During the sixteenth century, the princes of Moldavia, a region of modern Romania, built many churches and monasteries. These churches followed the typical Byzantine style by placing detailed frescos on the interior walls, but some of the Moldavian churches took that tradition even further and expanded the frescos to the façade. This thesis argues that these exterior images were used to enhance the Easter processionals that occurred around the churches. While most scholars explain this phenomenon as propaganda or a cry for help against the Ottoman Empire, a new interpretation is offered here. It discusses how the exterior scenes on the churches depict different sections of the Orthodox Lenten Services that occur during the ten weeks prior to Easter, the most important feast day in the Orthodox calendar. Four of these painted monasteries, Voroneţ, built in 1488 and painted in 1547, Humor, built in 1530 and painted in 1534, Moldoviţa, built in 1532 and painted in 1537, and Suceviţa, built in 1582 and painted in 1595, are analyzed to show the link between these feast days and the frescos. The paper connects Moldavia to the Byzantine Empire, showing a long tradition of supporting the Orthodox faith. The history of frescos. The paper connects Moldavia to the Byzantine Empire, showing a long tradition of supporting the Orthodox faith. The history of different religious processions performed throughout the Orthodox year during the Byzantine Empire are discussed in conjunction with their survival in Moldavia after the Empire fell. The study concludes that the exterior frescos on the Moldavian churches enhanced the Orthodox processionals that took place during Easter week.

No / Recognizable throughout the world, the stone statues (moai) of Rapa Nui (Easter Island) represent the largest monolithic architecture produced in Polynesia. The exquisitely carved and finished head and torso of each statue testifies to a skill in stone carving and dressing unmatched throughout the Pacific. Yet, approximately one thousand ‘classic’ statues were produced at the quarries within a few hundred years. What was the ritual status of the quarry and the labour necessary to produce the numbers of statues that allowed Heyerdahl to declare that the ‘whole mountain massif has been reshaped, the volcano has been greedily cut up’ (1958: 83)? What was it like to go to work at Rano Raraku? By drawing on a range of evidence we argue that walking to and labouring at Rano Raraku represented a spatial and temporal journey to a place of highly dangerous forces, a cosmogonic centre where prehistoric Rapa Nui people came face to face with their ancestors and the Polynesian gods.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: During the nineteenth century, Charles Darwin published The Origin of Species, inciting debate surrounding the validity of the Christian creation narrative. Prior to this, the Adam and Eve creation narrative was the central narrative around which Christian families modelled their own family structures – with the father as the head of the household. In this thesis I discuss the effect that Darwin’s publication had on the restructuring of families in the nineteenth century. I do this through analysis of Henrik Ibsen’s Ghosts and August Strindberg’s Easter, two domestic dramas that chronicle the effect of a society redesigning their religious philosophies owning to the toppling of the patriarchal structures of authority. I argue that Ibsen and Strindberg stand in polar relation to one another in terms of the debate surrounding the religiosity of the family and the position of the (F)ather within this framework (borrowing from Ross Shideler’s term conflating the notion of the divine Father and the earthly father). Relating the debate to the contemporary Afrikaner culture, the research aims to create a family drama (...van ons vaders) that addresses the decline of Afrikaner Calvinistic religious constructs in a similar manner to that of Ibsen and Strindberg, but in through a contemporary aesthetic approach. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Gedurende die negentiende eeu is debat ontlok rondom die geldigheid van die Christelike skeppingsverhaal wanweë die publikasie van Charles Darwin se The Origin of Species. Voor dit, is die Adam-en-Eva verhaal die sentrale narratief waarvolgens Christelike families hulself gestruktureer het – met die vader as die hoof van die huishouding. In hierdie tesis bespreek ek die effek wat Darwin se publikasie gehad het op die herstrukturering van families gedurende die negentiende eeu. Ek doen dit aan die hand van Henrik Ibsen se Ghosts en August Strindberg se Easter – twee familiedramas wat sentraal in die debat staan rondom die herontwerp van geloofsfilosifieë en omvorming van patriargale gesagstrukture. Ek argumenteer dat Ibsen en Strindberg in polêre verhouding met mekaar staan in terme van die debat rondom die godsdienstigheid van die familie en die posisie van die (V)ader binne hierdie raamwerk. Hier leen ek Ross Shideler se term wat die idee van die goddelike Vader en die aardse vader saamsmelt. Dit word later in verband gebring met die kontemporêre Afrikaner kultuur om ten einde ‘n nuwe familiedrama (…van ons vaders) te skep, wat fokus op die hedendaagse hervorming van Afrikaner Calvinistiese geloofstrukture, in ‘n wyse soortgelyk aan dié van Ibsen en Strindberg, maar deur om gebruik te maak van ‘n kontemporêre estetiese benadering.

