Dominica Resurrectionis

The Resurrection
Carl Heinrich Bloch (1834-1890)

Christ is Risen!

The world below lies desolate.

Christ is Risen!

The spirits of evil are fallen.

Christ is Risen!

The angels of God are rejoicing.

Christ is Risen!

The tombs of the dead are empty.

Christ is Risen indeed from the dead,

the first of the sleepers!

Glory and power are his forever and ever!

St. Hippolytus (AD 190-236)

Noli me tangere!

While in the process of writing an article on the practice of receiving the Most Blessed Sacrament in the hand, I was simply overwhelmed by the beauty and abundance of images inspired by Our Lord's short, simple instruction. Therefore, I'll let Him explain my opinion on the matter (be sure to click on the images to view them in a larger format):

Noli me tangere
Antonio da Correggio (1489-1535)

Noli me tangere
Tatian (1490-1576)

Noli me tangere
Ciro Ferri (1634-1689)

Noli me tangere
Anton Raphael Mengs (1728-1779)

Noli me tangere
Anton Raphael Mengs (1728-1779)

Appearance of Jesus to Mary Magdalene after the Resurrection
Alexander Ivanov (1806-1858)

Ecce Homo (Philippe de Champaigne)

Ecce Homo
Philippe de Champaigne (1602-1674)

Then the soldiers of the governor, taking Jesus into the hall, gathered together unto Him the whole band; And stripping Him, they put a scarlet cloak about Him. And platting a crown of thorns, they put it upon His head, and a reed in His right hand. And bowing the knee before Him, they mocked Him, saying: Hail, king of the Jews! And spitting upon Him, they took the reed, and struck His head. (St. Matthew 27:27-30)

The Madonna of the Lilies (William-Adolphe Bouquereau)

The Madonna of the Lilies
William-Adolphe Bouquereau (1825-1905)

We are struck immediately by the steady gaze of the Christ-child. He is no longer an infant, but perhaps 18 months of age, and His blue eyes are focused directly upon us. There is no trace of timidity, but rather calm recognition as He looks out, into the world, into us. His head is adorned with a crown of curly, golden locks. His arms are held aloft, as if ready for an embrace. The thumb and first two fingers of His right hand are extended in blessing. He is naked, clad only by the supporting hands of His Mother.

The Blessed Virgin holding the Child is seated on a throne, ensconced between gracefully carved high arms of white stone, before which stand two bouquets of white Easter lilies. She is facing us, but her eyes are cast downward. Her coif, which leaves her neck exposed, is of the purest white, and her veil is a deep and velvety blue trimmed with gold, as are the vermilion sleeves of her upper garment. This is not the humble homespun of a poor virgin from the countryside, but rather the finest of rainments, fit for the Queen of Heaven. 

Madonna and Child (Marianne Stokes)

Madonna and Child
Marianne Stokes (1855-1927)

In the foreground, we see the Blessed Virgin, seated, clad in a simple yet finely woven white linen tunic. The horizontal hem of the modest neckline is faintly decorated with tiny black stitches. A royal blue mantle, equally fine, drapes her shoulders. Her long, gracile neck is exposed to us, fading seamlessly at the nape into her shiny, carefully combed auburn hair, which falls behind her, out of sight. Her delicately featured face is nearly in profile, her gentle gaze cast toward the ground. Her hazel eyes seem unfocused, as though she is lost in thought. Her ruby lips contrast with her flawless alabaster skin, indicating the fullness of her youth. The solid gold halo surrounding her head is interrupted only by that of the sleeping infant Christ she holds in her hands. His eyes closed, His hand placed under His cheek, He rests His head upon the Blessed Virgin's shoulder.

In the immediate background, we see a low white garden wall and part of a stone column. Beside the column and immediately behind the Blessed Virgin hangs a flat curtain of olive green cloth, through which can be seen part of the landscape. The curtain hangs undisturbed, indicating calm weather. To the left of the pair, we see a single stem bearing seven Easter lilies, five in full bloom, two yet to open. Just behind the lilies, perched upon the retaining wall, is a pale red but shiny apple.

In the distant background, we see a smattering of tall, thin cypress trees, receding into the distance as we approach a large body of water, probably the Sea of Galilee. On the edge of the sea we see the faint impression of a city - presumably Capernaum - with the walls of its buildings reflecting the light of the low-lying sun in warm, earthen tones. Behind the city's skyline stand pale blue mountains which fade into the clear afternoon sky.

The Gero Crucifix

Gero Crucifix
(Photo: Elya) 

The Gero Crucifix, thought to have been carved sometime around A.D. 970, is the oldest surviving crucifix of its kind produced north of the Alps. It was commissioned by Archbishop Gero of Cologne (900-976) to adorn the Cathedral of Cologne, where it has remained to the present day. The life-sized 187 cm long corpus depicts the crucified Lord (miserere nobis) with an emphasis on His suffering and death - a marked contrast to the iconography of Byzantium - and is widely considered to represent a milestone of Western iconography. The Chronicon of Bishop Thietmar of Merseburg (975-1018) contains the story of a miracle associated with both Archbishop Gero and the crucifix bearing his name:

Meanwhile, Archbishop Gero of the See of Cologne died. As I have only spoken briefly about him, I will now relate a few things which I previously held back. He had a crucifix artfully made out of wood, which now stands above his grave, in the middle of the church. When he noticed a fissure in the crucifix's head, he healed it, trusting not in himself, but rather in the the healthy remedy of the Highest Artisan. He took a portion of the body of the Lord, our unique comfort in every necessity, and a part of the health-bringing cross, and placed them together in the crack. Then, prostrating himself, he tearfully invoked the name of the Lord. When he arose, he found that the damage had been healed through his humble benediction.

Containing as it does the Real Presence, the Gero Crucifix is a powerful visual presentation of Our Lord (miserere nobis) to the many thousands of pilgrims which visit Him each year.

Altar of the Gero Cross
(Photo: Frank Vincentz)