Central Zelenchuchsky Church is an Alanian church, located in the Lower-Arkhyz settlement in Russia 's Karachay-Cherkessia Republic. It is the oldest church in this settlement.
55-454: It was built in two steps: construction began in the early 10th century, and finished in 932, when Christians were banished from the empire. The second stage finished around 950-960 when Alans returned to Christianity, with only small changes made from the original plan. The Lower-Arkhyz settlement was located on an important trade and military route, connecting the steppes of Northern Caucasus with Transcaucasia and Black Sea . The settlement
110-460: A chain over the centre of the river. A house of prayer open to all who believed in God was built nearby, and fishing was prohibited for a certain distance up and down the river; fish that swam in that section of the river had heads that glinted like gold, and ungodly persons who entered the sacred precinct would miraculously drown in the river. To this day the tomb is a popular site of pilgrimage. Daniel
165-782: A nonviolent annexation in January 1921. It was reformed into the Mountainous ASSR , which was later dissolved in October 1924, replaced by a series of autonomous Okrugs and Oblasts. The outer border of the Soviet Union's North Caucasus Krai was the same as that of present-day North Caucasus Economic Region (Raion) which includes an oblast ( Rostov Oblast ), two krais ( Krasnodar Krai and Stavropol Krai ), and seven republics. The former North Caucasus Military District (Okrug) also included Astrakhan Oblast , Volgograd Oblast , and
220-478: A petition of any god or man for 30 days" except the Persian King. But Daniel continued true to Jerusalem. "His windows being open in his chambers towards Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime." In Kitab al-Kafi , Imam Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin asserts that Allah revealed to Daniel that, "The most hated among my creatures are
275-955: A reference to Daniel at Matthew 24:15, in reference to the abomination of desolation . He is commemorated in the Coptic Church on the 23rd day of the Coptic month of Baramhat . On the Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar , the feast days celebrating St. Daniel the Prophet together with the Three Young Men , falls on December 17 (during the Nativity Fast ), on the Sunday of the Holy Forefathers (the Sunday which falls between 11 and 17 December), and on
330-473: A set of tales set in the Babylonian and Persian courts in the late 7th and early 6th centuries BCE, followed in turn by a set of visions in which Daniel sees the remote future of the world and of Israel. The tales in chapters 1–6 can be dated to the 3rd or early 2nd centuries BCE; it is generally accepted that these were expanded by the addition of the visions in chapters 8–12 between 167 and 164 BCE. In
385-538: Is also the name of a figure in the Aqhat legend from Ugarit . (Ugarit was a Canaanite city destroyed around 1200 BCE – the tablet containing the story is dated c. 1360 BCE.) This legendary Daniel is known for his righteousness and wisdom and a follower of the god El (hence his name), who made the god’s will known through dreams and visions. It is unlikely that Ezekiel knew the far older Canaanite legend, but it seems reasonable to suppose that some connection exists between
440-785: Is not a prophet in Judaism: prophecy is reckoned to have ended with Haggai , Zechariah , and Malachi . In the Hebrew Bible his book is not included under the Prophets (the Hebrew Bible has three sections, Torah, Prophets and Writings), but nevertheless the eight copies found among the Dead Sea Scrolls and the additional tales of the Greek text are a testament to Daniel's popularity in ancient times. The Jewish rabbis of
495-501: Is not named but appears to be Jeremiah ) that Jerusalem would be desolate for 70 years. Daniel repents on behalf of the Jews and requests that Jerusalem and its people be restored. An angel refers to a period of 70 sevens (or weeks) of years. In the final vision, Daniel sees a period of history culminating in a struggle between the "king of the north" and the "king of the south" in which God's people suffer terribly; an angel explains that in
550-525: The North Caucasian and Southern Federal Districts and consists of Krasnodar Krai , Stavropol Krai , and the constituent republics, approximately from west to east: the Republic of Adygea , Karachay-Cherkessia , Kabardino-Balkaria , North Ossetia–Alania , Ingushetia , Chechnya , and Republic of Dagestan and to the north: Kalmykia . Geographically, the term North Caucasus also refers to
605-635: The Caucasus Emirate and, from June 2015, the Islamic State . The insurgency became relatively dormant in its later years. During its peak, the violence was mostly concentrated in the North Caucasus republics of Chechnya , Dagestan , Ingushetia and Kabardino-Balkaria . Occasional incidents happened in surrounding regions, such as North Ossetia–Alania , Karachay-Cherkessia , Stavropol Krai , and Volgograd Oblast . While
