When christianity 1st arose it was without him egyptian it had only words a new script images with 1st introduced into the Christians Assembly rooms where they were concentrated at the far end of the simple hole colby acclaims yes but once the walls were adorned with images they told a story. How did these images a rhyme how did these stories come about. And what role did angels play in the stories of conflict between power and order heaven and earth. Angels on the messengers of the one goal of who no image exists and upon whom no human will ever set eyes people worship gods words words that were brought by angels who were closest to him. They are spiritual beings like him beings of light. The angels proclaim what god wishes to tell people that is their calling. They were imagined to be omnipresent always talking guiding advising and judging people and so they became a central theme of the pictorial history of the week old western art. I am. Christianity became the state religion of the roman empire at a time when it was already beginning to collapse. The city of rome the capital was a civilized metropolis of millions whose standards of living and represented the pinnacle of human history. The Roman Emperor has placed themselves on the same level as the gods even today we talk of their buildings and legacies as monumental which also means overwhelming. Different baptist because 2 of the christianity whether at life it or not is also an add to the roman empire they were temporally contingents the roman empire had a claim to universality christianity also claims universality and translated it into the commandment to go into the world and preach the gospel to all creation because the condition. Of the 1st images of the 1st pictorial symbols arose alongside the scripture when the christian or a trees in rome was still Hidden Underground in the catholic or. These pictures were different from those of prechristian antiquity im portrayed angels wearing halos instead of winged messengers with laurel reeds but in the beginning there were very few specifically christian images. I think oh my shirt unless your hats kind of dark matter the antique roman religion didnt develop any dogma and for that reason provided no order to order 1st becomes apparent in christianity for instance in the hierarchy of the angels who we can see as the successor to the mynah functional gods of the romans one of those but continuity and transformation volatile. But what were the models for the superhuman images in christendom were they the heroes of antiquity early christian imagery has its roots in the assyrian babylonian period with its anthropomorphic creatures for example the firy and winged cherub. But this isnt because if they let it take. The concept of demons which in the greek hero were neither good nor bad the morning demons were only intermediaries between the dead his and humanity in christianity they are rico defined as unclean spirits the new testament teaches us that they are the repudiated and resentful gods of the greeks frederick t. V. s and then im delighted to commission. Instead of adopting the pictorial world of antiquity christianity chose to take a detour through demonic beings which took on an idealized human form copied from the empty gods angels are based on models taken from antiquity and the babylonian demons even their name reflects these roots anger loss is greek for messenger and the cherub bears a resemblance to the early demon. So dont you see this is the suitor dionysius is the ideal author because he imagines the angels heaven as a world organized according to 3 sets of 3 its made up of spheres nested in each other until they reach the highest mystery on this whos gotten the got. One from the same person can and trump his highest mystery perceived only as a sea of light divine glory is radiated to the world below so now it consists not just of visible light but also of the knowledge of who god actually is this is based on the 1st level of angels the seris from them to the cherubs who pass it on via an almost visible Spiritual Connection to the throne of the political masters and self and so vital. And thus the portrayal of angels in the late middle ages is above all an indication of the primary thing communicated by christian images order. The successfully theo one of these are reflections on quo. As jensen how can i portray god how can i portray what is holy and purely spiritual without it becoming sensible and being dragged down to the level of antiquity which the christians termed paganism. Thus and because. The picture of a hierarchical order in heaven is the keen to christian imagery order is the prerequisite for perfection. The 1st step towards a selfcontained christian iconography of angels didnt take place in rome in the 4th century a. D. The roman empire collapsed into 2 hobs rome and the western part of the empire was overrun by the goths then reconquered by eastern roman by xantia in the mid 6 century rome became a provincial city of the buys and time empire with bama as its capital. This is where the 1st systematic pictorial history of the still Young Christian grown as a synthesis of greek philosophy and the Christian Doctrine of salvation was developed. Private not my love as it is of youth as a simple way to get this tired of the high number 3 is normally reserved as a symbol of the day it is this but in the Old Testament we also have an angel often a sightly and the prophet izzy kill all eyes are allowed to look up to heaven they see being surrounding got the flick they are either ordered in groups of 4 or have 4 facets for example eagle like a lion like all human like beings and all of figures. Are few it is something that was imported from the babylonian iconography and integrated into christendom god is surrounded by groups of 4 figures but seated on him. Throne and thats why alongside the number 3 which symbolizes gaunt there is a number for an extension symbolizing his rule in all 4 world least she has an heiress i figure thats also why the derivatives of 341224 were also endowed with a holy systematic significance hives systematically door to. The oldest most acts of christian iconography out to be found in the sacred buildings of ravenna opposite a series of martyrs theres a series of holy virgins that individual expressions are not important but the series and the number. 