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**hauptdaunnila** · 09-10-2009, 09:07 PM

Herman,

I just looked at some resurrection icons, and in each the Lord was in that almond-shaped thing, the name of which I forget; it signifies that only the eyes of faith can see what's in there.

Bill

There are no icons of the Lord's resurrection. The usual paschal icon in fact depicts the Descent of Christ into Hades on the Saturday between His crucifixion and resurrection, and is the visual companion to the texts of Great and Holy Saturday, that Sabbath of Sabbaths. The 'almond-shaped thing' is usually called a 'mandorla' which is Italian for almond. A mandorla device is constructed from two intersecting circles within a third circle:

Mandorla.gif

In Orthodox iconography, this represents Christ's divine nature and heavenly glory which was seen: 'we beheld his glory' (John 1:14). The mandorla is also to be seen in icons of the Transfiguration, Ascension, and the Dormition of the Mother of God.

09-10-2009, 09:07 PM	#11
hauptdaunnila Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 534 Senior Member	Herman, I just looked at some resurrection icons, and in each the Lord was in that almond-shaped thing, the name of which I forget; it signifies that only the eyes of faith can see what's in there. Bill There are no icons of the Lord's resurrection. The usual paschal icon in fact depicts the Descent of Christ into Hades on the Saturday between His crucifixion and resurrection, and is the visual companion to the texts of Great and Holy Saturday, that Sabbath of Sabbaths. The 'almond-shaped thing' is usually called a 'mandorla' which is Italian for almond. A mandorla device is constructed from two intersecting circles within a third circle: Mandorla.gif In Orthodox iconography, this represents Christ's divine nature and heavenly glory which was seen: 'we beheld his glory' (John 1:14). The mandorla is also to be seen in icons of the Transfiguration, Ascension, and the Dormition of the Mother of God.
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