DOI issue:
Nr. 2-3
DOI article:Dobrzeniecki, Tadeusz; Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie [Contr.]: Maiestas Domini from the Faras Cathedral in the National Museum in Warsaw: (prolegomena to the iconography)
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18864#0085
3. Imago clipeata Christi, Faras, Cathedral, now Sudan Museum, Khartoum
The phenomena of light played an important role already in old Greek mysteries —• the shining
brightness was the sign of the divine Epiphany. However, in the Hellenistic mysteries light is
already not only a phenomenon accompanying the Epiphany, but the proper object of vision.
It is the divine power, which "enlightens" man. His transmutation into a divine being (divinatio)
reveals itself according to the mystery beliefs by the supernatural brightness radiating from the
transfigured "saint" myste.
Mystical devotion based on the radically dualistie world outlook surpasses mystery religions
and popular gnosis. The seeing of the light is experienced not in the cult but as the inner emotional
experience of soul, foreign to the earthly affairs, the body and the senses27. The man passes
through the way of purification (xa# c.paicr) with the philosophical consideration and meditation
27. W. Volker, Konlemplalion und Ekslnse bei Pseudo-Dionysius Areopagila, Wiesbaden, 1958; E. Benz, Die Vision. Erfah-
rungsformen und Bildcrwell, Stuttgart, 1969, pp, 326—340 : Die Bildertvell der Yisionen. Das himmliche Lichl.
75
The phenomena of light played an important role already in old Greek mysteries —• the shining
brightness was the sign of the divine Epiphany. However, in the Hellenistic mysteries light is
already not only a phenomenon accompanying the Epiphany, but the proper object of vision.
It is the divine power, which "enlightens" man. His transmutation into a divine being (divinatio)
reveals itself according to the mystery beliefs by the supernatural brightness radiating from the
transfigured "saint" myste.
Mystical devotion based on the radically dualistie world outlook surpasses mystery religions
and popular gnosis. The seeing of the light is experienced not in the cult but as the inner emotional
experience of soul, foreign to the earthly affairs, the body and the senses27. The man passes
through the way of purification (xa# c.paicr) with the philosophical consideration and meditation
27. W. Volker, Konlemplalion und Ekslnse bei Pseudo-Dionysius Areopagila, Wiesbaden, 1958; E. Benz, Die Vision. Erfah-
rungsformen und Bildcrwell, Stuttgart, 1969, pp, 326—340 : Die Bildertvell der Yisionen. Das himmliche Lichl.
75