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#1732779999884660-674: The Ottoman Empire . The Ottoman government settled North Caucasian refugees in territories of modern-day Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, Iraq, Georgia, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Kosovo, Greece, Cyprus, and North Macedonia, creating a large North Caucasian diaspora. Much of the Northern Caucasus seceded from Russia in March 1917 as the Mountainous Republic of the Northern Caucasus , taking advantage of
715-417: The Republic of Kalmykia . Its administrative center was Rostov-on-Don until 10 January 1934, Pyatigorsk until January 1936, then Ordzhonikidze (today Vladikavkaz) and, from 15 December 1936, Voroshilovsk (today Stavropol). The North Caucasus region experienced widespread unrest and insurgency after the fall of the Soviet Union, including a low-level armed conflict between Russia and militants associated with
770-754: The Roman Martyrology on July 21. Some local liturgical calendars of dioceses also list his feast, sometimes on July 21 and sometimes on another day. For example, the archdiocese of Gorizia celebrates the feast of St. Daniel, prophet and confessor, on September 11. The reading of the Mass is taken from the Book of Daniel, chapter 14; the Gradual from Psalm 91; the Alleluia verse from the Epistle of James 1; and
825-624: The Tomb of Daniel , the most famous being that in Susa , in southern Iran , at a site known as Shush-e Daniyal . He is not a prophet in Judaism, but the rabbis reckoned him to be the most distinguished member of the Babylonian diaspora, unsurpassed in piety and good deeds, firm in his adherence to the Law despite being surrounded by enemies who sought his ruin, and in the first few centuries CE they wrote down
880-589: The tallest peak in Europe. Krasnodar is the most populous among the urban centres in the region. The North Caucasus came under Russian control in the 19th century, following the Caucasian War between the Russian Empire and the various regional powers. The territory is the southernmost portion of Russia and is divided between a number of republics and krais . It is administered as part of
935-419: The Babylonian names Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego . Daniel and his friends refuse the food and wine provided by the king of Babylon to avoid becoming defiled. They receive wisdom from God and surpass "all the magicians and enchanters of the kingdom." Nebuchadnezzar dreams of a giant statue made of four metals with feet of mingled iron and clay, smashed by a stone from heaven. Only Daniel is able to interpret it:
990-494: The Earth and the "Ancient of Days" (God) gives dominion to "one like a son of man". An angel interprets the vision. In the second, a ram with two horns is attacked by a goat with one horn; the one horn breaks and is replaced by four. A little horn arises and attacks the people of God and the temple, and Daniel is informed how long the little horn's dominion will endure. In the third, Daniel is troubled to read in holy scripture (the book
1045-638: The Gospel from Matthew 24. The Calendar of Saints of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod commemorates Daniel, together with the Three Young Men ( Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego ), on December 17. Daniel ( Arabic : دانيال, Dānyāl ) is not mentioned by name in the Qur'an , but there are accounts of his prophet-hood in later Muslim literature, which tells how he was rescued from lions with
1100-514: The Jewish temple as serving vessels for his extravagant feast , a hand appears and writes a mysterious message on a wall, which only Daniel can interpret; it tells the king that his kingdom will be given to the Medes and Persians, because Belshazzar, unlike Nebuchadnezzar, has not acknowledged the sovereignty of the God of Daniel. The Medes and Persians overthrow Nebuchadnezzar and the new king, Darius
1155-523: The Mede , appoints Daniel to high authority. Jealous rivals attempt to destroy Daniel with an accusation that he worships God instead of the king, and Daniel is thrown into a den of lions , but an angel saves him, his accusers are destroyed, and Daniel is restored to his position. In the third year of Darius, Daniel has a series of visions. In the first, four beasts come out of the sea, the last with ten horns, and an eleventh horn grows and achieves dominion over
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#17327799998841210-705: The Persian king Ahasuerus (better known as Artaxerxes – Babylonian Talmud, Megillah 15a, based on the Book of Esther 4, 5), but he was killed by Haman , the wicked prime minister of Ahasuerus (Targum Sheini on Esther, 4, 11). The 1st century Jewish writer Josephus reported that Daniel's body lay in a tower in Ecbatana in Parthia , alongside the bodies of the kings of the Medes and Persians; later Jewish authorities said he
