All icons of the savior. The most famous icons of jesus christ

In any home of a sincere believer, there are icons of Jesus Christ.

Any icon has its own content, idea and meaning, and the face of the Savior helps people overcome the difficulties of life, helps them find peace in their souls.

Jesus Christ iconography

The iconography of Jesus Christ is a union of schools, systems and creations that depict the Son of God.

It is noteworthy that in Early Christianity, the image of the Savior was depicted through allegory - a lamb, a pelican, as a symbol of mercy, a dolphin, that is, the savior of drowning people who was pierced by a trident, a fish. In 692, the Fifth-Sixth (Trull) Cathedral banned the image of the Savior in this way.

At the moment, Jesus Christ is portrayed as a Judge - the King of Kings and Almighty; or in the image that the Savior wore among ordinary people to carry out His ministry.

The icons of Jesus Christ are attributed to the six main iconographic types.

Icon "Jesus Christ Almighty"

The image shows the Son of God at the age when he was preaching. The Church Charter says to write Jesus Christ dressed in a purple chiton (an element of clothing, a piece of fabric that is applied to the right side and fixed on the left shoulder), blue himation (rectangular fabric, usually worn on top of the chiton), and depict a criss-crossed halo above the head.

It is believed that the blue outfit of the Son of God personifies the heavenly principle, and the crimson one represents the nature of people, torment and royalty. This painting is considered a symbol of harmony between heavenly, earthly and spiritual.

The Savior is depicted on the throne, however, there are images in full growth and waist-high. The left hand of Christ usually holds the gospel, and the right one folds into a blessing sign. If the Gospel is open, then the symbols of birth and death are drawn on the pages - the letters alpha and omega (ΑΩ).

The icon "Jesus Christ the Almighty" does not let you forget about the heavenly judgment, which awaits any righteous and no, about mercy and kindness. She brings help to people in overcoming life's difficulties.

Icon "Savior"

In the past, Jesus Christ was represented in the images of those who carry the sheep of a good shepherd, in the form of a lamb, a fish. Later, such an image of the Savior was banned from use.

Jesus Christ is now represented on icons exclusively according to the Church Rule. The unchanging elements of the icon of the Son of God are considered to be a baptized halo, a crimson tunic, and a blue himation.

Icon "The first steps of Christ"

The icon "The first steps of Christ" is located in the monastery of St. Gerasim of Jordan. This monastery was built in the 5th century by Gerasim, who came to the Holy Land for the purpose of worship and became a monk.

This religious community is located next to the Jordan River Delta in El Meit in the southern side of the Jordan Valley. It is believed that in the passage to Egypt, the Holy Family with the Savior stood in a cave at the monastery. During one of the halts, the Infant Jesus took his first steps.

Icon "Lamentations of Jesus Christ for the Murdered Babies"

Hegemen Chrysostin, being an icon painter, created the icon "The Lament of Jesus Christ for the Murdered Babies." The origin of the icon is associated with the monastery of St. Gerasim of Jordan.

The image of the crying Son of God over unborn children carries the idea of \u200b\u200bhealing repentance. Women who have sinned, through unbelief or ignorance, prayers of repentance in front of the icon in order to feel guilty peace.

Hegumen Priest Peter Udovenko asked to make an icon for the St. Nicholas-Matronovsky Church so that more Orthodox women could sincerely repent of their sin and find forgiveness.

Icon "Crucifixion of Jesus Christ"

The crucifixion of the Savior is a symbol of the atonement by Jesus Christ of the sins of mankind. In the center of the icon is the Cross of the Lord with the Savior on it, and above the head of Christ there is a tablet with the letters “I.N.TS.I” - “Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews”, which could have been written by Pontius Pilate himself.

In the early 30s of the 1st century, the Son of God was depicted with open eyes as a symbol of immortality. According to the traditions of Orthodoxy, Christ is written with closed eyes.

The main motive of the icon is the salvation of the human race. Angels speak about the sacred beginning of Jesus of Nazareth and his immortality, flying over him in the sky.

