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La iglesia de san Carlos Borromeo (en alemán, Karlskirche) es una iglesia barroca de Viena, situada en Kreuzherrengasse, 1, en la parte sur de Karlsplatz, al borde del primer distrito, y doscientos metros por fuera de la Ringstrasse.
Durante la fuerte epidemia de peste que azotó Viena en 1713 y que se cobró la vida de unas 8.000 personas, el emperador Carlos VI prometió que, tan pronto, como la ciudad se viera libre de esta calamidad, levantaría un templo dedicado a san Carlos Borromeo, arzobispo de Milán y héroe de la epidemia de peste de 1576. Al año siguiente de la epidemia se anunció un concurso para el proyecto de la iglesia que fue adjudicado a Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. Los fondos que permitieron sufragar la construcción de la iglesia fueron aportados forzosamente por los judíos de Viena. La iglesia es un símbolo de poder religioso y político de la dinastía imperial de los Habsburgo.
Las obras se iniciaron en 1716, y tras la muerte del arquitecto en 1723, las obras fueron continuadas, hasta su terminación en 1737, por su hijo Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach.
La iglesia constituye una obra maestra del eclecticismo barroco, en el que se combinan diferentes estilos: la fachada central representa un pórtico griego, las columnas a su lado son de inspiración barroca y sobre la entrada domina una gigantesca cúpula. Los dos pabellones laterales muestran influencias del barroco romano y decoración oriental. El edificio tiene una altura de 80 metros por unos 60 de ancho y constituye el segundo templo más amplio de la capital después de la catedral de San Esteban
En el exterior destaca el frontis en el que se incluyen las dos columnas citadas, con relieves que muestran periodos de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. Están inspiradas en la columna Trajana de Roma y su decoración espiral presenta escenas de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. El tema que se representa en la columna izquierda es la constancia y el valor en la de la derecha.
En el frontón se encuentran relieves obra de Giovanni Stanetti, que describen los sufrimientos de la ciudad durante la peste de 1713, la estatua del santo patrón corona el frontón. Las escaleras de la entrada se encuentra flanqueada por ángeles que representan el antiguo y el nuevo testamento.
El interior alberga tallas y retablos realizados por los artistas más famosos de la época como Daniel Gran y Altomonte. Destaca la cúpula en la que se pueden contemplar un fresco pintado por Johann Michael Rottmayr de Salzburgo, realizado entre 1725 y 1730, denominado "La apoteosis de san Carlos Borromeo" y que sería el último encargo que cumplió el artista. En él se representa la intercesión de Carlos Borromeo, con el apoyo de la Virgen María, y en torno a ellos las virtudes cardinales.
El altar mayor en el que participaron Alberto Camesina y Ferdinand Maxmilián Brokoff, presenta un relieve de estuco con San Carlos sobre una nube, ascendiendo a los cielos.
Los pabellones que conducen a las entradas laterales tienen decoración de influencia china.
Los frescos de las capillas laterales fueron pintados por Daniel Gran.
La iglesia está cerca de la estación Karlsplatz del Metro de Viena, por la que pasan las líneas U1, U2 y U4; también se puede llegar desde las estaciones de tranvía Gußhausstrasse (línea D) o Wien Resselgasse (líneas 1 y 62).
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iglesia_de_San_Carlos_Borromeo_(Viena)
The Rektoratskirche St. Karl Borromäus, commonly called the Karlskirche (English: St. Charles Church), is a Baroque church located on the south side of Karlsplatz in Vienna, Austria. Widely considered the most outstanding baroque church in Vienna, as well as one of the city's greatest buildings, the church is dedicated to Saint Charles Borromeo, one of the great counter-reformers of the sixteenth century.
Located on the edge of the Innere Stadt, approximately 200 meters outside the Ringstraße, the church contains a dome in the form of an elongated ellipsoid.
In 1713, one year after the last great plague epidemic, Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, pledged to build a church for his namesake patron saint, Charles Borromeo, who was revered as a healer for plague sufferers. An architectural competition was announced, in which Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach prevailed over, among others, Ferdinando Galli-Bibiena and Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt. Construction began in 1716 under the supervision of Anton Erhard Martinelli. After J.B. Fischer's death in 1723, his son, Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, completed the construction in 1737 using partially altered plans. The church originally possessed a direct line of sight to the Hofburg and was also, until 1918, the imperial patron parish church.
As a creator of historic architecture, the elder Fischer von Erlach united the most diverse of elements. The façade in the center, which leads to the porch, corresponds to a Greek temple portico. The neighboring two columns, crafted by Lorenzo Mattielli, found a model in Trajan's Column in Rome. Next to those, two tower pavilions extend out and show the influence of the Roman baroque (Bernini and Borromini). Above the entrance, a dome rises up above a high drum, which the younger J.E. Fischer shortened and partly altered.
Next to the Church was the Spitaler Gottesacker. The composer Antonio Vivaldi died in Vienna and was buried there on July 28, 1741 but his tomb has been lost over time. The church hosts regular Vivaldi concerts in his honour.
Hedwig Kiesler (age 19), later American movie actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr, married Friedrich Mandl (age 32), businessman and Austrofascist, in the tiny chapel of this elaborate church on 10 August 1933. With over 200 prominent guests attending, Kiesler wore “a black-and-white print dress” and carried “a bouquet of white orchids.”
Since Karlsplatz was restored as an ensemble in the late 1980s, the church has garnered fame because of its dome and its two flanking columns of bas-reliefs, as well as its role as an architectural counterweight to the buildings of the Musikverein and of the Vienna University of Technology. The church is cared for by a religious order, the Knights of the Cross with the Red Star, and has long been the parish church as well as the seat of the Catholic student ministry of the Vienna University of Technology.
The iconographical program of the church originated from the imperial official Carl Gustav Heraeus and connects Saint Charles Borromeo with his imperial benefactor. The relief on the pediment above the entrance with the cardinal virtues and the figure of the patron on its apex point to the motivation of the donation. This sculpture group continues onto the attic story as well. The attic is also one of the elements which the younger Fischer introduced. The columns display scenes from the life of Charles Borromeo in a spiral relief and are intended to recall the two columns, Boaz and Jachim, that stood in front of the Temple at Jerusalem. They also recall the Pillars of Hercules and act as symbols of imperial power. The entrance is flanked by angels from the Old and New Testaments.
This program continues in the interior as well, above all in the dome fresco by Johann Michael Rottmayr of Salzburg and Gaetano Fanti, which displays an intercession of Charles Borromeo, supported by the Virgin Mary. Surrounding this scene are the cardinal virtues. The frescos in a number of side chapels are attributed to Daniel Gran.
The high altarpiece portraying the ascension of the saint was conceptualized by the elder Fischer and executed by Ferdinand Maxmilian Brokoff. The altar paintings in the side chapels are by various artists, including Daniel Gran, Sebastiano Ricci, Martino Altomonte and Jakob van Schuppen. A wooden statue of St. Anthony by Josef Josephu is also on display.
As strong effect emanates from the directing of light and architectural grouping, in particular the arch openings of the main axis. The color scheme is characterized by marble with sparring and conscious use of gold leaf. The large round glass window high above the main altar with the Hebrew Tetragrammaton/Yahweh symbolizes God's omnipotence and simultaneously, through its warm yellow tone, God's love. Below is a representation of Apotheosis of Saint Charles Borromeo.
Next to the structures at Schönbrunn Palace, which maintain this form but are more fragmented, the church is Fischer's greatest work. It is also an expression of the Austrian joie de vivre stemming from the victorious end of the Turkish Wars.
The pulpit of the church was probably designed by Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, and his plans might have been executed by a French furniture maker, Claude Le Fort du Plessy in 1735 although there are no surviving documents attesting their authorship or the manufacturing of the church furniture. It is a wooden structure with rich floral, vegetal, rosette and rocaille ornaments, the finer carvings made of hard walnut, in a gold and brown colour scheme. The abat-voix forms a theatrical canopy with two putti holding a cross and a chalice with host; there is a flaming urn on the top. Around 1860 the abat-voix was enlarged. A wide rim was added distorting the original proportions, obscuring the elegant, swirling lines and creating a top-heavy effect. In 2006-2007 this rim was removed after a long debate and the pulpit was restored. The missing carvings of the canopy decorations were reconstructed and the original appearance of the structure was re-established.
What are You doing?
(George Mylne, "Lessons for the Christian's Daily Walk" 1859)
"Where the word of a King is, there is power! Who may say to Him: What are You doing?" Ecclesiastes 8:4
What word, what power, are like the Lord's? With earthly kings words may be loud — and power small. Not so with God. His purpose knows no hindrance. His word can never fail. Who can resist His power? With God, purpose, and word, and power are but one.
Who, then, may say to God: "What are You doing?" To hinder His purpose, you must be able to overcome Omnipotence! Infinite, unchangeable, almighty — with God to will, is to perform; to speak, is to proclaim His past eternal purpose, and His endless might. Who can arrest His hand, or thwart His providence? Who can? That is not the word. Rather, who ought to wish it? Who ought to quarrel with His will, or say, either with bold or fretful opposition, "What are You doing?"
Your child has died; or perhaps a shipwreck has bereft you at one stroke, of all your family; or other ills untold, unspeakable, have made you drink the wine of desperation. My friend, these things were ordained by God "before the world began." In God's eternal mind it was written — it was settled long ago. How vain to say, "What are You doing?" And when the time was come, God sent His messengers — noiseless, unseen, invisible — to do His righteous will. Could you have said, "What are You doing with my child? What are You doing with the winds and waves? Forbear!"
Your will was not consulted — your permission was not asked. Do not say, "What are You doing?" Be silent before the omnipotent Disposer! "I was silent; I would not open my mouth, for You are the one who has done this!" (Psalm 39:9.) "But what can I say? He Himself has done this! I will walk humbly all my years because of this anguish of my soul." (Isaiah 38:15.) Go softly all your years — yet not "in anguish of soul." If you have faith in Christ, you are better taught than this. Go softly — yet in faith, in patience. Looking to Jesus, let your language be: "It is the Lord! Let my Lord do what seems good in His eyes!" (1 Samuel 3:18.)
Johann Michael Rottmayr (bautizado el 11 de diciembre de 1656 en Laufen an der Salzach, Austria- Viena, 25 de octubre de 1730) fue un pintor austriaco. Fue el primer pintor barroco, además de Martino Altomonte destacado al norte de los Alpes.
Su primer aprendizaje como pintor lo realizó con su madre. Más tarde se perfeccionó en el taller de Johann Carl Loth en Venecia (1675-1688). Así obtuvo un estilo que era mezcla de Venecia y Nápoles. Estuvo en Passau y desde 1689 en adelante trabajó en Salzburgo. En el Palacio Arzobispal pintó temas mitológicos en los techos.
A partir de 1706 vivió de continuo en Viena, y también estuvo activo en monasterios de la Baja Austria. Pinta numerosos frescos, en los que destaca el color y el uso del escorzo como medios ilusionistas. Su obra, lo mismo que la de Altomonte, preludia el rococó.
Entre sus obras al fresco, cabe citar:
Apoteosis en la cúpula de la sala de los ancestros en el palacio Vranov, Frain (1696)
Techo del Palacio Pommersfelden (1716-1718)
Iglesia colegial de Melk (1716-1722)
Iglesia de San Carlos Borromeo en Viena (1726)
Murales en el "Palacio Garten" de Viena, actual Museo Liechtenstein
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Michael_Rottmayr
Johann Michael Rottmayr (11 December 1656 – 25 October 1730), was an Austrian painter.
Rottmayr was born in Laufen an der Salzach, Bavaria. Along with his Laufen-born contemporary, Hans Adam Weissenkircher, he received his education from Johann Carl Loth in Venice. Just as Weissenkircher had brought the Italian Renaissance to the southern Alps and the court of the Princes of Eggenberg in Graz, so Rottmayr brought it north of the Alps and from 1689 onwards worked in Salzburg, where he was employed as the general painter of the Prince-Bishop of Salzburg.
Johann Michael Rottmayr painted the inside of the central dome of the Melk Abbey. This particular painting was recently selected as the main motif of a very high value collectors' coin: the Austrian Melk Abbey commemorative coin, minted on April 18, 2007. The reverse side gives a view up into the central dome of the church, with its typical vision of heaven.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Michael_Rottmayr
Carlo Borromeo (Arona, Ducado de Milán, 2 de octubre de 1538 - Milán, 3 de noviembre de 1584) fue un cardenal italiano, arzobispo de Milán y uno de los grandes reformadores católicos de la época postridentina. Era sobrino del papa Pío IV y la Iglesia católica lo venera como santo.
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Borromeo
Charles Borromeo (Italian: Carlo Borromeo, Latin: Carolus Borromeus, 2 October 1538 – 3 November 1584) was the Latin archbishop of Milan from 1564 to 1584 and a cardinal of the Catholic Church. He was a leading figure of the Counter-Reformation combat against the Protestant Reformation together with St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. Philip Neri. In that role he was responsible for significant reforms in the Catholic Church, including the founding of seminaries for the education of priests. He is honored as a saint by the Catholic Church, with a feast day on November 4.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Borromeo
La iglesia de san Carlos Borromeo (en alemán, Karlskirche) es una iglesia barroca de Viena, situada en Kreuzherrengasse, 1, en la parte sur de Karlsplatz, al borde del primer distrito, y doscientos metros por fuera de la Ringstrasse.
Durante la fuerte epidemia de peste que azotó Viena en 1713 y que se cobró la vida de unas 8.000 personas, el emperador Carlos VI prometió que, tan pronto, como la ciudad se viera libre de esta calamidad, levantaría un templo dedicado a san Carlos Borromeo, arzobispo de Milán y héroe de la epidemia de peste de 1576. Al año siguiente de la epidemia se anunció un concurso para el proyecto de la iglesia que fue adjudicado a Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. Los fondos que permitieron sufragar la construcción de la iglesia fueron aportados forzosamente por los judíos de Viena. La iglesia es un símbolo de poder religioso y político de la dinastía imperial de los Habsburgo.
Las obras se iniciaron en 1716, y tras la muerte del arquitecto en 1723, las obras fueron continuadas, hasta su terminación en 1737, por su hijo Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach.
La iglesia constituye una obra maestra del eclecticismo barroco, en el que se combinan diferentes estilos: la fachada central representa un pórtico griego, las columnas a su lado son de inspiración barroca y sobre la entrada domina una gigantesca cúpula. Los dos pabellones laterales muestran influencias del barroco romano y decoración oriental. El edificio tiene una altura de 80 metros por unos 60 de ancho y constituye el segundo templo más amplio de la capital después de la catedral de San Esteban
En el exterior destaca el frontis en el que se incluyen las dos columnas citadas, con relieves que muestran periodos de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. Están inspiradas en la columna Trajana de Roma y su decoración espiral presenta escenas de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. El tema que se representa en la columna izquierda es la constancia y el valor en la de la derecha.
En el frontón se encuentran relieves obra de Giovanni Stanetti, que describen los sufrimientos de la ciudad durante la peste de 1713, la estatua del santo patrón corona el frontón. Las escaleras de la entrada se encuentra flanqueada por ángeles que representan el antiguo y el nuevo testamento.
