DOI issue:
Nr. 1-2
DOI article:Dobrzeniecki, Tadeusz: Maiestas Crucis in the mural paintings of the Faras Cathedral (now in the National Museum in Warsaw): some iconographical notes
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18859#0022
living creatures rej>resented according to the description of their shape in the Apocalypse.
The Copie Biblical exegesis always perceived in these creatures a special cathegory of artgels
sińce they reveal themselves before the throne of God in heaven and sińce they have wings.
Therefore, in all Coptic representations and under their influence also in Nubian and Ethiopian
images they are shown without their attributes — the books that define them (as they do it
in Western iconography) as the symbols of the respective Gospels and of the Evangelists. They
have their own feast (on the 8th of the month Athor) and special homelies were offered
to them — analogically to the other angelic beings — the doxology and hymns as well as di-
recting to them the request of intercession before the face óf God. They have the same function,
known already from Ephraem's angelology, in all the Nubian paintings. Moreover, these crea-
tures, so close to the throne of God, are mentioned in the magical texts. The magie names
were given to them in order to subordinate their power to the will of man53. At Faras their
names are also inscribed aside their images. A decorative motif, fuli of symbolic meaning, is
a set of smali golden bells -łtung on four strings joining the outer edges of the arms of the Cross
and creating thus a regular parallelogram as well as on eight shorter strings creating the rec-
tangle in which an eąualarmed cross is inscribed. The number of bells corresponds to the re-
gularity of this geometrical disposition of the strings, the number being directly proportional
to the length of each string. This numeral regularity shows the rangę that may be formed of
the number of bells that are hung on every segment of the string: 11 + 11 + 10+4+3+3+4+
+4+4+4+4 = 72. Thus, the outer parallelogram counts on itself 42 bells while the inner
one 30.
The paintings at Faras reveal many details of the bishopric vestment such as vestments
with the bells attached to the lower edge of the garment54. The source for such a use of bells
is a preseription concerning the purple tunic enclosed in the Exodus (XXIX, 24—26)55. Pres-
criptions, however, did not precise the number of bells — it was established by the Rabbinistic
literaturę e.g. Gemara ad Sebachim c. 10: "Adfert septuaginta duo tintinnabula, ąuibus insunt
septuaginta duo plectra, et appendunt utriąue lateri (i.e. plangulae palli) triginta se.t"56.
Also St Jerome quoted 72 bells ascribing to them an apothropaic power. On the basis of the
local tradition the Christian East perceived the bells as protective means57. Canons of Hyp-
polite and Basil put down the meaning of this Biblical preseription as follows: "in order that
he not die" ("ne moriatur"). If these words justify the custom of wearing the bells, the latter
must have protected from even such enemy as the Angel of Death at the exode from Egypt.
These bells were a protection of the High Priest during his stay in the Tempie and after his
departure from it. Such significance of the bells may be also recognized in the Nubian painting
founded by a local priest. For the correct understanding of this motif of the bells as well as
of the whole program of the Maiestas Crucis from Faras, the writings of Origen are important.
This author of an allegorical interpretation introduces an eschatological thought that has its
counterpart in the generał character as well as in the specific function of the murals here discussed:
(„the High Priest) Habeat etiam per indumenti circuitum tintinnabula, ut, ingrediens, inąuit,
in sancta det sonitum et non intret cum silentio. Et haec tintinnabula, quae semper sonare debent,
53. C. Detlef G. Muller, Die Engellehre der koptisclien Kirche. Unlersucliuiigen zur Gescliichte der christlichen Frómmigkeit in
Agypten, Wiesbaden, 1959, p. 82—83: Die vier geistliclien Tiere; No 44: Lectionarium pro variisfestis: die 8 mensia hatur
(juauuor aninialium incorporeum; No 185, 186: homiliae.
54. T. Golgowski, "Z problematyki ikonografii biskupów Pachoras", Rocznik Muzeum Narodowego w Warszawie, XI, 1967,
p. 175—189: epitrachelion of bisbop Kyros with the bells.
55 Exodus XXXIX, 24—26.
56. P. Scholz, Die heiligen Atłertiimer des Volkes Israel, Regensburg, 1868, I, p. 102—105; F. J. Dolger, "Die Glóckchen am
Gewande des jiidischen Hohenpriesters nach der Ausdeutung jiidischer, heidnischer und fruhchristlicher Schriftsteller",
Antike und Christentum, IV, 1934, p. 233—244.
57. Epistoła ad Fabiolam (Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum latinorum 54), p. 600, 12—19: "...idcirco tintinnabula vesti
adposita sunt, ut, cum ingreditur pontifex in sancta sanctorum, totus vovali9 incedat. Statim moriturus, si hoc non fe-
cerit"; sce Dolger, op. cit., p. 239.
