Cleansing Fire – Liturgical art

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Icons of the Great Feasts: The Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple

February 2nd, 2012, Promulgated by Bernie

This entry is part 5 of 10 in the series Great Feasts

“Now Lord, allow your servant to go in peace, just as you promised: because my eyes have the salvation which you have prepared before all the nations a light for the gentiles and the glory of your people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32)

This feast in the Orthodox world is called The Presentation or The Meeting, and refers to the meeting of Mary and her Child with Simeon the Just (“The Host of God”) and the prophetess Anna. Both were elderly and symbolize the patient waiting of Israel for the long promised messiah, and both represent the prophetic strain within faithful Israel. As such, they are the representatives of the Old Testament in this meeting with the New Testament. Simeon’s canticle, the Nunc Dimittis (see above), identifies the Messiah and prophesizes His role as a light not only for Israel but also for the Gentiles. The event, then, is also a meeting between the promised Messiah and the entire world.

In the above icon, Mary has handed over the Child to Simeon, the ancient holy man, who has received the babe with hands covered as a sign of reference. In some icons, Mary holds the babe. Her hands are covered with the maphorion in a gesture of offering. St. Joseph, on the left, is carrying the offering of poor parents of two turtle doves which represent the Old and New Testaments or, in some interpretations, the Church of Israel and that of the Gentiles. Anna in the icon shown here stands between Mary and Joseph and holds a scroll of prophetic text. In some icons she stands behind Simeon and looks up as a sign of prophetic inspiration.

The scene takes place in the Jerusalem Temple which is represented by an altar covered with a ciborium. The altar sometimes has a cross and a book or scroll. It looks exactly like the earliest altars in the Christian Churches. Mary stands on one side of the altar and Simeon on the other. The Child is often in Simeon’s arms and held over the altar. The symbolism, of course, is of sacrifice both in the Old and New Testaments: Abraham’s near sacrifice of Isaac, and Christ’s sacrifice on the altar of the cross. The Christ Child seems to know instinctively what lies ahead for Him as He reaches back towards his mother for protection and comfort. In some icons He extends his hand in blessing. [1]

The Feast was better known, in the past, in the Latin or Western Church as the Purification of the Holy Virgin and refers to the rite of purification a woman was to perform forty days after the birth of a male child (Leviticus 12:6-8). When the time -forty days- was over the mother was to “bring to the temple a lamb for a holocaust and a young pigeon or turtle dove for sin”; if she was not able to offer a lamb, she was to take two turtle doves or two pigeons; the priest prayed for her and so she was cleansed (Leviticus 12:2-8). Forty days after the birth of Christ Mary complied with this precept of the law, she redeemed her first-born from the temple (Numbers 18:15), and was purified by the prayer of Simeon.

The Feast of the Presentation dates back at least to the fourth century when it was celebrated in Jerusalem with a solemn procession. Finding its way to Constantinople in the sixth century it eventually passed to Rome during the seventh century. In Jerusalem, around 450, lighted candles were held during the office of the Hypapante (“the meeting of the Lord”). The practice was maintained in the Western Church and became known as Candlemas. [2]

According to the Roman Missal the celebrant after Terce, in stole and cope of purple colour, standing at the epistle side of the altar, blesses the candles (which must be of beeswax). Having sung or recited the five orations prescribed, he sprinkles and incenses the candles. Then he distributes them to the clergy and laity, whilst the choir sings the canticle of Simeon, “Nunc dimittis”… During the procession which now follows, and at which all the partakers carry lighted candles in their hands, the choir sings the antiphon… The solemn procession represents the entry of Christ, who is the Light of the World, into the Temple of Jerusalem. …during the Middle Ages the clergy left the church and visited the cemetery surrounding it. Upon the return of the procession a priest, carrying an image of the Holy Child, met it at the door and entered the church with the clergy, who sang the canticle of Zachary, “Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel”. [3]

The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord is celebrated on February 2

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[1] Russell Hart, The Icon Through Western Eyes, (Springfield, Templegate Publishers, 1991) p53

[2] Leonid Ouspensky & Vladimir Lossky, The Meaning of Icons, (Crestwood, St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1989) p168

[3] Frederick Holweck, Candlemas, The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 3,(New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1908). 25 Jan. 2011 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03245b.htm>.

Tags: Great Feasts, Icons, Liturgical art
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Light of the World

January 26th, 2012, Promulgated by Bernie

Yesterday, January 25, was the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul.

The iconic painting of this moment in the life of St. Paul is Caravaggio’s, The Conversion of St. Paul (1601).¹The painting depicts the moment recounted in Chapter 9 of Acts of the Apostles when Saul, soon to be the apostle Paul, fell on the road to Damascus. He heard the Christ say “I am Jesus, whom you persecute, arise and go into the city.”

It is a very dramatic interpretation of the event; theatrical we could say. There are several design principles Caravaggio uses in the painting to involve us in the action. Many modern art critics would, perhaps, concentrate solely on describing and evaluating the artist’s competency in handling the formal principles used in the organization of design. The religious significance behind Caravaggio’s use of the principles of design in this particular painting might escape them -and us, too. ²

Caravaggio was a painter in the Baroque style. There are several design characteristics that artists working in that style commonly exhibit in their work. Among them are an emphasis on foreshortening, the dominance of asymmetry and diagonal linear arrangements, and dramatic lighting (spotlighting, we could call it, in many paintings). These are what I mean by formal design elements and principles. We can never get away from describing and evaluating how an artist formally organizes a work of art because that concerns the grammar that makes up the language he is using. In the case of Caravaggio’s painting of The Conversion of St. Paul we can briefly say that he has employed –among other things- the element of light (and dark) to dramatically focus our attention. He deploys the principle of emphasis through contrast (stark contrast) to emphasize Paul and the horse he has just been thrown down from. Those are some aspects of the formal design of this image. But, I would like to briefly describe how Caravaggio has used one of the formal elements –light and dark- to convey a religious meaning, or to symbolize religious doctrine.

Here is where the artist and the viewer (including the art critic and art historian) have to be on the same page or share the same religious or cultural background. That is not by any stretch something we can assume in our secular age.

Knowing what we do about the story of the conversion of St. Paul, we at least understand the light as representative of the voice of Christ. Most of us probably stop right there in reading the painting –at the narrative; at the literal message. And, that is certainly the most important meaning. But, as in scripture, there are several levels of meaning other than the literal.

Yesterday morning I noticed that the suggested hymn for Morning Prayer in the Common of Apostles included the following: “Of Gospel truth they bore the light to brighten earthly night; may we that heavenly light impart to every mind and heart.”³ In this visually dramatic painting of The Conversion of St. Paul we can see the mighty impact that heavenly light physically had on St. Paul. But, we also see in the painting the artist’s intent to communicate the sense of the absolute awesomeness of God’s intrusion into our earthly night. Through the Incarnation, life, and redemptive death of Christ “the dawn from on high (has broken) upon us to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.”⁴ St. Paul the apostle was to bear the Light of the world to the Gentiles, as we also have been instructed to do.

Light as a symbol of God/Christ, and the Incarnation, is everywhere in scripture, theology, and the visual arts -including architecture. The whole Gothic style of architecture is based upon the symbolic power of light to communicate the sense of divinity flooding through the glorious stained glass windows. Standing in the nave of a French Gothic cathedral, I am struck by how dark it is inside.⁵ However, the windows –the glorious windows- glow with intense colors; the warm colors, like the reds, seem to float in front of the cool blues and greens. The abbot responsible for this emphasis on light in the Gothic style, Abbé Suger (ca. 1081-1151), was stirred by the writings of a theologian⁶ ca. 500 who allegorized God as heavenly light and Jesus as the earthly image of that “Light” from the Gospel of John (1:4-5 and 9) “In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it… [He] was the true Light which lights every man who comes into the world.” In the Gothic cathedral we see the same “Light” that pierces the darkness in The Conversion of St. Paul, this time piecing the darkness of the interior of the church. Christ, here, is the luminous window, the image of the Father piercing the darkness of earthly sin.

Here is an afterthought : Religious and liturgical art in the Catholic tradition has so much to offer us and yet, for the most part we have jettisoned that tradition in favor of a more protestant or evangelical theology that views art as a threat and a distraction. Our churches are sterile ‘worship spaces’ and our Liturgy has become a matter of functional concerns. Nothing is allowed to take us beyond the literal. We’ve cut it to the bones and removed the meat of the matter. Our personal relationship with Jesus has been reduced to bumper sticker spirituality and social work.

We might know the stories⁷ but we no longer understand or experience the stories on more than a literal level. It has become a strictly sterile experience. The arts –music, art and architecture- enlarge and enrich the religious and spiritual experience and deepen our understanding of truth -and our relationship to Truth. They take us to the level of the allegorical. They can uncover in their own way the implications of the faith and the doctrines of the faith. Why limit our ways of understanding to only the sermon/homily?

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¹ Painted for the Cerasi Chapel of the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo, in Rome. It is still there.

