GUIDe TO GUIDE TC) BYZANTINE ICONOGRAPHY EYZaNTINe VOLUME TWO By Constantine Cavarnos ICONOGRaPHY Detailed, illustrated explanation often major icons VOLUME TWO ofthe Festalcycle and ofthe iconography of God (the HolyTrinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spir- it), of the Panagia or Theotokos, of Saint John the Baptist and of the Angels, followed by illuminating remarks of Saint Nectarios of Aegina and Photios Kontoglou on iconographic "Types"and"Archetypes." HOLY TRANSFIGURATION MONASTERY 8187 .C37 2 78 Warren Street, Brookline, Massachusetts 0244 5" 19930- ISB 0-94340S-11-4 \/.2 TI E C VARNOS + GUIDE TO BYZANTINE ICONOGRAPHY VOLUME TWO if if Detailed, illustrated explanation ten major icons the if if Festal Cycle and the icotioqraphv God (the Holy if Trinity, the Father,the Son, and the Holy Spirit), the if Patiaqia orTheotokos, Saint John the Baptist if and the AnBels,Jollowed by illuminatinB if if remarks Saint Nectarios AeBina and Photios Kontoqlou on iconopraphic "7jpes" and "Archetypes" By CONSTANTINE CAVARNOS PANAGIA HODEGETRIA PAMMAKARISTOS HOLY TRANSFIGURATION MONASTERY if if Panel Mosaic icon on the iconostasis the Church Saint George, the Patriarchate if Constantinople. Eleventh century. BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 2001 II 1\ CONTENTS LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS II PREFACE . COMMENTS ON VOLUME ONE 18 CHAPTER I. TEN MAJOR FESTAL ICONS. 20 The HolyWashing of the Disciples' Feet . 21 The Mystical Supper . t Christ Breaking the Bread at Emmaus . . 1 Christ Healing the Paralytic . . . . . . . Christ Conversing with the Samaritan Woman r Christ Healing the Blind Man . . . ! The Nativity of the Theotokos. . . . . . . The Elevation of the Precious Cross . . . . The Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple The Restoration of Holy Icons . Copyright © 200 I by Constantine Cavarnos CHAPTER II. GOD IN ICONOGRAPHY 60 INSTITUTE FOR BYZANTINE AND MODERN GREEK STUDIES (- The HolyTrinity 61 115 Gilbert Road, Belmont, Massachusetts 02478-2200 USA I Allrights reserved ) The Father ... 66 Printed in the United States ofAmerica The Holy Spirit . 66 ISBN 0-943405- 11-4 Christ ..... 67 Library of Congress Control Number: 93077765 The Holy Napkin 68 7 CONTENTS CONTENTS The HolyTile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 APPENDIX: SAINT NECTARIOS OF AEGINA Christ Pantocrator Panel Icon . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 ON TYPES IN ICONOGRAPHY I45 Panels of Christ the Merciful, Christ the Lifegiver, and Christ the Lightgiver . . . BIBLIOGRAPHY . I49 Christ as the Ancient of Days . INDEX OF ICONOGRAPHIC THEMES Christ as the Great High Priest GENERAL INDEX Christ as an Infant . Christ as a Reclining Child . . Christ at the Age of Twelve in the Temple Christ as Emmanuel . Christ as the Messenger of Great Counsel Christ inAnother Form . . . . . . . . . CHAPTER III. THE THEOTOKOS· IO I Panagia the Hodepetria . . I03 Panagia the Eleousa . . . . I04 Panagia the Glykophilousa I06 Panagia of the Passion. . I09 Panagia of the Angels . . I II Panagia the Fount of Life I II CHAPTER IV. SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST I I5 The Older Type . I I9 The Later Type . . . . . . . . I I9 CHAPTER V. THE ANGELS . I23 The Nine Orders of Holy Angels I26 The Fallen Angels I28 The Seraphim I3I The Cherubim . I33 Archangels and Angels I35 8 9 II II LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Christ Explaining to His Disciples the Significance of the Washing of their Feet. Fresco in the katholik6n of the Monastery ofVatopedi, Mount Athos. 1312. Front Cover Panagia Hodeyetria Pammakaristos. Panel mosaic on the iconostasis of the Church of Saint George at the Patriar- chate of Constantinople. Eleventh century. Frontispiece The Holy Washing of the Disciples' Feet. Mosaic mural in the Church of the Monastery of Hosios Lukas, Boeotia. c. 1000. 20 Christ Explaining to His Disciples the Significance of the Washing of their Feet. Fresco in the katholik6n of the Monastery ofVatopedi, Mount Athos. 13I2. 23 The Mystical Supper. Panel icon in the Refectory of Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Boston, Massachusetts.•By Photios Kontoglou. 1960. 26 Christ Breaking the Bread at Emmaus. Fresco on the south wall of the nave, Church of Staro Nagoricino, Serbia. 131]. 