El interior alberga tallas y retablos realizados por los artistas más famosos de la época como Daniel Gran y Altomonte. Destaca la cúpula en la que se pueden contemplar un fresco pintado por Johann Michael Rottmayr de Salzburgo, realizado entre 1725 y 1730, denominado "La apoteosis de san Carlos Borromeo" y que sería el último encargo que cumplió el artista. En él se representa la intercesión de Carlos Borromeo, con el apoyo de la Virgen María, y en torno a ellos las virtudes cardinales.
El altar mayor en el que participaron Alberto Camesina y Ferdinand Maxmilián Brokoff, presenta un relieve de estuco con San Carlos sobre una nube, ascendiendo a los cielos.
Los pabellones que conducen a las entradas laterales tienen decoración de influencia china.
Los frescos de las capillas laterales fueron pintados por Daniel Gran.
La iglesia está cerca de la estación Karlsplatz del Metro de Viena, por la que pasan las líneas U1, U2 y U4; también se puede llegar desde las estaciones de tranvía Gußhausstrasse (línea D) o Wien Resselgasse (líneas 1 y 62).
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iglesia_de_San_Carlos_Borromeo_(Viena)
The Rektoratskirche St. Karl Borromäus, commonly called the Karlskirche (English: St. Charles Church), is a Baroque church located on the south side of Karlsplatz in Vienna, Austria. Widely considered the most outstanding baroque church in Vienna, as well as one of the city's greatest buildings, the church is dedicated to Saint Charles Borromeo, one of the great counter-reformers of the sixteenth century.
Located on the edge of the Innere Stadt, approximately 200 meters outside the Ringstraße, the church contains a dome in the form of an elongated ellipsoid.
In 1713, one year after the last great plague epidemic, Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, pledged to build a church for his namesake patron saint, Charles Borromeo, who was revered as a healer for plague sufferers. An architectural competition was announced, in which Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach prevailed over, among others, Ferdinando Galli-Bibiena and Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt. Construction began in 1716 under the supervision of Anton Erhard Martinelli. After J.B. Fischer's death in 1723, his son, Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, completed the construction in 1737 using partially altered plans. The church originally possessed a direct line of sight to the Hofburg and was also, until 1918, the imperial patron parish church.
As a creator of historic architecture, the elder Fischer von Erlach united the most diverse of elements. The façade in the center, which leads to the porch, corresponds to a Greek temple portico. The neighboring two columns, crafted by Lorenzo Mattielli, found a model in Trajan's Column in Rome. Next to those, two tower pavilions extend out and show the influence of the Roman baroque (Bernini and Borromini). Above the entrance, a dome rises up above a high drum, which the younger J.E. Fischer shortened and partly altered.
Next to the Church was the Spitaler Gottesacker. The composer Antonio Vivaldi died in Vienna and was buried there on July 28, 1741 but his tomb has been lost over time. The church hosts regular Vivaldi concerts in his honour.
Hedwig Kiesler (age 19), later American movie actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr, married Friedrich Mandl (age 32), businessman and Austrofascist, in the tiny chapel of this elaborate church on 10 August 1933. With over 200 prominent guests attending, Kiesler wore “a black-and-white print dress” and carried “a bouquet of white orchids.”
Since Karlsplatz was restored as an ensemble in the late 1980s, the church has garnered fame because of its dome and its two flanking columns of bas-reliefs, as well as its role as an architectural counterweight to the buildings of the Musikverein and of the Vienna University of Technology. The church is cared for by a religious order, the Knights of the Cross with the Red Star, and has long been the parish church as well as the seat of the Catholic student ministry of the Vienna University of Technology.
The iconographical program of the church originated from the imperial official Carl Gustav Heraeus and connects Saint Charles Borromeo with his imperial benefactor. The relief on the pediment above the entrance with the cardinal virtues and the figure of the patron on its apex point to the motivation of the donation. This sculpture group continues onto the attic story as well. The attic is also one of the elements which the younger Fischer introduced. The columns display scenes from the life of Charles Borromeo in a spiral relief and are intended to recall the two columns, Boaz and Jachim, that stood in front of the Temple at Jerusalem. They also recall the Pillars of Hercules and act as symbols of imperial power. The entrance is flanked by angels from the Old and New Testaments.
This program continues in the interior as well, above all in the dome fresco by Johann Michael Rottmayr of Salzburg and Gaetano Fanti, which displays an intercession of Charles Borromeo, supported by the Virgin Mary. Surrounding this scene are the cardinal virtues. The frescos in a number of side chapels are attributed to Daniel Gran.
The high altarpiece portraying the ascension of the saint was conceptualized by the elder Fischer and executed by Ferdinand Maxmilian Brokoff. The altar paintings in the side chapels are by various artists, including Daniel Gran, Sebastiano Ricci, Martino Altomonte and Jakob van Schuppen. A wooden statue of St. Anthony by Josef Josephu is also on display.
As strong effect emanates from the directing of light and architectural grouping, in particular the arch openings of the main axis. The color scheme is characterized by marble with sparring and conscious use of gold leaf. The large round glass window high above the main altar with the Hebrew Tetragrammaton/Yahweh symbolizes God's omnipotence and simultaneously, through its warm yellow tone, God's love. Below is a representation of Apotheosis of Saint Charles Borromeo.
Next to the structures at Schönbrunn Palace, which maintain this form but are more fragmented, the church is Fischer's greatest work. It is also an expression of the Austrian joie de vivre stemming from the victorious end of the Turkish Wars.
The pulpit of the church was probably designed by Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, and his plans might have been executed by a French furniture maker, Claude Le Fort du Plessy in 1735 although there are no surviving documents attesting their authorship or the manufacturing of the church furniture. It is a wooden structure with rich floral, vegetal, rosette and rocaille ornaments, the finer carvings made of hard walnut, in a gold and brown colour scheme. The abat-voix forms a theatrical canopy with two putti holding a cross and a chalice with host; there is a flaming urn on the top. Around 1860 the abat-voix was enlarged. A wide rim was added distorting the original proportions, obscuring the elegant, swirling lines and creating a top-heavy effect. In 2006-2007 this rim was removed after a long debate and the pulpit was restored. The missing carvings of the canopy decorations were reconstructed and the original appearance of the structure was re-established.
La iglesia de san Carlos Borromeo (en alemán, Karlskirche) es una iglesia barroca de Viena, situada en Kreuzherrengasse, 1, en la parte sur de Karlsplatz, al borde del primer distrito, y doscientos metros por fuera de la Ringstrasse.
Durante la fuerte epidemia de peste que azotó Viena en 1713 y que se cobró la vida de unas 8.000 personas, el emperador Carlos VI prometió que, tan pronto, como la ciudad se viera libre de esta calamidad, levantaría un templo dedicado a san Carlos Borromeo, arzobispo de Milán y héroe de la epidemia de peste de 1576. Al año siguiente de la epidemia se anunció un concurso para el proyecto de la iglesia que fue adjudicado a Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. Los fondos que permitieron sufragar la construcción de la iglesia fueron aportados forzosamente por los judíos de Viena. La iglesia es un símbolo de poder religioso y político de la dinastía imperial de los Habsburgo.
Las obras se iniciaron en 1716, y tras la muerte del arquitecto en 1723, las obras fueron continuadas, hasta su terminación en 1737, por su hijo Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach.
La iglesia constituye una obra maestra del eclecticismo barroco, en el que se combinan diferentes estilos: la fachada central representa un pórtico griego, las columnas a su lado son de inspiración barroca y sobre la entrada domina una gigantesca cúpula. Los dos pabellones laterales muestran influencias del barroco romano y decoración oriental. El edificio tiene una altura de 80 metros por unos 60 de ancho y constituye el segundo templo más amplio de la capital después de la catedral de San Esteban
En el exterior destaca el frontis en el que se incluyen las dos columnas citadas, con relieves que muestran periodos de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. Están inspiradas en la columna Trajana de Roma y su decoración espiral presenta escenas de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. El tema que se representa en la columna izquierda es la constancia y el valor en la de la derecha.
En el frontón se encuentran relieves obra de Giovanni Stanetti, que describen los sufrimientos de la ciudad durante la peste de 1713, la estatua del santo patrón corona el frontón. Las escaleras de la entrada se encuentra flanqueada por ángeles que representan el antiguo y el nuevo testamento.
El interior alberga tallas y retablos realizados por los artistas más famosos de la época como Daniel Gran y Altomonte. Destaca la cúpula en la que se pueden contemplar un fresco pintado por Johann Michael Rottmayr de Salzburgo, realizado entre 1725 y 1730, denominado "La apoteosis de san Carlos Borromeo" y que sería el último encargo que cumplió el artista. En él se representa la intercesión de Carlos Borromeo, con el apoyo de la Virgen María, y en torno a ellos las virtudes cardinales.
El altar mayor en el que participaron Alberto Camesina y Ferdinand Maxmilián Brokoff, presenta un relieve de estuco con San Carlos sobre una nube, ascendiendo a los cielos.
Los pabellones que conducen a las entradas laterales tienen decoración de influencia china.
Los frescos de las capillas laterales fueron pintados por Daniel Gran.
La iglesia está cerca de la estación Karlsplatz del Metro de Viena, por la que pasan las líneas U1, U2 y U4; también se puede llegar desde las estaciones de tranvía Gußhausstrasse (línea D) o Wien Resselgasse (líneas 1 y 62).
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iglesia_de_San_Carlos_Borromeo_(Viena)
The Rektoratskirche St. Karl Borromäus, commonly called the Karlskirche (English: St. Charles Church), is a Baroque church located on the south side of Karlsplatz in Vienna, Austria. Widely considered the most outstanding baroque church in Vienna, as well as one of the city's greatest buildings, the church is dedicated to Saint Charles Borromeo, one of the great counter-reformers of the sixteenth century.
Located on the edge of the Innere Stadt, approximately 200 meters outside the Ringstraße, the church contains a dome in the form of an elongated ellipsoid.
In 1713, one year after the last great plague epidemic, Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, pledged to build a church for his namesake patron saint, Charles Borromeo, who was revered as a healer for plague sufferers. An architectural competition was announced, in which Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach prevailed over, among others, Ferdinando Galli-Bibiena and Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt. Construction began in 1716 under the supervision of Anton Erhard Martinelli. After J.B. Fischer's death in 1723, his son, Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, completed the construction in 1737 using partially altered plans. The church originally possessed a direct line of sight to the Hofburg and was also, until 1918, the imperial patron parish church.
As a creator of historic architecture, the elder Fischer von Erlach united the most diverse of elements. The façade in the center, which leads to the porch, corresponds to a Greek temple portico. The neighboring two columns, crafted by Lorenzo Mattielli, found a model in Trajan's Column in Rome. Next to those, two tower pavilions extend out and show the influence of the Roman baroque (Bernini and Borromini). Above the entrance, a dome rises up above a high drum, which the younger J.E. Fischer shortened and partly altered.
Next to the Church was the Spitaler Gottesacker. The composer Antonio Vivaldi died in Vienna and was buried there on July 28, 1741 but his tomb has been lost over time. The church hosts regular Vivaldi concerts in his honour.
Hedwig Kiesler (age 19), later American movie actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr, married Friedrich Mandl (age 32), businessman and Austrofascist, in the tiny chapel of this elaborate church on 10 August 1933. With over 200 prominent guests attending, Kiesler wore “a black-and-white print dress” and carried “a bouquet of white orchids.”
Since Karlsplatz was restored as an ensemble in the late 1980s, the church has garnered fame because of its dome and its two flanking columns of bas-reliefs, as well as its role as an architectural counterweight to the buildings of the Musikverein and of the Vienna University of Technology. The church is cared for by a religious order, the Knights of the Cross with the Red Star, and has long been the parish church as well as the seat of the Catholic student ministry of the Vienna University of Technology.
The iconographical program of the church originated from the imperial official Carl Gustav Heraeus and connects Saint Charles Borromeo with his imperial benefactor. The relief on the pediment above the entrance with the cardinal virtues and the figure of the patron on its apex point to the motivation of the donation. This sculpture group continues onto the attic story as well. The attic is also one of the elements which the younger Fischer introduced. The columns display scenes from the life of Charles Borromeo in a spiral relief and are intended to recall the two columns, Boaz and Jachim, that stood in front of the Temple at Jerusalem. They also recall the Pillars of Hercules and act as symbols of imperial power. The entrance is flanked by angels from the Old and New Testaments.
This program continues in the interior as well, above all in the dome fresco by Johann Michael Rottmayr of Salzburg and Gaetano Fanti, which displays an intercession of Charles Borromeo, supported by the Virgin Mary. Surrounding this scene are the cardinal virtues. The frescos in a number of side chapels are attributed to Daniel Gran.
The high altarpiece portraying the ascension of the saint was conceptualized by the elder Fischer and executed by Ferdinand Maxmilian Brokoff. The altar paintings in the side chapels are by various artists, including Daniel Gran, Sebastiano Ricci, Martino Altomonte and Jakob van Schuppen. A wooden statue of St. Anthony by Josef Josephu is also on display.
As strong effect emanates from the directing of light and architectural grouping, in particular the arch openings of the main axis. The color scheme is characterized by marble with sparring and conscious use of gold leaf. The large round glass window high above the main altar with the Hebrew Tetragrammaton/Yahweh symbolizes God's omnipotence and simultaneously, through its warm yellow tone, God's love. Below is a representation of Apotheosis of Saint Charles Borromeo.
Next to the structures at Schönbrunn Palace, which maintain this form but are more fragmented, the church is Fischer's greatest work. It is also an expression of the Austrian joie de vivre stemming from the victorious end of the Turkish Wars.
The pulpit of the church was probably designed by Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, and his plans might have been executed by a French furniture maker, Claude Le Fort du Plessy in 1735 although there are no surviving documents attesting their authorship or the manufacturing of the church furniture. It is a wooden structure with rich floral, vegetal, rosette and rocaille ornaments, the finer carvings made of hard walnut, in a gold and brown colour scheme. The abat-voix forms a theatrical canopy with two putti holding a cross and a chalice with host; there is a flaming urn on the top. Around 1860 the abat-voix was enlarged. A wide rim was added distorting the original proportions, obscuring the elegant, swirling lines and creating a top-heavy effect. In 2006-2007 this rim was removed after a long debate and the pulpit was restored. The missing carvings of the canopy decorations were reconstructed and the original appearance of the structure was re-established.
Carlo Borromeo (Arona, Ducado de Milán, 2 de octubre de 1538 - Milán, 3 de noviembre de 1584) fue un cardenal italiano, arzobispo de Milán y uno de los grandes reformadores católicos de la época postridentina. Era sobrino del papa Pío IV y la Iglesia católica lo venera como santo.
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Borromeo
Charles Borromeo (Italian: Carlo Borromeo, Latin: Carolus Borromeus, 2 October 1538 – 3 November 1584) was the Latin archbishop of Milan from 1564 to 1584 and a cardinal of the Catholic Church. He was a leading figure of the Counter-Reformation combat against the Protestant Reformation together with St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. Philip Neri. In that role he was responsible for significant reforms in the Catholic Church, including the founding of seminaries for the education of priests. He is honored as a saint by the Catholic Church, with a feast day on November 4.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Borromeo
La iglesia de san Carlos Borromeo (en alemán, Karlskirche) es una iglesia barroca de Viena, situada en Kreuzherrengasse, 1, en la parte sur de Karlsplatz, al borde del primer distrito, y doscientos metros por fuera de la Ringstrasse.
