The Facts
Ever since the dawn of the civilization, one of the most profound undertakings for the human kind has been the mission of discovering and understanding our bond with a divine power, a creator. Such knowledge would reveal us the purpose of our existence. Every one of the major religions of the world offers rules and recommendations that need to be followed in order for the worshiper to become enlightened, or one with God. And almost all of them use temples as sacred places that offer a connection between our world and the heavens. A place that allows our senses to get close to God.
Such one place is the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of The Annunciation in Atlanta located on 2500 Clairmont Rd. A place I have been on numerous occasions,
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Icons, frescos, incredible woodcarvings by masters that have devoted their lives to the craft, just take my breath away. These are depictions that follow centuries-old traditions established during the 7th Ecumenical council in the 8th century. By old Byzantine tradition the Orthodox Church makes no distinguished difference in the worship between the spiritual and the beautifully appealing. The visitor to the temple becomes aware of God's manifestation through the senses, in the experience of brilliance and magnificence.
Interpretation and Evaluation
The architectural design of the cathedral differs from the traditional byzantine-style of cross-in-square plane with a dome in the middle and usually multiple smaller domes. The Orthdox Cathedral in Atlanta is designed in a circle with wings and one large
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Here he’s represented peacefully seated covered in a red robe and his head surrounded with the mandatory golden halo and golden light beaming out of him in the four directions of the world. The light blue background creates a sensation of heavenly ascending and lightness. If you are expecting to see the elaborate paintings and mosaics covering the walls and ceilings of the typical Byzantine-style church, you will be surprised to see that this cathedral is very simplistic compared to the temples in Eastern Europe. Here important biblical scenes are covering walls under arcs from top to bottom. Large scale frescos tell us stories about the birth of Jesus, the last supper, his crucifixion, his resurrection and ascending. The canon is very strict as of what scenes should be depicted and where should they be located. By rule the icons should be stylized, with little details, and the faces should not represent real human faces. This way the worshipers won’t feel like they are praying to a person they know or have seen. Similar rules apply for the space in the icon. There is no perspective or linear gradation which creates a sense of other reality. Styles may change through the centuries but these fundamental rules have never changed since the 8th
On the lower half is an organization of geometric forms. However, the most important mosaic is the representation of Emperor Justinian and Emprise Theodora. Justinian is presented holding a bowl of Eucharistic bread as Theodora carries a chalice or vessel of Eucharistic wine. Due to the orientation of these figures and the ones that surrounds them, it could be suggested that they represent bringing Eucharistic elements into the church. Perhaps even as an offering to christ which is reinforced by the three magi bearing gifts on Theodora's rob.
More specifically, icons came to typify the art of the Orthodox Christian Church.
walls, there are paintings of the Life of the Virgin. On the bottom of the walls there are images of the seven ecumenical councils. The song “The Last Judgement” is painted on the west wall. Numerous figures of martyrs are painted on the pillars, and there are also many icons. There used to be an icon of “Our Lady of Vladimir,” but later on the icon was moved to St. Basil’s Cathedral so it wouldn’t be stolen because it was so expensive. There are icons of the Virgin Hodegetria, Saint George, Trinity. There is a large iconostasis, which is a screen bearing icon that separates the sanctuary from the nave, that occupies the whole wide wall of the cathedral.
Shortly after Rome made the transition from pagan practices to embracing Christianity as their formal faith, Christ's depiction in art went through various restorations. Some of the most widely popular illustrations were that of Christ sacrificed on the cross to his ultimate ascension into the Kingdom of Heaven after overcoming death. Since the image portrays Christ in luxurious attire resembling the Roman toga, the viewer can perceive that the mosaic was meant to present Christ in an imperialistic fashion. This is perhaps directed in part to the Byzantine emperors preferring to worship Christ in a way traditional and symbolic of their historical and early customs rather than how he really looked.