Icon of Jesus Christ and the Most Holy Theotokos

The face of the Virgin Mary is revered throughout the world and embodies morality, innocence and righteous deeds. The icon of Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary is considered the main female image and motive in Christianity.

Icon painters follow the exact canon during the writing of the icon. Each detail in the image carries its own meaning and is designed to evoke certain associations among believers.

The Virgin Mary is never portrayed with the adult Jesus. Thus, her great role as a Mother is emphasized, which gave her son as a sacrifice to humanity.

Icon "Christ in a crown of thorns"

The second name of the image is "King of the Jews".

The plot of the icon reflects the severity of the sins of mankind, which the Son of God took upon himself. The image of Jesus Christ, captured on this icon, reiterates about obedience to one's fate, patience of torment and pain, ridicule and humiliation that fell to the lot of the Savior.

Jesus Christ is depicted with his hands tied and his head bowed to one side, framed in a crown of thorns. On the shoulders of the Savior rests the mantle of the monarch - "purple".

Prayers in front of the icon "Christ with a crown of thorns" helps Christians to cope with life's difficulties, especially those related to injustice.

Icon of Jesus Christ Ushakov

The icon, painted by Simon Ushakov, dating from 1661, is in the Kremlin's Annunciation Cathedral.

The image of the Son of God is written in compliance with all the canons - the face of Christ with a cross halo above his head.

The face of the Savior is surrounded by a background that makes the appearance of a certain spatial environment, located on the border with the real world, from where the visitor is looking.

This is how the image of the ideal Divine Personality of the Savior is formed, which exists in a world similar to the material one.

In the vast Orthodox world, the Jesus icon occupies the first and great place. She is not only a splendid decoration of the temple and an object of veneration, but also has great doctrinal significance.

Praying before the images of Christ

Every believing Christian should know how the icon of Jesus Christ helps:

• in healing from serious, fatal diseases;
• in any trouble, in difficult life situations;
• grants help in showing the right path in life;
• helps in making serious, fateful decisions;
• relieves of stupid and sinful thoughts, worries;
• strengthens physical and spiritual strength;
• protects from the invasion of the devil's power;
• protects from the influence of evil, envious and cunning people;
• bestows peace and quiet in the house.

When does the icon of the Savior help? Help from Above is those people who turn to the Creator for help with pure and deep faith, who do not avoid repentance for their sins, and those whose work of life is Salvation and eternal life. For such Christians the Lord will always extend His Helping Hand.

Old icon

The most common images

The first image of Christ is the Face imprinted on a towel, when the Savior wiped His face with a cloth. Today it is the well-known icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands.

In the Catholic Church, there is another version of the origin of the "Face not Made by Hands": during the Way of the Cross, the pious woman Veronica handed her handkerchief to one of the sufferers, whose face was covered in blood. Having wiped his face, the man saw that an imprint remained on the scarf and a crown of thorns appeared. Since then, the image has become known as "Veronica's Plate". The relic is reverently kept in Rome.

Also in the Orthodox Church Jesus icons are widespread:

• "Savior, the Almighty" - the Savior in a half-length image, holding the Book in his left hand;
• “Savior in Strength” - the Creator sits on the throne in snow-white clothes;
• "Emmanuel" - Jesus is depicted as a boy;
• "Good silence" - the Creator is depicted in the image of an Angel, before His earthly incarnation;
• “Great Bishop” - the Lord is indicated in the bishop's vestments.

These icons are canonical, which allows reading any prayers to the Holy Trinity before them.

More about the Lord's icons:

Symbols of images

A fish. According to the teachings of the New Testament, fish is preaching. The Lord Himself compares the apostles, who were previously fishermen, to "fishers of men."

The Kingdom of Heaven is a seine cast into the water and capturing all kinds of fish. At the very beginning of the Christian era, people wore around their necks "amulets" with images of fish made of stone and glass. By this conventional symbol, Christians recognized each other. Even on the walls of the shops, on the floor of the market square, wherever crowds of people happened, fish were inscribed.

This served as a sign for itinerant Christians about where fellow believers gather.

