Page 51 - Studia Universitatis Hereditati, vol 12(2) (2024)

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Figure 3, Annunciation, Dečani Monastery, Courtesy of BLAGO Fund, Inc
angel Gabriel addresses Mary as an equal, fully centered not in the law but in grace, and point-
aware of her earthly role, without eliciting fear or ing towards the future described by the apos-
similar emotions. This interaction is depicted as tle John in the Book of Revelation (Rev 12:1–6).
an unrestrained dialogue, and according to the This profound theological shift marks the transi- Analysis of the Sense Perception in the Fresco Painting of the Dečani Monastery
testimony of the evangelist, it unfolds dynami- tion from the Old Testament’s legalistic frame-
cally, as between two human beings. This scene work to the New Testament’s emphasis on divine
thus represents the first episode of the good news grace, making the Annunciation a pivotal mo-
in the New Testament concerning the Messiah ment in Christian iconography and theology.
and Savior. Sensory perceptions extend beyond
the auditory dimension of this conversation; they The Birth of Christ
are also vividly present in the materialization of While they were there, the time came for
the Archangel, who visually appears before Mary the baby to be born, and she gave birth to
to deliver the message of eschatological and his- her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in
torical significance (fig. 3). The historical-escha- cloths and placed him in a manger because
tological narrative embodies a synthesis between there was no guest room available for them
the Old Testament, whose laws were encapsu- [Lk 2:6–7].
lated in the Ark of the Covenant, and the Vir-
gin Mary, who carries within her womb the one The depiction of the Birth of Christ, as part
who fulfils the contents of the Ark. In an alle- of the Great Feasts cycle, is located in the low-
gorical sense, Mary thus represents the new cov- er part of the dome in the southern lunette. The
enant (Ex 25:10–21) between God and humanity, scene is a composite of several episodes, rich in