Our articles inspire They are the only human figures in our mosaic that are clothed entirely in white. A divine hand reaches down from the summit of the semi-dome. - The Edenic task. For, as St Paul so poetically writes, the Father raised us up with him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6). He is accompanied by another bishop (perhaps his predecessor Maurus (642-671), plus a priest in a yellow chasuble and two deacons. He is accompanied by another bishop (perhaps his predecessor Maurus (642-671), plus a priest in a yellow chasuble and two deacons. As we shall see, the mosaic unveils for us the cosmic significance of the Liturgy for which it is a setting. scenes of the life of Christ. The mosaic gives us adumbrations of this cosmic transfiguration. Please check your entries and try again. and the Christ child surrounded by four angels. Stylistically, these mosaics. Something went wrong. The other one is in Rome, Santa Maria Maggiore. In the centre is Christ in a medallion. topics together to highlight the unified witness Christs transfiguration therefore indicates a return to this natural supernatural state of the human person. Scholars date the uppermost tier of the triumphal arch to the ninth century. This makes the apse trinitarian, if one takes the gold background and the white to suggest the presence of the Holy Spirit. We recall that not only did Christs person shine with light on Tabor, but also His inanimate garments. So the cross in our mosaic is the sign of the Son of Man that will appear in the heavens in the last days, a sign of His Second Coming. It is enacted in the Holy Liturgy that is performed within its embrace, for the mosaic is in an apse and therefore surrounds the sanctuary and Holy Table. . Miracle of Loaves and Fishes (St. Apollinare Nuovo) top register; Christ in purple and gold, beardless; located in direct center to focus on majesty/divine nature . In general I would say the West has a richer iconographic tradition when it comes to creative variation in mural schema than the East does. Collectively we are that lost sheep, and the good angels are the ninety-nine sheep not lost. Aaron with the tabernacle. So the garden of Eden becomes paradise. Eternitys permanence will not be static but dynamic. Another clue to this link between the Lords Transfiguration and His Second Coming is His other statement, eight days before the Transfiguration: Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God. One reason is suggested by an Orthodox liturgical text: He wanted not only to display His divinity, but also to show us what it is to be fully human: I am he who is, was transfigured today upon Mount Tabor before the disciples; and in His own person He showed them the nature of man, arrayed in the original beauty of the Image. Sunlight enters each piece and re-emerges as emerald tinted. And so you can see this So this hymn traces the stages from God-given nectar, to the work bees transforming nectar into honey and wax, followed by mans work to change the wax into candle. (figure 6) These two simple letters capitulate the whole theme of the apse mosaic. We have already discussed how the cross represents Christs Second Coming, of which His transfiguration is a foretaste. The Sacrifices of Abel, Melchizedek, and Abraham+Isaac, at SantApollinare in Clase7th century. It is in fact a depiction of the Transfiguration of Christ, as described in the Gospel accounts of Matthew 17:1-8, Mark 9:2-8 and, most fully, in Luke 9:28-36. This is the same principle He applies when He tells the disciples that He must depart this world so that He can send them the Holy Spirit. Here in Johns Gospel Mary Magdalene is trying to find God. So these stars are effectively the cloud of heavenly hosts who will accompany Christ at His Parousia. Our God-given power within the world is, I think, best understood in an artistic sense rather than exploitative. It is in fact a depiction of the Transfiguration of Christ, as described in the Gospel accounts of Matthew 17:1-8, Mark 9:2-8 and, most notably, Luke 9:28-36. But everything about this apse suggests a schema extremely well thought out and multivalenced. It embraces you. The Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes mosaic located at the top register of the nave wall of Sant' Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna, Italy was made circa 504 AD. And this would be the moment But now we know the praises of this pillar, The passage reads: O holy Father, This ideal avoids both caeseropapism and papal-caesorism. The other one is in Rome, the capital city had been moved to Ravenna, bearded man with gold halo, cross [symbol of martyrdom], book; striped tunic [dalmatica] worn by deacons and bishops, mantle [pallium] conferred on bishop by Pope; cupboard with gospel books; metal grille w/fire, because Lawrence was grilled alive, Christ is a beardless youth, long hair, halo; holding cross in one hand, feeding lamb; in gold and purple as an imperial figure; pose reflects both Christian and classical (Orpheus) imagery, style of mosaics (Mausoleum of Galla Placidia), Late Antique Roman; impressionistic, illusionistic; floor, space, depth, perspective, small; dark blue background; 567 8-pointed stars in concentric circles; gold cross, arms pointing eastward, seven