Lamb. In the Christian world, the lamb is the name of Jesus as the Messiah. The image of the Lamb is the mystery of Christ's death. Often there is an image where the Lamb of God stands on a small hill from which streams of water flow. The hill is the Church, the streams are the symbolism of the four Gospels.

Vine of grapes. The gospel image of Christ is the source of life for an Orthodox person. The branches of the grapes symbolize the members of the Church, and the bunches pecked by the birds symbolize the Communion. After all, the Savior Himself called himself the vine, His Father - the grower, and the disciples-apostles - the branches.

Cross. The eight-pointed image of the crucifixion is the very Cross on which the Savior of mankind was crucified.

Jesus Christ Pantokrator, with prophets and apostles

Rare icons

"Angel of the Great Council" - the symbolism of Christ, borrowed from the Old Testament. This image was the reason for writing the image of Christ in the form of an angel with snow-white wings.

“Savior the Good Silence” is an image of the creator in the angelic rank (before incarnation). The hands of the Savior are folded crosswise on the chest, the nimbus looks like an eight-pointed star (it is formed by two squares).

The Good Shepherd. Jesus is depicted as a young shepherd holding a rod. He is surrounded by a flock of grazing sheep. The image was common in ancient Christian art and is now found in regions that welcome Western European influence.

"Don't cry to Me, Mati." On the icon, Christ is shown reclining half in the tomb, and behind His back is the Cross.

"Christ the King of the Jews." The image has a Catholic origin, the Savior is depicted knee-deep, in a purple robe and a crown of thorns, His hands are tied, the creator holds a cane in his right hand.

Spas the Good Silence (Angel of the Great Council).

Icon in the house

In the dwelling of an Orthodox family, icons must be placed on the iconostasis. If there is no iconostasis in the house, then they still have no place next to other interior items.

About other revered Orthodox icons:

It is inappropriate to put them in bookshelves and behind glass cabinet doors, next to cosmetics, figurines, photographs, paintings and other interior decorations.

It is strictly forbidden to place icons next to colorful posters of pop performers, athletes, politicians and other idols.

Important! The icon is not a "storehouse" of grace. Grace acts on prayer-books not from the icon, but through it. It is sent by the Almighty to those Christians who believe in Him. Attaching to an image without faith in His power and with dark thoughts is empty. But deep faith and hope for help will give people healing, support and good deeds. It should also be remembered that an icon is not a talisman, which is typical of a pagan cult. It does not guarantee protection from quarrels, problems, does not represent protection from evil spirits.

Orthodox practice leads a person along the path of life by the Word of God. Therefore, the icons of Christ occupy the main place both in an Orthodox church and in the home of believers.

Watch the video about the image of Jesus Christ

The Savior's icon is the central image in Orthodoxy. Since ancient times, it has been kept in every home. She was especially loved and revered, because this is an image of the Lord. There are many images of the Savior. And most of them are assigned miraculous powers. Icons radiate peace and exude incense. They cure many ailments, not only mental, but also physical.

Symbol and meaning of icons

Since ancient times, believers began to portray God, the Saints and the Mother of God. Over time, the church took control of this art and established certain rules and frameworks that had to be observed in the painting. The icon is a kind of mediator between the spiritual divine world and man. Thanks to the holy image, any prayer will ascend to heaven much faster.

The icons of the Orthodox Church are full of various metaphors and associations, each element and every detail has its own hidden, but rather great meaning. Any image carries a kind of code that reveals the essence of the church, man and faith. For example, the cross is martyrdom, the pointing finger is divine providence, and the saint with a spear is victory over evil. In addition, on some ancient icons you can see vines and grapes - the sign of the church.

The symbolic language of icon painting covers not only the gestures and positions of the saints. It determines the composition itself, the technique of the image, and even the color. However, all of this is subject to separate church canons. This is done in order to eliminate the ambiguous meaning and to protect believers from the manifestation of heresy.

The history of the appearance of the first miraculous icons

Healing and helping images, according to church men, take their power from God's grace. Many miraculous icons are recognized in the Orthodox Church, or rather about 1000. Basically, these are the images of Christ and the Mother of God.