16 prophets stand above them which signifies 12 plus 4 and the fact that they are placed above the virgins in the martyrs expresses their place in the hierarchy and theyre all foraging within christendom. Even higher up are scenes portraying christs passion even this position denotes hierarchy order here in rev and at the hierarchy is formulated and translated into a system of images. The beginning and end of this mural are reserved for the key figures of holy scripture mary and christ they are positioned formally alongside each of them are 2 angels that look out directly on the view of. The angels all the courtiers whole body guards of mary and jesus christ. Her own. This simple pictorial system became a canon upon which Everything Else was based from then on the churches became larger and the at ces and jones expressed the unity and perfection of the christian cosmos. In the way it. Rangely its images the christian pictorial system took over and transcended the buys and time court order and its portrayal of power and representation. When you read the 38 jubilee eulogy on constantine the great we can discern a formula for order in the wild one god one empire one Emperor Constantine was an advocate of an eagle a tarion god a clear hierarchy order this system of subservience this reflected socio political relationships and. In trash the. Revenue was where the synthesis between the systematic thinking of the greeks and the Christian Doctrine of salvation became translated into imagery. Amidst the ruins of rome new churches were built and the ancient roman buildings repurposed by christians the pictorial canon of ravenna made itself felt in some time out here in trust their bearing the larger the church was the more imagery could be depicted. Here for the 1st time mary was depicted directly alongside jesus christ as his companion the mosaic still expresses representation directly but the angels are missing. Thus the picture clearly indicates that the central figure of the new testament jesus christ the redeemer is superior to the angels in the hierarchy even though he was a human being. The upper basilica of sun clemente in rome was built at the beginning of the 12th century in the buys and time courtly order is abandoned the Christian Cross dominance the ordering of the spheres still expresses numba and order but more important is the concentration on the christian visual symbols they signify the opposites of power christ as the holy land the center of his flock. The. Love this is god as the angel of peace among us a full god its a different pictorial message from those of antiquity all the buys and time empire. Will. Around the turn of the millennium the church order as expressed in images went through a profound crisis of increasing worldliness and corruption the authority of the pope and with it the message of salvation through the one church was substantially shaken. The radical return of the liturgy to the original message of salvation took place not initially but in france am in a small chapel near only on the founding motifs of that message of salvation are represented on its by centime or sanders. Above 2 small 6 wings cherubs 2 of the angels dominate the dunnage. They represent the old and the new testament which in the language of the mosaic were delivered by angels to humankind the suggestion of a hand tells us that they have delivered the scripture upon gods command im not the path to salvation can only lie in following gods work. The snooze system of christian liturgy and message of salvation comes from cluny abbey founded in 1910 by the juke of aquitaine as a benedictine Abbey Clooney was not only the center of the christian cosmos during the middle ages but the largest and most powerful church of the christian world it was only supposed later by st peters basilica. During the french revolution almost 900 years later clooney was destroyed as being a symbol of an absolute monarchy that claimed divine legitimation. But today even amid the ruins the pattern significance of this order with its many of the churches and ministries throughout burgundy is still palpable its no accident that burgundy was home to the most significant monastic orders and of the biggest cathedrals of the 11th and 12th centuries the most important pilgrims way to Santiago De Compostela took them through here. Tun cathedral house is the most significant pictorial example of the transformation of christian iconography joining that period it was carved in stone by give back to a spittoon 11201135. The main portal through which millions of pilgrims enter the church no longer depicted the power of god but the last judgment christ and the elders the angels that gods throne sits and judge over human souls which in line with the general understanding of this period threatened by evil more than ever. In order to uphold order and the perfection of salvation christ and the angels have to demonstrate that they can differentiate between good and evil from this point on the rank of the angels changes dramatically in the imagery from now on they become the most important representatives of the ruler of old things a god that rewards good behavior. As christ companions the angels are lot at the role of completing salvation the angels are once again the mediate has between god and humanity they fight for god full humanity against evil. Little the pilgrims moved within the great knaves as though they were in a parade and looked up into the capitals with their vivid illustrations of the evil in all its incarnations. The 2nd temptation of christ taken from the gospel of luke makes it clear whats happening here christs determination to resist heresy and damage. The suicide of judas shows what happens when someone turns away from god the monumentally impressive knave signified to the believers that only gods words could help against all these temptations and human weaknesses. Matter at all oh no. Home out heading southwards with the mountains just visible on the horizon lies one of the most important cities of the middle ages the peace of the modern day he out