The Descent of Jesus Christ from the Cross in Art. The Descent from the Cross and Burial of the Savior. (Chapter from the “Law of God” by Archpriest Seraphim Slobodsky)

Joseph, having bought a shroud (cloth for burial), came to Golgotha. Another secret disciple of Jesus Christ and a member of the Sanhedrin, Nicodemus, also came. He brought with him for burial a precious fragrant ointment - a composition of myrrh and aloe.

They took the body of the Savior from the Cross, anointed Him with incense, wrapped Him in a shroud and laid Him in a new tomb, in the garden, near Golgotha. This tomb was a cave that Joseph of Arimathea carved into the rock for his burial, and in which no one had yet been laid. There they laid the body of Christ, because this tomb was close to Golgotha, and there was little time, since the great holiday of Easter was approaching. Then they rolled a huge stone to the door of the coffin and left.

Mary Magdalene, Mary of Joseph and other women were there and watched how the body of Christ was laid out. Returning home, they bought precious ointment, so that they could then anoint the body of Christ with this ointment as soon as the first, great day of the holiday had passed, on which, according to the law, everyone should be at peace.

But the enemies of Christ did not calm down, despite their great holiday. The next day, Saturday, the high priests and Pharisees (disturbing the peace of the Sabbath and the holiday) gathered, came to Pilate and began to ask him: “Sir, we remembered that this deceiver (as they dared to call Jesus Christ), while still alive, said: “After three days I will rise.” Therefore, order that the tomb be guarded until the third day, so that His disciples, coming at night, do not steal Him and tell the people that He has risen from the dead, and then the last deception will be worse than the first.”

Pilate said to them: “You have a guard; go, guard as best you can.”

Then the high priests and the Pharisees went to the tomb of Jesus Christ and, having carefully examined the cave, they applied their (Sanhedrin’s) seal to the stone; and they placed a military guard at the tomb of the Lord.

When the Savior's body lay in the tomb, He descended with His soul into hell to the souls of people who died before His suffering and death. And He freed all the souls of righteous people who were waiting for the coming of the Savior from hell.

NOTE: See in the Gospel: Matthew, ch. 27, 57-66; from Mark, ch. 15, 42-47; from Luke, ch. 23, 50-56; from John, ch. 19, 38-42.

Thursday, 17 April 2014

Main Researcher Hermitage professor Boris Sapunov made a discovery that goes against all the canons of the church. The essence of his hypothesis boils down to the fact that Christ was taken down from the cross alive!

Boris Viktorovich came to this paradoxical conclusion after almost half a century of studying biblical texts and historical documents about Christ.

The best evidence in favor of my hypothesis is the fact described in the Gospel: when the centurion Longinus pierced the chest of the crucified Christ with a spear, blood flowed from it. No blood flows from the dead! - Sapunov argues.

This means that the heart of Jesus Christ was still beating.

The painful execution on the cross was more like torture and was carried out primarily to frighten the living. Therefore, the executioners sought to ensure that the condemned did not die for as long as possible, so that his suffering lasted for several days.

Torture

In order for the crucified person to hang on the cross for as long as possible, the nails were driven not into the palms, as is often depicted on icons, but into the wrists. Only in this case could a person hang on the cross for a long time. The palms are not able to withstand such a load; they tear under the weight of the body. To delay death and relieve suffering, a small transverse bar was nailed to the cross under a person’s feet, on which he could lean.

“I discussed this point with the doctors,” says Sapunov. - Doctors have confirmed that without support on the legs, a person in a crucified position begins to suffocate. The work of the heart is disrupted, and the unfortunate person dies very quickly. However, from historical documents it is known that Christ was crucified, carefully observing all the rules of execution. The Romans wanted his torment, not a quick death! Therefore, there is reason to believe that after three hours on the cross the Savior fell into a coma, which was taken for death. This was nothing new for the executioners: loss of consciousness, shock and coma are quite natural during such torture.

The obligatory injection into the chest with a spear at the end of the execution was usually done not to certify death, but to ensure that the person was finished off with a blow to the heart.

Hit

But here lies the paradox that the doctor discovered historical sciences Sapunov:

Since ancient times, on icons we see the image of Christ, whose blood flows from the right half of his chest. Note - from the right! This means that the spear blow struck by the centurion Longinus could not pierce the heart! This makes it even more convincing that Jesus could have survived.

Professor Sapunov established at what angle the wound could have been inflicted by a spear. The cross was usually 2.5 - 3 meters high. The length of the combat spear, designed to operate in close formation of Roman cohorts, ranged from 160 to 200 centimeters. The Calvary hill, on which the cross was erected for Jesus, was 6-7 meters high and ended with a cone-shaped top. Based on this, the legionnaire could only inflict a tangential blow on Christ, standing below Him on the hillside. Directed from bottom to top, the blade penetrated under the right rib. If the spear struck directly to the left side of the chest, the blade would have struck the heart, causing profuse bleeding and death.

