Resurrection icon

Russian resurrection icon, 16th century

The orthodox resurrection icon or anastasis icon (from ancient Greek ἀνάστασις "resurrection") depicts the resurrection of Jesus Christ in a form that is unfamiliar to the Western tradition. Despite the diversity of details, this icon always contains the same symbols and types.

In contrast to the western tradition, where painting tries to depict the incomprehensible event of the resurrection in the picture, the orthodox resurrection icon does not represent the event itself, but its spiritual effect: the victory of Jesus over death and hell.

The icon refers to the Easter sermon of John Chrysostom , which is read as a sermon in the Orthodox Easter liturgy to this day :

“Today Hades calls and groans: I would have been better if I hadn't taken in Mary's son. For when he came to me, he destroyed my lordship and smashed the iron gates; the souls that I once owned, he raised up as God. "

The picture depicts a rocky abyss. Jesus stands in the center of the picture on two tablets in the form of a St. Andrew's cross , which symbolize the gates of hell. He is often dressed in white and his cloak blows to indicate the dynamism with which he storms down the gates of hell from above. Below him is a black abyss in which one can often recognize diabolical instruments of torture and the shackled Satan .

Left and right are some people from the Old Testament , on the left Adam , whom Jesus extends his hand to pull him up to him. Behind Adam you can see the kings David and Solomon and John the Baptist , who points to Jesus. On the right is Eve , who also extends her hand to Jesus on some icons, and often Abel , a young man with a shepherd's staff.

The content of the icon is reflected in the hymn from the Orthodox Easter liturgy:

“Christ rose from the dead, he trampled death through death and gave life to those in the graves”.

Web links

Commons : Icons of Resurrection of Christ - Collection of images, videos and audio files