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Hi,
I hhve 2 questions about iconography that I hope someone can answer.
1) Is there any significance of the way Jesus looks directly at us in the icon of the Pantokrator.
On the cover of a book, I saw a more western depiction of this icon and it showed Jesus looking away.
It really didn't look right, so I was wondering what that was all about.
2) In the icon of the Wedding feast at Cana, does tradition tell us who's wedding it was?
Thannks
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) Is there any significance of the way Jesus looks directly at us in the icon of the Pantokrator.
On the cover of a book, I saw a more western depiction of this icon and it showed Jesus looking away.
It really didn't look right, so I was wondering what that was all about. Yes, in traditional Eastern Orthodox iconography, Christ should be looking directly at you in the Pantocrator icon. This helps the viewer to focus on prayer and veneration. I don't understand your question about the icon of the Marriage at Cana. Are you referring to this post about the icon: https://www.byzcath.org/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Main/20591/Number/271076#Post271076This post talks about the bride, the Theotokos in the icon and the symbolism.
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I thought that one eye was looking at us and one eye was looking to Heaven.
Terry
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1. Without knowing image source it's difficult to say. I googled around a bit and learned that the Western image is Christ in Majesty, a mosaic of which is in the Basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception...which incidentally, was funded by collecting pennies from schoolchildren in the 1950's, including my dad. I didn't see an image with Jesus looking away.
2. It seems to be about Jesus blessing the bonds of marriage, so the subject is marriage itself, rather than the marriage of any particular couple.
Keep in mind that I'm not an expert.
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There is a tradition that says the wedding at Cana in Galilee was that of St Simon the Zealot's - who later became an apostle of Christ.
Also, Christ looks directly at us because in the Icon He is giving us His direct blessing.
Alex
Last edited by Orthodox Catholic; 01/13/08 06:44 PM.
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I was told that it was the wedding feast of St. Thomas the Apostle.
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[ Linked Image] I would like to confirm Alex's remarks with a paragraph from the Menologion of Saint Dimtri of Rostov: "The holy Simon was a native of Cana of Galilee and was known personally to the Lord and to His all-pure Mother, for the town of Cana was not far distant from Nazareth. When Simon celebrated the occasion of his marriage, he invited to that festivity the Lord, His immaculate Mother, and His disciples. Since there was a shortage of wine for the guests, the Lord changed water into wine [cf. Jn 2:1-11]. Struck by this miracle, the bridegroom came to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the true God, and, leaving his wedding festivities and his very house, he followed after the Lord with zeal. Hence he received the name �Zelotes,� or �the Zealot,� since he was enflamed with so great a zeal that he forsook his own bride for love of Christ, wedding his soul to the Heavenly Bridegroom. For this, Simon was numbered among the assembly of Christ�s disciples and in the ranks of the twelve holy apostles." Ray
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