Canon and canonicity in the Church and in church art *

Today the concept of canonicity is among the most relevant in church art. This article analyzes the concepts of canon and canonicity in their original sense and in their later form. The principles of canonicity and theological tradition can be creatively combined. This can give rise to development of church art and architecture. The theological inviolability of dogmas and the changing tradition can combine in creativity. The article points to these features.

The Greek word "κανών" comes from the Semitic word "ḳānu", which translates as "cane, reed". The ancient meaning of this concept is associated with the idea of a measure and a standard of length. In particular, "canon" meant a reed pole used for accurate measurements in construction. One way or another, the canon was understood as "any standard or instrument for drawing horizontal and vertical lines. This, apparently, caused the figurative meaning of this word: a rule, a norm, a model" [1]. Later the term "canon" received a broader sense. For example, Democritus and Epicurus used the word κανών in the titles of their works meaning "sample, criterion, measure." In a similar sense, this concept was used by Dionysius of Halicarnassus, an ancient Greek historian of the 1st century BC. By "canon" he meant "an example of style, correct language." Euripides denotes with the concept of κανών the norms of social behavior. Later this became widespread. For example, Aristotle spoke of the "canon and measure" of the "truth". Plutarch spoke about "the canons of prudence and other virtues" [2] .

In antiquity, the "canon" also meant structural patterns in art. Thus, the plastic art of Ancient Egypt established the canon of the proportions of the human body. Later it was reinterpreted in the ancient Greek Classics. It was theoretically fixed in the 5th century BC by the Greek sculptor and art theorist Polykleitos of Argos in the treatise "Canon". It is considered lost, but Polykleitos expressed it in his statue of Doryphoros. This system of ideal body proportions became the norm for the artists of antiquity. Much later it returned in the Renaissance and Neoclassicism. Also, the architect and theorist Vitruvius applied the concept of "canon" to the set of rules of architectural creation [3]. These ideas found theoretical expression in his treatise "Ten Books on Architecture" (13 BC).

Since the beginning of the Christian era, the term "canon" primarily refers to the normative rules of life and internal law. That is, the tradition that guided the first Christians, starting from the apostles. "Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule (κανόνι) - to the Israel of God", writes the apostle Paul in Gal 6. 16. Also in the epistle to the Philippians, he uses the word "canon" for the moral and legal norm, the rule of Christian life [4]. In the works of the early Church Fathers the word κανών means "rule", "established norm". They also use it in relation to doctrinal (dogmatic) questions [5]. The initial understanding of the canon in Christianity referred precisely to the conceptual area. It meant the ideas that reflect the norm of Christian morality and faith.

Later, "canon" starts to mean rather the administrative form of a list. This contrasts to the original meaning of the measure of truth, piety and Church tradition. Now canon is either a list of conciliar decisions, or a list of books of Holy Scripture, or a list of clerics of the diocese [6]. So, already Saint Athanasius of Alexandria understands canon as "the correct list of divinely inspired books". (2nd rule of his 39th decree on holidays, c. 367). This is later repeated by St. Amphilochius of Iconium, Saint Augustine, Saint Jerome of Stridon and others [7].

When applied to the Biblical books, the word κανών can mean both "rule, norm, model", and "list". This administrative form of the list became the basis for what later developed into canon law. The canon law is a body of rules about ecclesiastical discipline. Thus, one can observe a change in the semantic paradigm that determines the understanding of the canon. For the early Christians canon was the measure of true life in Christ. Its basis was the unshakable dogmatic truth of Revelation, which was rather doctrinal in nature. Later, canon became the body of disciplinary law and the form of the list. This essentially differs from the original meaning. With this semantic turn the "canon of faith" in the singular turns into the plural. The "canons" as lists of rules appear.

As for the administrative significance of the canon as church law, it is important to understand its main task. It is to apply the eternal foundations of Christian moral teaching and dogmatic truths to the changing church life. "In any canon one can find the unchanging dogmatic teaching of the Church. But one can also find the conditions of a specific historical situation. These are the circumstances of church life as they were at the time the canon was issued. They could subsequently change" [8] . "The canons are not subject to repeal, but this does not mean that the legal norms established in them are absolutely unchanging" [9]. Thus, it is important to clarify that there are two aspects in the understanding of the canon. First, there is the primary unchanging basis, conditioned by the dogmas. Second, there is the changeable tradition of applying this basis to the transient circumstances of church life.

With certain reservations, it can be said that the fine arts of the Middle Ages developed the so-called iconographic canon. It meant the artistic tradition of "the main compositional schemes and elements of depicting certain characters (their clothes, postures, gestures), landscape or architecture details" [10]. In church musical art, the canon was one of the most complex forms of Byzantine hymnography (8th century). It consisted of nine songs, each having a certain structure. The first stanza (irmos) of each song was based on a plot from the Old Testament, and in the remaining stanzas (troparia) the themes of irmoi developed [11].

In this broad sense of the word, one can speak, for example, about the original canon of the Pskov school of icon painting. Another example can be the canon of the Moscow school of architecture of the 15th century. Moreover, not only the visual appearance of the artwork can change, but also some ideas and semantic concepts embedded in it. For example, the icon of Transfiguration by Saint Andrei Rublev reflects the ideas of peace, silence and contemplation. But the Transfiguration by Theophanes the Greek is so expressive, that one can contemplate the idea of uncreated light as fire and power. Of course, these ideas are reflected both in the iconographic image itself and in the manner of painting. The same can be seen in architecture.

Now we can take into account the ancient pre-Christian meanings of the concept of "canon" and what Christian authors understood by it. We can say that canonical art is that which is "most consistent with the subject and purpose of the image". In other words, it conveys the subject of the image most accurately and intelligibly or "directly" [14]. The church artwork should guide us to the building of the Kingdom of God in all the multifaceted meaning of this concept. There can be no common formula here. On the contrary, the principle of conciliarity in the Church implies the difference of cultures and expressions of the one Truth. "Thus, richness and diversity are realized in unity, and this unity is realized in a variety of expressions. Thus, on the whole and in every single detail, the conciliarity of the Church is affirmed. In art, as well as in other fields, this conciliarity does not mean uniformity or a common formula. It means the transmission of a single Truth in ways and forms characteristic of every nation, every time, every person" [15].

The canonical resolutions of the Church Councils provide a rationale for church art. Canon 82 of the Sixth Ecumenical Council points to the rule of depicting Christ "according to human nature instead of the old lamb. So that contemplating the humility of God the Word, we would remember His life in the flesh. We would also remember His suffering and death for our salvation, and the redemption of the world accomplished this way" [16]. Canon 100 of the same Council forbids images "charming the eyes, corrupting the mind and inflaming impure pleasures" [17]. The Seventh Ecumenical Council establishes the dogma of icon veneration. It says says that there should be icons in the Church to remind of the prototypes (των πρωτοτύπων). They should be honored and worshiped with reverence (τιμητικήν προσκύνησιν). This is because "honor ascends (διαβαίνει) to the prototype, and the worshiper of the icon (ο προσκυνών) worships (προσκυνεί) the hypostasis it depicts'' [18]. Thus, the Councils say that icons should be painted without distorting the dogma and without corrupting the mind. But they do not give any instructions on how exactly this should be done. An important reference is also made to the fact that the church image is associated with its prototype. The church art and architecture are rather a non-verbal tradition, expressed in the artworks themselves. We should study these works and the context in which they were created. Thus we can reveal the meanings laid down by theologians, artists and architects of old. We can also determine the principles of the symbolic language of church art and architecture. Part of this symbolic language is unshakable dogmatic truth. The other part is a changeable tradition of expression.