Many legends say that the first miraculous image is the cloth with which Jesus wiped his face, and an imprint remained on it. It is also called Mandylion. Initially, the ancient Edesian king Abgar was healed from him. He was sick with leprosy.

One of the first mentions of miraculous icons is also the myrrh-streaming of the Pisidian icon in the 6th century. Then oil flowed from the hand of the depicted Mother of God. This phenomenon was confirmed at the VII Ecumenical Council.

The most famous miraculous images of the world

History knows many sacred images that have helped and still heal many human ailments - both mental and physical. At the same time, some Orthodox icons heal infertility, others help in marriage and love, others fulfill desires, etc. Therefore, queues of believers eager for specific help line up for them. And there are some icons that almost all Orthodox seek to get to:

• Icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Those who are already practically desperate turn to this image. And he fulfills any request or prayer that comes from a pure heart. In addition, the Saint is the patron of sailors and travelers.
• Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. One of the most famous images of the Virgin. In modern history, this icon is famous for the fact that during the Great Patriotic War it protected our soldiers and ordinary residents in besieged Leningrad. It is said that this image helps many believers in trouble.
• The Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. This is one of the oldest and most revered holy images in Russia, one that should be in every Orthodox family. It heals body and soul, and also protects from evil.

Miraculous icons, as a rule, are accompanied by some kind of signs or significant events. They come to the rescue when believers especially demand intercession.

How icons are recognized as miraculous

Many have heard about the healing properties of this or that divine image. There are also scientifically proven facts of myrrh streaming and the fragrance of images. However, not every such case is recognized by the official church as miraculous. Over the course of many centuries in Orthodoxy, certain rules and canons have been formed, according to which icons are recognized as miraculous.

Peter I can be considered a pioneer in Russia in this matter. It was he who issued a number of certain decrees, thanks to which the miraculous icons were removed from private homes and were to be kept exclusively in churches. Therefore, later, it was the church images that received great chances for recognition.

In addition, in pre-revolutionary and modern Russia, to assess the authenticity of a miracle, Orthodox icons (photo or original) were placed in a special altar. There they were sealed, and with several witnesses, one of whom must necessarily be in the priesthood, they were checked.

This image is the main one in Orthodoxy. Images of Christ were present in all homes, regardless of wealth, from ancient times in Russia. As a rule, the icon of the Savior is made strictly according to generally accepted church canons. This image gives people comfort and faith. Its main elements:

• Halo with an inscribed cross and three Greek letters that denote the expression: "I am who I am."
• Purple chiton (riza). Symbolizes the human nature of the Savior.
• Blue himation (outerwear). Reminds of the divine origin of Jesus.

As a rule, now you can find only two types of images of Christ: in the image of an ordinary person or a baby, and also in the guise of the King of Kings. The icon of Christ the Savior is always located on the central dome of any Orthodox church, because this is considered the most honorable place.

There are several iconographic types of this icon in the main church canons.

Savior Not Made by Hands

This shrine is considered the very first in the world. The story tells that the Icon of the Savior has two legends about its origin. One of them tells about the time of Christ's life in Osroen. The local king Avgar V suffered for a long time from the terrible "black leprosy". Suddenly he heard about an extraordinary man-miracle worker who visited his city. The king sent his painter Ananias to Jesus with a request to heal him. However, the artist still did not manage to approach the Son of God - he was surrounded by a crowd of believers and admirers. Desperate, he decided to sketch Christ, but he could not portray the face. Finally, the Savior himself invited him to his place. To reward the painter, he asked to bring water, washed himself with it and dried himself with a cloth. Miraculously, the water turned into paints, and the image of Christ appeared on the canvas. Having received the ubrus, King Abgar was healed and got rid of the ancient idols.

Another legend says that the holy image appeared on a handkerchief with which the Savior wiped his faces before Calvary during his prayer. Only after the Ascension was this gift given to Ananias.

Savior the Almighty

This is one of the fundamental images of Christ in icon painting. It is intended to show a saving, magnanimous and creative God who holds the entire vast world in his hand. Here he is depicted with a blessing right hand and the Gospel. At the same time, the icon of the Savior shows all the boundless kindness and compassion of God.

