Aesthetics of Worship and Liturgical Arts

Specific Foundation

The course is also offered to exchange programme students.

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to: 1. Articulate and critically assess the typology, morphology, and aesthetic principles of ecclesiastical architecture, as well as the functional components of the church edifice. 2. Demonstrate an understanding of the theoretical and applied dimensions of the Natural and Human Sciences that have historically informed and sustained the art of painting. 3. Employ the acquired knowledge in the advanced interpretation of church iconographic programs. 4. Comprehend the theological foundations that disclose the spiritual depth and significance of ecclesiastical painting. 5. Cultivate critical and analytical thinking skills in order to engage with Byzantine and Post-Byzantine culture, through the study of monumental art (architecture, sculptural decoration, wall paintings, mosaics) and the minor arts (portable icons, illuminated manuscripts, textiles, etc.). 6. Apply their knowledge to the systematic interpretation of the principal parameters defining the research field of Liturgical Arts. 7. Address effectively methodological and practical challenges that may arise from academic or practical engagement with the field of Christian Aesthetics within parish contexts.

Within the Christian church, time and space are transcended, allowing the faithful to partake in a foretaste of the Kingdom of Heaven. In this course, students will have the opportunity to explore and understand the aesthetic, morphological, and typological principles of Christian church architecture, as well as the meaning and symbolism of liturgical furnishing (iconostasis, structures, vessels, textiles). Particular emphasis will be placed on the study of iconographic hierarchies and programs developed for Christian churches from the Byzantine era to the present day, shaped over the centuries according to the philokalic tradition and the aesthetics of Christian worship (frescoes, mosaics, portable icons, manuscripts). The course also examines the contribution of the Humanities and the Natural Sciences to the understanding of these traditions. The Church’s aesthetic heritage, continuously expressed through ecclesiastical architecture and artistic creation from the Early Christian period to the present, is also manifested in contemporary iconography workshops operating throughout Greece and on Mount Athos. Course Units 1. Aesthetic, typological, and morphological consideration of the Christian church: space, light, technique, decoration, form, and symbol - The architectural composition of churches during the Byzantine and post-Byzantine periods (E. Chrysafi). 2. Christian church architecture and worship - Parts of the church: symbolism, function, uses - The evolution of the Divine Liturgy and its influence on ecclesiastical architecture - Functional structures and worship use (E. Chrysafi). 3. a) Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Woodcarving: the evolution of the iconostasis; liturgical use, typological, morphological, aesthetic considerations, and symbolism. b) Liturgical Vessels: ritual use and aesthetics (P. Papadimitriou). 4. a) Theology, Liturgical Function, Dogmatic, Interpretative, and Aesthetic Dimensions of the Icon. b) Theological Issues in Byzantine Iconography (P. Papadimitriou). 5. Aesthetic Principles of Monumental Painting (Frescoes, Mosaics) in the Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Periods: iconographic hierarchy: the placement and function of representations within the church; the formation and development of iconographic programs in relation to dogmatic principles, liturgical needs, the evolution of the Divine Liturgy, and church typologies (E. Chrysafi). 6. Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Illuminated Manuscripts: types, raw materials, writing media, production, historical sources, decoration, artistic workshops (P. Papadimitriou). 7. The Artistic Representation of Liturgical Space and Time in Christian Art (P. Papadimitriou). 8. Ecclesiastical Textiles: types, materials, techniques, decoration; Liturgical vestments / Ritual coverings / Ornamental veils - The art of gold embroidery (E. Chrysafi). 9. The Natural Sciences in the Service of the Applied Liturgical Arts (I. Sarigiannidis). 10. The Humanities in the Service of the Applied Liturgical Arts (I. Sarigiannidis). 11. Byzantine Painting Today: Contemporary Iconography Workshops in Greece (I. Sarigiannidis). 12. Byzantine Painting Today: Contemporary Iconography Workshops on Mount Athos (I. Sarigiannidis). 13. Field Visit: Byzantine and Post-Byzantine monuments, museums of Christian culture, and collections of ecclesiastical artifacts (P. Papadimitriou, I. Sarigiannidis, E. Chrysafi).

Ecclesiastical Architecture; Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Monumental Painting; Minor Arts; Woodcarving; Textiles; Manuscripts; Aesthetics of Christian Art; Contemporary Iconography Workshops

05-09-2025