1. The Christ as the Good Shepherd mosaic located on the entrance wall of the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia in Ravenna, Italy was made circa 425 AD. A mausoleum is a monumental tomb, usually meant for entombing the dead above ground. The mosaic is displayed in a lunette-a semi-circular wall of a vaulted room. Even though the image of Christ as the Good Shepherd was a common one in catacombs in previous centuries, the way that Christ was shown in art had changed since Christianity had been adopted as Rome's official religion and the image of Christ in the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia was no different. Previously Christ had been shown as a simple carpenter, but in the Christ as the Good Shepherd mosaic he is shown in a fine Roman wear. At the time, Greeks thought that they could create order within their environments and thus create statues that were "perfect." This is what they believed they were doing with the way Christ was shown in the mosaic at the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia; creating a more worldly, powerful image of Christ. Christ is shown with a large golden nimbus (halo), a royal purple mangle over a golden tunic and holding a tall cross. Also depicted in the mosaic at the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia is a set of three sheep on each side of Christ, with him touching one on the nose.
[Figure 1] "Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Apr. 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017.
I attended a mass at Saint Haralambos Orthodox Greek Church. The church is located in Niles which is a suburb of Chicago on Caldwell Street in between Touhy and Howard Street. The mass I went to was on the Sunday of Orthodox which is known as the first Sunday of Lent where they honor the icons. The most important foundations that are highlighted in Greek Orthodoxy are the Bible and Holy Traditions that have been passed down (“Greek Orthodox Church”). The Greek Orthodox Church believes that the bible is motivated by God. Some important dogmas of the church include things such as the Holy Trinity, Jesus, the role that Virgin Mary had, and honoring the icons. The holy sacraments are what lead Greek Orthodox believers that they are reaching
elegance, and color. The structure is an octagonal exterior wall placed under a golden dome. The
The exterior of the church is very different from the ones we are used to in the sense that the church itself is vividly painted with all types of icons dating back to the mid 1960s. The tradition for this types of paintings is however rather old and in the orthodox creed these paintings are particularly important because they show the saints for whom the church was erected and whose name they usually take.
The Cathedral was a symbol of authority and religious achievement to people of the Middle Ages. Both Romanesque and Gothic style cathedrals are monuments to the skill and creativity of medieval people. Upon entering a Romanesque or Gothic style cathedral, one would have noticed that the function of these houses of worship is very similar. They are each an urban religious center in which priests conducted masses. Upon further examination of the sculptures and the different structures that embody them, one would have found that they differ quite dramatically.
For being over eight hundred years, the Christ in Majesty with Symbols of the Four Evangelists remained in remarkable condition. However, pieces of the original piece, which originated in the Catalan chapel in Spain, have faded. Portions, especially along the bottom, have disappeared over time. Even though historians moved it to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, it has not been fully restored. The artist identified each of the apostles in the Christ in Majesty with Symbols of the Four Evangelists, but the writing has grown fainter and this creates a difficulty for art historians. Another key factor in the overall story represented has faded--one of the lamps or incense holders beneath Christ.
In the Middle Byzantine art period, there was art of Daphni. It is the main element of the eleventh century. The interior of the church at Daphni was incredible. It was in shape of octagon. Furthermore, The Christ in the Daphni is like gigantic icon, which connects worshiper and heaven.
Both the Notre Dame de Chartres and the Bourges Cathedral are expressions of a new age of faith that grew out of the medieval Christian theology and mysticism, (Frank, Patrick). The Notre Dame de Chartres was used for meetings, concerts, and religious plays. It was the only indoor space that could hold all of the towns’ people. Most importantly, the Chartres cathedral was used as a place for worship. The Bourges cathedral was dedicated to Saint Stephen and was also used as a place for worship.
As I entered the cathedral the first observation I made was that the congregation was wearing various clothing. Some individuals were dressed in formal attire, which I was expecting, but others were dressed in shorts, T-shirts, and sneakers. This was surprising to me because I had thought that attending Mass was a formal occasion. There were greeters at the entrance of the Cathedral making everyone feel welcomed and passing out bulletins. I was amazed by the intricacy of the inside of the cathedral! The ceiling of the cathedral reminded me of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo. Before the service started, I awed at the ceiling and the stained glass windows. The stained glass windows were vibrant in color and intricate in design. Throughout the cathedral there were statues of various important Christian figures. I assumed that the statues were either of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, various saints, or individuals from the Old Testament because Matlins and Magida discuss how these statues are prominent in Roman Catholic cathedrals (Matlins). I know for a fact that one of the statues was indeed Jesus because it was a statue of him hanging on the cross. Like my church, there were pews for the congregation to sit in; however, what was different was that there were benches for the congregation to kneel on. According to Matlin and Magida, these benches are
What is the importance of this cathedral and how did the local people accepted the cathedral?