stars (of the Apocalypse or planets), four symbols of the Evangelists, shaped like a pinecone, sign of immortality. Why then did He allow His glory to shine in this particular instance, on Mount Tabor? Hence we find below the cross also the Latin words, Salus Mundi, the salvation of the world. the Father], and the image of God is the Son, in whose image man was created. Our mosaic reflects all these associations. So the cross in our mosaic is the sign of the Son of Man that will appear in the heavens in the last days, a sign of His Second Coming. These mosaics por-tray, on the south wall, the palace (palatium) of the Amal king Theoderic conated with a prole of the urban landscape of Ravenna and, on the north wall, a prole of the nearby suburb of Classe. This theme of priestly offering is further developed by our mosaic, but we shall discuss this a bit later. The twelve lambs beside him represent all the faithful, and the garden around him is a microcosm of the whole creation that he and all the faithful offer in the Eucharist, and upon which the Holy Spirit descends and transforms. The character wears a purple chlamys fastened on the right shoulder by a . Ours is a seventh century work, but of poor quality, probably due to the multiple restorations it has suffered over the centuries. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The highest trees are arranged in a row along the top, at a similar distance from each other but not precisely so, and each is a little different from the others. Mosaic. As we have discussed, our mosaic concentrates on the purpose of events in Christs life, and not just the events themselves. The number ninety-nine appears again in the Bible and offers a second, complementary layer of meaning. Together with the rocks and the trees this mosaic represents all three kingdoms: the mineral, vegetable and animal realms. Melchizedeks garment is identical to those worn by high priests Aaron in the third century fresco at Dura-Europos and Caiaphas in the sixth century mosaic in nearby SantApollinare Nuovo. It depicts the priest King Melchezidek standing behind an altar with bread and wine, with Abel offering a lamb on his right, and Abraham offering Isaac on his left. Mosaic depiction of the Palace of Theodoric in the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna, Italy, 561 CE. The female saints in SantApollinare Nuovo (c. 550570 ce) in the same town wear costumes set with green glass cubes among which appear both patterns and large fields of gold tesserae, producing a striking similarity to rich silk brocade. The Basilica of SantApollinare Nuovo was also erected by Theuderic. The union that this mosaic affirms is not just between God and man and matter, but also between the all faithful throughout time. 6th century. - [Beth] The mosaic that we see furthest towards the east end of the (jazzy piano music) - [Steven] We're in Our mosaic garden has a pleasing blend of orderliness and variation. Sometimes in the Gospels people blurt out things that appear to be mistakes but end up being prophetical. But bees also represent communal transformative labour, since the work of the hive changes nectar into honey. But, as we shall see, these themes are nevertheless theologically implicit in the mosaics explicit linking of the Transfiguration with the Holy Liturgy and the Lords Second Coming. The Church can prophetically oppose a secular power that acts contrary to Gods commandments, but it can also accept material assistance from it if this genuinely aids the Churchs spiritual work and benefits peoples lives. But I would suggest that our cross also suggests the Ascension, or rather the words of the angels accompanying the Ascension: Men of Galilee, they said, why do you stand here looking into the sky? Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. Sometimes in the Gospel narratives people blurt out things that appear to be mistakes but end up being prophetical. We are clearly looking not at a wild forest but a garden, one cared for by men and women. Accompanying it was silver, a novelty among the mosaics of Italy. These bishops, together with Saint Apollinare (the first bishop of Ravenna), serve to locate within the apostolic succession each priest who celebrates in the basilica. an evening sacrifice of praise, the work of bees and of your servants hands, Such sunrise type clouds are common in apsidal mosaics in Rome. It is set in divine time, in kairos, where past, present and future exist together in Christ. This Privilegia mosaic encapsulates the Orthodox ideal of symphony between Church and state. He is the Logos, the creator and guider of His kingdom below. Early Christian, 493-504; established by Theodoric when he was king of Italy; palace church; relics of St. Apollinarus brought here in 9th cent. Leonardo's Last Supper, but this is so different in how the artist represented the story. But before we get to that, let's talk about the church for a second. The city of Classe and the Holy Virgins Procession, mosaic, north wall, lower level, Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo (UNESCO World Heritage List, 1996), Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna. Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. It is set in divine time, in kairos, where past, present and future exist together in Christ. Through the Spirit dwelling within them and transfiguring them He will be closer than if He were present only in the flesh as a human individual. In Christian symbolism bees represent the immortality of the soul and the resurrection (for a hive seems to come back from the dead after three months of winter hibernation). Christ the symbols of the four Evangelists. This is an appropriate scene, both because of the Holy Liturgy that is celebrated in front of it and because of our mosaics priestly and regal theme. I so enjoyed reading this article and found it not only educational but spiritually moving. But he also dressed like a Roman senator, his toga bearing the senatorial shoulder to hem stripe. Why, we might ask, is Christ depicted so small, and in the midst of a great cross instead of in His shining garments? These female saints on the north wall of the church stand opposite opposite a mosaic of male martyr- saints on the south wall whose clothing reveals different gammadia. But the one passage that perhaps best describes this remarkable mosaic is from the Bible: For [the Father] has made known to us in all wisdom and insight the mystery of His will, according to His purpose which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth. Miracle of Loaves and Fishes (St. Apollinare Nuovo), top register; Christ in purple and gold, beardless; located in direct center to focus on majesty/divine nature; cruciform halo, and figure makes the shape of a cross; illusionistic blue sky is gone in favor of solid gold, but green ground is not; martyrs carry gold crowns, top register and middle built by Theodoric; top register depicts scenes from life of Christ; middle depicts Old Testament patriarchs or prophets; third is Byzantine style, depicting martyred saints, divided by gender, details and decorations (St. Apollinare Nuovo), mosaics in apse and arch are missing; capitals are more abstract/medieval, columns are imported; may have had a coffered ceiling, although the one there now is not original; Milanese masonry, iconic, figures are flat "cutouts", forms are stiff and anti-classical, frozen posture, garments of saints defy form, both naturalism of classical world and abstraction of Constantinian/Byzantium, returning to abstraction after classical revival, Early Christian, around 424, Ravenna; cross plan w/ aisleless nave, common in Ravenna; barrel-vaulted arms (mausoleum); Milanese masonry technique, commending of a soul to God, salvation and grace through Christian tradition and study (Mausoleum of Galla Placidia), relationship of Sant'Apollinare to St. Peter's and St. Paul's, wider and higher nave for impression of greater space; long rows of figures instead of individual patterns on wall space; echoes the same floor plan, 3-aisled basilican plan; echoes earlier standard plans; side aisles have arcade, Byron Almen, Dorothy Payne, Stefan Kostka, The Language of Composition: Reading, Writing, Rhetoric, Lawrence Scanlon, Renee H. Shea, Robin Dissin Aufses, Eric Hinderaker, James A. Henretta, Rebecca Edwards, Robert O. Self, Comprehensive American History 03.00 Module T. - A large park. Why the stars, and why are the clouds coloured? Both the mosaic and the synoptic Gospel accounts affirm that the Transfiguration was in fact a foretaste given to the three apostles and to us of His coming again in glory to establish His Kingdom without end. But what of its many differences? its nave wall decorations. My first encounter with this mosaic I can best liken to smelling a host of fragrances that drift over the wall of a concealed garden. Over the tunic of skin given his parents as a result of their fall, Abel wears a priestly chasuble. The Creator in His turn transfigures and offers this world back to us. So in our mosaic trees, rocks and sheep are surrounded an aura of either yellow or rich green tesserae. Simultaneously this sentence can be read as an oblique reference to His Second Coming. Creative Commons Attribution/Non-Commercial/Share-Alike. Sant'Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna. He's built a fabulous palace. So we are now in a place to gather together all these connotations of the term paradise and relate them to our mosaic. It is not a matter of being artistically creative for its own sake, but of being more theologically and pastorally alive so that we can express timeless things in a fresh way in order to wake us up. There, according to the Genesis account, God placed us humans and give us the task to cultivate it. This is a sign of intercession and, most critically, the gesture used by the presiding bishop or priest at the epiclesis when, on behalf of all the faithful, he asks the Holy Spirit to come down upon us and these gifts here spread forth. Seen from the outside, the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo is architecturally quite simple. Thank you everyone. It's huge. How does one overcome this obstacle and encourage the commissioners of these works to open their minds a bit? Your donations help to fund the important work We respect your privacy. Apollinare stands in the midst of his park as a prince ruling under the King of kings, surrounded as it were by family, friends and members of the court. - [Beth] These were foreigners. Here in Johns Gospel, Mary