² It is a sad part of the fallout of the ascendency of radical secularism in our schools and culture in general that we are losing our ability to read religious works -be they in the visual arts or literature or music- for their original religious meaning.

³ Exultet Orbis Gaudiis, 10^th century; translated by Roger Nachtwey, 1965.

⁴ from the Gospel Canticle (Benedictus) for Morning Prayer

⁵ Art teachers continue to describe the interior of Gothic cathedrals as brilliantly lit by the light flooding in through the large windows –the large windows being the result of architectural innovation. But a Gothic cathedral with its original stained glass windows –or colored replacements- is just the opposite; it is noticeably dark. The Light pierces the dark interior in the Gothic cathedral in a different way than in The Conversion of Paul as it causes the brilliant windows to appear suspended in the darkness, illuminating our minds more than the interior.

⁶Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite

⁷ It seems that very few people, especially the young, even know the stories. Only a very few people know, anymore, the symbolism and iconography. Most run-of-the-mill art historians and clergy don’t even know.

Tags: Catholic Images?, Liturgical art, Liturgy, Stained Glass
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Icons of the Great Feasts: The Baptism of the Lord

January 9th, 2012, Promulgated by Bernie

Previously in this series: here, here, here, and here.

The Baptism of the Lord

(Theophany or, even, Epiphany)

(Click on picture for a larger image)

“And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: and there came a voice from heaven, saying, ‘Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased’” -Mark 1: 10, 11 (from the Gospel read at the Matins of the day)

“The River Jordan once turned back before the mantle of Elisha, after Elijah had been taken up into heaven and the waters were divided on this side and on that: The stream became a dry path before him, forming a true figure of the baptism whereby we pass over the changeful course of life. Christ has appeared in the Jordan to sanctify the waters.” -from the Eastern Liturgy for the Baptism of the Lord

Originally, The Baptism of the Lord was celebrated on Epiphany along with the Feast of the Three Kings/Magi and the Wedding in Cana. Over time, the feast of the Baptism was assigned a separate date. The Eastern Orthodox celebrate the feast -which they call The Theophany (showing or appearance of diety)- on January 6. For the Roman Catholic Church and the churches in the Anglican Communion, the Baptism of the Lord is observed on the first Sunday after Epiphany. Most Protestant Christian groups do not specifically celebrate the Baptism as a feast day on the church calendar.

There are three aspects to this feast and its icon: 1) the revelation of the full dogmatic truth of the Trinity and the Divinity of Jesus; 2) the establishment of the New Testament sacrament of Baptism; and, 3) analogies of the Baptism of the Lord with Old Testament prefigurations.

On this day it was revealed that Jesus is the Divine Son of God, and that God is One God, but, a Trinity of Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When Jesus came up out of the water, John heard the voice of the Father (“Thou art my beloved Son…”) and saw the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, confirm this voice. In accordance with the Gospel text, appearing in the icon at the top edge, there is a segment of a circle symbolizing the opening of the heavens and the presence of the Father, which is sometimes also indicated by a hand blessing Jesus. Falling upon the Savior are rays of divine light issuing from the Father and containing the Holy Spirit, appearing in the same kind of circle that we saw enclose the star of the magi in the Nativity of the Lord icon.

On the other hand, as Jesus established the sacrament of the Most Holy Eucharist while celebrating the Old Testament Passover, so He establishes the sacrament of Baptism while performing an act of ablution originating with the Old Testament prophets. But, instead of the water of the Jordan purifying and sanctifying Him, He descends into the water to sanctify the water and to make the water an efficacious sacramental for our own purification and regeneration in our Baptism. He who became sin for us is covered by the waters of the Jordan. He is represented in the icon as standing against a background of water. In this icon the water delicately and rhythmically washes over the legs and feet. In most older style icons the water appears as a flat background without any overlap of the figure of Jesus. The shape of the body of water is often reminiscent of a cave and leaves us with the impression that Christ is immersed in a kind of token burial and that Baptism is meant to signify the death and burial of the Lord. Like Jesus, in Baptism we too go down into the water, and, again like Jesus, we rise up out of the water -but as a new person- filled with the Holy Spirit and new life. In a great many of the images of Baptism from the catacombs the person represented as being baptized -including the Savior himself- is depicted as a child, as new and innocent life.

With Christ’s Baptism -from his going down into the water and rising from it again- water becomes an image not of death but of birth into new life. Christ’s body has sanctified the water. Each time we dip our fingers into holy water and bless ourselves we should be reminded of the fact that we have been reborn in Christ through the water of Baptism, in the name of the Blessed Trinity.

In addition to Theophany and the institution of the sacrament of Baptism, the icon of the Baptism of the Lord also calls to mind Old Testament prefigurations. The Fathers of the Church explain the appearance of the Holy Spirit at Christ’s Baptism by analogy with Noah’s Flood. As the world was purified by the water of the Flood and a dove brought an olive branch to Noah announcing the end of the flood and the restoration of peace, so also a dove (the Holy Spirit) signifies the remission of sins through God’s merciful sending of his only begotten Son.

Two small figures are sometimes depicted in the water at the feet of the Savior, among the fish in the Jordan. One is usually a naked man with his back turned to the Lord and the other is often a half-naked women running away or riding a fish (not in this icon). The figures correspond to the Old Testament text “The sea saw and fled; Jordan was turned back” (Ps. 113: 3). The male figure is an allegorical figure representing the Jordan in the following text:

“Elisha turned back the river Jordan with the mantle, when Elijah had been taken up, and the waters were divided hither and thither; and the bed of the river was to Elisha a dry pathway, as a true type of Baptism, by which we pass through the changing course of life.” -Troparion for the Sunday before Epiphany

The female figure is an allegory of the sea and refers to the other prefiguration of Baptism -the crossing of the Red Sea by the Hebrews.

John the Baptist extends one hand out over the head of Christ, a sacramental gesture that has always been a part of the liturgy of Baptism. His left hand is outstretched with the palm facing up while he looks up indicating that he is receiving or hearing the word of the Father, “This is my beloved Son…”

The angels are not mentioned in the biblical text but they are mentioned in texts of the Eastern Divine Services. Their function in the scene is uncertain. Some think they are placed there to minister to the Lord when he comes out of the water. It seems this iconographer has made that his interpretation by painting the angels holding towels. In other icons each angel has his hands covered with a pallium (or cloak) as an indication of reverence for Him Whom he serves. Their covered hands imply the Divinity of Jesus which, of course, is the message of the icon. It is the sacred message of the ritual they convey to us that causes them to cover their hands, as we do whenever we handle something precious or scared.

The Baptism of the Lord is celebrated by Roman Catholics today, January 9. It also signals the end of the Christmas season.

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Book suggestion:

The Meaning of Icons by Leonid Ouspensky & Vladimir Lossky

Tags: Great Feasts, Icons, Liturgical art
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The Great Feasts: Icon Of The Nativity of Our Lord

December 24th, 2011, Promulgated by Bernie

This entry is part 3 of 10 in the series Great Feasts

Previously in this series: here, here, and here

(Click on picture to view a larger, sharper image.)

Novgorod school, attributed to the 15th c., 17 x 21 inches

The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Troparion

Your Nativity, O Christ our God, Has shone to the world the Light of wisdom! For by it, those who worshipped the stars, Were taught by a Star to adore You, The Sun of Righteousness, And to know You, the Orient from on High. O Lord, glory to You!

Kontakion

Today the Virgin brings forth the Transubstantial, And the earth offers a cave to the Unapproachable One! Angels with shepherds glorify Him! The wise men journey with a star! Since for our sake the Eternal God was born as a Little Child!

The figure of the Blessed Mother is usually the first thing people notice in this icon. The figure is normally near the center of the design and is often the largest. In most traditional nativity icons the All Holy Virgin reclines on a portable bed of the kind Jews used while traveling. But, in some icons she sits upright on the bed. The second thing noticed by most people is the black –always black– cave also located somewhere near the center of the design. Thirdly, people notice that Mary and the dark cave are surrounded by ‘scenes’ or episodes from the story and placed in a somewhat barren, rocky or uncomfortable landscape. Finally –and almost overlooked—people see the tiny wrapped figure of the Christ child lying in the manger inside the cave. That wrapped child lying on top of the manger in a dark cave always reminds me of Christ wrapped in a death shroud and laid out on a stone tomb in a sepulcher.

Of course, the Christ child is the intended center of the icon. The small white shape of his swaddling clothes contrasts with the dark shape of the cave as “a spiritual light shinning forth in the shadow of death that encompasses mankind… The black mouth of the cave in the icon is, in its symbolic meaning, precisely this world, stricken with sin through man’s fault, in which ‘the Sun of truth’ shone forth.”¹The uncomfortable landscape might remind us of the wilderness of the Exodus story. There, the Israelites were fed with manna bread from heaven. Here, God Himself has come down from heaven to be the bread of eternal life, the Eucharist. He is also the sacrificial Lamb laid upon the altar of the wood manger, symbolic of the altar of the wooden cross.