This image in iconography began to form in the 6th century. At this time, almost all holy images were created in Constantinople. That is why the face and garments of Christ took on a single form that we now see in the church.

In Russia, the painting appeared around the 11th century. According to legend, the Almighty Savior was considered a prayer icon of Russian princes. He was even placed near the tombs of the Yaroslavl rulers Vasily and Constantine.

Savior on the throne

In this image, the Lord is depicted on the throne in full growth. Here he is shown not only as the ruler of the whole world, but also as the only judge. His right hand is also raised for blessing, and his left is holding an open gospel. The throne symbolizes the immense universe and determines the royal glory and authority of the Lord.

However, this image is not the only one. There is another Orthodox icon - the icon of the Savior on the throne, where with his right hand he points to the Gospel. So the Lord determines the priority and supremacy of the sacred ecclesiastical authority over the secular. There is a legend that tells about a certain Byzantine emperor Manuel I Comnenus. He independently painted an icon of the Savior on the throne, but quarreled with one Greek priest and decided to punish him for his disagreement. At night, Manuel had a dream in which God punishes him for interfering in church affairs. Upon waking up, the emperor found numerous wounds on his body. And, looking at the icon, he saw that the Savior had changed the position of his hand. Now he was pointing to the lines of the revealed Gospel. It is known that this icon received the name "Manuilov Spas", or "Spas Zlata Riza" (for a rich gilded setting).

Savior in strength

This is one of the most symbolic images of the Lord. This icon of Christ the Savior has not yet been fully solved and is interpreted in different ways. Here the Almighty sits in full growth on the throne. In the hands of his open Gospel. And the most remarkable thing is that it is always depicted against the background of a red square with slightly elongated ends. The square here symbolizes the Earth. In addition, at the ends of it are depicted an angel, a lion, an eagle and a calf. It is generally accepted that these are symbolic images of dedicated evangelists - Matthew, Mark, John and Luke. They seem to spread the teaching of Christ throughout the world.

A blue oval is drawn on top of this red square. This is our spiritual world. It depicts angels, symbolizing all the powers of heaven. A red diamond is drawn over this oval again. It defines the world invisible to man.

There is a belief that in this image Jesus will appear at the end of time, at the Last Judgment.

Spas Emmanuel

As a rule, Jesus is depicted on all icons in a mature image, when he was baptized, performed miracles and received a martyr's death. However, there are exceptions. The icon of the Savior, the significance of which is difficult to overestimate, depicts Christ in infancy and adolescence. He is presented both in composition with other saints, and separately. At the same time, the image of the Lord in these paintings is usually called "Savior Emmanuel".

This icon symbolizes the predetermination of everything on Earth, the fulfillment of the highest divine plan. The first such images appeared in some Italian mosaics in the 6th-7th centuries. In Russia, Emmanuel was painted together with two angels.

The history of the appearance of this image is based on some biblical texts. Emmanuel means the expression "God with us." Most of the icons depict Jesus as a 12-year-old child. He has a rather wise and adult expression of his gaze for childhood. Otherwise, he is described in the same way as the adult image of Christ.

Spas the Good Silence

He is also called the Angel of the Great Council. This is an icon of the Savior (a photo or any other image of him), showing Christ before his earthly incarnation. He is represented by an angel - a young man with large wings behind his back. Above his head, he has a cruciform or a special octagonal halo. It consists of red and black squares superimposed on each other. The colors represent the divinity and incomprehensibility of the Creator.

In Russia, this angel was portrayed to the waist, with a special eight-pointed halo and folded hands. The icon became the most famous and popular in the 18th-19th centuries. The image of Christ symbolized humility and inaction before destined trials and even death.

This icon was held in high esteem and respect by both Old Believers and pilgrims. However, it has not received proper distribution, and it is rather difficult to find its old samples.

The central image of all Christian art is the image of the Savior, or the Savior, as it was called in Russia. The word Jesus is translated from Greek as the Savior, for he came into the world to save humanity for the sake of eternal life. Christ means the anointed one, that is, the king is the one who is anointed to the kingdom (in ancient times, the rite of the monarch's accession to the throne was accompanied by anointing the forehead with "blessed oil" - the world. This custom was inherited by all Christian monarchies).