34 Christ Breaking the Bread at Emmaus. Fresco, detail, katbo- lik6n of the Monastery of Lavra, Mount Athos, byTheo- phanes the Cretan. 1535. 35 II ILLUSTRATIONS ILLUSTRATIONS Christ Healing the Paralytic. Fresco, Monastery of Saint Christ asthe Ancient of Days.Fresco, part of adeesis in the Nikita, Serbia. Earlypart ofthe fourteenth century. 39 narthex of the Church of Hagioi Anargyroi ofTheodoros Christ Conversing with the Samaritan Woman. Fresco, Lemniotis, Kastoria, Greece. Tenth or eleventh century. 8I katholikon of the Monastery of Stavronikita, Mount Christ as the Ancient of Days. Fresco, Church of Hagios Athos. Mid-sixteenth century. 42 Stephanos, Kastoria. Twelfth century. 82 Christ Healing the Blind Man. Fresco in the katholikon of Christ asthe Ancient of Days. Fresco, Church ofthe Mona- the Monastery of Docheiariou, Mount Athos. 1568. 46 stery of Ubisi, Georgia. First half of the fourteenth cen- Christ Healing the Blind Man. Fresco in the Church of tury. 83 Zoodochos Peghi at Liopesi (Paiania), near Athens. By Christ as the Great High Priest. Panel icon at the Mona- Photios Kontoglou. 1946. 47 stery of Gonias, Crete. Second half of the fifteenth cen- The Nativity of the Theotokos. Mural mosaic, Church of tury 87 Daphni. c. 1100. 49 Christ as the Reclining Child. Fresco in the Church of the The Elevation of the Precious Cross. Fresco in the katho- Protaton, Mount Athos, ascopied by the Hagiorite monk likon of the Monastery of Lavra, Mount Athos, byTheo- Theophilos in 1958. 90 phanes the Cretan. 1535. 52 Christ at the Age of Twelve in the Temple. Fresco in the The Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple. Mural mosaic katholikon of the Monastery of Lavra, Mount Athos. Six- in the narthex of the Church of Daphni. c. 1100. 54 teenth Century. 92 The Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple. Fresco in the Christ as Emmanuel. Fresco in the katholikon of Koutlou- Church of the Theotokos at Studenitza, Serbia. Thir- mousiou Monastery, Mount Athos. Sixteenth century. 94 teenth century. 55 Christ as the Messenger of Great Counsel. Fresco in the The Restoration of the Holy Icons. Fresco in the katholikon Kyriakon of the Skete of Kafsokalyvia, Mount Athas. Six- of the Monastery of Lavra, Mount Athos, byTheophanes teenth or seventeenth century. 96 the Cretan. c. 1535· 58 Panagia the Hodegetria. Panel icon at Holy Transfiguration The Hospitality of Abraham. Panel icon. Crete. Fifteenth Monastery, Boston, by Photios Kontoglou. 196 I. 100 century. 60 Panagia the Eleousa. Panel icon known as the Virgin of The Holy Napkin. Fresco in the Church of the Protaton, Vladimir, atTretyakov Gallery, Moscow. c. I 125. 105 Mount Athos. 1686. 69 Panagia the Glvkophilousa. Panel icon in the katholikon of Christ the Merciful. Panel icon at Holy Transfiguration the Monastery of Philotheou, Mount Athos. Reputed to Monastery, Boston, by Photios Kontoglou. 1964. 76 date from the eighth century. 107 Christ the Lifegiver. Panel icon. By Photios Kontoglou. Panagia the Clvkophilousa. Panel icon at the Byzantine Museum ofAthens. Sixteenth century. 108 1959· 77 Christ the Lightgiver. Panel icon at Holy Transfiguration Panagia of the Passion. Panel icon by Andreas Ritsos. fif- Monastery, Boston, by Photios Kontoglou. J959. 78 teenth century. I10 12 ILLUSTRATIONS Panagiathe Fount ofLife.Mosaicin the Church ofthe Mon- astery of Chora at Constantinople. Fourteenth century. 113 II Saint John the Baptist. Mosaic in the conch of the prothesis [I ofthe Church of Daphni. c. I 100. 116 Saint John the Baptist. Mosaic, detail from a Deesis in the south gallery of the Church of Hagia Sophia, Constan- tinople. End ofthe twelfth century. I17 SaintJohn the Baptist. Panel icon on the iconostasis of the PREFACE katholikon, Monastery of Dionysiou, Mount Athos. Six- teenth century. I2I Holy Angels. Mosaic, detail from the Baptism of Christ in I TNHE FIRST VOLUME ofthis work, after along Introduc- the katholikon ofNea Moni, Chios. c. 1050. 125 tion in which I explain many significant features of Byzan- Seraphim, Cherubim, and Angels. Mosaic in the Cathedral tine Iconography, I discuss in Part One Proskynetaria and of Cefalu, Sicily.Twelfth century. 127 the Iconostasis used in churches that follow the Byzantine Archangel Michael. Panel icon, Byzantine Museum of Tradition of iconographic decoration. Next, in Part Two, I Athens. Fourteenth century. 