VYGOVSKY ZION: UNDERSTANDING THE EVENTS OF 1787–1788 IN THE CONTEXT OF BIBLICAL HISTORY

Abstract

The article analyzes for the first time the work of Andrey Borisov, a writer, an Old Believer, and a representative of the Vyg literary school. The work is dedicated to the restoration of the main cathedral chapel of the male Vyg community on July 16, 1788 after the fire. A lengthy Word has been preserved in the draft autograph, which testifies to the author's careful work on the text, and in the handwritten lists representing two editions of the text. The Word of Andrei Borisov describes thoroughly and emotionally the disaster that befell kinovia. The article provides valuable historical evidence about the circumstances of the fire, the new development and restoration of the community, about the rich church decoration of the Vyg temple. As a retrospective analogy to the events of 1787–1788, Andrey Borisov chose the story of the destruction of the first Zion temple and the creation of the second Zion temple after the return of the Israelites from Babylonian captivity. The article analyzes numerous examples of likening of the Vyg chapel to the main temple of the Israelis. Another biblical image, to which Andrei Borisov resorted when describing the events of 1787–1788 is revealed, is the image of the Vygovskaya / Babylonian River, which contains a direct likening of the people of Vyg to “ancient Jerusalem captives” who mourned the loss of the first Jerusalem temple. In accordance with the genre requirements and the Vyg tradition, Andrei Borisov concluded the Word with an edification and a call to observe God's commandments and spiritual renewal. Since the Vyg cathedral church of the Epiphany was the main one for the entire Old Believer district and the entire Pomorian consent, its likening to Zion had not only an external basis (the fact of the fire and subsequent restoration), but also a deep inner content for the Vyg author.