CHURCHES CUT IN THE ROCKS IN CAPPADOCIA.
41
The religions zeal which induced the most fervent converts to pass their lives in solitude
was a characteristic of the first age of Christianity, that seems particularly to have struck
those writers who touch upon that remarkable epoch of transition in Roman society.
The annals of Christianity are full of facts that appear incredible to us, but the reality
of which is attested by monuments. Persecution, far from causing the zeal of the neophytes
to relax, caused them to give themselves up with greater ardour to the study of those
mysteries, which resembled, in many points, the philosophy taught by the Platonists. The
amusements which cities afforded to the people — theatres and games — were forbidden to
Christians: there were but two paths open to them, — the desert or the office of teacher.
The destination of the various grottos at Urgub is very evident: there were those dedicated
to divine worship, —chapels, and those which, having been the habitations of coenobites, at their
death had been converted into martyria, and had then their walls decorated with subjects
relating to their lives or recalling their glorious deaths. Hence arose Christian iconography,
which, amongst the first converts, was not an idle decoration, hut a medium for their instruction;
Tor at this epoch books were scarce; it was feared that the pagans would profane the mysteries
of Christianity, and secrecy was enjoined to the catechumens; pictures of remarkable events
taught what could not be learnt from books, and the picture of a martyr who had suffered
tor the faith was a constant incitement to the emulation of his virtues.
The chapels and oratories of Urgub may be counted by thousands; a year would be too
short a time for a skilful painter to copy all the pictures which adorn them. One of these
pictures represents a martyr attached to a cross; angels surround him, and appear to comfort
him in his last moments.
Another picture, of which we give a representation (sec Plate V.), relates to the dedication of
a church, or possibly of a religious book. The Virgin is seated, holding the infant Jesus on her
knee, while an old man, prostrate at her feet, makes an offering of a volume; angels assist at
the scene, and seem to pray that the offering may be received.
It may be remarked that the iconography of the Virgin is quite Egyptian. The artists of
Alexandria had so constantly before their eyes the paintings of the Egyptians, that they were
to a certain extent, imitators of them in their religious pictures. All that did not relate to
doctrine was left to the choice of the artist. The pictures of the Last Judgment that we
find in various parts of Asia, are also due to the influence of Egyptian art. The most remarkable
picture of this kind is in the church of Nemclieher. It is not older than the 15th century,
but it is a repetition of what is found in many pictures of earlier date. The upper part of
the picture is occupied by the three Divine Personages seated upon thrones — legions of angels
serve as messengers between heaven and earth. An immense pair of scales, suspended from
the foot of the throne, reaches to the earth. One one side is St. Peter holding the keys of
Paradise, and receiving the elect; on the other are demons, under the most frightful forms,
dragging strings of ghastly human beings. The demon places his title to the soul in the balance,
but it is the Archangel who adjusts the weights. The soul, dressed in white, is present at the
judgment. The condemned are seized by demons and thrown into flames. This subject, which
is extremely popular in the Greek Church, is a repetition of the psychostasis of antiquity;
it preceded by many centuries the picture that Michael Angelo painted so nobly in the Sistine
chapel. It is also found represented in the sculpture tympana of the porches of churches of
the 13th and 14th centuries in the West; but it was borrowed from the Byzantine art.
41
The religions zeal which induced the most fervent converts to pass their lives in solitude
was a characteristic of the first age of Christianity, that seems particularly to have struck
those writers who touch upon that remarkable epoch of transition in Roman society.
The annals of Christianity are full of facts that appear incredible to us, but the reality
of which is attested by monuments. Persecution, far from causing the zeal of the neophytes
to relax, caused them to give themselves up with greater ardour to the study of those
mysteries, which resembled, in many points, the philosophy taught by the Platonists. The
amusements which cities afforded to the people — theatres and games — were forbidden to
Christians: there were but two paths open to them, — the desert or the office of teacher.
The destination of the various grottos at Urgub is very evident: there were those dedicated
to divine worship, —chapels, and those which, having been the habitations of coenobites, at their
death had been converted into martyria, and had then their walls decorated with subjects
relating to their lives or recalling their glorious deaths. Hence arose Christian iconography,
which, amongst the first converts, was not an idle decoration, hut a medium for their instruction;
Tor at this epoch books were scarce; it was feared that the pagans would profane the mysteries
of Christianity, and secrecy was enjoined to the catechumens; pictures of remarkable events
taught what could not be learnt from books, and the picture of a martyr who had suffered
tor the faith was a constant incitement to the emulation of his virtues.
The chapels and oratories of Urgub may be counted by thousands; a year would be too
short a time for a skilful painter to copy all the pictures which adorn them. One of these
pictures represents a martyr attached to a cross; angels surround him, and appear to comfort
him in his last moments.
Another picture, of which we give a representation (sec Plate V.), relates to the dedication of
a church, or possibly of a religious book. The Virgin is seated, holding the infant Jesus on her
knee, while an old man, prostrate at her feet, makes an offering of a volume; angels assist at
the scene, and seem to pray that the offering may be received.
It may be remarked that the iconography of the Virgin is quite Egyptian. The artists of
Alexandria had so constantly before their eyes the paintings of the Egyptians, that they were
to a certain extent, imitators of them in their religious pictures. All that did not relate to
doctrine was left to the choice of the artist. The pictures of the Last Judgment that we
find in various parts of Asia, are also due to the influence of Egyptian art. The most remarkable
picture of this kind is in the church of Nemclieher. It is not older than the 15th century,
but it is a repetition of what is found in many pictures of earlier date. The upper part of
the picture is occupied by the three Divine Personages seated upon thrones — legions of angels
serve as messengers between heaven and earth. An immense pair of scales, suspended from
the foot of the throne, reaches to the earth. One one side is St. Peter holding the keys of
Paradise, and receiving the elect; on the other are demons, under the most frightful forms,
dragging strings of ghastly human beings. The demon places his title to the soul in the balance,
but it is the Archangel who adjusts the weights. The soul, dressed in white, is present at the
judgment. The condemned are seized by demons and thrown into flames. This subject, which
is extremely popular in the Greek Church, is a repetition of the psychostasis of antiquity;
it preceded by many centuries the picture that Michael Angelo painted so nobly in the Sistine
chapel. It is also found represented in the sculpture tympana of the porches of churches of
the 13th and 14th centuries in the West; but it was borrowed from the Byzantine art.