Creating the Sacred Space. Hierotopy as a New Field of Cultural History

Abstract

The concept of Hierotopy was proposed by myself in 2001 and comprehensively discussed for the fi rst time in 2004, at an International symposium in Moscow1. It was a logical development of the extensive research program of the Research Centre for Eastern Christian Culture, which led to the organization of fi ve international Conferences and to the publication of the related Conference proceedings2. The problematic of sacred space has been touched upon in all research projects, yet gradually from a supplementary subject it became a focus of studies. It is now clear that the development of Christian culture was conditioned by creation of numerous and diverse sacred spaces, where miracle-working icons and relics, iconographic programs and liturgical devices (such as iconostasis), as well as all possible “jerusalems” found their genuine sense.