The mosaics in the apse have been replaced, but the ones along the walls are still intact and beautifully maintained. - [Beth] These were foreigners. That will give you the perfect overview of Ravenna's history before you see the mosaics in situ. Thanks for subscribing! We have already discussed how the cross represents Christs Second Coming, of which His transfiguration is a foretaste. A large church built to look . The Cross: Christs Second Coming in glory, The jewelled Cross, sign of Christs transfiguration, crucifixion and Second Coming. So what our mosaic concentrates on is not so much Christs transfiguration as ours. The great meadow of luminescent green mingles with blue and gold, adorned with imperial reds. We don't know how accurate By the 6th century BC the Assyrians had adopted it as pardesu, domain. Before this apse the faithful participate in the divine feast and are themselves transfigured into the body of Christ. In fact it replaces the mountain with a garden, a paradise. In so doing, Christ raised up the created and fallen human life that He had assumed (the six days of creation), so that it could participate in divine and eternal life (the eighth day). It is as though Christ were stepping back a little in order to bring our transfigured state to the fore. (figure 6) These two simple letters capitulate the whole theme of the apse mosaic. Your donations help to fund the important work If you are doing the mosaics in Ravenna, don't forget to visit the church of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo which is also dazzling. Palms traditionally represent paradise and a fruit bearing life. Eight is thus a symbol of the created world assumed into the divine life, in a union without confusion. Shop our jewelry in italy selection from top sellers and makers around the world. On the right is Archbishop Reparatus (671-677), receiving from the Emperor the scroll with its promise of privileges. There's tremendous detail in - [Beth] The female virgin martyrs that we see all carry crowns. why was the mausoleum a location for imperial burials? Some commentators also interpret these two holy places as representing respectively the Jews and the Gentiles, who come together in the Church. This is usually taken to refer primarily to His crucifixion, but I would suggest that at the same time it can refer to His Ascension, His departure from earth into heaven. St Irenaeus reminds us that though Adam and Eve were sinless before the fall they were not yet perfect. More specifically, the apse depicts not just the historical event of Christs Transfiguration, but also the present Eucharist and the Kingdom that is to come. Why, we might ask, is Christ depicted so small, and in the midst of a great cross instead of in His shining garments? Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna6th century. But we shall come to these later. He stands behind an altar with two loaves and a chalice. Six sheep come out of each gate towards Christ who is depicted in the centre. As St Irenaeus (died c. 202 AD) tells us, The Church has been planted as a paradise in this world. These delighted my senses, but at the same time inflamed my curiosity to find their source and to enter their garden. 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. [1] The Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is regarded as one of the most crucially important sites of Medieval Christian art in Europe. Early Christian, 493-504; established by Theodoric when he was king of Italy; palace church; relics of St. Apollinarus brought here in 9th cent. It is where we are in intimate communion with God. That this is a valid interpretation of the ninety-nine stars is affirmed by the inclusion of Abraham in a mosaic panel on the south wall of the apse. B - Permanence. I wish we would see some more of this kind of creative and deep interpretation in church iconography today. The brightly coloured clouds suggest the bright cloud that overshadowed them. They're placed in between the arched windows. As Metropolitan Kallistos Ware has written, One is priest (Christ); some are priests (the ordained clergy); all are priests (the laity). (D) destroyed. Our mosaic seems to be saying that the Transfiguration transports us humans back to paradise, our original home where we were intended to meet and commune with God. [1] Saint Irenaeus, quoted in Man and the Incarnation: A Study in The Biblical Theology of Irenaeus by Gustaf Wingren. Best price and money back guarantee! a depiction it is. All this fecundity is finally embraced and contained by a broad arch of foliage that supports a host of birds, singing no doubt. They are the only human figures in our mosaic that are clothed entirely in white. So the garden around Apollinare is the outcome of love and craft, and of God and man working together in synergy. October 13, 2016The Altar and The Portico (pt.1), April 8, 2021Painting as Prayer, The Art of A. Sophrony Sakharov, August 27, 2015Lighting in Orthodox Churches: Liturgical Principles and Practical Ideas, September 3, 2020Being, The Art and Life of Father Sophrony, April 3, 2015Holy Tables with Reliquaries, a Short History. The mosaic is very similar to one of Emperor Justinian found in nearby at San Vitale, and is no doubt based on it. Constantinople was Orthodox. His hands are raised in the orans gesture. We just don't know. The creation account in Genesis (2:15) tells us that The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. (B) assigned In the internal faade of the basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo is exhibited a rectangular fragment of detached mosaic depicting a sovereign: he is in a frontal position surrounded by a golden halo and with his head adorned with a pearl diadem and precious stones from which the pendilia (hanging chains) descend. For this reason the Son also appeared in the fullness of time to show how the copy resembles Him.