The question of the true appearance of Jesus Christ has occupied the minds of Christians since the days of his first followers. The Gospels have left us no description of the Savior's appearance. During the II-IV centuries. there were two types of ideas about him: one was based on the image of the historical Jesus of Nazareth with pronounced Syro-Palestinian features, the other, later, on the idealized Greco-Roman image. Over time, the second point of view prevailed thanks to John Chrysostom, who declared that "Jesus was beautiful." Simultaneously with him, Blessed Jerome believed that "if Jesus did not have something divinely beautiful in his very face and gaze, the apostles in no case would have followed Him immediately."

In the first centuries of the existence of the new religion, most often it was possible to meet the image of Christ in the form of a young, beardless youth, which, of course, was associated with the centuries-old ancient tradition of depicting God in the form of a beautiful youth (after all, gods cannot grow old!). However, later, a Christian tradition of its own developed to represent the Savior in the image of a "middle age" - that is, a middle-aged man, which corresponded to the age at which Christ ended his earthly life.

Images of the Young Christ in Early Byzantine Art. Mosaics from the temples of Ravenna of the 5th-7th centuries.

The canon of the image of Christ was developed in Byzantium by the 8th century, and in the next century, a description of the iconographic type was recorded, according to which the face of the Savior should be “blessed, with knitted eyebrows, red-eyed (red is beautiful), with a long nose, light brown hair, having dark beard. " From this description, artists were repelled for many centuries.

Images of Christ on Byzantine (6th century) and Old Russian icons (15th century)

Legends about the miraculous origin of the original image of Christ have been preserved. According to the legends, the face of Jesus was imprinted in a miraculous (that is, not created by human hand) image - on a towel (board, ubruse) and on a clay board (tiles, rhinestones). The most ancient is the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands, or the Holy Ubrus, which dates back to the times of Christ's earthly life.

Tradition says that King Abgar, the ruler of the Syrian city of Edessa, having learned about the miracles performed by Jesus, sent his servant Ananias, who was a talented painter, to him. The king suffered from leprosy and planned to be healed with the help of a portrait of the Savior. Ananias, who came to Jerusalem, tried to paint the image of Christ, but the intolerable light that came from the face of the Savior made it difficult to see his features. Then Christ decided to help the desperate artist: he ordered to bring water and a clean white towel (ubrus), then washed his face and wiped it with an uvrus, on which the divine face was miraculously imprinted. Tsar Avgar, who was cured of leprosy the moment he touched the ubrus, ordered to fix it in a niche above the city gates. Later, under the great-grandson of Avgar, who did not recognize the Christian faith, the image was laid with a clay board and walled up. Several centuries later, during the invasion of the Persians, the Mother of God appeared to the local bishop and ordered to open the image. And then not only the Face Not Made by Hands appeared before the stricken inhabitants: the image of Christ was also miraculously imprinted on the clay board that covered the board. The city was saved from the enemy, and from that time, as the legend says, the worship of the Image Not Made by Hands begins.

Most often, it is found in two versions - the Savior on ubrus (on a white background) and the Savior on a ribbon (or on ceramics), which is distinguished by the brick-red background of the face. The second version of the Image Not Made by Hands enjoyed great love in Russia. It was this Savior that adorned the banners of the Moscow, Tver, Yaroslavl princes, acted as the defender of the Russian land and the patron of the Russian army. Under the banner with the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands, Dmitry Donskoy fought in the Battle of Kulikovo.

The image of the Savior Not Made by Hands is an image of the face of Christ surrounded by a cross halo. This is the only icon in which the halo has the form of a completely closed circle, expressing the perfection and harmony of the world order. The position of the face in the center of the circle symbolizes the central role of the Savior in the universe.

