Jesus in Catacomb Art

Transcription

1 3 B Catacombs

2 Jesus in Catacomb Art Christ the Good Shepherd Christ the Good Shepherd

3 Death and Funeral Practices the Romans cremated their dead until burial became the custom in the early 2nd century A.D. But Jews and Greeks buried their dead Incense & candles (offered in temples for dead loved ones) Sarcophogus Roman Funeral Processions

4 Roman Belief in Heaven & Hell The poet Virgil described the world of the dead as divided into a limbo, a hell and a heaven (Elysium). Elysium (or Elysian Fields) was vague and it was thought to be in the sky or beyond the ocean. Ideas from Greek myths (such as paying Charon to cross the river Styx to reach the god Hades) were possibly believed by the Romans, as coins were placed in the dead body s mouth.

5 Traditional Notions of Hell There is a road that slopes downhill, all gloomy with funereal yew. It leads to the underworld, through regions mute and silent. There the sluggish Styx breathes forth its mists, and by that path descend the ghosts of those newly dead, the shades of mortals duly laid to rest in their tombs. Far and wide the desolate spot is wrapped in gloomy chill. The ghosts, just lately arrived, do not know where the road lies which leads to the Stygian city, nor whether to go to find the grim palace of dusky Dis. His populous city has a thousand approaches, and gates on every side, all standing open. As the sea absorbs rivers from all over the earth, so that place receives every soul: it is never too small, however great the throng. New crowds arriving make no difference. Lifeless shadows without blood or bones wander about, some jostling in the market-place, some round the palace of the underworld's king, while others busy themselves with the trades which they practiced in the old days, when they were alive. Others are subjected to punishment, each according to his crime. Plutarch, Moralia (Divine Vengeance)

6 Scoffers, Cynics, Agnostics and Athiests Reflect that there are no ills to be suffered after death, that the reports that make the Lower World terrible to us are mere tales, that no darkness is in store for the dead, no prison, no blazing streams of fire, no river of Lethe, that no judgmentseats are there, nor culprits, nor in that freedom so unfettered are there a second time any tyrants. All these things are the fancies of the poets, who have harrowed us with groundless terrors. Death is a release from all our suffering, a boundary beyond which our ills cannot pass - it restores us to that peaceful state in which we lay before we were born. Seneca

7 The Catacombs One of the first Christian underground burial spots was south of Rome along the Appian way, at a place called Catacumbus, hence catacombs. Christians for the most part did not worship in the Catacombs

8 Extent of Catacombs Archaeologists say that in one set of catacombs, if all the tunnels were stretched end to end it would traverse the entire length of Italy Archaeologists have estimated that as many as 4 million graves were built in the catacombs of Rome

9 Construction of Catacombs

10 ART OF THE CATACOMBS by Randall K. Broberg

11 Ceiling

12 Crypt

13 Graves

14 HEAVEN AS A GARDEN

15 HEAVEN AS A GARDEN

16 CLEOPATRA?

17 SHEEP

18 HERCULES

19 HERCULES

20

21 FISH

22 ADAM & EVE

23 ADAM & EVE

24 ADAM & EVE

25 BALAAM AND DONKEY

26 BALAAM AND DONKEY

27 MOSES STRIKES THE ROCK

28 MOSES STRIKES THE ROCK

29 MOSES?

30 SAMSON

31 DANIEL

32 SHADRACK MISHACK & ABDENEGO

33 SHADRACK MISHACK & ABDENEGO

34 SHADRACK MISHACK & ABDENEGO

35 JONAH

36 JONAH

37 JONAH

38 JONAH

39 JONAH

40 BALAAM AND DONKEY

41 SUSANNAH

42 MARY

43 MARY

44 MARY

45 MARY

46 MARY

47 MARY AND ADORATION OF MAGI

48 Baptism of Christ

49 THE GOOD SHEPHERD

50 THE GOOD SHEPHERD

51 THE GOOD SHEPHERD

52 THE GOOD SHEPHERD

53 THE GOOD SHEPHERD

54 THE GOOD SHEPHERD

55 JESUS

56 JESUS HEALS THE BLEADING WOMAN

57 JESUS AND SAMARITAN WOMAN

58 JESUS TURNS WATER TO WINE

59 JESUS RAISES LAZARUS

60 LAST SUPPER

61 LAST SUPPER

62 LAST SUPPER

63 LAST SUPPER

64 LAST SUPPER???

65 PAUL

66 Paul?

67 AGAPE FEAST

68 AGAPE FEAST

69 AGAPE FEAST

70 AGAPE FEAST

71 AGAPE FEAST

72 AGAPE FEAST

73 MAN

74 BAPTISM

75 Woman

76 WOMAN IN PRAYER

77 WOMAN IN PRAYER

78 WOMAN IN PRAYER

79 WOMAN IN PRAYER

80 WOMAN IN PRAYER

81 WOMAN IN PRAYER

82 WOMAN IN PRAYER

83 WOMAN NURSING (NOT MARY)

84 WOMAN IN PRAYER

85 CHILD PRAYING

86 CHILD PRAYING

87 BAPTISM

88 Aspects of Early Church Learned from the Catacombs Egalitarian: no references to worldly titles, no indications of slave or free. Divinity of Christ is Unquestioned. No evidence of prayers to saints or on behalf of saints or any concept of purgatory (you d expect this among graves if it was practiced) Firm belief in resurrection of the body No Crosses or Priest Images, No clear clerical/laity distinctions Mary portrayed as human No evidence of Infant Baptism