the kopts in Egypt. It is highly possible that it was transferred to
Macedonia as well. In various temples in Asia Minor, beside or in front
of the church, pools full of water for healing the sick, could be found.
129
In one of the miracles listed in the manuscript The History of the Miracles
of Archangel Michael by Pantaleon, deacon and chartophilax of St.Sophia
in Constantinople from the 9-10th centuries, a pool in front of the church
is mentioned where archangel Michael was illustrated as a healer. 130
Archangel Michail and St.Teodoros were depicted on construction bricks in
Vini6ko Kale, presented in their real dimensions, in shallow crude relief
and with an inscription on the side: - MIHAEL SCS. These bricks were manufactured
in a local workshop, moulded in series, with rather crude relief and unequally
illustrated Latin letters. The size of the bricks and its dimensions were
standard engineering material known from the constructions on Bregalnica.
The bricks with reliefs of biblical scenes from the Old Testament and the
presentations of archangel Michael and St.Teodoros were utilized for exterior
decoration of a sacred structure built on the construction site. That kind
of structure could have been erected in the town itself. As soon as the
function of the 
sacred
building had stopped, the bricks with relief presentations were piled up
outside of it. horosan mortar was discovered on both sides. This indicates
that they had been used as a regular construction material for the building
of certain objects, different from the original, before they were totally
removed. This data reveals important question. How is it possible for bricks
with the faces of Archangel Michael and St.Teodoros, whose cult was created
in the great churches of Asia Minor and spread its glory in Macedonia as
well, to be entirely dislodged. Their appearance on the reliefs denotes
that these saints were respected and celebrated among the Christians in
Macedonia.We will discuss this issue later on. Firstly, let us examine where
these bricks were used as decorative reliefs and what the significance of
their placement on the constructions was.
The cult of archangel Michael bears in itself characteristics of the antique
Gods during the 4th and 5th centuries in Asia Minor. Later, it started to
expand in the other Christian regions. Thus, after the 5th century it arrived
in the territories of Macedonia and we find his presentations on Bregalnica.
The cult, as the authentic records acclaim, was revived with the miracles
of archangel Michael as a soldier and especially as a physician and healer
in the 9th-10th centuries. The Archangel as mediator between the two worlds
functions as a patron. In the Early Christian period, the archangels had
eschatological duties. 131
The archaeological structure at Vini6ko Kale, dedicated to the cult of archangel
Michael, together with the bricks with presentations from the Old Testament,
had funeral or commemorative purpose. This denotes that it was a mausoleum
or church structure of the martyrium type or a commemorative chapel. 
At Vini6ko Kale certain archaeological structures were discovered among
them a basilical construction, lacking inner church arrangement. It could
represent an oratory or martyrium. However, we should wait for the presentation
of the complete results of the author's research, so that we can express
our opinion about the function of the object more clearly. According to
the familiar results and the excavations already performed on the site,
we present here one of the possible assumptions for the structure in which
the bricks with relief presentations of archangel Michael were used. 132
Vini6ko Kale, as all other fortified towns in the valleys of Pla(,kovica
along the river Bregalnica, was inhabited and well guarded as early as the
Roman period. On the northern side of this fortress, reconstructions of
the town's ramparts in the antique period were observed.
The life in the town continued in the Byzantine time and this whole area
was conquered by the Slavs, whose traces were noticed in this regions. In
the Early Christian period this territory played an important role both
in sense of defense and in sense of spreading the Christianity. However,
the major part of Bregalnica was played in baptisms of the Slavs. Here,
the first missionary activities of the brothers Cyril and Methodius began.
At Bregalnica, the first Slavic alphabets were formed, Glagolic and Cyrilic.
On Bregalnica also, near Krupi,te, the prime Slav church organization was
established, the Bishopric on Bregalnica, which became the first Slavic
cultural and educational centre on the Balkans, conducted by St.Clement,
the earliest Macedonian bishop. These were great and significant events
for the Slavs in Macedonia. Other missions existed as well, among which
the Latin mission from 966-969 A.D. left traces from its activities.134
The building with eschatological function at Vini(,ko Kale might have existed
in the Early Christian period but it was reconstructed exactly in the time
of the activity of this mission. To this assumption contribute crudely made
reliefs, badly written Latin letters on them, 1-35 the appearance of Glagolic
letters, enygmatic signs and crosses on the bricks, modestly, simply illustrated
on the clothes of the presentations, and on the edges of the bricks. 136
According to the generally accepted opinion from 855 A.D., the mission of
the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius had been carried out here before the
Latin mission. 137 With the creation of the Grand Bishopric, which was lead
by St.Clement, this building with Latin letters could not inhere any longer.
Then, the bricks were utilized for another structure as an ordinary constructing
material, and discharged from there after its destruction. The excavation
of architectural structures in the town and the collecting of detailed documentation
for them will eventually throw light on this extremely complex question.
The later medieval monuments built throughout the Empire in glory of this
cult were under invocatiorr and prayer constructed ex votos. The Byzantine
holiday of this cult is celebrated on 8th November, in Sinaiticus, only
under the name of Michael. He was the leader of the army fighting for the
Christian faith. 138
As closest to the metropolises in the Empire, Constantinople, and Thessalonica,
Macedonia was open to cultural influences in architecture and art after
the religious peace and to acceptance of various great cults created in
the Orient and the West. This is certified by the numerous important cults
from the time before and after the religious peace. We should mention that
on the territory of Macedonia there were also many local cults created,
the majority of which were anonymous including here the cult of the XV Tiberiopolis
Martyrs, which spread over the local boundaries of Strumica to the vast
regions of the Balkan Peninsula. It is famed and respected in the Byzantine
metropolis and the apostolic bishopric centre in Thessalonica until present
day. 139
Later, the Slavs in these southern regions of the Balkan Peninsula accepted,
through Christianity, the old Christian cults formed in Greece and in the
other significant Christian centres in Asia Minor. With the acquisition
of the cults they include themselves in the Christian architecture and art,
giving to It is own feature which is a manifestation of the creative Macedonian
spirit.
Blaga Aleksova
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