<p>Abstract.</p><p>The question in this analysis is which gender moai, the big statues on Rapa Nui, represent. My hypothesis is that they have developed from visual symbols to metaphores in mythologies from an polynesian context. That these statues were symbols for human origin and creation of ancestors ideological power, and gods in consideration male gender. In the long isolation, in both time and space, the mytologies in Rapa Nui was changed, and the pictures got a new meaning. These changes depended on clearing of wood and big trees and the following difficult situation in farming. It led to difficult exposure to climatchanges and much more hard work in the cultivation. This happened in the same time as rapanuis life became more dependent on what the earth could producece because of bad fishing and a growing population. The cult of fertility get a more central place in rapanuis religious life. The male metaphore changes to female when the mother of earth, papa, became the most important spiritual force concerning food supply. I mean that moai follow the mythologies change, and developed in both form, size and contents. The theories behind this discussion is the analysis of Karen Armstrong, in how mythologhies change when human go from hunting- to cultivating society, and where she explain how the gender of gods changes from male to female. I also use theories from structuralism that say that human thinking and building mythologies follow an arcetypical pattern, for us to make our world understandable and organized. This analysis, and changed interpretation of moai from male to female representation, is a critical studie of traditional interpretation to “primitiv” art from aborigines and prehistorical humans. I mean the common interpretation of prehistorical pictures in Rapa Nui have a basic europeen code where an abstract male is standard. My theoretical support here is the analysis of Yvonne Hirdmans of gender from a historical perspective. The most important sources I have use in this work comes from archaeology, ethnology and art analythic work on Rapa Nui, with litterature from Jo Anne Van Tilburg, Georgia Lee and more scientist search from the island. I have also made field studies of my own. I hope this analys can contribute toward a critical view of a stereotypical european norm in interpretation of “primitive” and prehistorical art.</p>

Abstract. The question in this analysis is which gender moai, the big statues on Rapa Nui, represent. My hypothesis is that they have developed from visual symbols to metaphores in mythologies from an polynesian context. That these statues were symbols for human origin and creation of ancestors ideological power, and gods in consideration male gender. In the long isolation, in both time and space, the mytologies in Rapa Nui was changed, and the pictures got a new meaning. These changes depended on clearing of wood and big trees and the following difficult situation in farming. It led to difficult exposure to climatchanges and much more hard work in the cultivation. This happened in the same time as rapanuis life became more dependent on what the earth could producece because of bad fishing and a growing population. The cult of fertility get a more central place in rapanuis religious life. The male metaphore changes to female when the mother of earth, papa, became the most important spiritual force concerning food supply. I mean that moai follow the mythologies change, and developed in both form, size and contents. The theories behind this discussion is the analysis of Karen Armstrong, in how mythologhies change when human go from hunting- to cultivating society, and where she explain how the gender of gods changes from male to female. I also use theories from structuralism that say that human thinking and building mythologies follow an arcetypical pattern, for us to make our world understandable and organized. This analysis, and changed interpretation of moai from male to female representation, is a critical studie of traditional interpretation to “primitiv” art from aborigines and prehistorical humans. I mean the common interpretation of prehistorical pictures in Rapa Nui have a basic europeen code where an abstract male is standard. My theoretical support here is the analysis of Yvonne Hirdmans of gender from a historical perspective. The most important sources I have use in this work comes from archaeology, ethnology and art analythic work on Rapa Nui, with litterature from Jo Anne Van Tilburg, Georgia Lee and more scientist search from the island. I have also made field studies of my own. I hope this analys can contribute toward a critical view of a stereotypical european norm in interpretation of “primitive” and prehistorical art.