Durante la fuerte epidemia de peste que azotó Viena en 1713 y que se cobró la vida de unas 8.000 personas, el emperador Carlos VI prometió que, tan pronto, como la ciudad se viera libre de esta calamidad, levantaría un templo dedicado a san Carlos Borromeo, arzobispo de Milán y héroe de la epidemia de peste de 1576. Al año siguiente de la epidemia se anunció un concurso para el proyecto de la iglesia que fue adjudicado a Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. Los fondos que permitieron sufragar la construcción de la iglesia fueron aportados forzosamente por los judíos de Viena. La iglesia es un símbolo de poder religioso y político de la dinastía imperial de los Habsburgo.
Las obras se iniciaron en 1716, y tras la muerte del arquitecto en 1723, las obras fueron continuadas, hasta su terminación en 1737, por su hijo Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach.
La iglesia constituye una obra maestra del eclecticismo barroco, en el que se combinan diferentes estilos: la fachada central representa un pórtico griego, las columnas a su lado son de inspiración barroca y sobre la entrada domina una gigantesca cúpula. Los dos pabellones laterales muestran influencias del barroco romano y decoración oriental. El edificio tiene una altura de 80 metros por unos 60 de ancho y constituye el segundo templo más amplio de la capital después de la catedral de San Esteban
En el exterior destaca el frontis en el que se incluyen las dos columnas citadas, con relieves que muestran periodos de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. Están inspiradas en la columna Trajana de Roma y su decoración espiral presenta escenas de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. El tema que se representa en la columna izquierda es la constancia y el valor en la de la derecha.
En el frontón se encuentran relieves obra de Giovanni Stanetti, que describen los sufrimientos de la ciudad durante la peste de 1713, la estatua del santo patrón corona el frontón. Las escaleras de la entrada se encuentra flanqueada por ángeles que representan el antiguo y el nuevo testamento.
El interior alberga tallas y retablos realizados por los artistas más famosos de la época como Daniel Gran y Altomonte. Destaca la cúpula en la que se pueden contemplar un fresco pintado por Johann Michael Rottmayr de Salzburgo, realizado entre 1725 y 1730, denominado "La apoteosis de san Carlos Borromeo" y que sería el último encargo que cumplió el artista. En él se representa la intercesión de Carlos Borromeo, con el apoyo de la Virgen María, y en torno a ellos las virtudes cardinales.
El altar mayor en el que participaron Alberto Camesina y Ferdinand Maxmilián Brokoff, presenta un relieve de estuco con San Carlos sobre una nube, ascendiendo a los cielos.
Los pabellones que conducen a las entradas laterales tienen decoración de influencia china.
Los frescos de las capillas laterales fueron pintados por Daniel Gran.
La iglesia está cerca de la estación Karlsplatz del Metro de Viena, por la que pasan las líneas U1, U2 y U4; también se puede llegar desde las estaciones de tranvía Gußhausstrasse (línea D) o Wien Resselgasse (líneas 1 y 62).
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iglesia_de_San_Carlos_Borromeo_(Viena)
The Rektoratskirche St. Karl Borromäus, commonly called the Karlskirche (English: St. Charles Church), is a Baroque church located on the south side of Karlsplatz in Vienna, Austria. Widely considered the most outstanding baroque church in Vienna, as well as one of the city's greatest buildings, the church is dedicated to Saint Charles Borromeo, one of the great counter-reformers of the sixteenth century.
Located on the edge of the Innere Stadt, approximately 200 meters outside the Ringstraße, the church contains a dome in the form of an elongated ellipsoid.
In 1713, one year after the last great plague epidemic, Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, pledged to build a church for his namesake patron saint, Charles Borromeo, who was revered as a healer for plague sufferers. An architectural competition was announced, in which Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach prevailed over, among others, Ferdinando Galli-Bibiena and Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt. Construction began in 1716 under the supervision of Anton Erhard Martinelli. After J.B. Fischer's death in 1723, his son, Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, completed the construction in 1737 using partially altered plans. The church originally possessed a direct line of sight to the Hofburg and was also, until 1918, the imperial patron parish church.
As a creator of historic architecture, the elder Fischer von Erlach united the most diverse of elements. The façade in the center, which leads to the porch, corresponds to a Greek temple portico. The neighboring two columns, crafted by Lorenzo Mattielli, found a model in Trajan's Column in Rome. Next to those, two tower pavilions extend out and show the influence of the Roman baroque (Bernini and Borromini). Above the entrance, a dome rises up above a high drum, which the younger J.E. Fischer shortened and partly altered.
Next to the Church was the Spitaler Gottesacker. The composer Antonio Vivaldi died in Vienna and was buried there on July 28, 1741 but his tomb has been lost over time. The church hosts regular Vivaldi concerts in his honour.
Hedwig Kiesler (age 19), later American movie actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr, married Friedrich Mandl (age 32), businessman and Austrofascist, in the tiny chapel of this elaborate church on 10 August 1933. With over 200 prominent guests attending, Kiesler wore “a black-and-white print dress” and carried “a bouquet of white orchids.”
Since Karlsplatz was restored as an ensemble in the late 1980s, the church has garnered fame because of its dome and its two flanking columns of bas-reliefs, as well as its role as an architectural counterweight to the buildings of the Musikverein and of the Vienna University of Technology. The church is cared for by a religious order, the Knights of the Cross with the Red Star, and has long been the parish church as well as the seat of the Catholic student ministry of the Vienna University of Technology.
The iconographical program of the church originated from the imperial official Carl Gustav Heraeus and connects Saint Charles Borromeo with his imperial benefactor. The relief on the pediment above the entrance with the cardinal virtues and the figure of the patron on its apex point to the motivation of the donation. This sculpture group continues onto the attic story as well. The attic is also one of the elements which the younger Fischer introduced. The columns display scenes from the life of Charles Borromeo in a spiral relief and are intended to recall the two columns, Boaz and Jachim, that stood in front of the Temple at Jerusalem. They also recall the Pillars of Hercules and act as symbols of imperial power. The entrance is flanked by angels from the Old and New Testaments.
This program continues in the interior as well, above all in the dome fresco by Johann Michael Rottmayr of Salzburg and Gaetano Fanti, which displays an intercession of Charles Borromeo, supported by the Virgin Mary. Surrounding this scene are the cardinal virtues. The frescos in a number of side chapels are attributed to Daniel Gran.
The high altarpiece portraying the ascension of the saint was conceptualized by the elder Fischer and executed by Ferdinand Maxmilian Brokoff. The altar paintings in the side chapels are by various artists, including Daniel Gran, Sebastiano Ricci, Martino Altomonte and Jakob van Schuppen. A wooden statue of St. Anthony by Josef Josephu is also on display.
As strong effect emanates from the directing of light and architectural grouping, in particular the arch openings of the main axis. The color scheme is characterized by marble with sparring and conscious use of gold leaf. The large round glass window high above the main altar with the Hebrew Tetragrammaton/Yahweh symbolizes God's omnipotence and simultaneously, through its warm yellow tone, God's love. Below is a representation of Apotheosis of Saint Charles Borromeo.
Next to the structures at Schönbrunn Palace, which maintain this form but are more fragmented, the church is Fischer's greatest work. It is also an expression of the Austrian joie de vivre stemming from the victorious end of the Turkish Wars.
The pulpit of the church was probably designed by Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, and his plans might have been executed by a French furniture maker, Claude Le Fort du Plessy in 1735 although there are no surviving documents attesting their authorship or the manufacturing of the church furniture. It is a wooden structure with rich floral, vegetal, rosette and rocaille ornaments, the finer carvings made of hard walnut, in a gold and brown colour scheme. The abat-voix forms a theatrical canopy with two putti holding a cross and a chalice with host; there is a flaming urn on the top. Around 1860 the abat-voix was enlarged. A wide rim was added distorting the original proportions, obscuring the elegant, swirling lines and creating a top-heavy effect. In 2006-2007 this rim was removed after a long debate and the pulpit was restored. The missing carvings of the canopy decorations were reconstructed and the original appearance of the structure was re-established.
La iglesia de san Carlos Borromeo (en alemán, Karlskirche) es una iglesia barroca de Viena, situada en Kreuzherrengasse, 1, en la parte sur de Karlsplatz, al borde del primer distrito, y doscientos metros por fuera de la Ringstrasse.
Durante la fuerte epidemia de peste que azotó Viena en 1713 y que se cobró la vida de unas 8.000 personas, el emperador Carlos VI prometió que, tan pronto, como la ciudad se viera libre de esta calamidad, levantaría un templo dedicado a san Carlos Borromeo, arzobispo de Milán y héroe de la epidemia de peste de 1576. Al año siguiente de la epidemia se anunció un concurso para el proyecto de la iglesia que fue adjudicado a Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. Los fondos que permitieron sufragar la construcción de la iglesia fueron aportados forzosamente por los judíos de Viena. La iglesia es un símbolo de poder religioso y político de la dinastía imperial de los Habsburgo.
Las obras se iniciaron en 1716, y tras la muerte del arquitecto en 1723, las obras fueron continuadas, hasta su terminación en 1737, por su hijo Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach.
La iglesia constituye una obra maestra del eclecticismo barroco, en el que se combinan diferentes estilos: la fachada central representa un pórtico griego, las columnas a su lado son de inspiración barroca y sobre la entrada domina una gigantesca cúpula. Los dos pabellones laterales muestran influencias del barroco romano y decoración oriental. El edificio tiene una altura de 80 metros por unos 60 de ancho y constituye el segundo templo más amplio de la capital después de la catedral de San Esteban
En el exterior destaca el frontis en el que se incluyen las dos columnas citadas, con relieves que muestran periodos de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. Están inspiradas en la columna Trajana de Roma y su decoración espiral presenta escenas de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. El tema que se representa en la columna izquierda es la constancia y el valor en la de la derecha.
En el frontón se encuentran relieves obra de Giovanni Stanetti, que describen los sufrimientos de la ciudad durante la peste de 1713, la estatua del santo patrón corona el frontón. Las escaleras de la entrada se encuentra flanqueada por ángeles que representan el antiguo y el nuevo testamento.
El interior alberga tallas y retablos realizados por los artistas más famosos de la época como Daniel Gran y Altomonte. Destaca la cúpula en la que se pueden contemplar un fresco pintado por Johann Michael Rottmayr de Salzburgo, realizado entre 1725 y 1730, denominado "La apoteosis de san Carlos Borromeo" y que sería el último encargo que cumplió el artista. En él se representa la intercesión de Carlos Borromeo, con el apoyo de la Virgen María, y en torno a ellos las virtudes cardinales.
El altar mayor en el que participaron Alberto Camesina y Ferdinand Maxmilián Brokoff, presenta un relieve de estuco con San Carlos sobre una nube, ascendiendo a los cielos.
Los pabellones que conducen a las entradas laterales tienen decoración de influencia china.
Los frescos de las capillas laterales fueron pintados por Daniel Gran.
La iglesia está cerca de la estación Karlsplatz del Metro de Viena, por la que pasan las líneas U1, U2 y U4; también se puede llegar desde las estaciones de tranvía Gußhausstrasse (línea D) o Wien Resselgasse (líneas 1 y 62).
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iglesia_de_San_Carlos_Borromeo_(Viena)
The Rektoratskirche St. Karl Borromäus, commonly called the Karlskirche (English: St. Charles Church), is a Baroque church located on the south side of Karlsplatz in Vienna, Austria. Widely considered the most outstanding baroque church in Vienna, as well as one of the city's greatest buildings, the church is dedicated to Saint Charles Borromeo, one of the great counter-reformers of the sixteenth century.
Located on the edge of the Innere Stadt, approximately 200 meters outside the Ringstraße, the church contains a dome in the form of an elongated ellipsoid.
In 1713, one year after the last great plague epidemic, Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, pledged to build a church for his namesake patron saint, Charles Borromeo, who was revered as a healer for plague sufferers. An architectural competition was announced, in which Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach prevailed over, among others, Ferdinando Galli-Bibiena and Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt. Construction began in 1716 under the supervision of Anton Erhard Martinelli. After J.B. Fischer's death in 1723, his son, Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, completed the construction in 1737 using partially altered plans. The church originally possessed a direct line of sight to the Hofburg and was also, until 1918, the imperial patron parish church.
As a creator of historic architecture, the elder Fischer von Erlach united the most diverse of elements. The façade in the center, which leads to the porch, corresponds to a Greek temple portico. The neighboring two columns, crafted by Lorenzo Mattielli, found a model in Trajan's Column in Rome. Next to those, two tower pavilions extend out and show the influence of the Roman baroque (Bernini and Borromini). Above the entrance, a dome rises up above a high drum, which the younger J.E. Fischer shortened and partly altered.
Next to the Church was the Spitaler Gottesacker. The composer Antonio Vivaldi died in Vienna and was buried there on July 28, 1741 but his tomb has been lost over time. The church hosts regular Vivaldi concerts in his honour.
Hedwig Kiesler (age 19), later American movie actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr, married Friedrich Mandl (age 32), businessman and Austrofascist, in the tiny chapel of this elaborate church on 10 August 1933. With over 200 prominent guests attending, Kiesler wore “a black-and-white print dress” and carried “a bouquet of white orchids.”
Since Karlsplatz was restored as an ensemble in the late 1980s, the church has garnered fame because of its dome and its two flanking columns of bas-reliefs, as well as its role as an architectural counterweight to the buildings of the Musikverein and of the Vienna University of Technology. The church is cared for by a religious order, the Knights of the Cross with the Red Star, and has long been the parish church as well as the seat of the Catholic student ministry of the Vienna University of Technology.
The iconographical program of the church originated from the imperial official Carl Gustav Heraeus and connects Saint Charles Borromeo with his imperial benefactor. The relief on the pediment above the entrance with the cardinal virtues and the figure of the patron on its apex point to the motivation of the donation. This sculpture group continues onto the attic story as well. The attic is also one of the elements which the younger Fischer introduced. The columns display scenes from the life of Charles Borromeo in a spiral relief and are intended to recall the two columns, Boaz and Jachim, that stood in front of the Temple at Jerusalem. They also recall the Pillars of Hercules and act as symbols of imperial power. The entrance is flanked by angels from the Old and New Testaments.
This program continues in the interior as well, above all in the dome fresco by Johann Michael Rottmayr of Salzburg and Gaetano Fanti, which displays an intercession of Charles Borromeo, supported by the Virgin Mary. Surrounding this scene are the cardinal virtues. The frescos in a number of side chapels are attributed to Daniel Gran.
The high altarpiece portraying the ascension of the saint was conceptualized by the elder Fischer and executed by Ferdinand Maxmilian Brokoff. The altar paintings in the side chapels are by various artists, including Daniel Gran, Sebastiano Ricci, Martino Altomonte and Jakob van Schuppen. A wooden statue of St. Anthony by Josef Josephu is also on display.
As strong effect emanates from the directing of light and architectural grouping, in particular the arch openings of the main axis. The color scheme is characterized by marble with sparring and conscious use of gold leaf. The large round glass window high above the main altar with the Hebrew Tetragrammaton/Yahweh symbolizes God's omnipotence and simultaneously, through its warm yellow tone, God's love. Below is a representation of Apotheosis of Saint Charles Borromeo.
