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In medieval times, the so-called Descriptive icons containing under paint, salary or gesso anti-Christian drawings hidden from the eyes of observers. These drawings portrayed the devil, demons, hell and other devilry. To the image saints, for example, horns could be painted. At the same time external the layer of the icon showed traditional Christian subjects: Mother of God, Savior, apostles and so on.
At first, as a rule, those who created such icons were a Bogomaz soil was applied to the base, and on it were depicted all sorts of objectionable The creator of the picture. Then the icon painter waited for the paint to dry, and applied a new layer of soil on top. Already on him is the god-defying artist drew some canonical plot. An ordinary person could not to recognize the “second bottom” in such a picture and calmly prayed to her. It was necessary for many wicked Bogomazes.
A photo from open sources
Descriptive icons are legendary, since none of them preserved to this day. Although it is possible that no one just notices hidden images on some centuries-old images, – this would require cleaning the top coat of paint or scan icons with special equipment. The term “descriptive the icon “first found on a monument of the sixteenth century, dedicated to the life of the Russian saint and holy fool Vasily Blessed.
The terrible sin of the descriptive icons
An ancient text says that one day St. Basil came to the gates of a certain city and noticed on them an icon depicting Our Lady, who was considered miraculous here. Contrary to expectations the townspeople, the holy fool did not pray to the image, but took a large stone and with all his might launched them into the icon. Angry crowd by such an act, she immediately demanded an explanation from the wanderer. Then Vasily tore off the paint and demonstrated shocked present to the image of the devil to whom commoners all this time unconsciously worshiped.
A photo from open sources
Orthodox Christianity recognizes the existence of descriptive icons and considers them incredibly dangerous. The fact is that the believer, praying in front of this way, simultaneously praying not only To Jesus Christ and the saints, but also to the devil and the devil, is hidden depicted in the picture. In other words, he literally entrusts his the soul of Satan, not even suspecting it. Many Russians clergymen call descriptive icons a kind of black of magic.
Who created the detailed works? In these godless the acts were blamed on the Old Believers, iconotraders, Offenians, Judaizers and other heretics. It is believed that most often villains wanted to denigrate generally accepted Christian standards and instill in believers fear or disgust before images, thus ending idolatry. Although sometimes it was about simple commercial fakes that were provided with hidden images of devilry in as a mean joke on shoppers.
