Christ Pantocrator

Pantokrator (Greek παντοκράτωρ ) means all- or world ruler.

Origin

The word appears in the Septuagint around 120 times, as the transmission of Zeus epithet pantokratis to YHWH Sabaoth and El Shaddai, but none of the terms throughout. In the New Testament the term occurs only once in 2 Corinthians and nine times in the Book of Revelation, there always to God the Father, based. The transfer of the title to son, factually already taken place among others in Matthew 28:18 EU, happened expressly only in the course of the 4th century.

Iconography

Today, with Christ Pantocrator usually a type of iconography meant. The motif is found mainly in Byzantine art and in the vast majority of the Greek Orthodox and Russian Orthodox churches. Mostly, the icon of Christ is in the vault of the apse or the center of the iconostasis. Most of the Pantocrator is represented as a chest image, but there are also enthroned or standing full body representations. Typical are the head, just looking at the viewer, the attitude of the right hand that blesses the viewer, and closed or whipped book of Gospels in his left hand, in the often self-reports of Christ ( "I am ... " - words) from the Gospels to are read. The tunic ( chiton ) is shown in red, the outer garment ( himation ) green or rarely blue. The Pantokrator type emphasizes the divinity of Christ, his world domination, power and blessing of teaching authority.

In St. Catherine's Monastery is a very rare encaustic icon of Christ Pantocrator from the 6th century. Jesus, depicted as ruler, holds the New Testament. For a long time probably from Constantinople Opel derived work has been dated to the 13th century, as it was almost completely repainted. The icon is 84 x 45.5 inches tall. For the design of the face of the artist based on the Semitic type of face with beard and long hair.