Next to the structures at Schönbrunn Palace, which maintain this form but are more fragmented, the church is Fischer's greatest work. It is also an expression of the Austrian joie de vivre stemming from the victorious end of the Turkish Wars.
The pulpit of the church was probably designed by Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, and his plans might have been executed by a French furniture maker, Claude Le Fort du Plessy in 1735 although there are no surviving documents attesting their authorship or the manufacturing of the church furniture. It is a wooden structure with rich floral, vegetal, rosette and rocaille ornaments, the finer carvings made of hard walnut, in a gold and brown colour scheme. The abat-voix forms a theatrical canopy with two putti holding a cross and a chalice with host; there is a flaming urn on the top. Around 1860 the abat-voix was enlarged. A wide rim was added distorting the original proportions, obscuring the elegant, swirling lines and creating a top-heavy effect. In 2006-2007 this rim was removed after a long debate and the pulpit was restored. The missing carvings of the canopy decorations were reconstructed and the original appearance of the structure was re-established.
La iglesia de san Carlos Borromeo (en alemán, Karlskirche) es una iglesia barroca de Viena, situada en Kreuzherrengasse, 1, en la parte sur de Karlsplatz, al borde del primer distrito, y doscientos metros por fuera de la Ringstrasse.
Durante la fuerte epidemia de peste que azotó Viena en 1713 y que se cobró la vida de unas 8.000 personas, el emperador Carlos VI prometió que, tan pronto, como la ciudad se viera libre de esta calamidad, levantaría un templo dedicado a san Carlos Borromeo, arzobispo de Milán y héroe de la epidemia de peste de 1576. Al año siguiente de la epidemia se anunció un concurso para el proyecto de la iglesia que fue adjudicado a Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. Los fondos que permitieron sufragar la construcción de la iglesia fueron aportados forzosamente por los judíos de Viena. La iglesia es un símbolo de poder religioso y político de la dinastía imperial de los Habsburgo.
Las obras se iniciaron en 1716, y tras la muerte del arquitecto en 1723, las obras fueron continuadas, hasta su terminación en 1737, por su hijo Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach.
La iglesia constituye una obra maestra del eclecticismo barroco, en el que se combinan diferentes estilos: la fachada central representa un pórtico griego, las columnas a su lado son de inspiración barroca y sobre la entrada domina una gigantesca cúpula. Los dos pabellones laterales muestran influencias del barroco romano y decoración oriental. El edificio tiene una altura de 80 metros por unos 60 de ancho y constituye el segundo templo más amplio de la capital después de la catedral de San Esteban
En el exterior destaca el frontis en el que se incluyen las dos columnas citadas, con relieves que muestran periodos de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. Están inspiradas en la columna Trajana de Roma y su decoración espiral presenta escenas de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. El tema que se representa en la columna izquierda es la constancia y el valor en la de la derecha.
En el frontón se encuentran relieves obra de Giovanni Stanetti, que describen los sufrimientos de la ciudad durante la peste de 1713, la estatua del santo patrón corona el frontón. Las escaleras de la entrada se encuentra flanqueada por ángeles que representan el antiguo y el nuevo testamento.
El interior alberga tallas y retablos realizados por los artistas más famosos de la época como Daniel Gran y Altomonte. Destaca la cúpula en la que se pueden contemplar un fresco pintado por Johann Michael Rottmayr de Salzburgo, realizado entre 1725 y 1730, denominado "La apoteosis de san Carlos Borromeo" y que sería el último encargo que cumplió el artista. En él se representa la intercesión de Carlos Borromeo, con el apoyo de la Virgen María, y en torno a ellos las virtudes cardinales.
El altar mayor en el que participaron Alberto Camesina y Ferdinand Maxmilián Brokoff, presenta un relieve de estuco con San Carlos sobre una nube, ascendiendo a los cielos.
Los pabellones que conducen a las entradas laterales tienen decoración de influencia china.
Los frescos de las capillas laterales fueron pintados por Daniel Gran.
La iglesia está cerca de la estación Karlsplatz del Metro de Viena, por la que pasan las líneas U1, U2 y U4; también se puede llegar desde las estaciones de tranvía Gußhausstrasse (línea D) o Wien Resselgasse (líneas 1 y 62).
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iglesia_de_San_Carlos_Borromeo_(Viena)
The Rektoratskirche St. Karl Borromäus, commonly called the Karlskirche (English: St. Charles Church), is a Baroque church located on the south side of Karlsplatz in Vienna, Austria. Widely considered the most outstanding baroque church in Vienna, as well as one of the city's greatest buildings, the church is dedicated to Saint Charles Borromeo, one of the great counter-reformers of the sixteenth century.
Located on the edge of the Innere Stadt, approximately 200 meters outside the Ringstraße, the church contains a dome in the form of an elongated ellipsoid.
In 1713, one year after the last great plague epidemic, Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, pledged to build a church for his namesake patron saint, Charles Borromeo, who was revered as a healer for plague sufferers. An architectural competition was announced, in which Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach prevailed over, among others, Ferdinando Galli-Bibiena and Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt. Construction began in 1716 under the supervision of Anton Erhard Martinelli. After J.B. Fischer's death in 1723, his son, Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, completed the construction in 1737 using partially altered plans. The church originally possessed a direct line of sight to the Hofburg and was also, until 1918, the imperial patron parish church.
As a creator of historic architecture, the elder Fischer von Erlach united the most diverse of elements. The façade in the center, which leads to the porch, corresponds to a Greek temple portico. The neighboring two columns, crafted by Lorenzo Mattielli, found a model in Trajan's Column in Rome. Next to those, two tower pavilions extend out and show the influence of the Roman baroque (Bernini and Borromini). Above the entrance, a dome rises up above a high drum, which the younger J.E. Fischer shortened and partly altered.
Next to the Church was the Spitaler Gottesacker. The composer Antonio Vivaldi died in Vienna and was buried there on July 28, 1741 but his tomb has been lost over time. The church hosts regular Vivaldi concerts in his honour.
Hedwig Kiesler (age 19), later American movie actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr, married Friedrich Mandl (age 32), businessman and Austrofascist, in the tiny chapel of this elaborate church on 10 August 1933. With over 200 prominent guests attending, Kiesler wore “a black-and-white print dress” and carried “a bouquet of white orchids.”
Since Karlsplatz was restored as an ensemble in the late 1980s, the church has garnered fame because of its dome and its two flanking columns of bas-reliefs, as well as its role as an architectural counterweight to the buildings of the Musikverein and of the Vienna University of Technology. The church is cared for by a religious order, the Knights of the Cross with the Red Star, and has long been the parish church as well as the seat of the Catholic student ministry of the Vienna University of Technology.
The iconographical program of the church originated from the imperial official Carl Gustav Heraeus and connects Saint Charles Borromeo with his imperial benefactor. The relief on the pediment above the entrance with the cardinal virtues and the figure of the patron on its apex point to the motivation of the donation. This sculpture group continues onto the attic story as well. The attic is also one of the elements which the younger Fischer introduced. The columns display scenes from the life of Charles Borromeo in a spiral relief and are intended to recall the two columns, Boaz and Jachim, that stood in front of the Temple at Jerusalem. They also recall the Pillars of Hercules and act as symbols of imperial power. The entrance is flanked by angels from the Old and New Testaments.
This program continues in the interior as well, above all in the dome fresco by Johann Michael Rottmayr of Salzburg and Gaetano Fanti, which displays an intercession of Charles Borromeo, supported by the Virgin Mary. Surrounding this scene are the cardinal virtues. The frescos in a number of side chapels are attributed to Daniel Gran.
The high altarpiece portraying the ascension of the saint was conceptualized by the elder Fischer and executed by Ferdinand Maxmilian Brokoff. The altar paintings in the side chapels are by various artists, including Daniel Gran, Sebastiano Ricci, Martino Altomonte and Jakob van Schuppen. A wooden statue of St. Anthony by Josef Josephu is also on display.
As strong effect emanates from the directing of light and architectural grouping, in particular the arch openings of the main axis. The color scheme is characterized by marble with sparring and conscious use of gold leaf. The large round glass window high above the main altar with the Hebrew Tetragrammaton/Yahweh symbolizes God's omnipotence and simultaneously, through its warm yellow tone, God's love. Below is a representation of Apotheosis of Saint Charles Borromeo.
Next to the structures at Schönbrunn Palace, which maintain this form but are more fragmented, the church is Fischer's greatest work. It is also an expression of the Austrian joie de vivre stemming from the victorious end of the Turkish Wars.
The pulpit of the church was probably designed by Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, and his plans might have been executed by a French furniture maker, Claude Le Fort du Plessy in 1735 although there are no surviving documents attesting their authorship or the manufacturing of the church furniture. It is a wooden structure with rich floral, vegetal, rosette and rocaille ornaments, the finer carvings made of hard walnut, in a gold and brown colour scheme. The abat-voix forms a theatrical canopy with two putti holding a cross and a chalice with host; there is a flaming urn on the top. Around 1860 the abat-voix was enlarged. A wide rim was added distorting the original proportions, obscuring the elegant, swirling lines and creating a top-heavy effect. In 2006-2007 this rim was removed after a long debate and the pulpit was restored. The missing carvings of the canopy decorations were reconstructed and the original appearance of the structure was re-established.
Abraxas or Abrasax (Gnostic, from Greek Αβραξας) From the Theosophical Glossary: "A mystical term used by the Gnostics to indicate the supreme entity of our cosmic hierarchy or its manifestation in the human being they called the Christos. Abraxas has the value of 365, based on numerical equivalents in the Greek alphabet. Since 365 represents the cycle of one revolution of our planet around the sun, they argued that Abraxas mystically contained the total number of families of entities making up a hierarchy. Illuminator, Abraxas, the streams of life and inspiration that govern their existence, Abraxas is therefore the supreme cosmic soul, Brahma, the Creator or Third Logos. The Basilidian Gnostics [see: Basilides] taught that from this supreme God was created noûs (mind). Abraxas was also identified with the Hebrew Adonai, the Egyptian Horus and the Hindu Prajapati. The Gnostic amulets known as the Abraxas gems described the god as a pantheos (all-god), with the head of a rooster, herald of the sun, representing foresight and vigilance; a human body clad in armor evoking a guardian power; legs in the form of sacred asps. In his right hand is a flail, emblem of authority; on his left arm, a shield decorated with a word of power. This pantheos invariably bears its proper name, IAO, and its epithets Abraxas and Sabaoth, and is often accompanied by invocations such as SEMES EILAM, the eternal sun (The Gnostics and Their Remnants 246), whom Blavatsky equates with the "central spiritual sun" of the Qabbalists (SD 2: 214). Although written in Greek characters, the words SEMES EILAM ABRASAX are probably of Semitic origin: shemesh sun; `olam secret, occult, hidden, eternity, world; Abrasax Abraxas. Therefore, in combination, the phrase can be rendered "the eternal sun Abraxax".
gnosticpublishing.org/apprendre/glossaire/glossaire-a/abr...
C. G. Jung possessed an intense and sympathetic interest in the early alternative Christian tradition now known as Gnosticism. Both in his published writings and in his private reminiscences one finds frequent and insightful comments about Gnostic tradition, although during much of Jung’s life the subject of Gnosticism was virtually unknown to all but a few scholars of religion.
One of the key documents bearing early testimony to Jung’s vital Gnostic interest was his finely designed book, Septem Sermones ad Mortuos—“Seven Sermons to the Dead.” Jung had the work privately printed in 1916 and over subsequent decades gave copies of it to a select number of friends and associates. With Jung’s approval, H. G. Baynes translated the text of the Sermons into English and this edition was privately printed in 1925. Again, Jung distributed the English edition only to persons whom he felt to be properly prepared for its message.
What remained generally unknown was that around 1917 Jung also transcribed a much-expanded version of the Septem Sermones into the third and final portion of his draft manuscript of Liber Novus, the section entitled “Scrutinies.” There the Sermons appear as the summary revelation of Liber Novus. Jung never publicly revealed the existence of this longer form of the Sermons, and until the publication in 2009 of Liber Novus: The Red Book this version of the Sermons remained entirely inaccessible.
Those who were fortunate enough to become acquainted with Septem Sermones ad Mortuos usually found it intriguing, but they were often somewhat puzzled by its contents. Authorship of the book was attributed not to Jung, but to a historical Gnostic teacher named Basilides. And its place of composition was stated to be “Alexandria, the city where East and West meet.” Over ensuing years, those who had read the book sometimes referred to it as Jung’s Gnostic revelation. But of course, during Jung’s life few people knew much about Gnosticism, nor understood what really made this little book “Gnostic.” Nonetheless, following the publication of Liber Novus, it has become evident that the Sermons are indeed the revelation of C. G. Jung’s Gnostic myth. The Sermons might even be seen as the heart of his New Book—The Red Book: Liber Novus.
Since Jung’s death in 1961, a great deal more information regarding Gnosticism has become available, and it has become a subject of wide popular and academic interest. A major impetus to this awakened attention was the publication in 1977 of the Nag Hammadi library of Gnostic scriptures, the most extensive collection of original writings of the ancient Gnostics discovered thus far. The Nag Hammadi texts have shed new light on many details of the Gnostic mythos that were previously obscure. They also help place Jung’s Gnostic tract into a broader context.
The Septem Sermones ad Mortuos has proved over past years to be a difficult book to categorize. Some writers have termed it a “cosmology,” but that remains an inadequate formulation. The document might perhaps more accurately be termed a “psycho-cosmology.” Since Gnostic scriptures typically approached their psycho-spiritual themes in the form of myths, one might propose that the Septem Sermones exemplify the contemporary formulation of a Gnostic myth. Though Jung's text is not identical with any pre-existing Gnostic myth, it is nonetheless related in form to many ancient Gnostic texts that have come to light over the last century.
The Gnostic themes in the Septem Sermones are further amplified by another document created by Jung during the period in which he recorded the Sermons. In early 1916 Jung constructed a detailed and artistically impressive image—or mandala—that diagrammatically represented many of the elements discussed subsequently in the Sermons. He titled it Systema Munditotius, “the system of the entire world.” Jung did not include this image among the many illustrations within his Red Book. Much later in life he did, however, allow it to be published—it appeared in a 1955 issue of the German periodical Du that was dedicated to the Eranos conferences (Jung did not, however, allow his name to be given explicitly as the image’s creator). The illustration was subsequently included as a full-page plate in C. G. Jung: Word and Image. The Systema Munditotius is now reproduced beautifully in The Red Book: Liber Novus, where it appears in Appendix A. The amplified text of the Sermons present in Liber Novus and the diagram of Systema Munditotius together provide a foundation for the following discussion.
Statements substantiating Jung’s affinity with Gnostic tradition run throughout his published writings. Jung held the view that during much of the history of Western culture the reality of the psyche and its role in the transformation of the human being had received scant recognition. In contrast, the Gnostics of old and their later covert progeny—which in Jung’s view included the alchemists and other alternative spiritual movements—affirmed the revelatory importance of the psyche. Jung plainly stated: “For the Gnostics—and this is their real secret—the psyche existed as a source of knowledge.” In response to the recurrent question of whether or not Jung was a Gnostic, one must reply: “Certainly he was, for ‘Gnostic’ means ‘knower,’ and by his own statements Jung was one who knew.” The visions, myths, and metaphors of the Gnostics confirmed Jung’s own experiences recorded in Liber Novus, and this circumstance created a bond that joined him with Gnostics of all ages and places.
