ŠVENTOJO BENEDIKTO GYVENIMO FRESKOS PAŽAISLIO KAMALDULIŲ VIENUOLYNE
The Scenes of St. Benedict's Life in the Frescoes of the Camaldulese Monastery of Pažaislis

Summary/Abstract: The subject of St. Benedict explicated in the decoration programme of the Camaldulese Monastery in Pažaislis is congruous with the veneration of Saints, which has been validated in the Ecumenical Council of Trent. However, the intentions of the Camaldulese Monastery of Monte Pacis (Mount Peace) and personal intentions of the founder and patron Christopher Pacas determined the ideas and character of the decoration programme in the first instance. This article aims to explore the frescoes of the life of St. Benedict. The greatest number of them are located in the eastern room of the Holy Gates. One fresco is in the church porch, and one is in the refectory. Also, the stone statue of this Saint, which formerly decorated the Great Gate, is included. The method of icon-theology is used for the study of the frescoes. Therefore, the iconographical subjects of the frescoes is first educed, and the dominating aspect of each fresco is highlighted during the research; moreover, the notional interrelationship among separate subjects is established. As a result, the spiritual matter of St. Benedict's theme is revealed. Two helpful sources were: the book by Gregory the Great "About the Life and Miracles of the Venerable Abbot Benedict" and "Golden Legend" by Jacobus de Voragine.

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