The crown of thorns is not depicted in Orthodox icons, this option is found only in Western European art, and it is associated with a completely different legend. It says that during the procession of the cross to Calvary, a certain righteous wife, Veronica, seeing the suffering of Christ, gave him her handkerchief to wipe his face. The image of Christ not made by hands was imprinted on this scarf. One of the main relics of Christianity, called "Veronica's plate", is now kept in the Cathedral of St. Peter in Rome and show it to believers only once a year - on the fifth Sunday supper of Great Lent. Memory of St. Veronica was also captured in Jerusalem: the sixth stop of Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross of Christ) is marked by the chapel of St. Veronica, and a piece of a column embedded in the wall denotes the place where the house of a righteous wife was located in ancient times.

St. Veronica. Painting by D. Fetti. XVII century

Jesus Christ is the king in heaven and on earth, he owns souls, bodies, and the fate of people. Therefore, the image of Christ has appeared in art from very ancient times, emphasizing its importance as the lord and judge, the ruler of the world: Savior Almighty. This majestic image took shape in the era of the triumph of Christianity under the influence of the existing rules for depicting Roman emperors.

Christ the Almighty. Old Russian and Byzantine icons of the XIV century.

Christ the Almighty (in Greek Pantokrator) is a half-length image of the Savior seated on a throne with his right hand raised in a blessing gesture and the book of Holy Scripture in his left. Such an image, in addition to icons, is often found in church murals: the figure of Christ the Almighty is placed in the central dome, likened to the heavenly spheres. According to the theologian Nicholas Mesarite, Pantokrator is portrayed in such a way that it is perceived differently by different groups of viewers. His gaze is directed at all at once and at each separately. He looks "favorably and friendly at those who have a clear conscience", and for the one who does evil, the Almighty's eyes "sparkle with anger, aloofness and hostility," and his face looks "angry, terrible and full of threat." The right hand blesses those walking the right path and warns those who have turned from it, keeps them from an unrighteous way of life.

With the same attributes of the Ruler of the world - with the Gospel in his left hand and with the right hand raised as a sign of blessing - Jesus Christ was depicted in compositions called "The Savior Is in Power." However, here the figure of Christ seated on the throne is surrounded by various symbolic signs developed by a long tradition, indicating the fullness of his power over the world. The figure of the Savior on the throne appears in the frame of a rhombus, an oval and a quadrangle, whose totality symbolizes the image of the universe. The red rectangle denotes the earth, in its corners are placed an angel, a lion, a calf and an eagle - symbols of the four evangelists who proclaim the glory of the Savior to all ends of the earth (tetramorph). You can give a link to the material "The system of pictorial design of a Christian temple", tetramorph In the blue oval symbolizing the sky, the "angelic ranks" serving Christ swarm - winged seraphim and cherubim; the foot of the throne is supported by the mysterious "powers of heaven", which gave the name to the plague - in the form of winged, scarlet, covered with eyes rings (this is how the phrase "full of eyes" was understood in the Middle Ages). The very figure of Christ is surrounded by a fiery rhombus - a sign of a powerful, life-giving energy emanating from him. The fiery rhombus and golden rays emanating from the Savior's figure symbolize the divine glory of Jesus Christ.

An icon of this type is most often placed in the center of the iconostasis as the embodiment of the supreme deity, his dominion over heaven and earth. Christ reigning over the world also appears as its formidable judge; the Mother of God, John the Baptist, archangels and saints approaching him from both sides pray to him for mercy and leniency towards human sins.

Deesis rite of the Assumption Cathedral of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery. End of the 15th century Central icon - Savior in forces

Marina Grigoryan

A kind of icon, also called Savior the Almighty or Pantokrator - (Omnipotent in translation from Greek).

Icons of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ and icons of the Mother of God are in every church and in every believing family, because it is thanks to them that the Christian faith lives in our hearts and souls. As one of the Church Fathers, John Damascene, theologian and defender of icon veneration, narrates, the very first icon of Jesus Christ, or rather, even his portrait for a long time could not be painted by painters on the instructions of one of the Edesian kings of Avgar - such a strong radiance emanated from His face. According to legend, Jesus Christ, in order to help the artist, applied a canvas to his divine face, and His image was miraculously imprinted on the matter. Later, this canvas was recognized as the first lifetime icon of Christ and gave it the name of the Savior Not Made by Hands.