Myth of the Demiurge
The myth of the demiurge originated with Plato. In his Timaeus, Plato postulated the existence of a creator deity or “demiurge” who fashioned the material universe. The term demiurge is derived from the Greek word meaning “craftsman.” Although a craftsman and fashioner, it must be understood that the demiurge was not identical with the monotheistic creator figure; the demiurge and the material from which the demiurge fashioned the universe were both secondary consequences of another primary factor. The demiurge is thus an intermediate architect, not a supreme source.
In ancient times, Plato was regarded as the paragon of all wisdom, and his model of a demiurge or cosmic fashioner was further elaborated and adapted within many subsequent schools of thought, including in the myths of the Gnostics. Gnostics envisioned the demiurge as a subordinate supernatural power that was not identical with the true, ultimate, and transcendent godhead. The presence of a myth about this demiurge became a signal characteristic of Gnostic systems. Taking note of the sometimes distasteful character and conduct of the Old Testament deity, Gnostics frequently identified the latter as the demiurge—a being that was not evil, but still of questionable moral stature and limited wisdom.
It has long been apparent to some students of Jung that in Answer to Job he characterized the divine tyrant who tormented Job as a classic Gnostic demiurge. This divinity, as described by Jung, was a being who lacked wisdom due to having lost or forgotten his feminine side—his Sophia (“wisdom”). Notwithstanding this and other evidence, some readers of Jung previously argued that his mythos in the Septem Sermones did not include the controversial Gnostic figure of the demiurge, and therefore it should not be properly called Gnostic. Publication of the Red Book: Liber Novus now makes it abundantly clear that the demiurge is present in Jung’s myth. Indeed, Answer to Job is unmistakably a reformulation of the Gnostic myth disclosed to Jung in Liber Novus and within the Septem Sermones.
Prior to the availability of the expanded version of the Sermons found in Liber Novus, the figure of Abraxas—as portrayed in the published 1916 edition of the Sermons—remained ambiguous. In my book, The Gnostic Jung and the Seven Sermons to the Dead, first published in 1982, I offered an initial commentary on the locus of Abraxas in Jung’s myth. With the long-sequestered text of Liber Novus finally available, I now wish to amend and expand those prior comments composed nearly four decades ago. Based on documentation in Liber Novus, the figure Jung identified as “Abraxas” has finally and indisputably been divulged as a classic Gnostic demiurge.
The mysterious being called “Abraxas” first appears in Septem Sermones in the latter part of the Second Sermon; passages describing him continue throughout the Third Sermon and into the Fourth Sermon. Initially, he is there characterized as “a god about whom you know nothing, because men have forgotten him.” This statement can certainly be taken to apply to an intermediate deity, as is ubiquitous in a large number of Gnostic scriptures.
For some two thousand years Western and Middle Eastern cultures have been dominated by the monotheistic god-image familiar to us today. Prior to the first several centuries of the current era, however, many Mediterranean cultures accommodated religions of a pluralistic nature wherein the image of an ultimate, impersonal divine reality coexisted with a number of lesser or intermediate deities. In such ancient pluralistic systems, the image of a materially powerful but morally and spiritually impaired demiurge often played an important role.
Scholars now widely affirm that the incipient Christian religion harbored various alternative forms; those movements in early Christianity that included a myth of the demiurge are usually categorized collectively as “Gnostic.” While the name Abraxas does occur in a few ancient Gnostic texts (where he is usually identified as a great archon), no evidence exists that the demiurge of classical Gnosticism was specifically called Abraxas. Jung’s assignation of the ancient name Abraxas to the demiurge was thus his own imaginative appropriation.
Abraxas and the Demiurge
So, was Abraxas the demiurge in Jung’s myth? Jung’s Black Book journal entry dated January 16, 1916, and reproduced as Appendix C in Liber Novus, removes all question about this issue: Abraxas was the demiurge in Jung’s myth. As Dr. Lance Owens has previously noted, this journal entry—written around the same time Jung sketched the Systema Munidtotius, and about two weeks before he scribed his initial journal version of the Septem Sermones—records the following words spoken to Jung by the Soul, who assumed the voice of the Gnostic Sophia. Her address to Jung is inarguably a rendition of the primal Gnostic myth of the demiurge, here named Abraxas:
You should worship only one God. The other Gods are unimportant. Abraxas is to be feared. Therefore it was a deliverance when he separated himself from me.
Note that the separation of the demiurge from Sophia—“when he separated himself from me”—is a key element of the classic Gnostic myth of Sophia and the Demiurge. She then exhorts,
You do not need to seek him. He will find you, just like Eros. He is the God of the cosmos, extremely powerful and fearful. He is the creative drive, he is form and formation, just as much as matter and force, therefore he is above all the light and dark Gods. He tears away souls and casts them into procreation. He is the creative and created. He is the God who always renews himself in days, in months, in years, in human life, in ages, in peoples, in the living, in heavenly bodies. He compels, he is unsparing. If you worship him, you increase his power over you. Thereby it becomes unbearable. You will have dreadful trouble getting clear of him. … So remember him, do not worship him, but also do not imagine that you can flee him since he is all around you. You must be in the middle of life, surrounded by death on all sides. Stretched out, like one crucified, you hang in him, the fearful, the overpowering.
This journal entry unambiguously identifies the figure of Abraxas, who a few weeks thereafter appeared in Jung’s initial journal version of the Sermons, as the demiurge of classical Gnostic mythology. The identification of Abraxas with the demiurge is further established in the draft manuscript of Liber Novus, where in several passages Jung substituted the term “ruler of this world” for the name “Abraxas” that was originally recorded in his Black Book journal.
At its beginning, Jung’s Gnostic theogony in the Sermons describes an ultimate, utterly transcendental source called the Pleroma, and then a number of intermediate deities, including God-the-Sun, the Devil, Eros, and The Tree of Life. In addition to these figures, the entire Third Sermon is devoted to introducing the demiurgic figure of Abraxas. In the Fourth Sermon Jung summarizes:
Immeasurable, like the host of stars, is the number of gods and devils. Every star is a god, and every space occupied by a star is a devil. And the emptiness of the whole is the Pleroma. The activity of the whole is Abraxas; only the unreal opposes him.
The version of the Sermons included in Liber Novus contains several crucially important additions to the original text that was printed in 1916. In this expanded 1917 manuscript version, Philemon is identified as the speaker presenting the Sermons to the dead (Basilides was the speaker of the Sermons in the printed version). The text incorporates questions that Jung asks Philemon about each sermon, along with Philemon’s answers. Philemon also adds extended homiletic commentary upon the content of his sermons. All of this additional material enriches and further explicates the meaning of the Sermons.
After the First Sermon, Jung’s initial question addressed to Philemon voices concern that the teachings in the Sermons might be regarded as “reprehensible heresy.” (This query bears the characteristic of a rhetorical question.) Philemon replies that the audience to whom the Sermons are addressed—“the dead”—are Christians whose now-abandoned faith long ago declared these teachings to be heresies. This commentary might be interpreted to further imply that a large number of people in our culture are now abandoning their traditional religion and are thus prepared to listen to ancient heresies, wherein they may find answers to their own portentous questions. Philemon’s statement is clear and to the point:
Why do I impart this teaching of the ancients? I teach in this way because their Christian faith once discarded and persecuted precisely this teaching. But they repudiated Christian belief and hence were rejected by that faith. They do not know this and therefore I must teach them…
Philemon’s words are eminently applicable to the problem of religion in contemporary Western culture. Religion in much of Europe has reached an unprecedented low point in its history, and allegiance to the Christian tradition in the U.S.A. appears to be diminishing. Jung frequently pointed out that the god image in a religion and culture is of crucial importance to the well-being of the collective psyche, and therefore also to the well-being of the individual. A major factor inducing the decline of the Christian religion in the West is unquestionably the disappointment people have come to feel with the traditional monotheistic god.
Prophecy of a New Age and a New God Image
Jung’s epochal Liber Novus is, in the consensus view of informed readers, a book of prophecy. On the initial folio of Liber Novus Jung presents an image of a complex landscape surmounted by a zodiac and showing forth the aeonial passage of the sun from the sign of Pisces into that of Aquarius. This image points forward to his title, The Way of What is to Come. The reader then encounters several prophetic quotations from the writings of the prophet Isaiah, and from the prologue to the Gospel of John. Jung’s Liber Novus thus sets the stage for disclosure of its new prophecy.
Throughout both Liber Primus and Liber Secundus of Liber Novus we find recurring references to the coming of the new age of Aquarius. In an impressive section that Jung titled “The Three Prophecies,” his Soul reveals to him three periods in the forthcoming age: War, Magic, and Religion. In commentary on this vision, Jung wrote,
These three mean the unleashing of chaos and its power, just as they also mean the binding of chaos. War is obvious and everybody sees it. Magic is dark and no one sees it. Religion is still to come, but it will become evident. … I felt the burden of the most terrible work of the times ahead. I saw where and how, but no word can grasp it, no will can conquer it. … But I saw it and my memory will not leave me alone.
Examining the numerous prophetic passages in Liber Novus, it becomes clear that at the heart of Jung’s experience there abides a vision of the formation of a new god image. But what indications did Jung give regarding the nature of this new god image and, moreover, how may contemporary persons facilitate the arising of a new god image in their own natures and in the new religion that is to come?
Liber Novus offers several statements that refer to the coming god image. The tone is set in the early part of Liber Primus; Jung there recounts several visions that he experienced which foretold of the time when “the great war broke out between the peoples of Europe.” He then declares,
Within us is the way, the truth, and the life. … The signposts have fallen, unblazed trails lie before us. Do not be greedy to gobble up the fruits of foreign fields. Do you not know that you yourselves are the fertile acre which bears everything that avails you?
It is clear from the beginning of Jung’s mysterious prophetic book that the future god image is none other than the divine essential Selfhood indwelling in the human soul. Here, again, we must turn to the expanded version of the Sermons for a clarifying commentary. At the conclusion of the First Sermon, Philemon instructs his audience to strive for what he calls their essences. He continues,
At bottom, therefore, there is only one striving, namely the striving for one's own essence. If you had this striving, you would not need to know anything about the Pleroma and its qualities, and yet you would attain the right goal by virtue of your own essence. Since, however, thought alienates us from our essence, I must teach you that knowledge with which you can bridle your thoughts.
Many Gnostic writings explicitly state that the essence of the human is the fragment of the ultimate reality residing at the center of its being. When it is possible for the human to gain access to this essence, all other religious or spiritual endeavors are redundant. It is largely the fault of the demiurge—or so Jung’s old friends, the Gnostics, believed—that this access is so fraught with difficulty. In the Sermons, Jung’s spirit mentor Philemon offers advice regarding the judicious way in which humans may free themselves from the yoke of the demiurge. Unlike some of the more radical Gnostics of old, Philemon advises us to neither flee from the demiurge Abraxas, nor to seek him. In one passage in the Sermons, Philemon says about Abraxas, “to resist him not is liberation.”
The Gnostic demiurge, by whatever name he may be called, is omnipresent in the outer world. While humans are in terrestrial embodiment they must both accept the demiurge’s presence, and equally endeavor to counterbalance his influence by contacting their own indwelling essence. This indwelling essence is described in the Seventh Sermon as the “solitary star” in the heavens. This statement is supplemented by the revelation Jung recorded in his Black Book journal on January 16, 1916, wherein his Soul admonished him:
You have in you the one God, the wonderfully beautiful and kind, the solitary, starlike, unmoving, he who is older and wiser than the father, he who has a safe hand, who leads you among all the darknesses and death scares of dreadful Abraxas. He gives joy and peace, since he is beyond death and beyond what is subject to change. He is no servant and no friend of Abraxas.
What then is the principal deficiency in the god of the old Aeon, the god who is to be overcome? Employing the nomenclature of the Sermons and other statements by Jung, we might say that the god of the monotheistic religions is a compound in which the ultimate god (called the Pleroma in the Septem Sermones) is unconsciously combined with the demiurge, named by Jung as Abraxas.
Based on the numerous paradoxical and even downright evil deeds and utterances of the Old Testament deity, and the fact that this deity was carried forward into orthodox Christianity, one is tempted to conclude (as Jung did in Answer to Job) that the Judeo-Christian god is at best a being who embodies both arrogance and unconsciousness. It seems quite impossible to believe that this god is both almighty and good—for his goodness would thus have to be combined with impotence, or alternatively, his omnipotence would be joined to his absence of goodness. A considerable portion of humanity has thus reached the point where it can no longer endure the unconscious tension embodied by a blind belief in an utterly enigmatic and derisory god image. This circumstance is causing an unprecedented upsurge of atheism and secularism in Western culture.
Throughout the twentieth century humanity has experienced a multitude of terrible events; these have undermined many people’s ability to have faith in a benevolent god. The medieval brutality of modern-day terrorists motivated by commitment to a monotheistic god has only reinforced the rejection of such traditional god images in secular society. Our age cries out for a new understanding of divinity, and a new god image. This was Jung’s prophesy in Liber Novus. As he also noted, this development may take centuries. Until a new god image constellates, we will pass through an epoch of chaos and violence.
When Christendom cast out the salvific myth of Gnosis in favor of an unimaginative literalism, it became spiritually impoverished. Our impoverishment has now reached its terminus. We await the formation of our new myth—a myth that rediscovers the primordial images and myth of Gnosis. As Jung declared,
I hope the reader will not be offended if my exposition sounds like a Gnostic myth. We are moving in those psychological regions where, as a matter of fact, Gnosis is rooted. The message of the Christian symbol is Gnosis, and the [response to it] by the unconscious is Gnosis in even higher degree. Myth is the primordial language natural to these psychic processes, and no intellectual formulation comes anywhere near the richness and expressiveness of mythical imagery. Such processes are concerned with the primordial images, and these are best and most succinctly reproduced by figurative language.
The Self, the Demiurge, and the New God Image
The issue of the coming god image has captured the attention of several of Jung's students in recent decades. Edward Edinger made perhaps the most complete statement concerning Jung’s declaration in his pioneering book, The New God-Image. As Edinger noted, Jung avowed an ancient and esoteric image of a deific consciousness dwelling in the soul. This affirmation is present in Liber Novus, and is restated in various ways throughout all of Jung’s subsequent writings. In Liber Novus Jung offered a startling prophecy: the long neglected indwelling god image would eventually become the orienting god image of the future. On the first page of Liber Novus he made it plain that this prediction was coordinated with the synchronous passing of the world from the astrological age of Pisces into that of Aquarius.
It is now evident that the essential foundation of Jung’s science and psychological language reposed in his long-concealed Liber Novus. A key revelation present within Liber Novus that later emerged as a core affirmation in his psychology—and as a spiritual and archetypal declaration—was the assertion of the presence within the human psyche of a central archetype, around which other archetypes constellate. He called this central principle or archetype the “Self.” In Psychology and Alchemy—published in 1944, and based on lectures given in 1935—Jung stated:
I have found myself obliged to give [this] archetype the psychological name of the “self”—a term on the one hand definite enough to convey the essence of human wholeness and on the other hand indefinite enough to express the indescribable and indeterminable nature of this wholeness. … Hence in its scientific usage the term “self” refers neither to Christ nor to the Buddha but to the totality of the figures that are its equivalent, and each of these figures is a symbol of the self. This mode of expression is an intellectual necessity in scientific psychology and in no sense denotes a transcendental prejudice. On the contrary … this objective attitude enables one man to decide in favour of the determinant Christ, another in favour of the Buddha, and so on.