Mary’s posture always suggests underlying dogmatic beliefs. In the Nativity of Our Lord icons her pose can vary in two ways and they address either the Divine or human nature of Jesus. In some icons of the Nativity of Jesus, Mary is half-sitting, alert and attentive to the child which suggests a lack of the usual suffering associated with child birth. In that case the virginity of Mary and the Divine nature of the child are emphasized. However, in the highlighted icon for this post the humanity of Christ is emphasized through the listlessness and languor of Mary’s reclining pose. Her fatigue suggests that the Incarnation indeed took place in Mary’s womb and she has now brought him forth into the wider world. It was not just all an illusion as the heretical Nestorians taught. God did take on human flesh and become human.

Mary gazes down toward Joseph who sits in the bottom left corner confused and troubled, pondering the improbability of it all. His figure is not part of the mother and child grouping for he is not the father. The devil in the guise of an old shepherd stands before him sowing doubt that the virgin birth is possible. He suggests that if the infant were truly divine He would not have been born in a human way. In the person of Joseph, the icon discloses not only his personal drama, but the drama of all mankind, the difficulty of accepting that which is ‘beyond words or reason’, the Incarnation of God.² The scene reminds us of our own personal struggles with faith. But Holy Mary looks on in compassion and loving concern –not just at Joseph but even at us in our times of temptation and doubt.

In the bottom right corner two midwives Joseph rounded-up and brought back to the Mother of God are depicted about ready to bathe the baby. Like any other human new-born the Son of God has become subject to the necessities of human life. Often the basin appears like a baptismal font³ or a large chalice which reminds us of the ‘cup’ of the passion from which the Lord will drink.

The angels of the Gloria are at the top of the icon. Messengers as well as worshippers they usually appear with some of them looking up toward heaven glorifying God and some looking down toward man to whom they bring good tidings.⁴Among the shepherds is usually one playing a flute or reed-pipe, joining the shepherds’ own human music with that of the heavenly strains of the angels. Like the shepherds some of us enjoy communion with heaven while engaged in our daily work while others of us, more sophisticated and learned, are like the Magi in the left side of the icon who “have to accomplish a long journey from the knowledge of what is relative to the knowledge that is absolute, through the object (like the star) that they study.”⁵

The ox and the ass stand next to the manger and contemplate the Christ Child demonstrating that even the dumb animals can recognize the Creator when He chooses to reveal himself:⁶“The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s crib; but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.”⁷

Finally, from the top of the icon Divinity pierces into the natural world in the form of light beams emanating from the star of the Magi (or from the orb of heaven) illuminating the Child Jesus in the crib. As the story in the Apocryphal gospel of James goes, Joseph and the midwives, when they returned to the cave, were blinded by a bright light shining forth from the grotto, a light so bright that “they could not bear it”;⁸ as the bright light of the Transfiguration would blind the apostles on Mt. Tabor.⁹

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¹Leonid Ouspensky and Vladimir Lossky, The Meaning of Icons, Crestwood, (St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1989) p 157. The thought, however, comes from a homily attributed to St. Gregory of Nyssa.

²Ouspensky 160

³Solrunn Nes, The Mystical Language of Icons, (Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2004) 43

⁴Ouspensky 159

⁵Ouspensky 159

⁶Nes 43

⁷ Isaiah: 1, 3

⁸ James 14, 11

⁹ Nes 43

Book suggestions:

The Meaning of Icons, Vladimir Lossky and Leonid Ouspensky, (St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1999)

The Mystical Language of Icons, Solrunn Nes, (Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2004)

Tags: Great Feasts, Icons, Liturgical art
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The Great Feasts: The Presentation of Mary in the Temple

November 20th, 2011, Promulgated by Bernie

This entry is part of 10 in the series Great Feasts

(Click on picture for a larger image)

The Presentation of Mary in the Temple

Troparion

Today is the preview of the good will of God, Of the preaching of the salvation of mankind. The Virgin appears in the temple of God, In anticipation proclaiming Christ to all. Let us rejoice and sing to her: Rejoice, 0 Divine Fulfillment of the Creator’s dispensation.

Kontakion

The most pure Temple of the Savior; The precious Chamber and Virgin; The sacred Treasure of the glory of God, Is presented today to the house of the Lord. She brings with her the grace of the Spirit, Therefore, the angels of God praise her: “Truly this woman is the abode of heaven.”

The three year old Mary is presented by her parents Joachim and Anna in the temple where she is received by Zachariah the high priest, who, filled with the spirit is moved to exclaim “Mary, the Lord God has magnified your name to all generations and, by you, to the very end of time, the Lord will show His Redemption to the children of Israel.” Several other virgins can be seen in the icon. They accompanied Mary into the Temple as they have been her attendants. They all each hold a candle and wool of different colors with which to spin and weave. Mary carries wool of a royal purple that will become the veil of the temple. Mary subsequently ascends a seven-stepped stairway on top of which she is fed by angels.

That which is known about the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Temple is found in the Apocrypha, principally in chapter seven of the Protoevangelium of James, which has been dated by historians prior to the year 200 AD.¹ By the ninth century, it is celebrated in the monasteries of southern Italy which had been influenced by the traditions of the Byzantine churches, and by the fourteenth century, it had spread to England. However it was not until 1472 that Pope Sixtus IV extended its celebration to the Western church. ²

Growing up in the Temple:³

Her physical appearance was described as beautiful and cheerful. No one ever saw her angry nor heard her speak evil and all her conversations were full of grace. She was anxious also about her companions (the other young virgins) that they might not sin even in one word or raise their voice in senselessness or act proud before their parents. Mary guarded herself carefully that she might not even inadvertently offend or appear proud before her peers. Thus, even as a young teenager, she gave the impression of one many times her age and was steadfast, immovable and unchangeable in her desire for the things of God.

Mary’s early years in the Temple were spent primarily in prayer and wool-work (weaving, etc.). From daylight to 9:00 a.m. she spent in prayer; from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. she spent doing her weaving; and from 3:00 p.m. until bedtime she returned to prayer. Even in her early years, she became well known as an excellent weaver surpassing old experienced women. Later as a young teenager, she and some other similarly skilled virgins were commissioned to spin the special thread for the new veil for the Holy of Holies that would separate the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place.

Early sources state that Mary spent a lot of her time in the Holy of Holies in prayers. (The Holy of Holies of the Second Temple may have been incomplete and its veil may not have been installed yet). She lived very much like her nephew John the Baptist who was to be born a few years later and she ate just one meal per day. The additional food given her by the priests, she gave to the poor. Angels were recorded as visiting her regularly and sometimes bringing her food, just as an angel brought Elijah food on several occasions (1 Kings 19:5-8).

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¹http://www.ststhanasius.org/media/files/bible_studies/Study_11_21_08.pdf

² http://campus.udayton.edu/mary/meditations/Nov21.html.

³http://www.ststhanasius.org/media/files/bible_studies/Study_11_21_08.pdf

Tags: Great Feasts, Liturgical art
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Beautiful Church Buildings Lead People to God

November 2nd, 2011, Promulgated by Bernie

From the National Catholic Register

By Jennifer Fulwiler

The other day I was chatting with someone who works at our church, and she mentioned that couples who get married there are well versed in the fullness of the Church’s wisdom on marriage and human sexuality. Engaged couples are required to take a full Natural Family Planning course (not just an intro class), and they also must take a class on the Theology of the Body, so that they can understand why the Church teaches what it does. Though I’m not naive enough to think that every single couple who goes through the system is going to immediately throw out their birth control pills, the quality of the marriage preparation process undoubtedly leads a lot of them to at least remain open to the Church’s teaching in this area. Though some may initially grumble about the extensiveness of the process, I’ve heard that many couples end up being extremely grateful that they were given such thorough practical and theoretical information to get their marriages off to the right start.

After thinking about this for a moment, I had a delayed reaction. I asked: “Wait, how do you get all these couples to agree to do this?” Given the current cultural climate regarding marriage, I was surprised that more couples didn’t decide to get married in a different …

Tags: Liturgical art, Liturgical Environment, Liturgical Environments
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New Icon for UR Newman Community

October 22nd, 2011, Promulgated by Bernie

"Mother of God" icon by Minhhang K. Huynh, UR Newman Catholic Community

One of our staff writers learned of the appearance of a new piece of liturgical art in our diocese. The UR Newman Community recently unveiled a newly created Marian icon.

The Community’s October 16 bulletin mentions that the Newman Community had started (in 1999) a small collection of images of the Blessed Mother from the many cultures of its students. The collection has grown to over 15 images.

The bulletin also explains that over seventy people were involved in the current selection and commissioning of a Marian image and the composition of a related prayer. Apparently, holy cards have been printed.

Well known local liturgical artist Minhhang K. Huynh was commissioned to ‘write’ a Byzantine/Eastern style icon. It is a stunningly beautiful work. Its prototype is the “Mother of God Eleousa (the Merciful)” or the “Mother of God Oumilenie (of affectionateTenderness).” From what Father Brian Cool, Director of Catholic Pastoral Care, wrote in the bulletin concerning the icon it seems the community wishes to stress Mary’s virtue of Mercy.