[1]. Christs transfiguration therefore indicates a return to this natural supernatural state of the human person. That this is a valid interpretation of the ninety-nine stars is affirmed by the inclusion of Abraham in a mosaic panel on the south wall of the apse (see figure 18). figures, virgin martyrs, emerge from that port city It was originally an Arian cathedral but became a Catholic church in 570. How are we to understand the large figure of Saint Apollinare (identified by the inscription SANCTVS APOLENARIS)? As a young man in my 30s, I beheld the beauty of this mosaic in Ravenna, contemplating all that appeared and for years trying to understand the conflation of imagery therein. Picture 1 of 5. . Through incorporation into the Body of Christ and through our Eucharistic life, all matter can be transfigured. Two New Mosaics for St Georges Orthodox Church, Houston, Texas, New Mosaic of Christ Pantocrator in Cardiff, Wales, The Mosaic Apse of SantApollinare in Classe, Ravenna. It is here, during the Holy Liturgy, that the Holy Spirit descends and makes the bread the Body of Christ, and the wine His Blood. As St Irenaeus reminds us, the initial step for us all to come to knowledge of God is contemplation of nature. We see Christ with his 12 Apostles. I am a mosaicist myself, and have noticed that these smalti glass tesserae, especially the green ones, are somewhat more translucent than modern smalti. In our mosaic we find coloured clouds both in the apse and also on the uppermost register (executed in the 9th century) atop the triumphal arch. And so we have this church as evidence of these two different beliefs 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. The artists power over his or her medium is that of craft and wisdom (Minerva the Roman god of wisdom was pertinently also the good of crafts). The event is . In SantApollinare Nuovo, the faces and hands in several of the Christ scenes are set not with glass tesserae but with cubes of stone. Leonardo's Last Supper, but this is so different in how the artist represented the story. The Creator in His turn transfigures and offers this world back to us. Moses and Elijah are depicted plainly either side of the cross. It was originally an Arian cathedral but became a Catholic church in 570. Justine is looking forward to the St. Patrick's Day celebration. 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. This emphasizes the priestly significance of his offering. is one of only two churches in the world that retain - [Beth] The precessional - The Edenic task. 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. people changes the images for "political" purposes. By association they also set everyone who worships in the basilica within the fellowship of all believers, past, present and future. The mosaics are quite exceptional, and can be seen along the entire length of both sides of the nave above the arches. What does all this imagery mean? The other one is in Rome, Santa Maria Maggiore. In this article I would like to discuss some of these layers. 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. The ultimate purpose of Christs incarnation is our deification, our union with Him. (jazzy piano music) - [Steven] We're in This haloed saint stands in the midst of the garden, with his hands raised in prayer. Justin, that the Eastern Orthodox Church could learn a lot from the creative approach of the early Western Church when it comes to expressing timeless theological truths in its church schema. The sheep of course represent the human flock of Christ. how the arts work together in the [2] English translation from the Roman Missal 2010, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. The mosaic was very colorful and had two Greek inscriptions that describe the ancient church fathers, who built the church for a martyr named "Theodoros." The mosaic was also covered in. The number ninety-nine appears again in the Bible and offers a second, complementary layer of meaning. After he had communed with God and received the tablets of the law on Sinai, Moses had to leave the summit and descend back to the encamped Israelites. 405-431 and builder of Ravennas cathedral and baptistery; and Ursicinus (VRSISINVS), bishop 533 -536, and commissioner of SantApollinare in Classe. And finally, the walls of the whole basilica would have been another level of enclosure since originally the basilica would have been or at least have intended to be - full of mosaic, thus making its whole interior a garden. How are we to understand the large figure of Saint Apollinare (identified by the inscription SANCTVS APOLENARIS)? He is the Logos, the creator and guider of His kingdom below. The evangelists summarize the whole work of Christ about which they wrote, from His birth through to His Ascension and the sending of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Our guide started pointing out "ghostly images" in the . But they are surely there also, along with the birds, to remind us that all creatures are created by God and are thus part of His kingdom. 