ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΙΚΗ ΑΡΧΑΙΟΛΟΓΙΑ

From about the 12th century, the Lamentation of Christ begins to appear in art. An abbreviated version of the great icon of Lamentation with the dead Christ and the Virgin, the three disciples and the Myrrh Bearers is the depiction of only the two central figures, Christ and His Mother, sometimes in a diptych. These two persons are called Christ "the Extreme Humiliation" and Panagia "the Weeping". They are the two images that used to be used in the churches for worship on Good Friday. In the 14th century, the embroidered representation of the Lamentation (Epitaph) appears, which very soon replaces the two images. The tradition of worshiping the two figures is preserved only in the Ecumenical Patriarchate, no longer on Good Friday, but on Holy Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, instead of the image of the "Bride" that usually appears in the churches. 1 photo: One of the oldest icons of the "Humiliation", Kastoria Museum, 12th c. 2 photos: Palaeolo...

The narration of the entry of Christ into the city of Jerusalem in the thinking of the first Christians of the Roman Empire reminded them of a familiar scene of everyday life: the triumphal entry of a Roman Emperor into a city of his territory, the so-called Adventus. In the 1st photo, a gold coin of the emperor Septimius Severus with him raising his hand in a gesture of peace, while sitting on a horse led by a servant. Around him the inscription: ADVENTVI AVG FELICISSIMO (entry of the blessed Augustus). From very early on in art, Christ was depicted wearing a purple tunic and an all-gold robe, like the Roman Emperor in his Adventus. In the 2nd photo the entry into Jerusalem from the Purple Codex of Rossano, a work of the 6th century. +E. G . ------------------------------------------------------- Η διήγηση της εισόδου του Χριστού στην πόλη των Ιεροσολύμων στην σκέψη των πρώτων χριστιανών της Ρωμαϊκής Αυτοκρατορίας θύμιζε μια γνωστή τους σκηνή του καθημερινού βίου: την θριαμβ...

  In ancient Egypt the dead passed the test of Psychostasia, they were weighed in the scales of justice. Their hearts were to be found lighter than a feather. In ancient Greek tradition there was also the balance of souls in the Underworld. The Christian tradition saved the ancient weighing after death. In the 1235 Palaeologian fresco of the Mileseva Monastery, an angel is seen supporting the balance, another placing on the left side rolled-up manuscripts, apparently the good deeds while small, black demons are pulling towards them the other side. The golden balance of the scales is from the “multi-gold” Mycenae, made around 1600 years before Christ. The papyrus miniature from 1300 BC shows the Egyptian yoke of Psychostasia in front of the jackal-like god of the Underworld, Anubis. +E. G . -------------------------------------------------------------- Στην αρχαία Αίγυπτο οι νεκροί περνούσαν την δοκιμασία της Ψυχοστασίας, ζυγίζονταν στον ζυγό της δικαιοσύνης. Έπρεπε η καρδιά...