Usually a crucified person suffered on the cross for several days. Pontius Pilate, when he was informed that Jesus had died three hours after the execution, exclaimed in surprise: “Is he already dead?” This amazement of the procurator is spoken of in the Gospel of Mark.

Professor Sapunov, taking into account his personal front-line experience and the opinion of military field surgeons, believes that Christ’s wounds could not lead to a quick fatal outcome. And what kind of death was a comatose state?

Christ came out of a coma naturally after washing his body with solutions of aloe and myrrh, says the scientist. - After all, both plants are strong antiseptics...

Wounds

However, there is material evidence that directly speaks of the death and miraculous resurrection of Jesus. This is the famous Shroud of Turin - a piece of fabric in which, according to legend, the body of Christ was wrapped. Its exact copy, consecrated by Patriarch Alexy II, is exhibited in the Sretensky Monastery in Moscow.

The shroud miraculously captured not only the face of Jesus, but also his wounds. The body had many intravital bleeding injuries from the crown of thorns, from beating with whips and sticks, from nails and spears. From the Gospel we know that Christ was resurrected 36 hours after burial. Criminologists and doctors noticed that the body was separated from all the blood clots on the shroud, from all the hardening of the ichor and pericardial fluid, without disturbing any of them. Christ came out of the cloth without unrolling it!

The Gospel describes how Christ showed nail wounds on his hands and a wound in his ribs to the Apostle Thomas, who doubted His resurrection. Thomas exclaimed: “My Lord and God!” Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed!”

On icons depicting Christ dying on the cross, the wound from the spear is depicted, as on the shroud, also on the right side.

Relics

The nails with which Christ was nailed to the cross, and the tip of Login’s spear after the miraculous resurrection of the Savior are revered as shrines by Christians all over the world. It was the spear that could put an end to Professor Sapunov’s hypothesis: was the wound received from it fatal?

There are at least ten spearheads of the centurion Longinus around the world, says Boris Viktorovich. - Which one is genuine is unknown. Scientists could provide clarity. Modern technologies allow us to accurately determine the age of the item and the area from which it came into our hands. Knowing the size of the spear, we can assume whether the blow struck by it was in right side chest fatal. But, alas, the keepers of the relics are categorically against research...

A spear

The spear that pierced the chest of Jesus Christ is kept in Armenia. According to legend, it was brought there by the Apostle Thaddeus. In the Middle Ages it was preserved in the monastery of Surb Geghard (Holy Spear). And now it is located in Holy Etchmiadzin. Once every seven years, the Catholicos consecrates the holy myrrh with a spear during the preparation of Chrismation.

There are several ancient spear tips in the world, which are called the spear of Longinus, said Father Wagram, one of the guardians of the spear. - But we don’t attach any importance to this. After all, it was not the Armenian clergy who came up with the idea that the Apostle Thaddeus brought it to our land. This is confirmed by many descriptions and documents. The very appearance of our relic testifies to its authenticity. The tip is inconspicuous, made of the simplest steel. The Spear of Destiny, as we call it, decided the fate of the Savior. Christ died for the entire human race, and then rose again, showing us all the path to eternal life. And nothing will shake us in this faith...

Oksana Shcherbakova

The greatest deception in history. The myth of the crucifixion of Christ

We carefully read the Gospels or how Satan deceived Christians

Hermitage researcher Boris Sapunov worked for more than 20 years in the Ministry of Internal Affairs - he helped solve cases related to the theft of ancient Russian icons and conducted examinations. Having thoroughly studied the work methods of investigators and police officers, the researcher applied them in his own study of the four Gospels. As a result, the scientist managed, as it seems to him, to discover new details of the earthly life of Jesus Christ, as well as to create an identikit of him.

DESCENT FROM THE CROSS

(Matthew, 27:57-59; Mark, 15:42-45; Luke 23:50-54; John 19:38-40)

(42) And when evening had already come, - because it was Friday, that is, the day before Saturday,- (43) Joseph came from Arimathea, a famous member of the council, who himself expected the Kingdom of God, dared to enter Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. (44) Pilate was surprised that He died, and calling the centurion, I asked him how long ago he died? (45) And having learned from the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.

(Mark 15:42-45)

The trial of Christ and His execution - crucifixion - were carried out according to Roman custom. According to this custom, the body of Christ was to remain on the cross until it became prey for birds. This is how ancient Roman authors describe the fate of the crucified - Horace, Juvenal, Lucian, Artemidorus, Pliny, Plutarch and others. The Jews treated the bodies of the dead differently. According to Jewish custom, writes Josephus Flavius in “The Jewish War” ( IV , 5, 2), - those sentenced to crucifixion are removed and buried before sunset. Christ, thanks to the intercession of Joseph of Arimathea, was buried according to Jewish custom.

