The church in the catacombs : a description of the primitive church of Rome : illustrated by its sepulchral remains . , of a purely seculardescription, only indicate the trade of the deceased:and the remainder represent proper names. Of thefirst class, the cross, as the most generally metwith, claims our earliest consideration. It would be difficult to find a more completerevolution of feeling among mankind, than thatwhich has taken place concerning the instrumentof crucifixion: once the object of horror and a * Mabillon, Museum Italicum, vol i. p. 137. IN THE CATACOMBS. 161 symbol of disgrace
The church in the catacombs : a description of the primitive church of Rome : illustrated by its sepulchral remains . , of a purely seculardescription, only indicate the trade of the deceased:and the remainder represent proper names. Of thefirst class, the cross, as the most generally metwith, claims our earliest consideration. It would be difficult to find a more completerevolution of feeling among mankind, than thatwhich has taken place concerning the instrumentof crucifixion: once the object of horror and a * Mabillon, Museum Italicum, vol i. p. 137. IN THE CATACOMBS. 161 symbol of disgrace, it is now the blessed emblemof our faith; the sign of admission, by baptism, toall the benefits of Christian fellowship. Noeffort of the imagination, says Milman*, candissipate the illusion of dignity which has gatheredround it: it has been so long dissevered from allits coarse and humiliating associations, that it can-not be cast back and desecrated into its state ofopprobrium and contempt. How soon it began tobe used as a symbol of Christianity, it is difficultto say: the gradual change to a crucifix is much. Bampton Lectures, p. 162 THE SYMBOLS USED more easily traced. But in undergoing this change,the original intention of the symbol was entirelylost: from being a token of joy, an object worthyof being crowned with flowers, a sign in which toconquer,âit became a thing of tears and agony,â astock-subject with the artist anxious to display hispower of representing anguish. The above sketch, taken from a bas-relief in theVatican library, shows the feeling connected withthe Cross by the early Church. The fragment ofthat emblem is surmounted by a garland of flowersenclosing the monogram of our Saviours name:and upon it sits the dove, symbol of the peace withGod purchased by the Redeemers death. Suchrepresentations were common about the fourth andfifth centuries. Paulinus, bishop of Nola, whowrote inscriptions for the different parts of hisbasilica, placed beneath the c
Size: 1227px × 2037px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade, booksubjectchristianartandsymbolism
