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| "The Vain Life in this Charmingly Deceitful World" : Fresco, full of symbolism, seemingly of the zodiac cycle, in the narthex of the church of the Archangels in the square of Milies, Pelion. |
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| "Taxiarches" ( Archangels Michael and Gabriel) and All Saints Church, at the Central Square of Milies Magnesias, on Pelion Mountain, Greece. ~ Η ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑ ΤΩΝ ΤΑΞΙΑΡΧΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΑΓΙΩΝ ΠΑΝΤΩΝ στην κεντρικη πλατεια των Μηλεών Μαγνησίας, στο Πήλιο. |
"The Vain Life in this Charmingly Deceitful World" : Fresco, full of symbolism, seemingly of the zodiac cycle, in the narthex of the church of the Archangels in the square of Milies, Pelion.
**A rare, exceptional Representation of Life, a Fresco made by an Anonymous Monk from the Athos Monasteries, on the Right Wall of the Narthex of the Church of the Holy Archangels ("Taxiarches", Michael and Gabriel) and All Saints in Milies, Pelion, Greece, which bears the inscription "The Vain Life of this Charmingly Deceitful World".
The wheel symbolizes the passing year.
One turn of the wheel corresponds to the passage of one calendar year.
The zodiac cycle is painted on the circumference of the wheel.
Each zodiac sign symbolizes a month of the year.
In the interior of the wheel are the seasons.
For spring, a young man plays his lyre, summer reaps, and winter, an old man, warms himself by the fire.
In the center of the circle is an old king "The Vain World".
What exactly this image means, is explained by the following excerpt, from the book "Monasteries of Thessaly", by Dimitris Sotiropoulos:
During our tour of the magnificent Byzantine Church of the Archangels ("Taxiarches" Michael and Gabriel and All Saints) in Milies, Pelion, Mr. Michael Papas, (Church Warden who took on the role of guide , with many thanks), draws our attention to a fresco located on the right side of the Narthex:
It is the "Wheel of Life of a Human" which is also referred to as the wheel of fortune or Rota Fortunae.
It is perhaps the most interesting representation of the narthex of the Holy Archangels, which is encountered by a thoughtful visitor, isolated in the right corner of the narthex (for many years it was hidden behind old furniture).
It is a representation of the zodiac cycle, which is not often found in Orthodox Christian churches.
The creator of the representation is considered to be an unknown Athonite Monk, who painted the church for 33 years according to the model of the teaching he received during his stay in the Garden of the Virgin Mary, on Mountain Athos, at Macedonia, Greece.
In this depiction of Milies, the entire representation is inscribed as: "The Vain Life of this Charmingly Deceitful World".
Description of the Fresco:
The wheel is divided into three concentric circles. In the center is depicted the Vain World in the form of a crowned earthly king seated on a royal throne.
In the second inner circle, the four seasons of the year are depicted with anthropomorphic characters. Spring (spring) at the top is represented by a beautiful seated young man, playing his lyre carefree. Summer is illuminated by the bright sun which forces the depicted harvester to wear a hat! Autumn is depicted as a middle-aged man with lambs and a shepherd's crook, while "Winter" is in the form of an old man dressed in furs who stretches out his hands towards the fireplace.
In the third inner circle, the twelve zodiac signs are illustrated and named with their corresponding months, with a slight deviation from the astronomical scientific zodiac cycle. On the outer side and around the circle of the Wheel there are seven male figures in various positions, corresponding to the evolutionary phases of human life, starting from birth where the soul appears pure like a white angel. Corresponding inscriptions (partially misspelled, but that doesn't matter) determine the course and psychology of each approaching age. A young man climbs: "turn, oh time, in haste so that I rise quickly", to reach the top of the wheel: "Behold, I have come near to sit on the throne", to sit on the earthly throne of power and glory and to say: "who is there like me or who is above...?". While the countdown continues until old age: "How you deceived me, oh wretched world".
The Peak of the Wheel of Life
A significant point is the peak of the Wheel of Life, which is occupied by a middle-aged forty-year-old, crowned and seated on a magnificent throne like a king.
He holds a torch in his right hand, a symbol of knowledge and experience, and a bulging purse in his left hand, a symbol of power and wealth, who proclaims arrogantly: "Who is there like me and who is superior to me?".
At the same time, a young man rises forcefully and rushes to take the place of the mature man of power.
"Youth, beauty, wealth, dominion, the company of loved ones are impatient, let not the wise be deceived by them".
This reading is moving, especially for an observer of mature age, as subconscious personal experiences directly emerge, realizing with surprise that at this stage of his life he has also said this so selfishly: How great I have finally become, I have everything, I have surpassed everyone!
Then the Wheel turns to the right where its slope is negative and the gradual fall of man, nostalgia and the end follow.
The Athonite monk presents with this performance a timeless teaching, where he highlights the great problem of people in relation to death, in order to understand and accept the violence that it represents as a sudden and abrupt break of normality and to emphasize the vanity and illusion of their lives.
As a fixed model of this normality, the performance of the wheel emphasizes the periodicity within the cyclical renewal of nature and life. The sun and the moon to rise and set eternally, the seasons to alternate successively, the seed to fall and be buried in the earth and from there to be created, new life to sprout. Circular renewal: birth, life, death.
The forty-year-old king, who seems to hold absolute power. Everyone, on the left side of the wheel, struggles to reach him and take his place. He does not understand that the peak of his glory will not last long! Soon the fall will begin and younger kings will replace him, as he rolls towards the right side of the wheel. A representation of human life that is sure to challenge all those who decide to visit the Holy Temple of the Holy Archangels in the beautiful Milies. And, believe us, the visit there will more than compensate you, impressing you with this old Church, but also giving you lessons about the true meaning of life...!
Symbolism of the Peak of the Wheel of Life
The peak of the Wheel of Life represents the pinnacle of human achievement. It is a place of power, wealth, and glory. However, it is also a place of fleeting happiness. The king at the top of the wheel is surrounded by symbols of his power and wealth, but he is also alone and isolated. He is aware that his time at the top is limited, and that he will eventually be replaced by a younger, more ambitious man.
The young man who is climbing the wheel represents the ambition and hope of youth. He believes that he can achieve anything he sets his mind to. However, he is also naive and unaware of the challenges that lie ahead. He does not realize that the king at the top of the wheel is not as happy as he seems.
The Wheel of Life is a reminder that life is a cycle of ups and downs. We will all experience moments of great joy and success, as well as moments of great sorrow and failure. The important thing is to remember that these moments are all temporary. We should not dwell on our successes or our failures. Instead, we should focus on living our lives to the fullest and making the most of each moment.
Additional Notes
- • The fresco is located in the narthex of the Church of the Holy Archangels(Taxiarches) in Milies, Pelion, Greece.
- • It was painted by an unknown Athonite Monk in the 16th century.
- • The fresco is inscribed with the words "The Vain Life in this Charmingly Deceitful World".
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