Mercy (Eleousa) and affectionate tenderness (Oumilenie) are two aspects of the basic Eleousa prototype.

Even though in both cases (Eleousa and Oumilenie) the faces of Mother and Child are touching affectionately, Eleousa and Oumilenie express two different aspects of the icon of the Mother of God: Eleousa refers to the virtue of Mary, mercy, Oumilenie refers to the sentiment experienced by the Child, following the intervention of his Mother, of affectionate Tenderness. The name Eleousa pertains directly to the Mother, whereas the name Oumilenie pertains to the Child.[1]

Among several ways the icon unites mother and child is the very nice alignment of contours that join the two figures into an intimate embrace of tenderness.

Father Cool added some personal observations on the icon in the Community Sunday bulletin:

“Honestly, my breath is taken away when I look at this image. Look at it from many angles. Ponder the subtle and the not so subtle. Pray with it and let it lead you to the sane devotion Mary had to Christ whom she holds so tenderly and close. …I believe this is the most significant project that I have been part of while here at Newman. It will inspire many for generations.”

A previous related post here.

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[1] http://www.iconsexplained.com/iec/iec_icons_mother_of_god_of_tenderness.htm

Tags: Liturgical art, Marian Images, Marian Types, Orthodoxy at Work
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Mosaic of Mary, “Mater Ecclesiae”

October 19th, 2011, Promulgated by Bernie

From Opus Dei

(Click on Picture to see a larger image.)

In an article published in “L’Osservatore Romano,” Javier Cotelo recounts how the mosaic dedicated to Mary, “Mother of the Church,” came to be placed in St. Peter’s square, in December 1981.

October 07, 2011
Javier Cotelo // L’Osservatore Romano

“One of the most recent architectural features in St. Peter’s square is the mosaic dedicated to Mary Mater Ecclesiae, inscribed with the words Totus Tuus, a sign of Blessed John Paul II’s immense affection for our Lady.

I had the privilege of knowing something about the origin of the decision to put up this mosaic, a reflection of Blessed John Paul II’s special relationship with young people and his deep sense of gratitude.

During Holy Week in 1980, Pope John Paul II received in audience several thousand young people who came to Rome for the UNIV Conference, an international meeting of university students who take part in activities at centers of Opus Dei throughout the world. This yearly event, which began in 1968, combines the desire to spend the Holy Week Triduum in Rome, the city of Peter, with activities of cultural enrichment for the students.

At the end of the audience, one of the young people there, Julio Nieto, told the Holy Father that among all …”

Tags: Liturgical art, Marian Images, Marian Types
Comments: 2 Comments »

Feast Your Eyes

October 18th, 2011, Promulgated by Bernie

St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption

Covington, Kentucky

A very beautiful Basilica, containing one of the largest church stained glass windows in the world. In fact this Basilica is a profusion of beautiful stained glass. A beautifully illustrated book is available to explain the symbolism of many of the windows.

View panoramic picture here

Cathedral Website Homepage here

Tags: Beautiful, Beauty, Famous Churches, Liturgical art, Liturgical Environment, Liturgical Environments, Stained Glass
Comments: 3 Comments »

Is There a Place for Modern Art in Our Churches?

October 14th, 2011, Promulgated by Bernie

by David Clayton, New Liturgical Movement

In a recent address Pope Benedict XVI praised the work of the 20th century artist Marc Chagall. He described him as a great artist whose work drew inspiration from the Bible, here.

At first sight this might seem surprising. In his book, The Spirit of the Liturgy, Benedict talks of the disconnect between the culture of faith and the wider culture which occurred after the Enlightenment. He cites three artistic traditions as authentically liturgical and all were developed prior to the Enlightenment, namely…

Tags: Devotional Images, Liturgical art
Comments: 2 Comments »

Now Consider Skill, Sacredness, and Noble Beauty

October 12th, 2011, Promulgated by Bernie

In my last post I offered a negative evaluation of the Lourdes triptych of “The Resurrection” based on the work’s unorthodox presentation of the Supper at Emmaus. Orthodoxy prevents the hijacking of the liturgy for heretical, social and political purposes and is, therefore the most important standard in measuring the suitability of a work for the liturgy. My suggestion was to stay away from anything the least bit innovative or trendy when it comes to content (that includes unorthodox interpretations suggested by the artist’s design). The Liturgy and everything associated with it must be unambiguously orthodox.

In this post I would like to offer a further evaluation of the triptych based on three other criteria that I use to judge a proposed or existing work of liturgical art. Like orthodoxy, the three criteria come from Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of the Second Vatican Council.

We can examine the triptych by asking three questions that represent the three criteria.

First, to what extent is the work of high quality in terms of material and artistic skill?

Those who commented on the triptych in the first post of this series overwhelmingly saw the same problem with the artistic skill demonstrated in the work. Briefly, the panels, to them, look “amateurish.”

The triptych project required a skill in composing and rendering the human figure in a naturalistic style. Unfortunately, in this work, the artist’s skill does not rise to the occasion. We sense that he wants the figures to appear not just naturalistic but realistic, and his skill at pulling it off falls short which is distracting. The problem is noticeably evident in his rendering of the heads and faces, and hands. The poses seem unnatural, even comical.

1. The artist certainly possesses some skill he depicting the figure -notice the foreshortening in the hands- but has trouble with Mary's right and left forearm and elbow. Readers remarked negatively about the artist's skill at depicting teeth and expressions.

The artist who created the triptych is not known as a figurative painter but as a landscape painter. Figurative work is not part of his repertoire. Artists tend to be grouped into categories of subjects they specialize in. One of the most basic of categorical divisions is between figurative (works in which the human figure is the main subject) and non-figurative (works in which the human figure is not included or in which figures play a very minor role). This artist here is known for his non-figurative watercolor landscapes. That is the subject, medium and technique at which he excels. He was not a suitable choice for this project and as a result the figures in the panels appear awkward or amateurish.

It is interesting that one of our readers commented that he liked the landscape backgrounds. That is because landscapes are this artist’s forte, not figures.

2. The artist of the triptych is here shown working out of doors on one his many watercolor landscapes for which his is well known.

There are certainly skillful aspects to the triptych, among them: the harmony of colors and balance of tones and the suggestion of new life through the use of high value colors. If you can concentrate on just the color and distribution of tones across the three panels you can sense that he has skill at balancing tones and controlling color. He also is knowledgeable and skillful at coordinating the elements for the purpose of emphasis and movement.

3. The artist is skillful at organizing the elements to create emphasis. Notice the downward sweep of Christ's left arm joins with the upward sweep of the smoke. the movement then returns to Christ by way of the sail of the boat. In this way he unifies the figures and frames them, lending emphasis to the figures. Notice that the figures in the background lean in toward the center grouping further enhancing emphasis. There are however some awkward mergers between the foreground and background. Notice the awkward alignment of the mast of the boat with the left contour of the apostle's head. The water line, too, is awkwardly aligned with the bottom of the boat and the shoulders of three of the figures.

The artist is a well known successful artist and teacher in our region. Unfortunately he was asked to do something outside his area of expertise.

Second. To what extent does the work have the exclusive aim of turning men’s minds devoutly toward God?

A religious subject alone is not sufficient for qualifying a work of art as sacred. The work must express a redeemed, glorified, and transcendent world. Even the depiction of scriptural historical accounts must –in my opinion- be represented in the light of God’s plan for man and the world. Time in the liturgy is God’s time. Everything, including past events, must be depicted as glorified, transformed. The prayers, language, gestures, movements, art and music must all reflect the reality that we are attending the liturgy of heaven. We are joined by the angels and saints in a heavenly Jerusalem.

4. "The Conversion of St. Paul", Caravaggio (1600-1601), Cerasi Chapel, Santa Maria del Popola, Rome. The artist's use of light here suggests Divine Light -God's intervention into human history. The light pierces the darkness of this world. God is Light! The world is redeemed just as St. Paul was converted. The event now enters God's time.

Liturgical art is a specialty. Just being a professional artist is not good enough. The artist must be familiar with the history of liturgical art and must be familiar with and understand the scriptures, and commentaries on the scriptures. He must have more than a passing knowledge of applicable Church teachings, dogmas and doctrines and their history and explanations; same with knowledge of the saints. Further, he must be able to articulate how liturgical art through the history of the Church has presented a particular scriptural text, doctrine, or saint.

"The Annunciation", Father Marko Ivas Rupnik, Mosaic

5. "The Annunciation", Fr. Marko Ivan Rupnik, Mosaic. Divine Light pierces human history here, also. But the artist -a professional liturgical artist- also includes other doctrinal symbols. Once again, we see an historical event transfigured.

