Did You Know?

DID YOU KNOW?

Cathy Pressimone, Parish Life Coordinator
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The San Damiano Cross is a well-known example of that which is referred to as an icon. An icon is religious instruction through stylized painting or drawing. St. Francis was praying before this cross when the Lord spoke to him, asking Francis to “Rebuild My Church.” Through the details of the cross, it teaches more fully the meaning of the crucifixion.
 
Jesus is portrayed as both wounded and strong; kingly, yet suffering. The prominence of the halo and Jesus, draws the attention of the observer. Under the extended arms of Jesus are the major witnesses of his crucifixion. Under his right arm, the two large figures are the Blessed Mother and John, the beloved Disciple. Under his left arm are Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and the Roman centurion who declared “Truly this is the Son of God.” His hand is extended in the classic position of Christian witness; the traditional sign for “I am speaking.” There are two smaller figures of minor witnesses tucked in at the feet of the major witnesses. The smaller figure below the Blessed Mother is Longinus, the soldier who pierced Jesus’ side. He is depicted standing with a spear, below droplets of the precious blood. Opposite Longinus is a figure known as “Stephaton.” This, as the tradition of the icon tells us, is the soldier who offered Jesus the wine-soaked sponge. At either end of the crossbar, six angels are depicted as heavenly witnesses. Their hands are drawn to represent awe, discussion and invitation. Typically, the San Damiano Cross has six figures at the base of the cross representing the patrons of the area where the cross was originally created. These are Sts. John, Michael, Rufino, John the Baptist, Peter and Paul. A tiny rooster at Jesus’ left calf calls to mind Peter’s denial. Finally, the resurrection and ascension are portrayed at the top of the Cross. Jesus is seen, robed as a king, holding the cross like a scepter with a host of ten angels welcoming Him into His kingdom; Jesus, resurrected by the power of God’s right hand, seen at the very top of the icon.
 
Did you know that according to Eastern Orthodox traditions, icons are considered sacred images, and as an art form, have existed from the beginning of Christianity. Because the peoples of the early Church were by and large illiterate, icons, along with stained glass windows, were referred to as the “Bible of the Poor.” The stylized rendering of the figures and symbols in the icon tell a story. In order to maintain consistency in the telling, there is very little room for artistic license.    The highly stylized positioning of all aspects of the body, the location of details, colors, and characters all help the observer to learn to become more deeply aware of the holiness depicted by the icon. Halos are given to all the holy figures - Christ, saints, angels. Those who have wings are messengers; so while angels have wings, so does John the Baptist. Colors play important roles in icon art as well. Gold represents the radiance of heaven, blue is the color of human life, white, the Light of God, is used only for the resurrection and transfiguration of Christ.
 
According to the Orthodox tradition of iconography, “the icon is a holy image, a door to heaven. It tells us that our Lord Jesus Christ and his great cloud of witnesses are present, on hand, on high, with us. It is indispensable for those who sincerely pursue and desire the fullness of Christian worship.”