While the existence of a divine image internal to the psyche, termed by Jung the “Self,” is widely accepted among followers of Jung, the opposing archetype of the demiurge is far less known. Jung claimed that at the heart of early Christianity there existed the insight of Gnosis; he himself had met this Gnosis in the experiences recorded in his Black Book journals, and thence in Liber Novus and in the Septem Sermones. An essential part of the archetypal mythos of Gnosis is the presence of a duality both inwardly in the soul, and outwardly in the cosmos. This duality is composed of a divine spark within the deepest recesses of the soul, and of an outer demiurgic power. Self and Demiurge stand in opposition.
This symbolic opposition is illustrated clearly in Jung’s 1916 mandala, Systema Munditotius. At the lowest point of the circular mandala, seated on the exterior circle, is a being with the lower body of a large serpent, surmounted by a light-colored torso, and topped by the golden head of a lion crowned with a ten-rayed golden halo. On the opposite pole of the mandala, at the apex of the design, we find a winged egg within which stands the figure of the child-god Phanes. The serpent-lion is described as abraxas dominus mundi (Abraxas, Lord of the World). This powerful demiurge dominates the lower creation, while the child-god Phanes above is about to attain to his full stature. The undifferentiated, primitive god-image is about to be replaced by the still developing child-god of promise.
The Systema Munditotius is further populated by images of archetypal beings that arrange themselves in pairs of opposites on the poles of the mandala. These include deus sol (god the sun) and deus luna satanus (god the moon, Satan). We also find paired a winged rodent identified as scientia (science), and a winged worm named ars (art). Despite the abundance of these symbolic images—many of which later appear as figures in the text of the Septem Sermones—the two principal focal points of the diagram are clearly Abraxas and Phanes.
A picture compensates for many words and Jung’s images here illuminate the nature and role of the archetypes depicted, particularly of the primordial demiurge Abraxas, and of Phanes, the new god-image awaiting birth. Of course, in conjunction with this image, the verbal descriptions of Abraxas in the Septem Sermones are also instructive:
Abraxas is the god whom it is difficult to know. His power is the very greatest, because man does not perceive it at all. He is magnificent even as the lion at the very moment when he strikes his prey down. His beauty is like the beauty of a spring morn.
To see him means blindness; To know him is sickness; To worship him is death; To fear him is wisdom; Not to resist him means liberation … Such is the terrible Abraxas … He is both the radiance and the dark shadow of man. He is deceitful reality.
As Jung noted in the Second Sermon, people know nothing about the demiurge because they have forgotten him. This forgetting was aided by the self-declared architects of the early Christian centuries: the heresiologist Church Fathers of orthodoxy. The very thought of a demiurge thereafter became a heretical abomination to orthodox Christendom. Jung’s insights recorded in the Liber Novus, and particularly in the Sermons, declared that in order to move toward greater wholeness we must look to the coming new god image. But to do this, we need also recognize the forgotten demiurge, the god whom Jung declared “difficult to know.”
Present-day humanity is gradually becoming aware of an inner psychic reality, a centering fact Jung identified as the salvific archetype of the Self. In Liber Novus he prophetically proclaimed that a new god image is developing in humanity—and perhaps a new god image has already awakened in some individuals of our age, as it did in Jung. This incipient aeonial development demands further conscious awareness and a conscious union of the opposites. Using the language of Liber Novus and the Systema Munditotius, we might proclaim that Phanes is now stirring and is about to break out of the egg. For this to happen, however, human beings must also consciously recognize the reality of his opposite entity, the demiurge Abraxas.
Western culture has suffered too long from a ruinous one-sidedness. A powerful element in this one-sided perspective is a militant unwillingness to acknowledge the effective reality of the demiurge. With singular symbolic insight, the ancient Gnostics noted how the human spirit is confined on earth by a prison constructed of perplexing opposites. A demiurgic reality has placed us behind these prison bars, which alternatingly assume form in the inexorable struggle of light and dark, good and evil, or wise and unwise components. Denying the reality of this fact merely continues our confinement.
Our extraverted immersion in the world, both in its natural and cultural aspects, perpetuates servitude to the forgotten Abraxas. His fiery, mesmerizing, and infinitely creative powers enthrall us. We worship the terrible Abraxas in the baleful political ideologies of our epoch. Ever increasingly, he holds us captive in the magically scintillating web of modern technology. Only an increase of psychological awareness, leading to the individuation of our psyches, offers a path to liberation from the domination of the internal complexes and external fascinations that are the essence of Abraxas. It is incumbent upon us to accept the reality of this archetypal force, for in the words of the Sermons, “to worship him is death; to fear him is wisdom, not to resist him means liberation.”
The time has come when we must incorporate Jung’s epochal insights into our lives. The teachings of Liber Novus must be met as a form of spiritual discipline. A few months before his death in 1960, Jung wrote to an acquaintance,
I was unable to make the people see what I am after. I am practically alone. There are a few who understand this and that, but almost nobody sees the whole... I have failed in my foremost task: to open people’s eyes to the fact that man has a soul and there is a buried treasure in the field and that our religion and philosophy are in a lamentable state.
Today, after the publication of his monumental spiritual classic, Liber Novus, we may be able to finally reply to Jung that he has not failed at all; that inspired now by his visionary message, we too are ready “to give birth to the ancient in a new time.” In some mysterious archetypal locale, the sage Dr. C. G. Jung awaits such a response to his great work.
gnosis.org/gnostic-jung/Abraxas-Jungs-Demiurge.html
Abraxas by Samael Aun Weor
Abraxasor Abrasax (Gnostic, from the Greek Αβραξας) From The Theosophical Glossary: "Mystical term used by the Gnostics to indicate the supreme entity of our cosmic hierarchy or its manifestation in the human being which they called the Christos. Abraxas has the value of 365, based on numerical equivalents of the Greek alphabet. Because 365 represents the cycle of one revolution of our planet around the sun, they held that in Abraxas were mystically contained the full number of families of entities composing a hierarchy. These entities received from their supreme illuminator, Abraxas, the streams of life and inspiration governing their existence. Thus in a sense Abraxas is the cosmic Oversoul, the creative or Third Logos, Brahma. The Basilidean Gnostics [see: Basilides] taught that from this supreme God was created nous (mind). Abraxas also was identified with the Hebrew 'Adonai, the Egyptian Horus, and the Hindu Prajapati. Gnostic amulets known as Abraxas gems depicted the god as a pantheos (all-god), with the head of a cock, herald of the sun, representing foresight and vigilance; a human body clothed in armor, suggestive of guardian power; legs in the form of sacred asps. In his right hand is a scourge, emblem of authority; on his left arm a shield emblazoned with a word of power. This pantheos is invariably inscribed with his proper name IAO and his epithets Abraxas and Sabaoth, and often accompanied with invocations such as SEMES EILAM, the eternal sun ( Gnostics and Their Remains 246), which Blavatsky equates with "the central spiritual sun" of the Qabbalists (SD 2:214). Though written in Greek characters, the words SEMES EILAM ABRASAX are probably Semitic in origin: shemesh sun; `olam secret, occult, hid, eternity, world; Abrasax Abraxas. Hence in combination the phrase may be rendered "the eternal sun Abraxax." "Remember, beloved devotee, the double tail of the serpent that forms the legs of the solar rooster of Abraxas. The entire process of the Great Work consists of releasing oneself from the enchanted rings of the tempting serpent..." - Samael Aun Weor, The Aquarian Message
Johann Michael Rottmayr (bautizado el 11 de diciembre de 1656 en Laufen an der Salzach, Austria- Viena, 25 de octubre de 1730) fue un pintor austriaco. Fue el primer pintor barroco, además de Martino Altomonte destacado al norte de los Alpes.
Su primer aprendizaje como pintor lo realizó con su madre. Más tarde se perfeccionó en el taller de Johann Carl Loth en Venecia (1675-1688). Así obtuvo un estilo que era mezcla de Venecia y Nápoles. Estuvo en Passau y desde 1689 en adelante trabajó en Salzburgo. En el Palacio Arzobispal pintó temas mitológicos en los techos.
A partir de 1706 vivió de continuo en Viena, y también estuvo activo en monasterios de la Baja Austria. Pinta numerosos frescos, en los que destaca el color y el uso del escorzo como medios ilusionistas. Su obra, lo mismo que la de Altomonte, preludia el rococó.
Entre sus obras al fresco, cabe citar:
Apoteosis en la cúpula de la sala de los ancestros en el palacio Vranov, Frain (1696)
Techo del Palacio Pommersfelden (1716-1718)
Iglesia colegial de Melk (1716-1722)
Iglesia de San Carlos Borromeo en Viena (1726)
Murales en el "Palacio Garten" de Viena, actual Museo Liechtenstein
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Michael_Rottmayr
Johann Michael Rottmayr (11 December 1656 – 25 October 1730), was an Austrian painter.
Rottmayr was born in Laufen an der Salzach, Bavaria. Along with his Laufen-born contemporary, Hans Adam Weissenkircher, he received his education from Johann Carl Loth in Venice. Just as Weissenkircher had brought the Italian Renaissance to the southern Alps and the court of the Princes of Eggenberg in Graz, so Rottmayr brought it north of the Alps and from 1689 onwards worked in Salzburg, where he was employed as the general painter of the Prince-Bishop of Salzburg.
Johann Michael Rottmayr painted the inside of the central dome of the Melk Abbey. This particular painting was recently selected as the main motif of a very high value collectors' coin: the Austrian Melk Abbey commemorative coin, minted on April 18, 2007. The reverse side gives a view up into the central dome of the church, with its typical vision of heaven.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Michael_Rottmayr
La iglesia de san Carlos Borromeo (en alemán, Karlskirche) es una iglesia barroca de Viena, situada en Kreuzherrengasse, 1, en la parte sur de Karlsplatz, al borde del primer distrito, y doscientos metros por fuera de la Ringstrasse.
Durante la fuerte epidemia de peste que azotó Viena en 1713 y que se cobró la vida de unas 8.000 personas, el emperador Carlos VI prometió que, tan pronto, como la ciudad se viera libre de esta calamidad, levantaría un templo dedicado a san Carlos Borromeo, arzobispo de Milán y héroe de la epidemia de peste de 1576. Al año siguiente de la epidemia se anunció un concurso para el proyecto de la iglesia que fue adjudicado a Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. Los fondos que permitieron sufragar la construcción de la iglesia fueron aportados forzosamente por los judíos de Viena. La iglesia es un símbolo de poder religioso y político de la dinastía imperial de los Habsburgo.
Las obras se iniciaron en 1716, y tras la muerte del arquitecto en 1723, las obras fueron continuadas, hasta su terminación en 1737, por su hijo Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach.
La iglesia constituye una obra maestra del eclecticismo barroco, en el que se combinan diferentes estilos: la fachada central representa un pórtico griego, las columnas a su lado son de inspiración barroca y sobre la entrada domina una gigantesca cúpula. Los dos pabellones laterales muestran influencias del barroco romano y decoración oriental. El edificio tiene una altura de 80 metros por unos 60 de ancho y constituye el segundo templo más amplio de la capital después de la catedral de San Esteban
En el exterior destaca el frontis en el que se incluyen las dos columnas citadas, con relieves que muestran periodos de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. Están inspiradas en la columna Trajana de Roma y su decoración espiral presenta escenas de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. El tema que se representa en la columna izquierda es la constancia y el valor en la de la derecha.
En el frontón se encuentran relieves obra de Giovanni Stanetti, que describen los sufrimientos de la ciudad durante la peste de 1713, la estatua del santo patrón corona el frontón. Las escaleras de la entrada se encuentra flanqueada por ángeles que representan el antiguo y el nuevo testamento.
El interior alberga tallas y retablos realizados por los artistas más famosos de la época como Daniel Gran y Altomonte. Destaca la cúpula en la que se pueden contemplar un fresco pintado por Johann Michael Rottmayr de Salzburgo, realizado entre 1725 y 1730, denominado "La apoteosis de san Carlos Borromeo" y que sería el último encargo que cumplió el artista. En él se representa la intercesión de Carlos Borromeo, con el apoyo de la Virgen María, y en torno a ellos las virtudes cardinales.
El altar mayor en el que participaron Alberto Camesina y Ferdinand Maxmilián Brokoff, presenta un relieve de estuco con San Carlos sobre una nube, ascendiendo a los cielos.
Los pabellones que conducen a las entradas laterales tienen decoración de influencia china.
Los frescos de las capillas laterales fueron pintados por Daniel Gran.
La iglesia está cerca de la estación Karlsplatz del Metro de Viena, por la que pasan las líneas U1, U2 y U4; también se puede llegar desde las estaciones de tranvía Gußhausstrasse (línea D) o Wien Resselgasse (líneas 1 y 62).
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iglesia_de_San_Carlos_Borromeo_(Viena)
The Rektoratskirche St. Karl Borromäus, commonly called the Karlskirche (English: St. Charles Church), is a Baroque church located on the south side of Karlsplatz in Vienna, Austria. Widely considered the most outstanding baroque church in Vienna, as well as one of the city's greatest buildings, the church is dedicated to Saint Charles Borromeo, one of the great counter-reformers of the sixteenth century.
Located on the edge of the Innere Stadt, approximately 200 meters outside the Ringstraße, the church contains a dome in the form of an elongated ellipsoid.
In 1713, one year after the last great plague epidemic, Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, pledged to build a church for his namesake patron saint, Charles Borromeo, who was revered as a healer for plague sufferers. An architectural competition was announced, in which Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach prevailed over, among others, Ferdinando Galli-Bibiena and Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt. Construction began in 1716 under the supervision of Anton Erhard Martinelli. After J.B. Fischer's death in 1723, his son, Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, completed the construction in 1737 using partially altered plans. The church originally possessed a direct line of sight to the Hofburg and was also, until 1918, the imperial patron parish church.
As a creator of historic architecture, the elder Fischer von Erlach united the most diverse of elements. The façade in the center, which leads to the porch, corresponds to a Greek temple portico. The neighboring two columns, crafted by Lorenzo Mattielli, found a model in Trajan's Column in Rome. Next to those, two tower pavilions extend out and show the influence of the Roman baroque (Bernini and Borromini). Above the entrance, a dome rises up above a high drum, which the younger J.E. Fischer shortened and partly altered.
Next to the Church was the Spitaler Gottesacker. The composer Antonio Vivaldi died in Vienna and was buried there on July 28, 1741 but his tomb has been lost over time. The church hosts regular Vivaldi concerts in his honour.
Hedwig Kiesler (age 19), later American movie actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr, married Friedrich Mandl (age 32), businessman and Austrofascist, in the tiny chapel of this elaborate church on 10 August 1933. With over 200 prominent guests attending, Kiesler wore “a black-and-white print dress” and carried “a bouquet of white orchids.”