1265-734: The Sunday before Nativity. Daniel's prophecy regarding the stone which smashed the idol ( Daniel 2:34–35 ) is often used in Orthodox hymns as a metaphor for the Incarnation : the "stone cut out" being symbolic of the Logos (Christ), and the fact that it was cut "without hands" being symbolic of the virgin birth . Thus the hymns will refer to the Theotokos (Virgin Mary) as the "uncut mountain". The Roman Catholic Church commemorates St. Daniel in
1320-515: The Western and Eastern sleeves. The cylindrical drum of the dome of the church is the biggest among churches in Alania. Eight narrow arched Windows are in the drum. The temple dome rests on the corners of the building. Most of the frescoes did not survive. The remains of the second stage of the painting (the first decoration was probably incomplete and was located mainly in the apses) are preserved on
1375-539: The aid of the prophet Jeremiah (in Bel and the Dragon it is the prophet Habakkuk who plays this role) and interpreted the king's dream of a statue made of four metals destroyed by a rock from heaven, as having interpreted the writing on the wall, investigation, etc. All sources, both classical and modern , describe him as a saintly and righteous man. Abdullah Yusuf Ali (1872–1953) in his Qur'anic commentary says: Daniel
1430-500: The cross-in-square churches in Alania (except Southern church ) it featured a gable roof, but originally they were curvilinear. From ancient times it was covered in bream , instead of tiles. Many attempts were made to reconstruct the original coating, but they were not durable, and during the last renovation it was covered with tiles. Dome architecture came to Alania via cross-shaped churches. Before that, basilicas dominated Alanian architecture. The church involved unusual planning – in
1485-449: The dream signifies four kingdoms, of which Babylon is the first, but God will destroy them and replace them with his own kingdom. Nebuchadnezzar dreams of a great tree that shelters all the world and of a heavenly figure who decrees that the tree will be destroyed; again, only Daniel can interpret the dream, which concerns the sovereignty of God over the kings of the earth. When Nebuchadnezzar's son Belshazzar uses consecrated vessels from
1540-405: The end the righteous will be vindicated and God's kingdom will be established on Earth. The Greek text of Daniel contains three additional tales, two of which feature Daniel (the third is an expansion of the tale of the fiery furnace). The last mention of Daniel in the Book of Daniel is in the third year of Cyrus ( Daniel 10:1 ). Rabbinic sources suppose that he was still alive during the reign of
1595-464: The first millennium CE reckoned Daniel to be the most distinguished member of the Babylonian diaspora, unsurpassed in piety and good deeds, firm in his adherence to the Law despite being surrounded by enemies who sought his ruin, and in the first few centuries CE they wrote down the legends that had grown up around his name. His captivity was foretold by the prophet Isaiah to King Hezekiah in these words, "they (Hezekiah's descendants) shall be eunuchs in
1650-455: The form of a semi-free Latin cross, while the original project of 920s was more akin to a free Latin cross. The church is built from rough sandstone blocks on lime using shell masonry. The plinth was partially used in the arches and sconces. The floor was made from the ceramic crumb-in-lime mixture, displaying a distinctive pink color. The construction seam on the joint of the northern part, North-Eastern compartment and also different thickness of
1705-478: The ignorant ones who disrespect the scholars and do not follow them. The Most beloved to Me in My servants are the pious ones who work hard to become entitled for greater rewards, who always stay close to the scholars, follow the fore-bearing people and accept (the advice of) people of wisdom". Shiʾa hadith affirm Daniel as a prophet of God, and affirm the events aligning to the biblical narrative of Daniel as well. Daniel
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1760-670: The instability caused by the February Revolution and becoming a minor participant in the Russian Civil War . Mountainous Republic troops engaged in fierce clashes against the invading White General Anton Denikin 's Volunteer Army , before the latter's defeat at the hands of the Red Army . The region was informally occupied by the Soviet Union shortly afterwards, and the republic was forced into accepting
1815-554: The insurgency was officially declared over on 19 December 2017 when FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov announced the final elimination of the insurgent underground in the North Caucasus, counter-terrorism operations in the North Caucasus have not ended. In June 2022, the US State Department advised citizens not to travel to the North Caucasus, including Chechnya and Mount Elbrus , due to terrorism, kidnapping and risk of civil unrest. Other paramilitaries active in