Magdalene is trying to find God. These figures hold books and scrolls. As kings as well as priests, we are called not just to give thanks for all creation, but also to work within it to transform it like bees. The interior decoration includes acanthus leaf capitals, presumably imported from Constantinople (now Istanbul). But this visual discourse is not merely to be observed. The UNESCO World Cultural Heritage-listed Church of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo has some of the most impressive and interesting Late Antiquity and Byzantine mosaics in Ravenna, Italy. The ultimate purpose of Christs incarnation is our deification, our union with Him. We think of Mount Sinai in particular, where Moses met the Lord. And St Iranaeus: Because of his boundless love, Jesus became what we are that he might make us to be what he is (Against Heresies, V). SPEAKER 2: What we do have is an extraordinary apse mosaic. Ours is a seventh century work, but of poor quality, probably due to the multiple restorations it has suffered over the centuries. These bishops, together with Saint Apollinare (the first bishop of Ravenna), serve to locate within the apostolic succession each priest who celebrates in the basilica. Last Supper - Sant'Apollinare Nuovo - Ravenna. They symbolize the four evangelists: the eagle is John; the man Matthew, the lion Mark, and the ox Luke. Our bishop Apollinare is a spiritual gardener as well as a priest. We think of Mount Sinai in particular, where Moses met the Lord. Below Saint Apollinare, set between the windows, are mosaics of four previous bishops of Ravenna: Ecclesius (ECLESIVS), who was bishop of Ravenna from 522 to 532 and founder of San Vitale; Severus (SCS SEVERVS), a revered bishop of Ravenna in the 340s; Ursus (SCS VRSVS), bishop ca. I quite agree, Fr. The eighth day resurrection therefore takes human nature beyond the endless trapped cycle of the seven day week. (B) assigned The ultimate purpose of Christs incarnation was our own deification, our union with Him. My first encounter with this mosaic I can best liken to smelling a host of fragrances that had drifted over the wall of a concealed garden. is just south of Ravenna. Others may or may not have been. After the Byzantine reconquest and consecration to the orthodox faith (mid-6th century), the Basilica was dedicated to St. Martin, bishop of Tours. Sant'Apollinare Nuovo: Right Side of the Nave. The process is completed in transfiguration, a living light that knows no diminution in its sharing. This Arian church was originally dedicated in 504 AD to 'Christ the Redeemer'. The apse is instead devoid of mosaics as it was destroyed by an earthquake and was rebuilt later. thousands of people each month in their In the Gospel of Matthew Christ tells us that at His coming again there will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven (Matthew 24:30). And instead of the mountain of Tabor we have a garden. But here His voice is suggested by the presence of a hand reaching down from the golden heavens. B largest figure, Christ, dressed in imperial purple. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendour, talking with Jesus. The upper tier. The purpose of His incarnation was to gather all creation into Himself, and in particular to unite our human nature with His own divine nature. Add to this the emerald green and you feel embraced by the garden. This hymn was composed perhaps as early as the fifth century, and certainly no later than the seventh, so it may well have been known by the person who designed the mosaic and therefore support this interpretation of the bees on Apollinares chasuble. The Basilica of Sant' Apollinare Nuovo is a basilica church in Ravenna, Italy. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen. The passage reads: O holy Father,accept this candle, a solemn offering,the work of bees and of your servants hands,an evening sacrifice of praise,this gift from your most holy Church. It is enacted in the Holy Liturgy that is performed within its embrace, for the mosaic is in an apse and therefore surrounds the sanctuary and Holy Table. The effect of seeing exactly the same iconography again and again, no matter how profound its original conception might be, can be to put us to sleep spiritually rather than open our noetic eyes. In Christian art stars usually symbolize angels. This mosaic suggests not just a park, but a royal park. Luke tells us that eight days before His Transfiguration (Matthew and Mark say six), Christ spoke to His disciples of His Second Coming, saying that He would come in His glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. Emperor Justinian, San Vitale, Ravenna, 6th century. Some of these themes were without doubt intended by the designer of the mosaic. In other words, His second coming will be like His Ascension, with a cloud of witnesses (the stars), accompanied by the sign of the Son of Man (the cross). Finally, paradise came to be equated with Eden through the Septuagint translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek. For a Second, complementary layer of meaning transfiguration therefore indicates a return this... Divine hand reaches down from the summit of the apse is instead devoid of mosaics it... 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