Liturgical art commissions should be awarded to artists who have demonstrated success as liturgical artists. Unfortunately, many works originate with pastors or parish councils or committees that really have no knowledge of what good liturgical art should look like and so awards go to somebody’s relative or friend, or, in this case, a member of the parish who happens to be an artist. Sometimes the artist is a professional, but too often the person is just a “Sunday” painter. The artist here is a well known professional.

6. This is one of the beautiful watercolor landscapes by Dick Kane, the artist who painted the "Resurrection" triptych.

But, the artist in this instance has no liturgical art background as far as I know. He is not known as a liturgical artist. As a result, the triptych fails to do more than narrate a story although the artist’s use of high value color does suggest a peaceful and transcendent aspect to the scenes. Unfortunately, the colors in the triptych have to fight the lack of skill in the handling of the figures and the result is prettiness, or suggestive of a children’s book illustration.

Needless to say, a work might be religious but not necessarily liturgical. These triptych panels fall into the category of religious, not liturgical.

Third. To what extent does the triptych exhibit noble beauty? Has the artist used the elements of design effectively according to the principles of design to create a lofty feeling rather than a common or base one?

To get an answer we can refer once again to the comments our readers posted in reaction to my first post regarding the triptych. We see among the comments a consensus that suggests the panels seem better suited to classrooms for young students or perhaps a youth group, or to children’s religious books, coloring books, etc.

7. "The Assumption", Carracci (a rival of Carravaggio), 17th century. Everything comes together to form a work of noble beauty: pose, expressions, control of light and dark patterns, movement, balance...

Noble beauty is a difficult goal. It is liturgical artists who are best qualified to know traditional approaches for creating noble beauty. Professional, non-liturgical, artists are also qualified in this area but we need an artist who is both a professional and a liturgical artist.

8. "Supper at Emmaus" Icons are particularly expressive of a transfigured reality and possess noble beauty.

Unfortunately, this triptych just doesn’t measure up as a liturgical work of art. I suspect the fault is not with the artist but with the person(s) who oversaw the project from its inception. The artist was simply asked to do something out of his field and the patron didn’t have a clue as to what was required. This kind of thing happens all the time when it comes to commissioning a liturgical work -the patron (even if -and sometimes especially because- the patron is a committee) often doesn’t know what he (or it) is doing.

In my next post I would like to try to outline how I think such projects for churches should be organized and supervised to ensure a product that can properly predispose us to receive an abundance of graces from participation in the liturgy.

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Picture Sources

1. Photo by a parishioner at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Brighton

2. http://ycac.org/ycac.php?page=24

3. Photo by parishioner

4. http://www.themasterpiececards.com/famous-paintings-reviewed/bid/33056/Art-Paintings-by-Caravaggio-1600-06

5. http://entertainment.webshots.com/photo/2622382870042192006ghLLya

6. http://ninaspaintings.blogspot.com/2009/05/dick-kane-workshop-5-16-09.html

7. http://www.themasterpiececards.com/famous-paintings-reviewed/bid/33056/Art-Paintings-by-Caravaggio-1600-06

8. http://www.iconsexplained.com/iec/iec_idb4c_conversation_with_vgrigorenko.htm

Tags: Beautiful, Beauty, Joan, Liturgical art
Comments: 7 Comments »

First, Consider Orthodoxy

October 9th, 2011, Promulgated by Bernie

1. "Supper at Emmaus" center panel from the "Resurrection" triptych by artist Dick Kane, Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Brighton

(This is the first in a series of posts on the Lourdes triptych of the “Resurrection”)

One of the ways that I determine if a work of liturgical art is good is by assessing its orthodoxy. A work of liturgical art displayed in a church, especially in the chancel or altar area, must be unambiguously orthodox. It must not veer from tradition in regards to content, faith, piety, and cherished tradition.[1] In addition, liturgical arts that illustrate Holy Scripture are scripture -in images- and therefore must not be altered in content to accommodate peculiar ideas or social and political issues, or to undermine tradition.

Let’s take a look at the new triptych of the “Resurrection” now displayed on the back wall of the chancel in Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Brighton and measure it against my standard of unambiguous orthodoxy.

2. "The Resurrection", Dick Kane; Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Brighton

The three panels of the triptych depict events surrounding the resurrection of Christ. In the left panel Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene near the tomb (John 20.11-18). The center panel shows us the supper at Emmaus where Jesus is recognized by the two disciples whom he joined and walked with on the way into Emmaus. (Luke 24.13-35) In the right panel the resurrected Jesus has appeared to Peter and six disciples on the beach of the Sea of Galilee. He roasts some fish for their breakfast. The apostles are shown with a bulging net of fish filled to the top as a result of Christ’s instructions to put the net over the side of the boat, after catching nothing all night.(John 21:1-13) All three scenes are meant to testify, through eye-witnesses, that Jesus rose from the dead.

There is a problem in the center panel of the triptych that raises a question of orthodoxy. The painting veers from scripture and tradition by representing one of the disciples (the one on the left) as a woman. Both disciples, however, were almost certainly men and tradition has always presented that interpretation both in commentaries and in art.

Our Lady of Lourdes Church bulletin, October 2, says emphatically that the second disciple is (not just a woman, but) Mary, the wife of Cleopas.[2] Cleopas is the only named disciple in the Emmaus story. In a homily delivered at Lourdes the priest is just a little less certain; he described the second disciple as probably the wife of Cleopas.

However, the identity of Cleopas’ traveling companion is not known. There have been various guesses: Some suppose him to have been Peter; it was also, early on, a very common opinion that it was Luke, and that the Evangelist, through modesty, did not mention his own name. Others even make Cleopas to actually have been Alphaeus, making the second disciple -the companion- the apostle, James, Alphaeus’ son.

And, yes, there have even been some people who have guessed that the second disciple was Mary, the wife of Cleopas. John 19:25 does mention “Mary the wife of Cleopas” that was at the foot of the cross of Christ. It is reasonable, they say, to suppose that the companion to Cleopas on the road to Emmaus was his wife. But, there is a big problem with this interpretation. Luke had previously mentioned “Mary” in Luke 24:10 as being among the women at the empty tomb that reported what they had seen and heard to the apostles and, in Luke 24:32 Cleopas said that “certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulcher”. If the companion on the road to Emmaus was Cleopas’ wife, he would have said, “My wife and other women…” or “Mary and other women…” or “The woman (Mary) and other women…”

Furthermore, if one of the disciples was a woman, why did Luke say “And they said to him (Jesus)…”? In first century Palestine, women did not converse with men in public, certainly not with strangers even if the husbands were present. The second disciple could not have been a woman. By employing “they” Luke is telling us that there is a conversation involving three men.

Nowhere is there any hint that Cleopas’ traveling companion on the road to Emmaus –the second disciple- was the wife of Cleopas.

3. "Jesus and the Two Disciples On the Road to Emmaus", by Duccio, 1308-1311, Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, Siena.

In addition, in the history of Christian art, liturgical or otherwise, I can find no representation of the Supper at Emmaus (except for possibly one [3] ) in which one of the disciples is depicted as a woman. The traditional imagery for this scene from the Gospel is overwhelmingly always orthodox, the two disciples are depicted as men.

4. "Supper at Emmaus" by Caravaggio and commissioned by the Roman nobleman Ciriaco Mattei in 1601. The person standing is a servant.

So, what is the reason for this innovation? Why introduce an image of a woman to represent a person who was almost certainly a man and has always been interpreted and pictured as a man? I’ll leave you to your own conclusions (but it might help you to know that the lay pastoral administrator [leader] of our Lady of Lourdes is an active women’s ordination advocate “…working solely for the ordination of women as priests… into an inclusive and accountable Catholic Church. To this end, we work to: renew church governance to be inclusive, accountable and transparent; bring about justice and equality for Catholic women; incorporate women-centered theologies into every-day Catholicism.” [4])

The concern, of course, is that innovative imagery in the liturgy could be a strategy of deception, a deliberate attempt to hide an agenda –“to slip one by”- or compromise objective truth for the purpose of manipulation. This is why orthodoxy is so important when it comes to the liturgy of the Church. The liturgy and all that is associated with it is “official” and communal, not personal or sectarian. If a person finds meaning in an innovative representation of the Supper at Emmaus or in a transgender crucifix and hangs such an image in his home, that’s fine. That is private spirituality. But, innovation in the liturgy cannot be tolerated because abuse will surely creep in. The last 40 years have proven it.

5. The “Road to Emmaus” Icon by Sister Marie Paul OSB of the Mount of Olives Monastery, Jerusalem (1990), a private commission by theologian Father Thomas Rosica. Here we see the companion as Cleopas' wife or, at least, a woman. Notice that the good sister even has Jesus (a stranger!) talking directly to the woman. Just in case you don't get sister's point she has reduced Cleopas' role to that of the second disciple. The artist has painted the veil of the woman white, the lightest tone in the icon and therefore visually emphasizes the woman. Look at the icon while squinting, especially at the area depicting the supper. This is the area of the icon with the sharpest contrast; the white of the veil boldly contrasts with the black of the wall, thus attracting the most attention. (Now look at the central panel in the Lourdes triptych. Where is the lightest color (white), strongest contrast, and most active (vibrant) pattern?)