Since Karlsplatz was restored as an ensemble in the late 1980s, the church has garnered fame because of its dome and its two flanking columns of bas-reliefs, as well as its role as an architectural counterweight to the buildings of the Musikverein and of the Vienna University of Technology. The church is cared for by a religious order, the Knights of the Cross with the Red Star, and has long been the parish church as well as the seat of the Catholic student ministry of the Vienna University of Technology.
The iconographical program of the church originated from the imperial official Carl Gustav Heraeus and connects Saint Charles Borromeo with his imperial benefactor. The relief on the pediment above the entrance with the cardinal virtues and the figure of the patron on its apex point to the motivation of the donation. This sculpture group continues onto the attic story as well. The attic is also one of the elements which the younger Fischer introduced. The columns display scenes from the life of Charles Borromeo in a spiral relief and are intended to recall the two columns, Boaz and Jachim, that stood in front of the Temple at Jerusalem. They also recall the Pillars of Hercules and act as symbols of imperial power. The entrance is flanked by angels from the Old and New Testaments.
This program continues in the interior as well, above all in the dome fresco by Johann Michael Rottmayr of Salzburg and Gaetano Fanti, which displays an intercession of Charles Borromeo, supported by the Virgin Mary. Surrounding this scene are the cardinal virtues. The frescos in a number of side chapels are attributed to Daniel Gran.
The high altarpiece portraying the ascension of the saint was conceptualized by the elder Fischer and executed by Ferdinand Maxmilian Brokoff. The altar paintings in the side chapels are by various artists, including Daniel Gran, Sebastiano Ricci, Martino Altomonte and Jakob van Schuppen. A wooden statue of St. Anthony by Josef Josephu is also on display.
As strong effect emanates from the directing of light and architectural grouping, in particular the arch openings of the main axis. The color scheme is characterized by marble with sparring and conscious use of gold leaf. The large round glass window high above the main altar with the Hebrew Tetragrammaton/Yahweh symbolizes God's omnipotence and simultaneously, through its warm yellow tone, God's love. Below is a representation of Apotheosis of Saint Charles Borromeo.
Next to the structures at Schönbrunn Palace, which maintain this form but are more fragmented, the church is Fischer's greatest work. It is also an expression of the Austrian joie de vivre stemming from the victorious end of the Turkish Wars.
The pulpit of the church was probably designed by Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, and his plans might have been executed by a French furniture maker, Claude Le Fort du Plessy in 1735 although there are no surviving documents attesting their authorship or the manufacturing of the church furniture. It is a wooden structure with rich floral, vegetal, rosette and rocaille ornaments, the finer carvings made of hard walnut, in a gold and brown colour scheme. The abat-voix forms a theatrical canopy with two putti holding a cross and a chalice with host; there is a flaming urn on the top. Around 1860 the abat-voix was enlarged. A wide rim was added distorting the original proportions, obscuring the elegant, swirling lines and creating a top-heavy effect. In 2006-2007 this rim was removed after a long debate and the pulpit was restored. The missing carvings of the canopy decorations were reconstructed and the original appearance of the structure was re-established.
Lean hard!
(from Winslow's, "The Burden Cast upon God")
"Cast your burden upon the Lord, and
He shall sustain you." Psalm 55:22.
It is by an act of simple, prayerful faith we
transfer our cares and anxieties, our sorrows
and needs, to the Lord.
Jesus invites you come and lean upon
Him, and to lean with all your might upon
that arm that balances the universe, and
upon that bosom that bled for you upon
the soldier's spear!
But you doubtingly ask, "Is the Lord able to do this
thing for me?" And thus, while you are debating a
matter about which there is not the shadow of a
shade of doubt, the burden is crushing your gentle
spirit to the dust.
And all the while Jesus stands at your side and
lovingly says, "Cast your burden upon Me and
I will sustain you. I am God Almighty. I bore
the load of your sin and condemnation up the
steep of Calvary, and the same power of
omnipotence, and the same strength of love that
bore it all for you then, is prepared to bear your
need and sorrow now. Roll it all upon Me!"
"Child of My Love! Lean hard! Let Me feel the
pressure of your care. I know your burden, child!
I shaped it- I poised it in My own hand and made
no proportion of its weight to your unaided strength.
For even as I laid it on, I said I shall be near, and
while she leans on Me, this burden shall be Mine,
not hers. So shall I keep My child within the circling
arms of My own love. Here lay it down! Do not
fear to impose it on a shoulder which upholds the
government of worlds! Yet closer come! You are
not near enough! I would embrace your burden,
so I might feel My child reposing on My breast.
You love Me! I know it. Doubt not, then. But,
loving me, lean hard!"
In alchemy, earth was believed to be primarily cold, and secondarily dry, (as per ... is Ghob, and the earth elementals (following Paracelsus) are called gnomes. ... left point of the pentagram in the Supreme Invoking Ritual of the Pentagram.Modernist Alchemy: Poetry and the Occult
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Timothy Materer - 1995 - Literary Criticism
In his description of the magical powers of the pentagram, he cites the most famous of the medieval alchemists, Paracelsus (63). In a passage particularly ...
Paracelsus | The Tree of Life
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The key to Alchemy – The Trinities ... The trinity in Alchemy, based on Jacop Boehme and Paracelsus, are Sulphur, ..... The Pentagram and the Ether Streams.
Although the origin of this symbol is lost in time, some occult authorities try to trace the source of its esoteric significance back to an astronomical phenomena, the so called “Pentagram of Venus" . The synodic period of Venus is approximately 584 days. Plotting the greatest elongation west or east of this movement five successive times over a period of approximately 8 years and 5 days traces the figure of a Pentagram on the Zodiacal belt. Incidentally, the numbers 5 and 8 continue to play a role in the Rosicrucian symbolism of the pentagram, as will be seen further on.
The pentagram has been found on potsherds from the pre-cuneiform Uruk period of ancient Babylon (3500BCE). In later periods of Mesopotamian civilization it appears in cuneiform writing to represent the four cardinal directions with the fifth point representing “above;” as such, it represented the dominion of royal authority extending to “the four corners of the world and the heavens above.”
The symbol also appears in Egyptian hieroglyphics, associated with the Goddess Sopdet, who was represented in the night sky by the brightest star, Sirius, the so called Dog Star in the constellation of Canis Major[ii]. Interestingly, the name Sirius is from the Greek word seirios, which means “burning,” and brings to mind the Blazing Star of Alchemy.
The Pythagoreans called the Pentagram Hugieia, with the combined meanings of “health,” “wholeness” and “blessings.” The letters of this word were placed around the points of the pentagram. According to Iamblichus, the five-pointed star was the Pythagorean sign of recognition and held sacred as a symbol of divine perfection. The Greek Goddess of Health was Hygeia, or the Roman Salus. Both of these names appear on talismans from Greek and Roman periods, with the image of the pentagram central.
Pythagoras was a known traveler, and the fact that he appears in Indian tantrik texts by name as Yavanacharya (“the Greek teacher”) may explain why the Pentagram also appears in early Hindu tantrik writings and art.
To the ancient Hebrews, the Pentagram was the symbol of Truth and the five books of the Pentateuch. Ameth, the Hebrew word for Truth, is associated with humanity by the kabbalistic technique of temurah using the Aiq Beqr system, which utilizes letter substitution according to specific rules[iii]. Later it will be seen that the very geometry of the Pentagram also encodes the idea of mankind and Truth.
The Pentagram found its way onto many Gnostic amulets. According to Budge. Gnostic amulets contained the pentacle which contained the ineffable name YHWH within it. More often the names Moses or Solomon were represented, Moses because he was connected with the setting up of the brazen serpent, and Solomon because his seal worked miracles.”[iv]. The early Christians associated the Pentagram with the five wounds of Christ. Later kabalistic Christians would associate the name of Christ in Hebrew characters, IHShVH or Yeheshua, to the five points of the pentagram. This method also shows the divine Tetragrammaton associated to the four points of the star, with the fifth top point being ascribed to the Hebrew letter shin, which symbolized spirit and fire, or the Holy Ghost. Thus the pentagram represented the descent of the divine fire into the world.,The Pentagram has been associated with the Star of Bethlehem or Three Kings’ Star, which led the Magi to the newborn Christ. Of these ideas Pike writes: The Star which guided [the Magi] is that same Blazing Star, the image whereof we find in all initiations. To the Alchemists it is the sign of the Quintessence; to the Magists, the Grand Arcanum; to the Kabalists, the Sacred Pentagram. The study of this Pentagram could not but lead the Magi to the knowledge of the New Name which was about to raise itself above all names, and cause all creatures capable of adoration to bend the knee.[v] In the Arthurian legend of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the Pentagram was emblazoned in gold on Gawain’s shield, representing the five virtues of generosity, courtesy, chastity, chivalry and piety. The symbol of the pentagram appears on many Knights Templar graves in France, as well as being intrinsic to the architecture and positioning of many chapels. One dramatic example is the mysterious shrine of Rennes du Chartres, said to be a center of Templar activity, which is situated in the center of a ring of mountains that form a nearly perfect pentagram. The symbolism of the Western Mystery tradition has assigned the four elements of earth, air, water and fire to the four points of the pentagram, with the top point being attributed to the quintessence, or spirit. From this pattern is then attributed Kabalistic hierarchies of Archangles (Auriel for Earth, Raphael to Air, Gabriel for Water, and Michael with Fire), the Four Worlds (Assiah, Yetzirah, Briah and Atziluth), parts of the soul, and many more correspondences which are too lengthy to address in this paper.
Central on our Rosicrucian Altars in the S.R.I.C.F. is the figure of the Pentagram (also called the pentacle, pentalpha, pentangle, pentancle), a five pointed star, formed by 5 straight lines between the vertices of a pentagon and enclosing another pentagon. The name pentagram is Greek, from penta (“five”) and gramma (“letter”). One of the most intriguing symbols of esotericism, it is has been held to have magical properties since time immemorial, and is a symbol that has been both revered by initiates as a talisman of power, and shunned by the masses in abject fear for hundreds of years.
Today the image of the five pointed star has become almost obsequious to the media, and the symbol has been used to promote Rock music and movies, feed Satanic furor with tales of “ritual slayings,” and other hype. Additionally, the many neo-pagan movements have adopted the pentagram as their ensign of “natural religion.” More recently, novels such as The Davinci Code have weaved a colorful blend of fact and fiction, and once again brought the image of the Pentagram into popular view. At the same time, there is a long, somewhat quiet esoteric history of usage associated with this symbol which initiates in all times have utilized.
Despite the seeming commonplace appearance of this symbol, it is little understood. This paper will endeavor to highlight some of the symbolic meanings of the pentagram, looking at historical usage across cultures and languages; Masonic usage in both the Craft and Higher Degrees, with emphasis on our Rosicrucian usage; the geometric properties inherent in the symbol, and western occult traditions of initiation and ceremonial magick. It is hoped that this paper will help to cut through the popular misinformation about this symbol, and shed some Light on the real properties and use of this powerful, sacred figure.
HISTORICAL USAGE
Although the origin of this symbol is lost in time, some occult authorities try to trace the source of its esoteric significance back to an astronomical phenomena, the so called “Pentagram of Venus” shown in the figure below[i]:
pentagram_venus
The synodic period of Venus is approximately 584 days. Plotting the greatest elongation west or east of this movement five successive times over a period of approximately 8 years and 5 days traces the figure of a Pentagram on the Zodiacal belt. Incidentally, the numbers 5 and 8 continue to play a role in the Rosicrucian symbolism of the pentagram, as will be seen further on.
The pentagram has been found on potsherds from the pre-cuneiform Uruk period of ancient Babylon (3500BCE). In later periods of Mesopotamian civilization it appears in cuneiform writing to represent the four cardinal directions with the fifth point representing “above;” as such, it represented the dominion of royal authority extending to “the four corners of the world and the heavens above.”
The symbol also appears in Egyptian hieroglyphics, associated with the Goddess Sopdet, who was represented in the night sky by the brightest star, Sirius, the so called Dog Star in the constellation of Canis Major[ii]. Interestingly, the name Sirius is from the Greek word seirios, which means “burning,” and brings to mind the Blazing Star of Masonry.
The Pythagoreans called the Pentagram Hugieia, with the combined meanings of “health,” “wholeness” and “blessings.” The letters of this word were placed around the points of the pentagram. According to Iamblichus, the five-pointed star was the Pythagorean sign of recognition and held sacred as a symbol of divine perfection. The Greek Goddess of Health was Hygeia, or the Roman Salus. Both of these names appear on talismans from Greek and Roman periods, with the image of the pentagram central.
Pythagoras was a known traveler, and the fact that he appears in Indian tantrik texts by name as Yavanacharya (“the Greek teacher”) may explain why the Pentagram also appears in early Hindu tantrik writings and art.
To the ancient Hebrews, the Pentagram was the symbol of Truth and the five books of the Pentateuch. Ameth, the Hebrew word for Truth, is associated with humanity by the kabbalistic technique of temurah using the Aiq Beqr system, which utilizes letter substitution according to specific rules[iii]. Later it will be seen that the very geometry of the Pentagram also encodes the idea of mankind and Truth.
The Pentagram found its way onto many Gnostic amulets. According to Budge
Gnostic amulets contained the pentacle which contained the ineffable name YHWH within it. More often the names Moses or Solomon were represented, Moses because he was connected with the setting up of the brazen serpent, and Solomon because his seal worked miracles.”[iv]
The early Christians associated the Pentagram with the five wounds of Christ. Later kabalistic Christians would associate the name of Christ in Hebrew characters, IHShVH or Yeheshua, to the five points of the pentagram. This method also shows the divine Tetragrammaton associated to the four points of the star, with the fifth top point being ascribed to the Hebrew letter shin, which symbolized spirit and fire, or the Holy Ghost. Thus the pentagram represented the descent of the divine fire into the world.
The Pentagram has been associated with the Star of Bethlehem or Three Kings’ Star, which led the Magi to the newborn Christ. Of these ideas Pike writes:
The Star which guided [the Magi] is that same Blazing Star, the image whereof we find in all initiations. To the Alchemists it is the sign of the Quintessence; to the Magists, the Grand Arcanum; to the Kabalists, the Sacred Pentagram. The study of this Pentagram could not but lead the Magi to the knowledge of the New Name which was about to raise itself above all names, and cause all creatures capable of adoration to bend the knee.[v]
In the Arthurian legend of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the Pentagram was emblazoned in gold on Gawain’s shield, representing the five virtues of generosity, courtesy, chastity, chivalry and piety.
The symbol of the pentagram appears on many Knights Templar graves in France, as well as being intrinsic to the architecture and positioning of many chapels. One dramatic example is the mysterious shrine of Rennes du Chartres, said to be a center of Templar activity, which is situated in the center of a ring of mountains that form a nearly perfect pentagram.
The symbolism of the Western Mystery tradition has assigned the four elements of earth, air, water and fire to the four points of the pentagram, with the top point being attributed to the quintessence, or spirit. From this pattern is then attributed Kabalistic hierarchies of Archangles (Auriel for Earth, Raphael to Air, Gabriel for Water, and Michael with Fire), the Four Worlds (Assiah, Yetzirah, Briah and Atziluth), parts of the soul, and many more correspondences which are too lengthy to address in this paper.