said a miracle he was originally a burial place beyond the city wools the whole complex with its cathedral baptistry and campo some toll was bigger. In 1300. The campo santo was the largest cemetery of the christian middle ages and thats a place where death damnation and redemption played a prominent role here we find a monumental representation of the last judgment. This powerful fresco must have shocked its contemporaries it begins with the last judgment on to ruffle christ who reveals his wounds and flings his outrage like lightning in the direction of how. This anger is offset by the gentle virgin mary to his left. Beneath them is an angel with 2 scroll at high level with the viewer is the warrior Archangel Michael with his sword. Another an angel hurts frightened citizens of pisa towards damnation the faces of terrified and pleading but no one can escape divine judgment this is a recurring motif in christendom in the face of the minds of the last judgment the wealth and grant of bishops and even the power of mana all to no avail. In the frescoes pictorial arrangement the artist has paid tribute to social status the kings occupy the top 10 even one of the angels reveals its fear in the face of the past and unavoidable ity of the last judgment announced by trumpets on the left we can see the saved these 2 are portraits of real life citizens of pisa their facial expressions a calm and they all look up to the muscle figure of the virgin mary that into seso before the judge. Their body language is relaxed the face is a clear although their expressions reveal intense concentration. Pieces pious citizens are expressing their heartfelt gratitude for the victory of good over evil. Only a bump in the struggle does trying to quality rain these angels receive the souls who have already been saved. Its as if in addition to the widely understood concepts of the apocalypse in the last judgment a new orientation is taking place towards the end of the 20th century not far from the russian pass on the edge of the Southern Alps the monastery of muddy and back was established to this day the benedictine monks there assembled in a narrow vault that are a tree. Marian bagmen history is famous for its roman frescoes in a symbolic series of images they reinterpret human beings path to salvation they are brought closer to the angels by pursuing their battle against evil. Humans can rise in the heavenly hierarchy by successfully overcoming evil that is the message of these frescoes. We see the end jet except sin cherubs recognizable by the 6 wings. Alongside them is the Apostle Peter who holds the key to heaven in paradise and on his right is a protective angel. This constellation indicates a new link between apostle and heavenly beings man and angel again come closer to one another despite the evil in the world. Who. Is the most Important Message those communicated in the arrangement of angels above the almighty in the mandorla in jesus christ appears to be standing on his hand. The real focus is this small angel smaller than all the other heavenly figures it represents the new human who are to fighting a lifelong battle against evil is seen by christ to be deserving of redemption and thus as a small angel is taken into the communion of the big angels human beings can rise into the sphere of the heavenly beings and can be redeemed heaven awaits them thats what this fresco expresses the small angel is both messenger and message a new era in the relationship between humanity and the heavenly smear has begun whoa. Further southwards we reach a place of great importance in christian iconography assisi. In burgundy joining the 12 century monasteries had adopted a strict the organized liturgy and had almost completely rejected imagery. In the 13th century new waters arose in central italy this one in assisi was to be a purely mendicant order completely dedicated to charity and neighborly love as the most direct path to redemption. The building of the lower church began in the early 13th century together with Thomas Aquinas francis of assisi was considered the main renewal of the Christian Doctrine of salvation no building from the late middle ages bad as great a testament to the spirit of renewal as that of the highest church of assisi. Its nave is dominated by jaw tows world famous franciscos but the real secret is to be found in the older decorated transepts of the name of what is here translated pictorially is the virgin marys bodily ascension to heaven and her final exultation over the angels. In one of the men dollars held up by for an angels jesus and mary are in friend in loving devotion one of the angels is said to have called out who is she she who is raised up from the desert nestling on her love on. Pain jewels profits on the saints assemble around the heavenly throne on which the virgin mary sits alongside her son as an intercessor on behalf of human. That is. What is important here all the protagonists hammonds st francis whose face can no longer be recognized pleads for redemption on behalf of his brothers this is conveyed by mary to her son who listens and gives his blessing to the franciscans. The virgin marys role in the heavenly hierarchy is in this Franciscan Church newly defined. She is jesus companion and on par with the angels at the same time she remains a human being that signifies that she is the 1st human being to be redeemed and raised to heaven. The rose window in the outer wall is like a final symbol of this new order. The shape of the sun can be construed as referring to jesus the rose to the virgin mary both forms are united as part of a circle that has only one center god. At the close of the middle ages towards the end of the 14th century tuscany became a european stronghold of progress the dominican monks and jellicoe came from the area around florence and achieved world renown with his portrayals of angels. Theres. A man in the conspicuous chapel nicol tona d his home to the annunciation a popular motif. The message is depicted in the form of visible was the virgin mary is faced still has a generic madonna like quality but is also individually defined and this image symbolizes not only the metaphorical line between the middle ages and the modern era