137 explain in detail theThree Cycles used in churches so decorated: Archangel Gabriel. Mosaic, detail from the Annunciation, the Doctrinal, the Liturgical, and the Festal. I conclude with an Church of Daphni. c.1100. 138 extended explanation of Saint John Damascene's defense of Archangel Gabriel. Panel icon, Monastery of Iviron, Mount iconography and the veneration ofholy icons. Athos, seventeenth century. 139 The present volume begins asa continuation of Chapter IIIof Part Two of the first volume. There, I explained the festal icons Synaxis of the Incorporeal Powers, Monastery of Dochei- of the Dodekaorton, namely, those of the Annunciation, the ariou, Mount Athos. ByHieromonk Philotheos. 1667. 142 Nativity of Christ, the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, the SaintNectarios ofAegina. Panel icon by the hand of Photios Baptism, the Transfiguration, the Raising of Lazarus, the Entry Kontoglou.I963. 146 into Jerusalem, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, the Ascen- sion, Pentecost, and the Dormition of theTheotokos. In this volume, we begin with a description and explanation of ten other icons of the Festal Cycle that are of special importance, being in various ways highly didactic and spiritually uplifting.The first of these are two icons which are related to the church services of the Holy and Great Week, in particular, the icon of The Holy Washing of the Disciples' Feet and the Mystical Supper. Then we proceed to the icon that depicts an event which is commemorated in the week that immediately follows the Holy PREFACE PREFACE and Great Week and is called in Greek Diakainesimos Heb- lowing are depicted: The Holy Trinity, the Father, the Holy Spir- domas, and in English is variously spoken of as"New Week" (the it, and Jesus Christ at various stages of His life on earth and in closest approximation to the meaning of the Greek term), "East- various "types." erWeek," and "Bright Week."The event specially commemorated There follows, in Chapter III, an extensive treatment of the then is Christ Breaking the Bread at Emmaus, as a confirmation subject of how the Theotokos or Panagia is traditionally por- of His Resurrection. trayed in various "types" holding the Child Christ. After that we deal with three icons that depict events which The next chapter is devoted to the iconography of Saint John are celebrated on three successive Sundays after the Sunday of the Baptist and Forerunner, who is very prominent in Byzantine Thomas, during the period that precedes the Ascension and Pen- iconography, both in panel icons and in murals. tecost. These icons depict two miracles of Christ that are special- Chapter V,the last one, is devoted to an explanation of the ly emphasized by the Church: The Healing of the Paralytic and various orders of holy Angels and how and where the Seraphim, The Healing of the Blind Man, and also the significant event of the Cherubim, the Archangels and the Angels under them are Christ Conversing with the Samaritan Woman. The last men- portrayed. Reference is also made to the Fallen Angels and the tioned icon serves to remind us of Christ's interest in persons ways in which they are represented. who were not Jews and that faith in Him results in receiving the After that chapter, I have added an Appendix in which I pre- grace of the Holy Spirit, called "the water that springeth up into sent some illuminating remarks which Saint Nectarios, Metro- eternal life." politan of Pentapolis (better known as Saint Nectarios of Continuing our discussion of Festal Icons in the chronological Aegina), makes on the subject of "Types"in iconography. These I order in which they are related to the services of the Orthodox relate to pertinent observations on "Archetypes" made by Pho- Church, we turn next to the following three icons:The Elevation tios Kontoglou. of the Precious Cross, The Entry of the Theotokos into the Tem- The book closes with a Bibliography, an Index of Iconographic ple, and The Restoration of Holy Icons. The first of these icons Themes, and a General Index. In the Bibliography are listed portrays a very Significant historical event: the discovery of the works actually referred to in the present volume. True Cross by Saint Helen at Jerusalem and the elevation of it Volume Two does not complete the work Guide to Byzantine from the