Features of the image of icons of the Lord Jesus Christ

One of the main features in the iconography of Jesus Christ is His unusual cross-shaped nimbus - a nimbus, into which the outline of the cross is inscribed. Initially, the images of Jesus Christ were signed with the Greek letters "Alpha" and "Omega", remembering the Revelation of John the Theologian, where the Lord God says about himself: "I am Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last." Later, two inscriptions appeared on the icons of Jesus Christ: an earthly name signed as IC XC, and the heavenly name " Existing", written in Greek, where each letter is inscribed in one crossbar of the cross-shaped nimbus - ? ??

The attire of Jesus Christ on the icons is almost always the same: a simple red shirt - a chiton, which is covered on top by a rectangular piece of fabric tied in a special way - the blue of himation. Sometimes the chiton depicts a clav - an elegant strip of fabric running from the shoulder to the bottom of the garment, which was a hallmark of people of noble birth.

The main images of the Savior Jesus Christ

In the Orthodox tradition, there are a lot of options for depicting the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ on icons, but the most common and noticeable are the following:

• Savior the Almighty- an icon of this type depicts Jesus Christ as the Heavenly King and Judge, it is no coincidence that the second name of this icon, Pantokrator, translated as "Almighty", "Almighty". On the icons of the Savior the Almighty, the image of Jesus can be written both in full growth, and in the waist and shoulder. A separate iconographic image of the Almighty Savior - Lord Almighty enthroned, or, otherwise called Savior on the throne... The throne on this icon acts as an obligatory attribute of royal power, on which during the Last Judgment Jesus Christ will judge people.
• Savior in Strength- a kind of icon of the Lord Almighty on the throne. The Lord Jesus, seated on the throne, is surrounded by the ethereal Forces of heaven - the Heavenly Host, made up of all nine angelic ranks
• - he is Mandylion the Miraculous.Only the face of Jesus Christ is written on these icons, since the very first icon of Jesus Christ kept in Edessa became the prototype of the Savior Not Made by Hands. This icon was a piece of cloth fixed on a wooden base. According to legend, the Savior simply applied the painter's canvas to His face, and His face appeared on the fabric. There are two most common types of the Savior Not Made by Hands - Spas on the cleanup and Savior on a rush, aka Ceramide. A feature of the iconography of the Savior on the ubrus is the background on which the miraculous Face of the Savior is visible - ubrus, which in Old Slavonic means a scarf, a towel. In Ceramide, the background is tiled or brickwork. According to the legend of the Savior on a robe, His face appeared on the brickwork of a niche that hid the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands.
• Spas Emmanuel - icons of the Lord Jesus Christ in adolescence. "Emmanuel" in translation from Hebrew means "God with us!" It is believed that the appearance of the image of the Savior Emmanuel is associated with the condemnation of the views of Archbishop Nestorius of Constantinople, who denied the divine essence of Jesus Christ before his baptism by John the Baptist. A feature of this type of icons is the not childishly serious and wise look of Jesus.
• King of Glory - a half-length image of the deceased Jesus Christ, who is in the tomb. Hence the second name of this iconographic type - Christ in the grave... The Savior's eyes are closed, his head is bent to one side, his palms are covered with wounds from the nails with which He was nailed to the cross.
• Don't cry for me Mati - the image of the deceased Savior in the tomb, who is mourned by the Mother of God standing next to him. As in the King of Glory, Jesus' arms are powerlessly crossed, his head is tilted, his eyes are closed. Behind Jesus' back is the Life-giving Cross, next to which the instruments of the Passion of Christ are sometimes depicted.
• Deesis - a composition of the Mother of God, John the Baptist and Jesus Christ in the image of the Lord Almighty, located in the center of the icon. On the icon of the Deesis tier, the Mother of God and John the Baptist pray to the Lord God for the human race, holding their hands in a gesture of prayerful intercession. In home iconostases, the Deesis is sometimes found, in which St. Nicholas the Wonderworker replaced John the Baptist, so revered by Christians all over the world.