In the case of the Lourdes triptych the proverbial “red flag” ascends the pole. Is there a hidden agenda in the case of the innovative triptych at Lourdes?

I believe so.

(I have some other issues with this triptych that I will share in a future post. I just wanted to start with a post that examines the orthodoxy of the triptych. Orthodoxy should be the first thing to look for in evaluating works intended to be sacred art used in the liturgy.)

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Notes

[1] “…the Church has, with good reason, always reserved to herself the right to pass judgment upon the arts, deciding which of the works of artists are in accordance with faith, piety, and cherished traditional laws, and thereby fitted for sacred use.” Chap. VII 122, Sacrosanctum Concilium. Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Second Vatican Council.

[2] or Cleophas, a different spelling. There is even some uncertainty, however, as to whom Cleopas actually was, making the companion even less likely to be Cleopas’ wife!

[3] Supper at Emmaus (1648), Rembrandt van Rijn (1606 – 1669). It’s possible the disciple at the left end of the table was meant to represent a woman. Rembrandt’s painting, of course, was not meant to be a liturgical work (to hang in a church).

[4] from the Women’s Ordination Conference (WOC) webpage

Picture Sources

1. by a parishioner at Our Lady of Lourdes

2. Lourdes parishioner

3. Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, Siena.

4. http://www.kandle.ie/2009/04/27/supper-at-emmaus/

5. http://revpatrickcomerford.blogspot.com/2009/03/meals-with-jesus-4.html

Tags: Joan, Liturgical art, Progressive Drivel
Comments: 2 Comments »

Supper at Emmaus Triptych at Lourdes

October 7th, 2011, Promulgated by Bernie

"The Resurrection", Dick Kane; Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Brighton

(Clik on photos to see larger versions)

Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Brighton

Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Brighton, has replaced the decorative art on the back wall of the chancel with a triptych of the “Resurrection.” While I put together my own critique that I will share later, I thought that perhaps you might like to weigh-in with your own reactions, first. I encourage everyone to share, both positive or negative reactions. I only ask that we try to explain our reasons; try to offer a reasoned critique. Try to answer the question ”WHY do I like it?” or “WHY not?” “WHY is it a good liturgical work of art?”; “WHY not?”

Have a go at it!

It’s not often we get to critique a new (and local) work of liturgical art.

Tags: Joan, Liturgical art
Comments: 34 Comments »

The “Righteousness of the Plain”

October 3rd, 2011, Promulgated by Bernie

1. Monastery of Kloster Eberbach, 1145-1160 and 1170-1186, Frankfurt

The phrase –“the righteousness of the plain”– is used by Robin M. Jensen in her 2004 book The Substance of Things Seen [1] to describe the view of many that art in worship marks the “beginning of a slide down into vanity, materialism, and –ultimately—idolatry.” God should be worshipped in simplicity and free of distracting “trappings.” Art is viewed by such folks as self-indulgent and, at the very least, an unnecessary expense. Better that the money be spent on meeting the basic needs of people, especially the poor. The Church should concentrate on good works rather than beautiful works.

Jensen points out that a text from Isaiah is often cited by holders of this view.

“When you come to appear before me, who asked this from your hand? Trample my courts no more; bring offerings is futile; incense is an abomination to me… Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow” (Isaiah 1:12-13. 16-17)

The “righteousness of the plain” view understands feelings and sensory experiences to be improper to religion. Religion should be a dispassionate activity. Art “awakens appetites” and “arouses passions” and can tempt people to sin.

We recognize this viewpoint as representative of puritanical Protestantism. There are exceptions, to be sure, but we identify the view, in general, with Protestants. Catholics often describe a plain church as looking “protestant.”

But this passion for the plain has a tradition in Catholicism as well. For pretty much the same reasons, “Cistercian monastic architecture –under the influence especially of St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153)– was characterized by its simplicity and austerity. In contrast to the richly carved capitals and portals at other monasteries, Cistercian art was minimal, with almost no figurative carvings to distract the monks.” [2]

2. The "architecture of light" of Acey Abbey represents the pure style of Cistercian architecture, intended for the utilitarian purposes of liturgical celebration

Saint Bernard, in a letter to William of St. Thierry, writes:

“…the vast height of your churches, their immoderate length, their superfluous breadth, the costly polishing, the curious carvings and paintings which attract the worshipper’s gaze and hinder his attention… The church is resplendent in her walls, beggarly in her poor; she clothes her stones in gold, and leaves her sons naked; the rich man’s eye is fed at the expense of the indigent. The curious find their delight here, yet the needy find no relief.” [3]

3. 12th-century Cistercian

Bernard’s austere aesthetics and numerous rules eventually outlawed the use of paintings and other images in his monastic churches. His rules it must be remembered, were for monks who had withdrawn from the people, “we who left all the precious and beautiful things of the world for Christ’s sake.” Bernard, however, notes that bishops and their parishes have an excuse for expensive worship in “being debtors to the wise and the unwise, and unable to excite the devotion of carnal folk by spiritual things, do so by bodily adornments.” [4] Clearly, even in the case of non-monastic churches, Bernard disparaged use of liturgical art.

4. "Quietly Beautiful" Novy Dvur contemporary monastery in the Bohemia area of the Czech Republic. Photo by Ståle Eriksen

Although St. Bernard sees the use of images and decoration in worship as having the potential for descending into idolatry, he seems to object most to what he understands as the distracting aspect of decoration, and the contradiction between expensive worship and care for the poor.

I suppose someone should have asked Bernard if he found Jesus –the image of the invisible Father- “distracting?” The sacramental nature of liturgical images, based upon the theology of the Incarnation (affirmed by the Second Council of Nicaea 787) [5], would seem to place St. Bernard’s thinking on the subject of the use of holy images in churches at odds with the teaching of the wider Church. Not surprisingly, the Protestant Reformers several centuries later echoed Bernard’s thoughts. [6]

In the aftermath of the Second Vatican Council we witnessed an onslaught of minimalism in the construction and renovation of churches that only recently, after forty years of iconoclastic thinking, seems to be running out of steam. The minimalist tendency had already been evident in the liturgical reform movement leading up to the Council. It gained momentum quickly after the Council mostly as a result of the interaction of the thinking of the Council with regards to active participation in the liturgy and the social upheaval of the 60s and 70s: rejection of authority and tradition, and the intensity of emotions over racial and social justice concerns.

Austere simplicity of church buildings is generally outside the mainstream of Catholic architectural tradition being relegated, for the most part, to monastic environments andl church architecture that became popular with liturgists of the second part of the 20th century. I do not mean to imply, of course, that austere simplicity cannot be beautiful or, even, Catholic. We have a strong tradition of monasticism in the Catholic Church and we formulated, after all, Western thought on social justice and effective care for the poor and marginalized. Rejection or at least abstension from sensual stimulation is within our tradition and as much a pathway to spiritual union with God as reflecting on beautiful art and music. I can’t go into the details of such spirituality here, only to point out that it is a ligitimate pathway that yeilds great fruit not only to monks but to a large segment, if not a majority, of Catholic faithful. I think that it would be difficult to find a page in “My Imitation of Christ” (by Thomas à Kempis) without word about letting go of this world and its sensual allures. Then, there is the example of the covering of statues and paintings during the last two weeks of Lent. The Cistercian approach is a strong one in our tradition, if not a dominate one.

We each have our preferences, of course, but the vast majority of the Catholic faithful are not monks or nuns under a rule of austere simplicity and chastity. Diocesan churches, it seems to me should adhere to the thinking of the Second Council of Nicaea and employ images and decoration in churches –and not be cheap or stingy about it. The Second Vatican Council did not change the policy of images in churches; indeed, it stressed their importance.

It does not help that often art or “decoration” is viewed as not essential, as actually have a role to play in the liturgy. Since it is thought of as “frivolous”, it is usually one of the last things considered in a budget and only if money is left over.

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Notes

[1] The Substance of Things Seen; Art, Faith, and the Christian Community, Robin M. Jensen, (Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2004) pp 79-80

[2] Sacred Destinations

[3] Early Medieval Art 300-1150, Carcilia Davis-Weyer, (Toronto, University of Toronto Press, 1986) pp 168-69

[4] Early Medieval Art… 169

[5] “…the production of representational art; this is quite in harmony with the history of the spread of the gospel, as it provides confirmation that the becoming man of the Word of God was real and not just imaginary, and as it brings us a similar benefit. For, things that mutually illustrate one another undoubtedly possess one another’s message. … we decree with full precision and care that, like the figure of the honored and life-giving cross, the revered and holy images, whether painted or made of mosaic or of other suitable material, are to be exposed in the holy churches of God, on sacred instruments and vestments, on walls and panels, in houses and by public ways; these are the images of our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ, and of our Lady without blemish, the holy God-bearer, and of the revered angels and of any of the saintly holy men. The more frequently they are seen in representational art, the more are those who see them drawn to remember and long for those who serve as models, and to pay these images the tribute of salutation and respectful veneration.”