1870-529: The king and his successors with loyalty and ability until the time of the Persian conqueror Cyrus , all the while remaining true to the God of Israel. While some conservative scholars hold that Daniel existed and his book was written in the 6th century BCE, most scholars agree that Daniel is not a historical figure and that much of the book is a cryptic allusion to the reign of the 2nd century BCE Hellenistic king Antiochus IV Epiphanes . Six cities claim
1925-614: The many legends that had grown up around his name. He is considered a prophet in Christianity, and although he is not mentioned in the Quran, Muslim sources describe him as a prophet. Daniel's name means "God (El) is my judge". While the best known Daniel is the hero of the Book of Daniel who interprets dreams and receives apocalyptic visions, the Bible also briefly mentions three other individuals of this name: Daniel (Dn'il, or Danel )
1980-466: The northern and southern walls of the cross' lateral branches. The northern wall displays an image of two Holy martyrs above the entrance between the windows. In the Central part of the southern wall, between the door and the windows, a huge (about 3 m) image of saints Constantine and Helena holding a large cross is visible. To the right of them under the window there is a small fragment of the image of
2035-639: The northern part of the wider Caucasus region, which separates Europe and Asia . The North Caucasus is bordered by the Sea of Azov and Black Sea to the west, the Caspian Sea to the east, and the Caucasus Mountains to the south. The region shares land borders with the countries of Georgia and Azerbaijan in the South Caucasus . Located in the south of the region, Mount Elbrus is
2090-648: The northern slope and western extremity of the Greater Caucasus mountain range, as well as a part of its southern slope to the West. The Pontic–Caspian steppe area is often also encompassed under the notion of a Ciscaucasus region, thus the northern boundary of the Forecaucasus steppe or Nogai steppe is generally considered to be the Manych River . Owing to its mild climate compared to much of Russia,
2145-405: The palace of the king of Babylon." This misfortune was turned to a blessing when Daniel and his three companions were able to show their mutilated bodies to Nebuchadnezzar and so prove their innocence of charges of leading an unchaste life. Daniel kept the welfare of Nebuchadnezzar in mind continually, and when the king was condemned by God to live as a beast for a certain period Daniel prayed that
2200-462: The period of punishment should be shortened, and his prayer was granted. When Nebuchadnezzar was dying he wished to include Daniel among his heirs, but Daniel refused the honour, saying that he could not leave the inheritance of his forefathers for that of the uncircumcised. Daniel also restored the sight of king Darius, who had wrongly thrown the pious Daniel into prison on false charges, upon which many converted to Judaism. The New Testament makes
2255-474: The region has been described as Russia's " sunbelt ". Ancient cultures of the Northern Caucasus are known as Klin-Yar community, with one of the most notable cultures being the ancient Koban culture . Ciscaucasus was historically covered by the Pontic–Caspian steppe , mostly on fertile calcareous chernozyom soils, which has been almost completely tilled and grazed. It is bounded by the Sea of Azov on
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2310-774: The region have included the Confederation of Mountain Peoples of the Caucasus , an anti-Georgian organization and a participant in the 1992–1993 Abkhaz conflict that based its flag and political agenda directly on those of the Mountainous Republic. The North Caucasus, especially in its mountainous territories, has the highest life expectancy in Russia. The region is known for a large number of centenarians . Russian political subdivisions associated with
2365-496: The region include: Daniel (biblical figure) Daniel ( Aramaic and Hebrew : דָּנִיֵּאל , romanized : Dānīyyēʾl , lit. 'God is my Judge'; Greek : Δανιήλ , romanized : Daniḗl ; Arabic : دانيال , romanized : Dāniyāl ) is the main character of the Book of Daniel . According to the Hebrew Bible , Daniel was a noble Jewish youth of Jerusalem taken into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon , serving
2420-614: The spot. Today six cities claim Daniel's Tomb : Babylon , Kirkuk and Muqdadiyah in Iraq , Susa and Malamir in Iran , and Samarkand in Uzbekistan . The most famous is that in Susa, (Shush, in southern Iran ), at a site known as Shush-e Daniyal. According to Jewish tradition the rich and poor of the city quarreled over possession of the body, and the bier was therefore suspended from