16
The Copie Biblical exegesis always perceived in these creatures a special cathegory of artgels
sińce they reveal themselves before the throne of God in heaven and sińce they have wings.
Therefore, in all Coptic representations and under their influence also in Nubian and Ethiopian
images they are shown without their attributes — the books that define them (as they do it
in Western iconography) as the symbols of the respective Gospels and of the Evangelists. They
have their own feast (on the 8th of the month Athor) and special homelies were offered
to them — analogically to the other angelic beings — the doxology and hymns as well as di-
recting to them the request of intercession before the face óf God. They have the same function,
known already from Ephraem's angelology, in all the Nubian paintings. Moreover, these crea-
tures, so close to the throne of God, are mentioned in the magical texts. The magie names
were given to them in order to subordinate their power to the will of man53. At Faras their
names are also inscribed aside their images. A decorative motif, fuli of symbolic meaning, is
a set of smali golden bells -łtung on four strings joining the outer edges of the arms of the Cross
and creating thus a regular parallelogram as well as on eight shorter strings creating the rec-
tangle in which an eąualarmed cross is inscribed. The number of bells corresponds to the re-
gularity of this geometrical disposition of the strings, the number being directly proportional
to the length of each string. This numeral regularity shows the rangę that may be formed of
the number of bells that are hung on every segment of the string: 11 + 11 + 10+4+3+3+4+
+4+4+4+4 = 72. Thus, the outer parallelogram counts on itself 42 bells while the inner
one 30.
The paintings at Faras reveal many details of the bishopric vestment such as vestments
with the bells attached to the lower edge of the garment54. The source for such a use of bells
is a preseription concerning the purple tunic enclosed in the Exodus (XXIX, 24—26)55. Pres-
criptions, however, did not precise the number of bells — it was established by the Rabbinistic
literaturę e.g. Gemara ad Sebachim c. 10: "Adfert septuaginta duo tintinnabula, ąuibus insunt
septuaginta duo plectra, et appendunt utriąue lateri (i.e. plangulae palli) triginta se.t"56.
Also St Jerome quoted 72 bells ascribing to them an apothropaic power. On the basis of the
local tradition the Christian East perceived the bells as protective means57. Canons of Hyp-
polite and Basil put down the meaning of this Biblical preseription as follows: "in order that
he not die" ("ne moriatur"). If these words justify the custom of wearing the bells, the latter
must have protected from even such enemy as the Angel of Death at the exode from Egypt.
These bells were a protection of the High Priest during his stay in the Tempie and after his
departure from it. Such significance of the bells may be also recognized in the Nubian painting
founded by a local priest. For the correct understanding of this motif of the bells as well as
of the whole program of the Maiestas Crucis from Faras, the writings of Origen are important.
This author of an allegorical interpretation introduces an eschatological thought that has its
counterpart in the generał character as well as in the specific function of the murals here discussed:
(„the High Priest) Habeat etiam per indumenti circuitum tintinnabula, ut, ingrediens, inąuit,
in sancta det sonitum et non intret cum silentio. Et haec tintinnabula, quae semper sonare debent,
53. C. Detlef G. Muller, Die Engellehre der koptisclien Kirche. Unlersucliuiigen zur Gescliichte der christlichen Frómmigkeit in
Agypten, Wiesbaden, 1959, p. 82—83: Die vier geistliclien Tiere; No 44: Lectionarium pro variisfestis: die 8 mensia hatur
(juauuor aninialium incorporeum; No 185, 186: homiliae.
54. T. Golgowski, "Z problematyki ikonografii biskupów Pachoras", Rocznik Muzeum Narodowego w Warszawie, XI, 1967,
p. 175—189: epitrachelion of bisbop Kyros with the bells.
55 Exodus XXXIX, 24—26.
56. P. Scholz, Die heiligen Atłertiimer des Volkes Israel, Regensburg, 1868, I, p. 102—105; F. J. Dolger, "Die Glóckchen am
Gewande des jiidischen Hohenpriesters nach der Ausdeutung jiidischer, heidnischer und fruhchristlicher Schriftsteller",
Antike und Christentum, IV, 1934, p. 233—244.
57. Epistoła ad Fabiolam (Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum latinorum 54), p. 600, 12—19: "...idcirco tintinnabula vesti
adposita sunt, ut, cum ingreditur pontifex in sancta sanctorum, totus vovali9 incedat. Statim moriturus, si hoc non fe-
cerit"; sce Dolger, op. cit., p. 239.
16