[6] St. Bernard did hold some doctrines that the Protestant Reformers would later resurrect. His theology contains a mix of Protestant and Catholic doctrines. Calvin, for example, quotes Bernard several times to show the historical validity of “faith alone”, and his concept of justification was important to the Protestants. I don’t mean to imply by this that Bernard is not worthy to be a Doctor of the Church; that would be ridiculous. Only that his thinking could at times, on certain topics, seem to not obviously exemplify traditional Catholic teaching.

Picture Sources

1. http://bigwillystar.blogspot.com/2008_10_01_archive.html

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cistercian_architecture

3. http://www.newclairvaux.org/1/post/2010/9/cistercian-architecture-presentation.html

4. http://therepublicofless.wordpress.com/2010/07/06/john-pawson/

5. and 6. Cistercian Abbeys, History and Architecture, Photos by Henri Gaud and Text by Jean-François Leroux-Dhuys, (China, Könemann, 2006)

Tags: Beautiful, Beauty, Catholic Images?, Chancel Images, Church Architecture, Famous Churches, Liturgical art
Comments: 4 Comments »

Another “Which one?” Post

September 28th, 2011, Promulgated by Bernie

(click on the photos to see a larger image)

If you had no other choice, which one would you choose to worship at each week for the next year: A or B?

Can you state your reasons for us?

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Picture Source

Cistercian Abbeys, History and Architecture, Photos by Henri Gaud and Text by Jean-François Leroux-Dhuys, (China, Könemann, 2006)

Tags: Beautiful, Beauty, Chancel Images, Church Architecture, Liturgical art
Comments: 13 Comments »

On the Beauty of our Worship – Words from the Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff

September 19th, 2011, Promulgated by Gen

I stumbled upon this page at the Vatican website, and thought that we might all profit by it if I shared it here. Enjoy:

Beauty in Every Aspect of the Liturgical Rite

The Holy Father, Benedict XVI, at number 35 of the Exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis writes:

This relationship between creed and worship is evidenced in a particular way by the rich theological and liturgical category of beauty. Like the rest of Christian Revelation, the liturgy is inherently linked to beauty: it is veritatis splendor. The liturgy is a radiant expression of the paschal mystery, in which Christ draws us to himself and calls us to communion.

The beauty of the liturgy is part of this mystery; it is a sublime expression of God’s glory and, in a certain sense, a glimpse of heaven on earth. The memorial of Jesus’ redemptive sacrifice contains something of that beauty which Peter, James and John beheld when the Master, making his way to Jerusalem, was transfigured before their eyes (cf. Mk 9:2). Beauty, then, is not mere decoration, but rather an essential element of the liturgical action, since it is an attribute of God himself and his revelation. These considerations should make us realize the care which is needed, if the liturgical action is to reflect its innate splendor.

The beauty of Christ is reflected above all in the saints and in faithful Christians of every age, but one should not forget or underestimate the spiritual value of the works of art that the Christian Faith knew how to produce in order to place them at the service of divine worship. The beauty of the Liturgy is manifested concretely through material objects and bodily gestures, of which man – a unity of soul and body – has need to elevate himself toward invisible realities and to be reinforced in his faith. The Council of Trent taught:

And since the nature of man is such that he cannot without external means be raised easily to meditation on divine things, holy mother Church has instituted certain rites. . . whereby both the majesty of so great a sacrifice might be emphasized and the minds of the faithful excited by those visible signs of religion and piety to the contemplation of those most sublime things which are hidden in this sacrifice. (Denziger-Schönmetzer, n. 1746)

Sacred art, sacred vestments and vessels, sacred architecture – all must come together to consolidate the sense of majesty and beauty, to make transparent the “noble simplicity” (cf. Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 34) of the Christian Liturgy, which is a liturgy of the true Beauty.

The Servant of God John Paul II recalled the Gospel account of the anointing of Jesus at Bethany in order to respond to the possible objection concerning the beauty of churches and of objects destined for divine worship, which could seem out of place if considered before the great mass of the earth’s poor people. He wrote:

A woman, whom John identifies as Mary the sister of Lazarus, pours a flask of costly ointment over Jesus’ head, which provokes from the disciples – and from Judas in particular (cf. Mt 26:8; Mk 14:4; Jn 12:4) – an indignant response, as if this act, in light of the needs of the poor, represented an intolerable “waste.” But Jesus’ own reaction is completely different. While in no way detracting from the duty of charity towards the needy, for whom the disciples must always show special care – “the poor you will always have with you” (Mt 26:11; Mk 14:7; cf. Jn 12:8) – he looks towards his imminent death and burial, and sees this act of anointing as an anticipation of the honor which his body will continue to merit even after his death, indissolubly bound as it is to the mystery of his person. (Ecclesia de Eucharistia, n. 47, emphasis in original)

And he concluded:

Like the woman who anointed Jesus in Bethany, the Church has feared no “extravagance,” devoting the best of her resources to expressing her wonder and adoration before the unsurpassable gift of the Eucharist. . . . With this heightened sense of mystery, we understand how the faith of the Church in the mystery of the Eucharist has found historical expression not only in the demand for an interior disposition of devotion, but also in outward forms meant to evoke and emphasize the grandeur of the event being celebrated. . . . On this foundation a rich artistic heritage also developed. Architecture, sculpture, painting and music, moved by the Christian mystery, have found in the Eucharist, both directly and indirectly, a source of great inspiration. (Ibid., nn. 48-49, emphasis in original)

Therefore, it is necessary to exhibit all possible care and attention, so that the dignity of the Liturgy would shine forth even in the smallest details in the form of true beauty. It is necessary to recall that even those saints who lived poverty with a particular ascetical commitment always desired that the most beautiful and precious objects be used for divine worship. We mention here only one example, that of the Holy Curé d’Ars:

From the moment he saw it [the parish church of Ars], M. Vianney loved the old church as he had loved the paternal home. When he undertook its restoration he began with what holds the foremost place, the altar, which is the centre and raison d’être of the sanctuary. Out of reverence for the Holy Eucharist, he wished to secure as beautiful an altar as possible. . . . After these improvements, he undertook the task, to use his own picturesque and touching phrase, of adding to the household possessions of the good God – le ménage du bon Dieu. He went to Lyons to visit the workshops of embroiderers and goldsmiths. Whatever was most precious he purchased, so that the purveyors of church furniture would say with astonishment: “In this district there lives a little curé, lean, badly dressed, looking as if he had not a sou in his pocket, yet only the very best things are good enough for his church.”

Tags: Liturgical art, Liturgy, Orthodoxy at Work, Pope Benedict, Sacred Music
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Icons of the Great Feasts: Raising Aloft of the Precious Cross

September 13th, 2011, Promulgated by Bernie

Constantine and his mother stand on the left in the icon. The architecture in the background represents the Church of the Holy Sepluchre.

We by-passed this icon last year when we began the series on the Great Feasts so let’s not let another September 14 go by without celebrating the Exultation of the Cross by reflecting on the feast’s icon.

We in the Western Church call the feast the Exaltation (or Triumph) of the Cross but in the Eastern Rite Catholic and Orthodox Churches it is usually called the Raising (Aloft) of the (Precious) Cross. Anglicans call the feast Holy Cross Day while Lutherans refer to it as the Feast of the Glorious Cross.

Tradition holds that St. Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine the Great discovered the Cross of the crucifixion in Jerusalem while on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 326. Constantine was interested in uncovering as many of the important holy places associated with the life of Christ as he could. The site of the discovery was included in the construction of the building complex of the Church of the Resurrection (The Church of the Holy Sepulchre). The feast of the Raising of the Cross and the dedication of the church, which happened in 335, became associated with each other.

In a pilgrim’s account of her journey to Jerusalem in 400, reference is made to the solemn celebration of the feast of the dedication of the church “because the Cross of the Lord was discovered on that day.” Before long, however, the annual celebration of the dedication was entirely eclipsed by that of the feast of the Cross.

But let’s go back to the day after the dedication in 335 when the people were first admitted to venerate the sacred wood of the Cross. Bishop Macarius of Jerusalem, while standing on an ambo at the rock of Golgotha and, with the help of some of his clergy, raised high the actual Cross and announced “Behold the Holy Cross!” and the people responded with “Kyrie eleison” (Lord have mercy) at least three times, and probably more. On September 14, 614 the ceremony was performed for the first time in Constantinople. It was repeated there again in 633 when a portion of the Cross that had been carried off by the Persians was recaptured and brought to the capital. The patriarch of Constantinople carried it in procession through the streets of the city. The rite was celebrated for the first time in Rome under Pope Sergius (687-701).

The theological and political meaning of the ceremony could not possibly have been lost on the crowd and the clergy that first time in Jerusalem. The Cross was the instrument by which Christ accomplished the redemption of man: “the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Cor.1:25). The Cross was the glorious weapon whereby the evil one was defeated and the curse incurred by Adam, abolished. Eternal life with God was possible again. The new Adam accomplished redemption through the agency of the new Tree of Life –the Cross. All creation was again incorruptible and blossoming with new flowers. That’s the theological meaning.

