He's built this extraordinary church and here he would pray, here Mountains are not a place of instasy, a place to remain. 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. 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 we have also the white garments of Moses and Elijah, which, standing as they do against a golden background, appear not quite so brilliant as the sheep. Perhaps that could make a good article for the OAJ ?. This is in fact an amalgamation of two mosaics from nearby San Vitale, and was probably made around 670, at the same time as the mosaic on the opposite wall, of Constantine IV (668-685). Apse 6th century, triumphal arch 7th -12th century. It is enacted in the Holy Liturgy that is performed within its embrace, for the mosaic is after all in an apse and therefore surrounds the sanctuary and Holy Table. up at the highest level we have a mosaic that shows the institution of that very act. Or to use another analogy, as spiritual gardeners we are to cultivate the wild and wonderful world into a garden. So some art historians conjecture that what was here that had to be replaced specifically had to do with Arianism, which was now heretical, or perhaps with Theodoric and his family. The number ninety-nine appears again in the Bible and offers a second, complementary layer of meaning. So the garden around Apollinare is the outcome of love and craft, and of God and man working together in synergy. Perhaps we could look to some of these examples for inspiration. The way that the holy bishop and martyr is set within the scene suggests that he has a broader significance. Abel the shepherd stands to his right offering a lamb, and Abraham to his left offering his son Isaac. It is where we are in intimate communion with God. 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 . God the Father ought not be depicted, for He was not incarnate. how the arts work together in the Mosaic The Three Magi In Sant Apollinare Nuovo In Ravenna close. But when God made the starry lights for the night He varied their size, spacing and colour, and this soothes the soul. Traduzioni in contesto per "edificata del VI secolo" in italiano-inglese da Reverso Context: Non si pu per passare da Ravenna senza vedere la basilica di Sant'Apollinare in Classe, edificata del VI secolo D.C. e che rappresenta il pi grande esempio di Basilica Paleocristiana. Aaron with the tabernacle. In fact it replaces the mountain with a garden, a paradise. 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. Is this precise number significant? So much for the impressive size. But our mosaic gives no indication of such a mountain. We are clearly looking not at a wild forest but a garden, one cared for by men and women. 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. Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna, 6th century. As we have discussed, our mosaic concentrates on the purpose of events in Christs life, and not just the events themselves. This Privilegia mosaic encapsulates the Orthodox ideal of symphony between Church and state. 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. On the south wall of the apse is a depiction of the priest king Melchizedek. nave, we see fabulous mosaics. the scene for a moment. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfilment at Jerusalem. And finally, the walls of the whole basilica would have been another level of enclosure since originally the basilica would probably have been full of mosaic, thus making all its interior like a garden. I think there are few examples of liturgical art that embody such a wide spectrum of Christs work as this mosaic at SantApollinare in Classe. In turn: Secondly, the curvature of the apse itself is a form of enclosure. But when God made the starry lights for the night He varied their size, spacing and colour, and this soothes the soul. NOT! As St Irenaeus reminds us, the initial step for us all to come to knowledge of God is contemplation of nature. Such works seem to flash forth, and are never perhaps can never be repeated. . Some of the Church Fathers say that Adam and Eve were in fact clothed with light before the fall, and only became naked when they turned from Gods ways. And like so many churches in Ravenna, it's been through many phases. All this fecundity is finally embraced and contained by a broad arch of foliage that supports a host of birds, singing no doubt. 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. As we shall see, the mosaic unveils for us the cosmic significance of the Liturgy for which it is a setting. 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. Both sides follow a similar design, with long rows of people from end to end of the nave, and further characters between the windows at the next level, and then an additional . Nov 2019. Hence we find below the cross also the Latin words, Salus Mundi, the salvation of the world. for the Orthodox faith, he rededicated this church and many of the mosaics - [Steven] Their outfits are spectacular. 5 April 2006. Yellow or deeper green tesserae surround each created thing. Place a check (V)(\boldsymbol{V})(V) in the blank next to each sentence that uses capitalization correctly. ing the nave of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna. The Journal presents these How do we know that this mosaic depicts the Transfiguration? And above the cross is the Greek word for fish, , the famous acrostic formed by the initials of five Greek words meaning Jesus Christ, Son of God, the Saviour. The sheep of course represent the human flock of Christ. Our mosaic concentrates not so much on the event as on its outcome, its purpose. 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. Because this image is so multivalenced, I think the simplest approach is to work verse by verse through Lukes description of the Transfiguration and see how the mosaic interprets his words. And what we see are So we are now in a place to gather together all these connotations of the term paradise and relate them to our mosaic. However, once again, iconographers who are willing to divert from the standard visual repetition, come up against the conservative and narrowminded requests of the people commissioning these works. But gardens can be. worship of the Church. A detail from SantApollinare Nuovo, to show the brilliance of the smalti colours. About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. Bishop Apollinare is celebrating the liturgy. So we are now in a place to gather together all these connotations of the term paradise and relate them to our mosaic. The way that the holy bishop and martyr is set within the scene suggests that he has a broader significance. Over the tunic of skin given his parents as a result of their fall, Abel wears a priestly chasuble. 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. Date palms, symbols of paradise, fruitfulness and victory. Mosaico di scuola ravennate italo-bizantina, completato entro il 526 d.C. dal cosiddetto 'maestro di Sant'Apollinare'. File: Mosaic of the exorcism of the Gerasene demoniac from the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo.jpg By association they also set everyone who worships in the basilica within the fellowship of all believers, past, present and future. 