Mention of the removal of Jesus' body from the cross is found in all four Gospels, but in John - with somewhat greater detail. The painting depicts the moment when the nails are removed from the body of Jesus and it gradually sinks to the ground (Pietro da Rimini, Lorenzetti).

Pietro Lorenzetti. Descent from the Cross (30s XIV century).

Assisi. Lower Church of San Francesco.

Some medieval theologians made a distinction between the actual separation of the body from the cross and its lowering to the ground. As for the artists, such a gradation of actions in this scene does not affect the naming of the plot and the name of the paintings with it.

In paintings with this plot, Western artists, as a rule, depict the four main participants in the action: Joseph of Arimathea, the Virgin Mary and John the Evangelist and Nicodemus. As for Joseph of Arimathea, he only now openly revealed his commitment to Christ. Before that, he and Nicodemus believed in Christ secretly. As for the presence of Nicodemus, another member of the Sanhedrin, during the removal of Christ’s body from the cross, then, strictly speaking, the weather forecasters do not mention him, and John’s testimony about him reveals his presence only in the next scene - the burial of Christ’s body (see. POSITION IN THE GRAVE). Nevertheless, the artists, as has happened more than once in the depiction of other gospel scenes, allowed a certain freedom and extended the presence of Nicodemus also to the scene of the Descent from the Cross. In this case, we easily identify Nicodemus by his traditional attribute - the pincers with which he removes nails from the body of Jesus (in the earliest examples - from the left hand; in Renaissance painting - from the feet; see Duccio).

Duccio. Descent from the Cross (altar "Maesta") (1308-1311). Sienna. Cathedral Museum.

Joseph of Arimathea either stands on a ladder leaning against the cross and removes the body from above (Enrico di Tedice, Pietro da Rimini, Duccio, Gossaert), or supports it on the ground. For such an interpretation there was a literary program, borrowed from popular ones starting from XIV century "Reflections on the Life of Christ" ("Meditations vitae Christi") - an anonymous treatise, already attributed to Bonaventure around 1400 (? Pseudo-Bonaventure; Bonaventure's publishers in Quaracchi attribute this work to John (Giovanni) de Caulibus, a Franciscan monk from San Gemignano, who died in 1376): "Joseph was happy to accept The body of the Lord into your own hands.” You can often find an image of how Joseph of Arimathea not only takes the body of Christ in his arms, but uses shrouds to lower the body to the ground. John the Evangelist is traditionally depicted standing - contrite and despairing - somewhat at a distance (Rosso, Enrico di Tedice, Fiorentino).

The Virgin Mary in this scene often holds right hand Christ ( Lorenzetti )

. The Mother of God appears in this scene, despite the fact that the Gospels say nothing about Her presence during the removal of the body from the cross. The Mother of God actually left Golgotha, as some theologians conclude, even before the death of Christ, shortly after She, at the behest of Jesus, adopted John. Apparently, John also left with Her. Soon he probably returned, and this happened just before the death of Christ, for, describing - as an eyewitness - in his Gospel the last minutes of Christ's life, he, following the episode of adoption, directly tells about the thirst that tormented the Savior.

EXAMPLES AND ILLUSTRATIONS:

Enrico di Tedice. Descent from the Cross ( XIII century). Pisa. Museum.") (1308-1311). Sienna. Cathedral Museum.

Fra Beato Angelico. Descent from the Cross (c. 1435). Florence. Monastery of San Marco.

Rosso Fiorentino. Descent from the Cross (1530s). Volterra. Museum.

