Abenadar

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Abenadar (also: Abenader) is the name of a Roman captain who, according to the vision of the Augustinian nun and mystic Anna Katharina Emmerick (1774-1824) , is said to have played a role in the Passion of Christ . Its historical existence is not certain, and its name is not mentioned in the canonical Gospels . Nonetheless, his name appears frequently in modern art and in passion plays , so that he has received the status of an apocryphal extra-biblical figure.

The visions of Emmerick

In the viewing visions of Anna Katharina Emmerick written down by Clemens Brentano , Abenadar is one of the two Roman soldiers mentioned by name, alongside Cassius Longinus . Abenadar was an Arab from birth and later, as a convert, he was baptized in the name of Ctesiphon. Captain Abenadar's squad replaces another squad during the crucifixion . Abenadar prevents the "good" thief Dismas , who reprimanded the scoffers of Jesus among the gaping spectators, from being stoned. Later Abenadar gives Jesus a drink by handing him a sponge soaked in vinegar, which is stuck on an isopipe (cf. Jn 19:29). When Jesus dies, when the earth begins to shake, Abenadar comes to faith and recognizes Jesus as God Son (cf.Mt 27.54; Mk 15.39; Lk 23.47). Immediately he hands over the command to his sergeant Cassius Longinus. Abenadar later reports to the governor Pontius Pilate about the death of Jesus (cf. Mk 15.44) and the earthquake. Abenadar is also present at the Descent from the Cross .

Literature and film

Not infrequently, authors and filmmakers have adopted the figure of Abenadar from Emmerick's visions for their works. The Italian actor Fabio Sartor played the role of Abenadar in Mel Gibson's 2004 film The Passion of the Christ . As a centurion, he oversees the crucifixion of Christ and is portrayed as an officer who disapproves of the cruelty of his subordinates and is deeply impressed by the person of Jesus. In his novel “Longinus the Witness”, published in 1955, the writer Louis de Wohl names one of the officers Abenadar. Like Longinus, he was converted after the events of the crucifixion. The fictional life story of the Abenadar is described by the British author LD Alford in his 2008 novella "Centurion".

Abenadar and Stephaton

In Christian iconography , the sponge bearer is usually called Stephaton . The sound similarity of the names Stephaton and Ctesiphon (Abenadar's name after his baptism), both of which come from the Greek, is striking. In the legends of Christian tradition, the figures of the centurion and Longinus sometimes merge.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Clemens Brentano: The Passion - After the considerations of Anna Katharina Emmerick, Kevelaer 1951
  2. ↑ Louis de Wohl: Longinus the witness, Walter, Olten 1955
  3. ^ Leopold Kretzenbacher: On the hardly known name of the crucifixion witness Stephaton. In: Austrian magazine for folklore. - NS Vol. 55 = 104 (2001), pp. 1-22