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. It's huge. Ravenna was their capital. The mosaics depict a variety of plants, rocks and birds, some of which are indigenous to the area. Its emerald green does not just reflect light; it emanates light. 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. published on 02 October 2014. All this fecundity is finally embraced and contained by a broad arch of foliage that supports a host of birds, singing no doubt. His hands are raised in the orans gesture. and to promulgate an understanding of 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. We are witnessing the material word shining with light, like Christs garment on Mount Tabor. Excellent and informative, thank you very much. Below, in the apse mosaic: Saint Apollinaris praying for the faithful (twelve lambs). 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 eighth day resurrection therefore takes human nature beyond the endless trapped cycle of the seven day week. largest figure, Christ, dressed in imperial purple. The process of labour is thus completed in transfiguration, a living light that knows no diminution in its sharing. 3. emperor in Constantinople sent his general to get This ideal avoids both caeseropapism and papal-caesorism. To log in and use all the features of Khan Academy, please enable JavaScript in your browser. The unusual thing was rather that for most of the time He hid His glory. Bethlehem, His birthplace, represents the beginning of Christs earthly ministry, and Jerusalem the fulfilment of it. Photos by Steven Zucker. the name was different. 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. - [Beth] The female virgin martyrs that we see all carry crowns. The process is completed in transfiguration, a living light that knows no diminution in its sharing. For the sake of completeness we can mention the date palms that stand either side of the apse. drawn out by mother bees Our bishop Apollinare is a spiritual gardener as well as a priest. This is usually taken to refer primarily to His crucifixion, but I would suggest that at the same time it refers to His Ascension, His departure from earth into heaven. 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. In this context it is worthwhile tracing the development of the word paradise, since its many associations accrued over time are present in our mosaic. They had a God-given task, and this task once fulfilled would lead to their perfection, which was union with God, transfiguration. It is clear from their branch collars that the larger trees in the mosaic have been pruned. 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. When the church was St Apollinare himself is clothed in a brilliant white dalmatic under his chasuble. This haloed saint stands in the midst of the garden, with his hands raised in prayer. But we shall come to these later. They symbolize the four evangelists: the eagle is John; the man Matthew, the lion Mark, and the ox Luke. What change was introduced in the mosaics of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo? We could say that he is there simply because he was the first bishop of Ravenna. A divine hand reaches down from the summit of the semi-dome. As an aside, it is interesting to contrast this scene with that in Genesis. This suggests, as with Melchezidek, a union of priestly and royal ministries. Shepherds with sheep and goats, apse mosaic, San Clemente, Rome, 1130s. Mosaic three magi on wall of cathedral Sant Apollinare Nuovo. The Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo is one of the top sights to see when visiting Ravenna near Venice and Bologna. [1] - [Beth] The precessional 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. - See 2,083 traveler reviews, 2,347 candid photos, and great deals for Ravenna, Italy, at Tripadvisor. So these stars are effectively the cloud of heavenly hosts who will accompany Christ at His Parousia. Why, we might ask, is Christ depicted so small, and in the midst of a great cross instead of in His shining garments? Hence we find below the cross also the Latin words, Salus Mundi, the salvation of the world. They were not Romans, The main clue is the two figures set in the sky. 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). But bees also represent communal transformative labour, since the work of the hive changes nectar into honey. There is some iconography that can only be described as miraculous. 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 supports this interpretation of the bees on Apollinares chasuble. Portrayals of Jesus as universal sovereign or victorious hero were favoured in areas influenced first by the culture of the imperial court, and then by Byzantine art. Seen from the outside, the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo is architecturally quite simple. And although there is that green landscape that they're standing in with flowers and palm trees between St Irenaeus reminds us that though Adam and Eve were sinless before the fall they were not yet perfect. I have the privilege of possessing a few of the original sixth century tesserae from this mosaic, given me by one of the restorers who worked on it in the 1970s. The mosaic is a profound theological discourse. We are clearly looking not at a wild forest but a garden, one cared for by men and women. While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 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. 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. Like the conch mosaic that takes liberties with historical reality in order to reveal the deeper meaning of the event, this mosaic panel also has some interesting additions. The uppermost band presents Christ's . 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. The apse is instead devoid of mosaics as it was destroyed by an earthquake and was rebuilt later. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendour, talking with Jesus. But now we know the praises of this pillar,which glowing fire ignites for God's honour,a fire into many flames divided,yet never dimmed by sharing of its light,for it is fed by melting wax,drawn out by mother beesto build a torch so precious.[2]. Sign up here to receive email notifications when new articles are published. The mosaics are quite exceptional, and can be seen along the entire length of both sides of the nave above the arches. They are independent, each with boundaries according to their God-given responsibilities, but each also assisting the other to fulfil Gods purpose. 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. Although its immediate purpose is to act as a sort of witness to a legal contract, reminding future emperors of the Ravenna bishops rights, it also fits very well into our priestly king theme. There are in fact ninety-nine stars in our mosaic. In Gods plan this royal and crafting role is inextricably tied to our priestly role, since in the Eucharist we offer not wheat and grapes, but bread and wine, which are the fruit of human labour. 12th century, Saint Catherine's Monastery. 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