Jan Gossaert (nickname) Mabuse). Descent from the Cross (first third XVI

That same evening, soon after everything that had happened, the famous member of the Sanhedrin, the rich man Joseph of Arimathea (from the city of Arimathea), comes to Pilate. Joseph was a secret disciple of Jesus Christ, secret - out of fear of the Jews. He was a kind and righteous man, who did not participate in the council or in the condemnation of the Savior. He asked Pilate for permission to remove the body of Christ from the cross and bury it. Pilate was surprised that Jesus Christ died so soon. He called the centurion who was guarding the crucified, learned from him when Jesus Christ died, and allowed Joseph to take the body of Christ for burial. Joseph, having bought a shroud (cloth for burial), came to Golgotha. Another secret disciple of Jesus Christ and a member of the Sanhedrin, Nicodemus, also came. He brought with him for burial a precious fragrant ointment - a composition of myrrh and aloe. They took the body of the Savior from the Cross, anointed Him with incense, wrapped Him in a shroud and laid Him in a new tomb, in the garden, near Golgotha. This tomb was a cave that Joseph of Arimathea carved into the rock for his burial, and in which no one had yet been laid. There they laid the body of Christ, because this tomb was close to Golgotha, and there was little time, since the great holiday of Easter was approaching. Then they rolled a huge stone to the door of the coffin and left. Mary Magdalene, Mary of Joseph and other women were there and watched how the body of Christ was laid out. Returning home, they bought precious ointment, so that they could then anoint the body of Christ with this ointment as soon as the first, great day of the holiday had passed, on which, according to the law, everyone should be at peace. But the enemies of Christ did not calm down, despite their great holiday. The next day, Saturday, the high priests and Pharisees (disturbing the peace of the Sabbath and the holiday) gathered, came to Pilate and began to ask him: “Sir, we remembered that this deceiver (as they dared to call Jesus Christ), while still alive, said: “After three days I will rise.” Therefore, order that the tomb be guarded until the third day, so that His disciples, coming at night, do not steal Him and tell the people that He has risen from the dead, and then the last deception will be worse than the first.” Pilate said to them: “You have a guard; go, guard as best you can.” Then the high priests and the Pharisees went to the tomb of Jesus Christ and, having carefully examined the cave, they applied their (Sanhedrin’s) seal to the stone; and they placed a military guard at the tomb of the Lord. When the Savior's body lay in the tomb, He descended with His soul into hell to the souls of people who died before His suffering and death. And He freed all the souls of righteous people who were waiting for the coming of the Savior from hell.

century). Saint Petersburg. Hermitage Museum.

Note: See in the Gospel: Matthew, ch. 27, 57-66; from Mark, ch. 15, 42-47; from Luke, ch. 23, 50-56; from John, ch. 19, 38-42.

Jesus Christ, crucified on the cross, was taken down for burial, and in honor of this event a miraculous icon was painted. Orthodox believers pray in front of her, asking the Higher Powers for protection and patronage. Believers know several icons that depict events last days

earthly life of Jesus. There are also icons depicting the events that occurred after the execution of the Savior. The icon “Descent from the Cross” serves as a symbol of salvation for everyone.

History of the icon

The follower of Jesus and his secret disciple Joseph received permission from Pilate himself to take Jesus down from the cross standing on Mount Golgotha. Joseph took another disciple, Nicodemus, as his assistant, and together they removed the body of the Savior to bury him. According to custom, the body of the Lord was smeared with incense and wrapped in a shroud. The body was placed in a coffin, which was placed in a cave located not far from the place of execution. This event was reflected on the icon, which is revered among believers and helps them fight evil and negativity.

In the very center of the image, against the background of the cross, is the body of Christ, which is supported by his disciples. Nearby are the myrrh-bearing women, ready to smear his body with incense. They are on the left side of the icon, behind Christ’s disciple, Joseph. The Mother of God is depicted with her cheek pressed to the body of her son, and at the foot of the cross there are two disciples removing nails from the Savior’s feet. In Russian icon painting, a plot describing the removal of the Lord from the cross appeared in the 14th century, as indicated in surviving handwritten sources.

How does the icon “Descent from the Cross” help?

Before the holy icon, Orthodox believers pray not only to ask for help and protection, but also to glorify the Lord and his sacrifice. Prayer often contains words of repentance for sinful deeds and thoughts, requests for blessings for difficult matters associated with risk to life. Believers also pray in order to free themselves from physical and mental wounds, find spiritual comfort and resist negativity. People often resort to prayer in front of the icon before complex operations so that the treatment is successful. In case of any difficulty or in order to establish yourself in faith, you can offer prayer words in front of the icon.

Where is the divine image located?

The popularity of the icon grew, and now copies of it can be found in many temples and churches throughout Russia:

Yaroslavl region, Semenovskoye village, painting on the wall of the church Holy Mother of God;
Yaroslavl region, Khaldeevo, remains of painting on the walls of the Kazan Church;
Moscow region, Belousovo village, painting on the wall of the Church named after Michael the Archangel;
Kostroma region, church in Nerekhta;
Republic of Karelia, Church of the Intercession;
city of Murom, painting in the Church of the Ascension.

Prayer before the icon

“Lord Almighty, with your sacrifice you have atoned for all the sins of earthly people, those who believe in You and those who do not believe. Bless your servant (name), help him live with dignity, get rid of the negativity that denigrates the soul, and from harmful influences. Save and preserve, Lord, my family and everyone living on earth. Intercede for the weak in spirit and show them the right path. Amen".

Date of celebration of the icon

Orthodox believers venerate the icon on Holy Week, on Holy Saturday. At this time, they remember not only the removal of the Lord from the crucifixion, but also his descent into hell for the souls of the righteous martyrs.

There are often times in people's lives when they cannot do without Divine support. IN hard times pray to the Higher Powers and ask for help from your heavenly patrons. To offer words of prayer, it is not necessary to attend church every time. This can be done at home or on the road, the main thing is that your faith is sincere and the words come from the heart. Good luck to you, and don't forget to press the buttons and

05.04.2018 03:18

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