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Dick Osseman | all galleries >> Cappadocia >> Göreme Museum >> Elmali Church > Göreme Museum Elmali Church 6816.jpg
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15-MAR-2004

Göreme Museum Elmali Church 6816.jpg

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Entry into Jerusalem.

As you can see below a viewer doubted the attribution. Another viewer had written to me with an explanatory text to a zoomed in picture, Göreme Museum Elmali Church 6816.jpg. I enquired further and received a message from my original correspondent of 13 years ago, whom of course I thank. He is a priest and Graecist. As it was in Dutch I translate:
The first fresco clearly states what it is about: on the top edge it says Η ΒΑΙΝΟΦΟΡΟC, i.e. The (olive/palm) branch-bearing (feast/event). So it concerns Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, indicated by the open gate and walls. Three figures receive Him and speak to Him (see the “speaking” hands). Jesus himself also speaks; his two fingers do indicate his dual nature (God-man).
The figures in the tree are supposed to represent children. The Bible (New Testament) only mentions people spreading clothes on the ground and waving branches. But the text to the left of the tree tolerates no misunderstanding:
ΠΕΔΕΣ ΝΟΝ (?) ΕΒΡΕΟΝ i.e., Children of the Hebrews.
The boy against the trunk of the treed shouts up: [X?]EICENI – or: EICENI – or: CICENI KOΨE ME KΛAΔΗ.
Sisen(n)i(e), the choice of the latter, has the advantage that it concerns a name that was in vogue in the Byzantine Empire and in the even more eastward oriental churches, namely Sisinnios. That name was already known in the IV century and remained so in the East until the following centuries. For example, there is a deacon known from the IVth with that name and who came from Kappadokia (!!!) and even a pope from Syria. The name is of Persian origin, but I don't know what it means.
However, nothing can be done with the other two readings.
“Cut off (a few) branches,” the boy shouts, of course so he can wave with them.
Where did those children's ideas come from? Because the Bible text only talks about “the people, they... people...). But the ancient Roman liturgy has an antiphon, which reads: “Pueri Hebraeorum, portantes ramos olivarum, obviaverunt Domino, clamantes et dicentes: Hosanna in excelsis” i.e., the children of the Hebrews came to meet the Lord with olive branches, shouting with a loud voice, Hosanna in the highest. This antiphon is the most important in the liturgy of Palm Sunday (the Lord's entry into Jerusalem) and is still sung here and there in Latin. Enough reasons to adopt an ancient tradition in this regard.
Final comment: as in all explanatory texts on the frescoes in and around Göreme, these short texts are also teeming with spelling errors, interesting for a Graecist.

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Dick Osseman30-Aug-2023 07:42
In view of the comment in the next picture I do not agree. But I learned some more about the Bible texts concerned.
Rafi Kassimov 26-Aug-2023 21:12
I think this is Jericho and not Jerusalem because of the man climbing the tree to see Jesus better
Kaandorp 30-Dec-2009 08:03
Links boven staat: "Het feest van het takken-dragen"