En la presente tesis se han investigado las Procesiones de Semana Santa en cada uno de los pueblos de la Región de Murcia, destacando las formas particulares de celebrarlas en cada lugar, reflejando todo ello a través de las tradiciones, la religiosidad popular, el patrimonio escultórico, y el simbolismo de determinados actos, como son "El Caracol" realizado por los Armaos de Jumilla, o "La Caracola" realizada por los Armaos de Cieza. La parte histórica se ha proyectado a través de Textos Literarios de la Pasión, así como del desarrollo de Cofradías y Hermandades, conformándose de esta forma una visión cultural de la Rememoración de la Pasión , Muerte y Resurrección de Cristo en la Región de Mucia en general y en cada pueblo en particular. La implicación en los actos de Semana Santa que cada pueblo potencia y la presencia cultural que en cada lugar alcanza, revela el compromiso asumido por las gentes, la fe, la devoción y la profunda religiosidad popular que los impulsa.La tesis ha sido estructurada en dos partes; la primera recoge la Semana Santa pueblo a pueblo en la Región de Murcia, y la segunda una visión general de la misma pero a través de los Textos Literarios de la Pasión, incluyendo cuantos hemos hallado. Por tanto, el tema ha sido estudiado desde los comienzos de las manifestaciones pasionarias y cofradieras, que se produjo hacia el comienzo del siglo XV. Los textos han sido presentados agrupándolos por materias y formando con cada una de ellas capítulo propio, entre los que figuran: Publicaciones pasionarias en prensa, Autos de Pasión, Cuentos, Pregones, Vía Crucis, etc. Se da por terminado el trabajo con las correspondientes conclusiones, así como bibliografía consultada. / In this thesis, the author has investigated the different Easter processions that take place in each one of the towns/villages in the Murcia region, pointing out how each of them specifically celebrates this holy festivity. All this has been done within the framework provided by cultural traditions, popular religious beliefs, sculptural heritage and the symbolism of specific events such as "El Caracol," performed by the Armaos in Jumilla (Murcia), or "La Caracola," performed by the Armaos in Cieza (Murcia). The more historic analysis has been conducted by means of an in-depth study of literary texts regarding the passion of Christ. Another source used in this thesis has been the study of the development of religious brotherhoods, thus presenting a cultural overview of how the passion of Christ, his death and resurrection are acted out globally in the region and individually in each town. The implications of the different Easter celebrations that each town promotes/enhances, and the cultural relevance that they have within the region, shows how truly devoted, faithful and committed to these traditions the inhabitants of each town are. This thesis has been structured in two main parts: the first one describes the different Easter celebrations that take place in each town in the Murcia region; the second part provides a general/global approach to the Easter celebrations, but this time using all available literary texts dealing with the passion of Christ as the main source, i.e. from the first literary manifestations in the 15th century to the most recent ones. These texts have been classified according to their specific typology, devoting one chapter to each. This includes Easter journalistic publications, passion plays, short stories, religious proclamations, texts featuring the way of the cross narrative, etc. The thesis ends with the corresponding conclusions as well as the list of references used.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2003. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 689-733). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

The main topic of the diploma thesis is comparison of selected interpretations of St. John's Passion by Johann Sebastian Bach. The part about life and work of Johann Sebastian Bach is followed by short analysis of libretto, choice of instruments and historic performances of St. John's Passion. The Final chapter deals with selected recordings of Bach's St. John's Passion - Karel Richter (1970), Nakolaus Harnoncourt (1985), Masaaki Suzuki (2000) and Raphaël Pichon (2013). The mail goal is to describe basic tendencies that influenced development of interpretation of Bach's music in the last fifty years. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

The dissertation Observance of traditions and customs in Bohemia and in Moravia focuses on issues of Czech and Moravian traditions, customs and holidays, namely on two important holidays Easter and Christmas. These two holidays are the most significant events of ecclesiastical year but they are favourite as well among inhabitants of the Czech Republic, in particular Christmas. Various customs and traditions are handed down from generation to generation and they occupy a significant position in people's lives. In the introduction the terms that are important for this work are explained as well as the significance of traditions and customs for culture, current situation of culture is mentioned as well. This work presents description of the two mentioned holidays in the context of Czech culture. In the second part of this work you can find comparison of selected elements with regard to particular Czech and Moravian customs. Apart from presenting of presented Easter and Christmas customs and their comparison, the work aims to define tendencies which occured and name these tendencies. In the conclusion, the findings about differences between Czech and Moravian customs are summarized and defined, the prognosis about future development of observing customs is mentioned as well. KEYWORDS culture,...

The study consists of a survey in which church musicians answered questions about which hymns are played during the various gatherings of Easter in the Church of Sweden. Based on the Swedish Hymn Book, the answers to the questionnaire are presented and a selection of hymns is made for the study. The psalms are analyzed on the basis of a hermeneutic method and in the light of reception theory regarding the origin of the psalms through the narrative of the biblical gospels. The study compares the Bible reading that occurs during Easter gatherings in the Church of Sweden and the hymns that are sung. It describes whether these different texts are common to the psalms and the reading or whether they are independent of each other. Finally, what happens to the Gospel texts when they are converted into a psalm is discussed. What happens is that the whole of the Gospels is included and not just specific pericopes. The psalm does not reflect the feeling of what is happening in the reading of the gospel, but contributes with a completely different feeling. This means that the experience of the gospel narrative through the psalm becomes different from the gospel narrative through reading.