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. Our mosaic develops this theme of priestly offering still further, but we shall discuss this a bit later. Our bishop Apollinare is a spiritual gardener as well as a priest. We are clearly looking not at a wild forest but a garden, one cared for by men and women. One sees such palms in many other Italian mosaics, such as at Sant'Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna (6 th c.), the ceiling mosaic of Arian Baptistery also in Ravenna (5 th c.), at Santa Prassede in Rome (9 th c.), and in the apse mosaic of Santa Cecilia also in Rome (9 th c.). This suggests, as with Melchezidek, a union of priestly and royal ministries. While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. I so enjoyed reading this article and found it not only educational but spiritually moving. Light thereby literally comes from within the grass itself, and not merely reflected off its surface. The some who stand here are Peter, James and John. Whom do you seek? Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.. This makes the apse trinitarian, if one takes the gold background and the white to suggest the presence of the Holy Spirit. Our mosaic concentrates not so much on the event as on its outcome, its purpose. Why the stars, and why are the clouds coloured? 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. On the arch above the apse: Twelve lambs (apostles) converging toward central medallion with Christ. 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. - [Beth] The mosaic that we see furthest towards the east end of the Whereas the Melchezidek mosaic opposite combines the roles of priest and king in one person, here the principle is expressed by the, ideally, harmonious relationship between two distinct entities, the state and the Church. The priesthood and regal role of Saint Apollinare depicted below is a participation in the priesthood and kingship of the Archpriest and King of kings depicted above. Imagine a verdant garden. The combo ticket includes a small museum on site, as well as the churches of San Vitale and Galla Placidia. On the south wall of the apse is a depiction of the priest king Melchizedek. The Aryans believe that as people grow old, they become a "man of sorrow." These Splendid Mosaics at Basilica Sant'Apollinare Nuovo Will Take Your Breath Away (Ravenna, Italy). The palace-church of Sant' 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. development of mosaics in Ravenna from the age of Theodoric to that of Justinian from a. stylistic as well as historiographical standpoint. To this theme we shall now turn. When one sees it in the flesh it seems both vast and verdant. - [Steven] Their outfits are spectacular. They're also holding crowns, which they'll be offering to Christ. It is interesting to contrast this scene with that in Genesis. Luke tells us that they were speaking about Christs departure about to be fulfilled in Jerusalem. A house church can best be described as: Choose one answer. (remains, remain), Early Christian, 417-421; Church of Santa Croce, Ravenna; Placidia wasn't actually buried there, but was a patron of it; made of spolia/reused bricks; may have also been a memorial chapel, may have been buried in San Vitale; 13th century held that she was buried in the mausoleum; most likely buried in Rome in St. Peter's, windows first glass, now alabaster; barrel vaults in the equal cross arms; originally made of ancient yellow marble; large sarcophagi, probably last few Roman emperors. A 6th century mosaic along the upper band of the right wall of the nave in the Church of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna is considered to be among the earliest images of the Last Supper (an earlier 3rd century composition can be found the Catacombs of Saint Calixtus in Rome). The Lords command to Adam and Eve to fill the earth and subdue it (Genesis 1:28) needs to be understood in just this transformative sense. the name was different. Saint Apollinares chasuble is purple. They symbolize the four evangelists: the eagle is John; the man Matthew, the lion Mark, and the ox Luke. my blood, and remember me. While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. He wears the military garb of the emperor, carries a cross and a book, and is standing on a lion and a serpent. and the Christ child surrounded by four angels. - [Steven] In fact, this is one of only two churches in the world that retain its nave wall decorations. Our mosaic reflects all these associations. God promised: I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you (Genesis 17:7). So much for the mosaics similarities with the Gospel accounts. . The upper tier: Christ and the four living creatures. Lucky for us ! Ravenna was the seat of the Roman Empire in the 5th century and then of Byzantine Italy until the 8th century. Early Christian, 493-504; established by Theodoric when he was king of Italy; palace church; relics of St. Apollinarus brought here in 9th cent. . Apse 6th century, triumphal arch 7th -12th century. Mastering all the usages of 'Greek cross' from sentence examples published by news publications. In Genesis Adam and Eve try to hide from God in Eden. Through us the cosmos can become garment and adornment for the Body of Christ. The number eight arises again in this context, linking the Abrahamic covenant with the Transfiguration and Resurrection: God commands the Israelites to circumcise all their males eight days after their birth (17:12). Add to this the emerald green and you feel embraced by the garden. published on 02 October 2014. This in part explains the special luminosity of our mosaic. 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