The anagogical purpose of the symbol in the light of pagan and Christian Neoplatonism

The study of the problem of the ontology of dialogue, the forthcoming encounter with God/divine/Other/transcendent is still relevant as a philosophical understanding of the practice of "spiritual exercise", as a desire not so much to seek answers to abstract questions about the nature of the universe, but to leave man on his path to the original source of being. Therefore, A. Losev's concept, applied in the context of "post-secular thinking", allows us to look for such an understanding of symbolism in Neoplatonism and the Christian position, which leaves the philosopher open to the Infinite. The paper explores the problem of the symbol in the perspective of Pagan and Christian Neoplatonism. In this tradition symbol is understood not as a sign created by decree but as a real thing, the main purpose of which is to serve as a mediator in the relationship between the sensible and the intelligible, the earthly and the divine. The symbol is a main connecting link, the main brace of the celestial chain that binds the cosmos into one whole allowing things to participate in the divine, to ascend to their prototypes, and letting the divine, in its turn, to «see» its reflections in the world. An important place in this process belongs to the practices of sacred acts, in which communication between the earthly and the divine takes place. Also important in light of this problem is the question of similarity and dissimilarity of symbolic images to the realities to which they refer.