ambon by the Patriarch of Jerusalem Macarios around Iconography. A third volume will be needed; and a considerable the year 325. The second pertains to an important event in the amount of very valuable material has already been gathered for life of the All-Holy Virgin Mary.The last mentioned icon depicts it. an event that is of great Significancein the history of the Church. It commemorates the triumphal victory of the traditionalist Orthodox, who supported the making and veneration of holy CONSTANTINE CAVARNOS icons, over the innovating, heretical iconoclasts, who were against holy icons. This event is celebrated on the First Sunday of the Holy and Great Lent known as"The Sunday of Orthodoxy." Institute Jor Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies In Chapter II, the iconography of God is explained in detail. It Belmont, Massachusetts answers the questions of how in Byzantine iconography the fol- January, 2000 16 17 COMMENTS ON VOLUME ONE writes in a classical way about the distinctive characteristics of II Byzantine iconography.This volume isalso aguide to the pattern II of decorating Orthodox Christian churches with panel icons, wall paintings, and mosaics. He discusses Byzantine Iconography as a sacred art and describes its history, themes, the way ofportraying persons, gar- ments, and objects, and the aesthetics of holy icons.The volume includes numerous illustrations, and relates where various panel SOME COMMENTS ON VOLUME ONE OF icons and murals appropriately belong in the church structure, according to the long and rich tradition of the Orthodox GUIDE TO BYZANTINE ICONOGRAPHY Church. The work is important for every Orthodox Christian to read Guide to Byzantine Iconography by Dr..Constantine Cavarnos is in order better to understand the functions and meaning of among the very best and most authoritative works on the subject icons. It includes a concise systematic exposition of Saint John of Byzantine iconography. It is an excellent didactic book for the Damascene's treatise in defense of holy icons, numerous refer- general reading public and for specialists, as well as a handy ences to other holy Church Fathers and modern writers on guide for the icon painter. In addition to its other merits, this iconography, a Bibliography,and Indexes. work provides the right terminology for the subjects treated and I highly recommend this impressive book to the Orthodox for the inscriptions oficons. Many of these correct terms appear and non-Orthodox, to scholars and the general public. here in the Englishlanguage for the first time. George C. Papademetriou, Professor ofTheology This is a monumental scholarly and authentic work. The in The Greek Orthodox Theological Review. Orthodox Church, scholars and artists will feel deeply grateful to Professor Cavarnos for it. Allwill eagerly wait for the appear- ance of the Second andThird volumes. Together, these three vol- Ihaveread Guide to Byzantine Iconography with great interest. It umes will constitute a truly comprehensive treatment of the isindeed an important guide to Byzantine iconography. important subject of Orthodox iconography. Demetrios Dukas, Iconographer. Archimandrite Herouvim, Iconographer, Skete of SaintAnna, Holy Mountain ofAthos, in The Hellenic Chronicle. The present volume on Byzantine iconography by Professor Cavarnos is a great contribution to the witness of Orthodoxy in th: Western hemisphere. Dr. Cavarnos, aprofessor ofphilosophy WIthdeep faith steeped in the rich Orthodox Christian tradition, 18 19 [I II CHAPTER I E-< ~ TEN MAJOR FESTAL ICONS ~ ••• ~ <~Z! a ~ a if a The Holy Washing the Disciples' Feet il< ....• UH <..i < "" ~ Hexapsalmos ("Six Psalms") mentions the Holy Washing, called 0 ::r: in Greek the 0 leroc NII1THP.ltsays: ~ ::r: When the glorious Disciples, during the Washing at the E-< Supper were illuminated, Judas the impious and avaricious, become ill, was filled with darkness; and he delivered Thee the RighteousJudge to the lawlessjudges. Youwho are lovers of money, behold him who for money used the gallows; flee from an insatiable soul, which dared to do such things to the Teacher.Glory toThee, 0 Lord,Who art good to all. This event is also mentioned in the Oikos (a kind of hymn) which is read a little later in the Orthros, as well as in the text 20 2I

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