Sign up here to receive email notifications when new articles are published. While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. The mosaic aims to encompass not just the beginning but also the end, the fulfilment of Gods work of salvation in Christ. 2023 Orthodox Arts Journal | All Rights Reserved | Facebook|Twitter|D&DbyRolla Creative, LLC. . The Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo was included in the list of Italian World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 1996. But I would suggest that Saint Apollinare, as well as being an individual person, a bishop and a saint, also represents the whole Church in her Eucharistic fullness, giving thanks for and offering all creation. Creatures in paradise We see sheep, but also birds perched on trees, rocks, grass, and even on the floral adornment of the border. This Arian church was dedicated in 504 to Christ the Redeemer in Ravenna Italy on November 4 2012. It is where we are in intimate communion with God. Irenaeus reminds us that Man is created in the image of God [i.e. In this article I would like to discuss some of these layers. The union that this mosaic affirms is not just between God and man and matter, but also between the all faithful throughout time. Early Christian, 493-504; established by Theodoric when he was king of Italy; palace church; relics of St. Apollinarus brought here in 9th cent. 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). which glowing fire ignites for Gods honour, 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. - A kingdom. It is interesting to contrast this scene with that in Genesis. Magnificent Basilica. So the garden of Eden becomes paradise. (jazzy piano music). It has a unique collection of early Christian mosaics and monuments. Sunlight enters each piece and re-emerges as emerald tinted. In fact it replaces the mountain with a garden, a paradise. The union that this mosaic affirms is not just between God and man and matter, but also between the all faithful throughout time. And like so many churches in Ravenna, it's been through many phases. 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. This theme of beginning and end is further alluded to by the depiction (executed in the 7th century) of Jerusalem and Bethlehem atop the triumphal arch. The Church is a priestly being, whose calling is to give thanks for all creation and to offer it to the Creator. A hand symbolizing the voice of the Father. And so you can see this While the fleets of the unified Roman Empire faced few great naval threats, operating as a policing force vastly inferior in . This tier capitulates all that happens below. On the West side of the church we see the palace of Theodoric and this is the palace Mosaic of Christ Enthroned with Angels, Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna, Italy: Date: 26 August 2011, 06:01: Source: Mosaic of Christ Enthroned with Angels, Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna, Italy: Author: Sharon Mollerus The palace-church of Sant' a long line of male martyrs parallel the female church, furthest toward the apse where the Eucharist would be performed, is a scene of the Last Supper. The Creator in His turn transfigures and offers this world back to us. Thirdly, on the verticals of the triumphal arch either side of the apse are depicted Archangels Michael and Gabriel. A divine hand reaches down from the summit of the semi-dome. They were not Romans, We respect your privacy. 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. Sant'Apollinare Nuovo: Right Side of the Nave. We had work to do in paradise. Santa Maria Maggiore. We're in a basilica. 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. And just to the right The Lords Second Coming will establish His Kingdom without end. Every ministry that Bishops, priests and lay possess is in fact a participation in Christs ministry. Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, built c. 500, renovated 560s, Ravenna, Italy. Luke tells us that they were speaking about Christs departure about to be fulfilled in Jerusalem. Updates? This church contains magnificent mosaics depicting the teachings, miracles, Passion, and Resurrection of Christ; these are among the oldest such representations in existence and are campanile In campanile The Gospel of Matthew makes very clear the connection between the Taboric experience and the Second Coming when he writes: Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom (Matthew 16:28). Two saints are set in this golden sea, pointing to Christ. They may well be saints. 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. 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. The altar table, symbolically speaking, is the exclusive prerogative of the Church, but the ciborium protects this altar, and this protection the state can offer through its laws and privileges. Before this apse the faithful participate in the divine feast and are themselves transfigured into the body of Christ. The mosaic is a profound theological discourse. Ours is a seventh century work, but of poor quality, probably due to the multiple restorations it has suffered over the centuries. So much for the impressive size. This makes the apse trinitarian, if one takes the gold background and the white to suggest the presence of the Holy Spirit. 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. But when God made the starry lights for the night He varied their size, spacing and colour, and this soothes the soul. But everything about this apse suggests a schema extremely well thought out and multivalenced. So the many golden stars in the orb that surrounds our cross represent the host of angels who will accompany Christ at His Second Coming. 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. So with Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, we enjoyed every look. In fact, his palace was next door. In this article I want to explore some of the themes expressed by this splendid mosaic. Natural landscape. In our mosaic we find coloured clouds both in the apse and on the uppermost register (executed in the 9th century) atop the triumphal arch. Their presence confirms the reading of the apse as a paradise, regained by Christ through the victorious cross. And Bishop Apollinare was not present in the Transfiguration, so why does he figure so large in the depiction? To this theme we shall now turn. rid of the goth king and to take this back Sometimes in the Gospels people blurt out things that appear to be mistakes but end up being prophetical. This ideal avoids both caeseropapism and papal-caesorism. (2) Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo (2) Chapel of Sant'Andrea (4) Baptistery of Neon (5) Basilica of San Vitale (6) the Mausoleum of Gall Placidia; If you're traveling by car and have ample time, consider stopping at the Classis Museum first. He wears the military garb of the emperor, carries a cross and a book, and is standing on a lion and a serpent. As St Irenaeus reminds us, the initial step for us all to come to knowledge of God is contemplation of nature. Its emerald green does not just reflect light; it emanates light. This in part explains the special luminosity of our mosaic. Yellow or deeper green tesserae surround each created thing. It embraces you. Place a check (V)(\boldsymbol{V})(V) in the blank next to each sentence that uses capitalization correctly. 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. This theme of beginning and end is further alluded to by the depiction (executed in the 7th century) of Jerusalem and Bethlehem atop the triumphal arch. Ironically, this mosaic of the Transfiguration does not depict the transfigured Christ, or at least, not His full figure clothed in brilliant white as is usually the case. The secret to this mosaic lies in the fact that it depicts not merely the past, but also the present and the future. The character wears a purple chlamys fastened on the right shoulder by a . at the east end of the church. Mosaic depiction of the Palace of Theodoric in the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna, Italy, 561 CE. Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.. - [Steven] Just imagine The mosaic aims to encompass not just the beginning but also the end, the fulfilment of Gods work of salvation in Christ. The upper tier. The unusual thing was rather that He hid His glory for most of the time while on earth. And we believe that this is where the Ostrogoth king Theodoric worshiped. 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. almost lying on their sides, the way that the ancient About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. A hand symbolizing the voice of the Father. But what of its many differences? Which phrase best describes the style of the Christ as Good Shepherd mosaic from the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia at Ravenna? 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