PLOČA ČASNE TRPEZE U MANASTIRU KASTALjAN: SIMVOL JELENA I SVETE GOR

Abstract

The article aims to put in the focus specific altar table found in the apse of Saint Georg church in the Monastery Kastaljan. Although archaeological excavations were executed dur- ing the end of 60’s this altar table was not particularly analyzed. Unfortunately this altar table was stolen from the archaeological site during the August 2013th. Disappearance of the altar table remind us to remember once again on the lost cultural heritage of Kosmaj Mountain relatively near Belgrade which was compared with New Jerusalem during the reign of despot Stefan Lazarević. Having in mind that many monastic centers were built in the age of despot Stefan, it is possible to reconstruct complete visual appearance of this Monastery. The altar table was placed in the altar but what makes it specific is that it was made of Roman spolia brought most probably from the archaeological site near the monastery (Babe, Nemenikuće, Stojnik, Guberevac). On the lateral side of the table was executed egg and dart symbol, widely known in the architectural dictionaries as the motif of astragal. This table previously was primarly laid in the structure of the wall of the antique temple at Kosmaj Mountain (simi- lar spolias exist in the Pavlovci Monastery at the other side of Kosmaj, put in the altar area, precisely in the wall of prothesis and diakonikon). Ornamental structure known as astragal was used since the age of Justinian, in Hagia Sophia church, St. Sergius and Bacchus church in the upper structure of the sculpted cornice, and executed as motif which runs around ktetorial composition in San Vitale church in Ravenna. It is possible to recognize this motif also painted in the Virgin Perybleptos church in Ohrid, where it separated lowest zone of the monumental painting and zone of standing figures. Nevertheless, in the center of the table was carved the symbol of the deer. Symbol of deer appeared also on the west portal of St. Nicholas church in Pavlovci Monastery and in the same time it appears carved in the lower register of the monument with the inscription about the death of despot Stefan Lazarević. This monument is placed near the altar of St. Elias church in Crkvine near Mladenovac. Symbol of the deer is mainly connected with the Psalam 41 (42):1 known by Byzantines as (Ὃν τρόπον ἐπιποθεῖ ἡ ἔλαφος ἐπὶ τὰς πηγὰς τῶν ὑδάτων, οὕτως ἐπιποθεῖ ἡ ψυχή μου πρὸς σέ, ὁ θεός/ As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. Eschatological context of the altar table where the bread and wine have been transubstantiated is additionally focused since this Psalam was whisperred as silent prayer by catechumens while approaching to the baptistery while pass- ing the first entrance in the church.