![]() ![]() ![]() The instruments of the Passion of the Lord – the cross, the spear, the cup and the cane with a sponge – are generally held by the archangels Michael and Gabriel. These are mostly found in depictions of the Final Judgement, when the angels, including St Michael, will sound the end of the world. As a rule, the labarum cloth is inscribed with the words from the “Agios” (“Holy”) doxology or the monogram of Christ. Apollinaris in Classe, Ravenna) means that he is endowed with supreme power. Labarum in the hand of the Archangel (as in the 6th century mosaic in the church of St. The ripidons symbolize Cherubims and Seraphims and are decorated with their imagesĪ labarum (banner) served as the military standard of the emperor or king from the time of Emperor Constantine to the 13th century. There is a popular belief in Russian tradition that the mirror is an image of the archangels’ knowledge of the will of God, their contemplation of Divine secrets and Divine Light.Ī censer and a ripidon (liturgical fan of a round or diamond shape) are held by angels on icons depicting the heavenly Liturgy. Its meaning is interpreted in different ways: the celestial sphere, symbolizing the universe, a shield, or “the seal of the Heavenly King.” In Medieval icons, the sphere is usually transparent with the Chi Ro monogram. For the first time a mirror (with the image of a cross) appeared in the hands of an angel on the coins of the emperor Leontius (484-488). What Angels Hold in Their HandsĪ staff (measure) is the symbol of power, an important attribute of all angels, as well as a testament to their holiness and royal dignity.Ī sphere or a mirror is mostly found in depictions of St Michael and St Gabriel. Both the archangel Michael and the Angel of the Lord appear on icons as a collective image of angelic forces. Translated from Hebrew, “Michael” means the rhetorical question “Who is like God?” being, in essence, a reflection of the name of God. That being so, everything an angel does is ultimately done by God. If we recall Dionysius the Areopagite, we will see the heavenly hierarchy as a system of mirrors, reflecting and transmitting between them the light from God, the ultimate source of everything for everyone. In the Old Testament, the Angel of the Lord symbolizes the Epiphany before the incarnation of the Son of God (for example, Jacob wrestled with God, who appeared to him in the image of an Angel (see Gen. It is curious that icons representing biblical stories with an unnamed angel often have an inscription: “Archangel Michael” and, conversely, depictions of the Bible scenes known to be appearances of the Archangel Michael are signed simply as “Angel of the Lord”. Angel as the Reflection of the Face of God Archangel Gabriel. They symbolize the Angels constantly heeding the will of God. The ends of these ribbons streaming down to the angels’ temples in Russian tradition are called “toroks” or “sluhi”. The hair on their heads is pulled together by a ribbon resembling a diadem. The Greek letters “Iota” and “Chi” are forming a monogram “pre-Constantine” cross framed with a laurel wreath.Īngels are usually depicted in apostolic attire: a chiton (tunic) and a himation (a toga-like cloak), often with two ornamented stripes (clavi), symbolizing ambassadorship and royal greatness. The soaring figures are holding in outstretched hands the monogram of Christ. The oldest surviving image of the angels known to the Christian East is the late 4th century marble sarcophagus found on the territory of modern Turkey. ![]() It is the image of a winged young man in an antique dress (the catacombs of Priscilla, second half of the 3rd century catacombs under Villa Massimo and Via Latina in Rome, mid-4th century). According to art critic Archpriest Boris Mikhailov, the image of an Angel, as we know it today, was formed as early as in the late 3rd – early 5th centuries. ![]()
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