But, there was a political sense, as well. It was by the Cross that Constantine had conquered and been victorious. His conversion and patronage of the Christian Church ended 300 years of intermittent and sometimes horrendous persecution.

The Cross is the ultimate symbol of “invincible victory.”

…………………………………………………………………

Source

The Meaning of Icons, Leonid Ouspensky & Vladimir, (Crestwood, St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1989) pp.148-50

Picture Source

Unfortunately, I don’t have any information regarding the artist, studio or company that produced this icon.

Tags: Byzantine Catholic, Cross & Crucifix, Eastern Orthodox, Great Feasts, Icons, Liturgical art
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Like a Bride Adorned for Her Husband

September 12th, 2011, Promulgated by Bernie

Rev 21 [1] Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. [2] I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem,coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Rev 21 [11] It gleamed with the splendor of God. Its radiance was like that of a precious stone, like jasper, clear as crystal.

Rev 21 [18] The wall was constructed of jasper, while the city was pure gold, clear as glass. [19] The foundations of the city wall were decorated with every precious stone; the first course of stones was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald,[20]the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh hyacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. [21]The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made from a single pearl; and the street of the city was of pure gold, transparent as glass.

The church building in the Catholic tradition is more than just a gathering space for an assembly of people. It is a symbol of the New Temple –the people of God- and of the Heavenly Jerusalem “coming down out of heaven” dressed like a bride. The building should predispose us to experience the liturgy as timeless, incorporating in worship both all in heaven and all on earth. It is difficult to see how that experience can happen in a minimalist environment. I’m not going to say impossible, but, for most people, difficult.

Look around carefully and you can find in the Cathedral several suggestions of the heavenly Jerusalem in addition to the windows.

Once again, I can say something nice about our Cathedral even so after the notorious renovation: the beautiful windows are still there. They form the equivalent of walls of jasper, gold, precious stones, pearls, sapphires and such, mentioned in the Book of Revelation. The bride –the Church—is adorned in beautiful garments as she goes to meet her Lord.

Take heart! Not all is lost.

Tags: Beautiful, Beauty, Catholic Images?, Church Architecture, Liturgical art, Sacred Heart Cathedral, Stained Glass
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The Great Feasts: The Nativity of the Theotokos

September 7th, 2011, Promulgated by Bernie

This entry is part of 10 in the series Great Feasts

Back in June (2010) we began a series on the categories of Marian icons. That seemed to be well received so I’m thinking we might enjoy taking a look at the icons of the Orthodox or Eastern Catholic Churches that represent the Great Feasts of the Eastern Church: the Nativity of the Theotokos, the Exaltation of the Cross, the Presentation of the Theotokos in the Temple, the Nativity of Christ (Christmas), the Theophany (Baptism of Christ -Epiphany), Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, the Annunciation, Pascha (Easter), the Ascension of Christ, Pentecost, the Transfiguration, and the Dormition (Falling Asleep) of the Theotokos (celebrated as the Assumption in the Western Church. The Orthodox Church generally believes in the Assumption of Mary -body and soul- into heaven but it is not a defined doctrine of the Eastern Orthodox Churches).

The Great Feasts are twelve in number. Three of them -Pascha, Ascension, and Pentecost- are called the Movable Feasts because the dates of their celebration vary from year to year depending upon the date of Pascha. The other Feasts are referred to as the Fixed Feasts because they are celebrated on the same dates every year.

(Click on the pictures to see clearer images.)

Icon of The Nativity of the Theotokos

Troparion “Your nativity, O Mother of God, heralded joy to the whole universe, for from you rose the Sun of Justice, Christ our God, taking away the curse, He imparted the blessings, and by abolishing death, He gave us everlasting life.”

Kontakion “Through your holy birth, O Immaculate One, Joachim and Anne were delivered from shame of childlessness, and Adam and Eve from the corruption of death. Your people, redeemed from the debt of their sins, cry out to you to honor your birth: ‘The barren one gives birth to the Mother of God the Sustainer of our life!’”

The first Great Feast of the Eastern Liturgical year is the Nativity of the Theotokos and so the year begins with a story about Mary. The year will end with another story about Mary, her Dormition or ‘falling asleep’ (as in “Mary fell asleep at the end of her earthly life.” The Orthodox Church generally believes in the Assumption of Mary -body and soul- into heaven but it is not a defined doctrine of the Eastern Orthodox Churches.)

The Nativity of Mary icon always reminds me of the Nativity of Jesus icon for they have similar details. When we examine the Nativity of Jesus icon I think you will see what I mean.

The story behind the Nativity of Mary icon comes to us not from the canon of the New Testament but from the apocryphal book called the Protevangelium of St. James. It goes like this: The parents of Mary, St. Anne and St. Joachim, reached old age without producing any children. Anne was now barren. One day, Joachim went to the Temple to make an offering but he overheard someone ridiculing him for not being able to father a child. Ashamed, Joachim headed to the hill country to hide among the shepherds and their flocks and there he cried to God over his disappointment. At the same time, Anne was praying back home in Jerusalem. An angel appeared to the both of them at the same time and announced that Anne would give birth to a girl child whose name would be revered around the world.

There are more interesting details to the story but that’s the basic lead-up to the birth of Mary.

The icon of the Nativity of the Theotokos (God-bearer) shows St. Anne reclining on a couch having just been delivered of the baby, Mary. She is attended by servants. The environment suggests an upscale house which indicates that Anne and Joachim were fairly wealthy. In fact they were, but they divided their wealth in a most admirable way: one third went to the Temple and its staff while another third went to strangers and the poor. The remaining third was used by the family. In the foreground of the icon a midwife prepares to give the baby Mary a bath. Joachim, the husband of Anne is usually depicted in another part of the house or at some distance from Anne. Later icons show the two together caressing the baby or pointing to her as she lies in the crib. The largest figure in the icon is Anne although sometimes Joachim is just as large.

As Adam and Eve were the parents of a fallen humanity, Joachim and Anne are the grandparents of the Redeemer of that humanity –the ‘new’ man:

The name “Mary” or “Miriam” was given by the angel when he announced to Joachim and Anne that they would have the child they had prayed for. Only one other Old Testament person bore the name Mary or Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron. Mary means “hope” and so Miriam was the “hope” of the liberation of the Israelites because she saved Moses who would become liberator and savior of her people Israel (Exodus 2:4-8). Like the nativity of John the Baptist and the birth of Isaac from the sterile Sarah, the nativity of the Mother of God was considered to be a prefiguring of the Resurrection.*

“But the Nativity of the Mother of God is more than a figure, for in the person of St. Anna-a woman freed from her sterility to bring into the world a Virgin who would give birth to God incarnate-it is our nature which ceases to be sterile in order to start bearing the fruits of grace.” **

______________________________________

*from a Meditation by Mary Grace Ritchey

**The Meaning of Icons by Vladimir Lossky and Leonid Ouspensky

Tags: Great Feasts, Icons, Liturgical art
Comments: 1 Comment »

Annunciation Byzantine Catholic Church, Joliet, IL.

September 6th, 2011, Promulgated by Bernie

I ran across the website forAnnunciation Byzantine Catholic Church in Joliet, Illinois and found the program of icons in the interior interesting. The site has three pages of photos of the church, mostly the interior. The third page offers larger views if you click on the pictures. Unfortunately, the first two pages offer only thumbnails in a little larger size than normal. Scroll down and click on “Next page” to advance to pages 2 and then, 3. The pastor, Fr. Thomas J. Loya, is painting the icon murals.

I am quite taken with Byzantine, Eastern Rite and Orthodox churches that cover nearly every available interior wall space and ceiling space with icons. It is an amazing liturgical and spiritual experience for me especially with chanting and clouds of incense.

Check out the Church’s website.

In the bottom left corner you can see the top of the altar, and the tabernacle, candelabra and liturgical fans as well as the crucifix. The Virgin of the Sign dominates the bema/altar area. On the left wal is a mural in only the first stages of 'writing' by the pastor.

Another view of the altar area (behind the iconostasis screen). The altar and tabernacle are in the bottom of the photo. Note the altar for the preparation of the bread and wine on the left. You can see here also the chairs for the priests and deacon or other attendants.

The pastor, Fr. Thomas J. Loya, works on the ceiling mural. You can see the iconostasis screen in the bottom half of the photograph.

Close-up of adding facial features; dark lines and tones, first.

Bishop saints: John Chrysostom (left) and Basil the Great.

I think this is a view of the nave with the mural of the Dormition on the back wall.

Here we have saints Methodius and Cyril.

Tags: Byzantine Catholic, Icons, Liturgical art, Marian Images
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Posts Tagged ‘Liturgical art’

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Like a Bride Adorned for Her Husband

The Great Feasts: The Nativity of the Theotokos

Annunciation Byzantine Catholic Church, Joliet, IL.

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