2475-460: The third year of the reign of Jehoiakim , Daniel and his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah are taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar , king of Babylon . The four are chosen for their intellect and beauty to be trained in the Babylonian court, and are given new names. Daniel is given the Babylonian name Belteshazzar ( Akkadian : 𒊩𒆪𒈗𒋀 , romanized: Beltu-šar-uṣur , written as NIN 9 .LUGAL.ŠEŠ ), while his companions are given
2530-726: The two. The authors of the tales in the first half of the Book of Daniel were likely also unaware of the Ugaritic Daniel and probably took the name of their hero from Ezekiel; the author of the visions in the second half in turn took his hero's name from the tales. Some scholars have suggested identifying the Daniel character in Ezekiel 28 with King David's son Daniel. The Book of Daniel begins with an introduction telling how Daniel and his companions came to be in Babylon, followed by
2585-404: The walls and pilasters indicate that the original project was changed in the 950-960-s. The distinctive features of the Middle temple are the Eastern corner compartments, which are neither completely open nor completely isolated, since they are separated from the Eastern sleeve by walls with cut passages. Pilasters are present in the interior of the temple only on the Northern and southern walls of
2640-443: The warrior. On the walls of the Western sleeve were depicted the Holy warriors-horsemen. On one of the arches under the dome in the 19th century was the figure of the prophet Daniel . 43°41′02″N 41°28′34″E / 43.684°N 41.476°E / 43.684; 41.476 North Caucasus The North Caucasus , or Ciscaucasia , is a subregion in Eastern Europe governed by Russia . It constitutes
2695-457: The west, and the Caspian Sea on the east. According to the Concise Atlas of the World, Second Edition (2008), the Ciscaucasus region lies on the European side of the "commonly-accepted division" that separates Europe from Asia. Russia completed the conquest of the North Caucasus by 1864. Between the 1850s and World War I, about a million North Caucasian Muslims, including Circassians , Chechens , Ingush, Ossetians, and others, became refugees in
2750-441: Was a righteous man of princely lineage and lived about 620–538 B.C. He was carried off to Babylon in 605 B.C. by Nebuchadnezzar, the Assyrian, but was still living when Assyria was overthrown by the Medes and Persians. In spite of the "captivity" of the Jews, Daniel enjoyed the highest offices of state at Babylon, but he was ever true to Jerusalem. His enemies (under the Persian monarch) got a penal law passed against any one who "asked
2805-432: Was an important spiritual and economic center of Alania . A residence of the metropolitan bishop, more than 10 churches and, supposedly, a Greek factory were there. The Middle church is located 800 meters to the south of the Northern church. The Southern Church was In the central part of the settlement and survives in reconstructed form. Construction started not long before the banishment of Christians from Alania in 932. It
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#17327799998842860-432: Was buried in Susa , and that near his house were hidden the vessels from the Temple of Solomon . Muslim sources reported that the Muslims had discovered his body, or possibly only a box containing his nerves and veins, together with a book, a jar of fat, and a signet ring engraved with the image of a man being licked by two lions. The corpse was reburied, and those who buried it were decapitated to prevent them from revealing
2915-430: Was constructed by Abkhazian masters in the form of a Latin cross with the addition of a Southeastern compartment. After the return of Christianity in the middle of the 10th century, the construction was finished by masters from Anatolia (supposedly, Cappadocia) with the addition of a northeastern compartment. Stone chairs were replaced by wooden ones. These builders supposedly, also built Senty Church in 965. The church
2970-426: Was depicted in drawings by D.M. Strukov, descriptions of P. Sinayskiy and 19th century photographs. The monks’ additions include two compartments on the west corner, openings in the west part, which were made into doors, a renewed narthex and northern entrance. Walls of the church were plastered and whitewashed and interior was decorated with stucco , which led to disappearance of almost all the frescoes . Like all of
3025-403: Was probably meant to be for funerals and memorials of the Alanian rulers and clergy. This function was inherited by the Northern Church, and the Middle Church became the cathedral . The settlement continued until the Mongol invasion in the 13th century In the late 19th century the church was used as a monastery . The monks made several additions to the building. The original view of the church
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