MASONIC USAGE
The Zelator ritual of S.R.I.C.F. briefly introduces the symbolism of the Pentagram on the Altar to the new postulant:
The Five-pointed Star reminds us of the five points of felicity, which are to walk with, to intercede for, to love, to assist, and to pray for our Brethren, so as to be united with them in heart and mind.
As an emblem of the five points of felicity, the Pentagram reminds us of our duties towards our brethren of the Rose and Cross throughout the world.
Further in the ritual the subject of number symbolism is addressed, and the number five is explained as
the emblem of Health and Safety; it is also denominated the Occult number; the Pentagram was a famous talisman; it represents Spirit and the four elements.
The reference to health and safety is interesting as it is reminiscent of the Greek hygeia discussed earlier.
The Pentagram may be seen as symbolic of the entire course of initiation in the S.R.I.C.F. First Order, as the elemental degrees are easily associated with the elemental points of the Pentagram; while initiation into the Second Order represents the quintessence or fifth, top-most point of the Star. In this way, the candidate of the S.R.I.C.F. symbolically builds up the power of the pentagram internally as they progress through and assimilate the lessons of the degrees. Entrance to the Second Order would then represent Adepthood, as the initiate has established the flaming star within their very heart of hearts and embodies the very essence of the Pentagram, and is a living embodiment of the Stone of the Philosophers.
Within the Craft degrees, the figure of the Pentagram may also be seen in the image of the 5 rayed Blazing Star. According to Albert Pike, the pentagram is synonymous with the Blazing Star of Masonic Lodges:
The Blazing Star in our Lodges, we have already said, represents Sirius, Anubis, or Mercury, Guardian and Guide of Souls. Our Ancient English brethren also considered it an emblem of the Sun. In the old Lectures they said: ‘The Blazing Star or Glory in the centre refers us to that Grand Luminary the Sun, which enlightens the Earth, and by its genial influence dispenses blessings to mankind. It is also said in those lectures to be an emblem of Prudence. The word Prudentia means, in its original and fullest signification, Foresight: and accordingly the Blazing Star has been regarded as an emblem of Omniscience, or the All-
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THE SACRED PENTAGRAM
by Bro.Gregory H. Peters
Burlingame Lodge No. 400 F&AM
Grand Lodge of California
32° Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite in the Valley of Burlingame
Companion of King Solomon Chapter No. 95
Frater of the Golden State College of Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis.
Note: paper presented first at the November 2004 Convocation of Golden State College Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis.
Editor's Note: the paper has been edited for publication on this website
The Sacred Pentagram
INTRODUCTION
Central on our Rosicrucian Altars in the S.R.I.C.F. is the figure of the Pentagram (also called the pentacle, pentalpha, pentangle, pentancle), a five pointed star, formed by 5 straight lines between the vertices of a pentagon and enclosing another pentagon. The name pentagram is Greek, from penta (“five”) and gramma (“letter”). One of the most intriguing symbols of esotericism, it is has been held to have magical properties since time immemorial, and is a symbol that has been both revered by initiates as a talisman of power, and shunned by the masses in abject fear for hundreds of years.
Today the image of the five pointed star has become almost obsequious to the media, and the symbol has been used to promote Rock music and movies, feed Satanic furor with tales of “ritual slayings,” and other hype. Additionally, the many neo-pagan movements have adopted the pentagram as their ensign of “natural religion.” More recently, novels such as The Davinci Code have weaved a colorful blend of fact and fiction, and once again brought the image of the Pentagram into popular view. At the same time, there is a long, somewhat quiet esoteric history of usage associated with this symbol which initiates in all times have utilized.
Despite the seeming commonplace appearance of this symbol, it is little understood. This paper will endeavor to highlight some of the symbolic meanings of the pentagram, looking at historical usage across cultures and languages; Masonic usage in both the Craft and Higher Degrees, with emphasis on our Rosicrucian usage; the geometric properties inherent in the symbol, and western occult traditions of initiation and ceremonial magick. It is hoped that this paper will help to cut through the popular misinformation about this symbol, and shed some Light on the real properties and use of this powerful, sacred figure.
HISTORICAL USAGE
Although the origin of this symbol is lost in time, some occult authorities try to trace the source of its esoteric significance back to an astronomical phenomena, the so called “Pentagram of Venus” shown in the figure below[i]:
pentagram_venus
The synodic period of Venus is approximately 584 days. Plotting the greatest elongation west or east of this movement five successive times over a period of approximately 8 years and 5 days traces the figure of a Pentagram on the Zodiacal belt. Incidentally, the numbers 5 and 8 continue to play a role in the Rosicrucian symbolism of the pentagram, as will be seen further on.
The pentagram has been found on potsherds from the pre-cuneiform Uruk period of ancient Babylon (3500BCE). In later periods of Mesopotamian civilization it appears in cuneiform writing to represent the four cardinal directions with the fifth point representing “above;” as such, it represented the dominion of royal authority extending to “the four corners of the world and the heavens above.”
The symbol also appears in Egyptian hieroglyphics, associated with the Goddess Sopdet, who was represented in the night sky by the brightest star, Sirius, the so called Dog Star in the constellation of Canis Major[ii]. Interestingly, the name Sirius is from the Greek word seirios, which means “burning,” and brings to mind the Blazing Star of Masonry.
The Pythagoreans called the Pentagram Hugieia, with the combined meanings of “health,” “wholeness” and “blessings.” The letters of this word were placed around the points of the pentagram. According to Iamblichus, the five-pointed star was the Pythagorean sign of recognition and held sacred as a symbol of divine perfection. The Greek Goddess of Health was Hygeia, or the Roman Salus. Both of these names appear on talismans from Greek and Roman periods, with the image of the pentagram central.
Pythagoras was a known traveler, and the fact that he appears in Indian tantrik texts by name as Yavanacharya (“the Greek teacher”) may explain why the Pentagram also appears in early Hindu tantrik writings and art.
To the ancient Hebrews, the Pentagram was the symbol of Truth and the five books of the Pentateuch. Ameth, the Hebrew word for Truth, is associated with humanity by the kabbalistic technique of temurah using the Aiq Beqr system, which utilizes letter substitution according to specific rules[iii]. Later it will be seen that the very geometry of the Pentagram also encodes the idea of mankind and Truth.
The Pentagram found its way onto many Gnostic amulets. According to Budge
Gnostic amulets contained the pentacle which contained the ineffable name YHWH within it. More often the names Moses or Solomon were represented, Moses because he was connected with the setting up of the brazen serpent, and Solomon because his seal worked miracles.”[iv]
The early Christians associated the Pentagram with the five wounds of Christ. Later kabalistic Christians would associate the name of Christ in Hebrew characters, IHShVH or Yeheshua, to the five points of the pentagram. This method also shows the divine Tetragrammaton associated to the four points of the star, with the fifth top point being ascribed to the Hebrew letter shin, which symbolized spirit and fire, or the Holy Ghost. Thus the pentagram represented the descent of the divine fire into the world.
The Pentagram has been associated with the Star of Bethlehem or Three Kings’ Star, which led the Magi to the newborn Christ. Of these ideas Pike writes:
The Star which guided [the Magi] is that same Blazing Star, the image whereof we find in all initiations. To the Alchemists it is the sign of the Quintessence; to the Magists, the Grand Arcanum; to the Kabalists, the Sacred Pentagram. The study of this Pentagram could not but lead the Magi to the knowledge of the New Name which was about to raise itself above all names, and cause all creatures capable of adoration to bend the knee.[v]
In the Arthurian legend of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the Pentagram was emblazoned in gold on Gawain’s shield, representing the five virtues of generosity, courtesy, chastity, chivalry and piety.
The symbol of the pentagram appears on many Knights Templar graves in France, as well as being intrinsic to the architecture and positioning of many chapels. One dramatic example is the mysterious shrine of Rennes du Chartres, said to be a center of Templar activity, which is situated in the center of a ring of mountains that form a nearly perfect pentagram.
The symbolism of the Western Mystery tradition has assigned the four elements of earth, air, water and fire to the four points of the pentagram, with the top point being attributed to the quintessence, or spirit. From this pattern is then attributed Kabalistic hierarchies of Archangles (Auriel for Earth, Raphael to Air, Gabriel for Water, and Michael with Fire), the Four Worlds (Assiah, Yetzirah, Briah and Atziluth), parts of the soul, and many more correspondences which are too lengthy to address in this paper.
ALCHEMIC USAGE: The Zelator ritual of S.R.I.C.F. briefly introduces the symbolism of the Pentagram on the Altar to the new postulant: The Five-pointed Star reminds us of the five points of felicity, which are to walk with, to intercede for, to love, to assist, and to pray for our Brethren, so as to be united with them in heart and mind. As an emblem of the five points of felicity, the Pentagram reminds us of our duties towards our brethren of the Rose and Cross throughout the world. Further in the ritual the subject of number symbolism is addressed, and the number five is explained as the emblem of Health and Safety; it is also denominated the Occult number; the Pentagram was a famous talisman; it represents Spirit and the four elements.
The reference to health and safety is interesting as it is reminiscent of the Greek hygeia discussed earlier.
The Pentagram may be seen as symbolic of the entire course of initiation in the S.R.I.C.F. First Order, as the elemental degrees are easily associated with the elemental points of the Pentagram; while initiation into the Second Order represents the quintessence or fifth, top-most point of the Star. In this way, the candidate of the S.R.I.C.F. symbolically builds up the power of the pentagram internally as they progress through and assimilate the lessons of the degrees. Entrance to the Second Order would then represent Adepthood, as the initiate has established the flaming star within their very heart of hearts and embodies the very essence of the Pentagram, and is a living embodiment of the Stone of the Philosophers.
Within the Craft degrees, the figure of the Pentagram may also be seen in the image of the 5 rayed Blazing Star. According to Albert Pike, the pentagram is synonymous with the Blazing Star of Masonic Lodges:
The Blazing Star in our Lodges, we have already said, represents Sirius, Anubis, or Mercury, Guardian and Guide of Souls. Our Ancient English brethren also considered it an emblem of the Sun. In the old Lectures they said: ‘The Blazing Star or Glory in the centre refers us to that Grand Luminary the Sun, which enlightens the Earth, and by its genial influence dispenses blessings to mankind. It is also said in those lectures to be an emblem of Prudence. The word Prudentia means, in its original and fullest signification, Foresight: and accordingly the Blazing Star has been regarded as an emblem of Omniscience, or the All-Seeing Eye, which to the Ancients was the Sun.[vi]
He further associates this star with the “Divine Energy, manifested as Light, creating the Universe.”[vii]
The Alchemic scholar Rex Hutchins asserts that the Pentagram is the symbol of the Divine in man… The five-pointed star with a single point upward represents the Divine. It also symbolizes man for its five points allude to the five senses, the five members (head, arms and legs) and his five fingers on each hand, which signify the tokens that distinguish alchemists. Furthermore he writes that this figure is the symbol of the Microcosm, the universe where humans dwell. Since the pentagon which encloses the pentagram may be formed by connecting the five points of the human body, for many centuries the symbol was also used to represent humanity in general. Within this symbol then is a representation of humanity, and our Divine role in the Universe as co-creators of eternity. In addition to being a central altar piece in our Rosicrucian Temples, and the Blazing Star of the Craft Lodges, the Pentagram appears as an ensign in some of the High Degrees and rites. For example, it is central on the apron of the 28th Degree of the Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite, Knight of the Sun or Prince Adept. In discussing the symbol of the pentagram in the lecture of this degree, Pike writes in Morals & Dogma that in certain undertakings [the Pentagram] cannot be dispensed with. It is what is termed the Kabalistic pentacle… This carries with it the power of commanding the spirits of the elements. A central lesson of this highly Kabalistic and Alchemical degree is that there is no death, only change. The Pentagram, symbol of humanity as the microcosm is an apt representation of this wisdom which, to one who has internalized it, may have that contempt for death which is expressed in the line from 1 Corinthians – “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”
In the same lecture, Pike alludes to the true meaning of this radiant symbol: When the masters in Alchemy say that it needs but little time and expense to accomplish the works of Science. When they affirm, above all, that but a single vessel is necessary, when they speak of the Great and Single furnace, which all can use, which is within the reach of all the world, and which men possess without knowing it, they allude to the philosophical and moral Alchemy. In fact, a strong and determined will can, in a little while, attain complete independence; and we all possess that chemical instrument, the great and single athanor or furnace, which serves to separate the subtle from the gross, and the fixed from the volatile. This instrument, complete as the world, and accurate as the mathematics themselves, is designated by the Sages under the emblem of the Pentagram or Star with five points, the absolute sign of human intelligence. It may be said that the Pentagram represents the power of the Divine Will, as manifested in Humanity, to effect conscious change. As conscious participants with the Divine Will, humanity is in the unique position of being able to be co-creators with the Divine. Our sisters of the Eastern Star utilize a Pentagram as their primary symbol. Interestingly, their usage places the pentagram “upside down,” with two points on top and a single point facing down. According to esoteric tradition, this usage indicates the “evil” forces of darkness. The occult authority Eliphas Levi writes in Transcendental Magic: The Pentagram with two horns in the ascendant represents Satan, or the goat of the Sabbath, and with the single horn in the ascendant is the sign of the Savior. It is the figure of the human body with the four members and a point representing the head; a human figure head downward naturally represents the demon, that is, intellectual subversion, disorder and folly. As to whether the author of the Easter Star rituals was aware of these qualities when designing the emblem of the rite is most likely unknown. A contemporary member of the Eastern Star has informed us that the explanation of the symbol she received attributes the two points as facing towards the east, providing an unobstructed channel from the altar to the Eastern dais, as well as creating a confined center or “chamber” in the east that is formed between the two extended points and the dais. All Alchemists would be familiar with the idea of having the path from the Altar to the East clear at all times, and this may in fact be the most probable reason for the design., manifested as Light, creating the Universe.”[vii]
The alchemists asserts that the Pentagram is the symbol of the Divine in man… The five-pointed star with a single point upward represents the Divine. It also symbolizes man for its five points allude to the five senses, the five members (head, arms and legs) and his five fingers on each hand, which signify the tokens that distinguish alchemits.Furthermore he writes that this figure is the symbol of the Microcosm, the universe where humans dwell. Since the pentagon which encloses the pentagram may be formed by connecting the five points of the human body, for many centuries the symbol was also used to represent humanity in general. Within this symbol then is a representation of humanity, and our Divine role in the Universe as co-creators of eternity.
In addition to being a central altar piece in our Rosicrucian Temples, and the Blazing Star of the Craft Lodges, the Pentagram appears as an ensign in some of the High Degrees and rites. For example, it is central on the apron of the 28th Degree of the Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite, Knight of the Sun or Prince Adept. In discussing the symbol of the pentagram in the lecture of this degree, Pike writes in Morals & Dogma that in certain undertakings [the Pentagram] cannot be dispensed with. It is what is termed the Kabalistic pentacle… This carries with it the power of commanding the spirits of the elements.
A central lesson of this highly Kabalistic and Alchemical degree is that there is no death, only change. The Pentagram, symbol of humanity as the microcosm is an apt representation of this wisdom which, to one who has internalized it, may have that contempt for death which is expressed in the line from 1 Corinthians – “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”
In the same lecture, Pike alludes to the true meaning of this radiant symbol:
When the masters in Alchemy say that it needs but little time and expense to accomplish the works of Science. When they affirm, above all, that but a single vessel is necessary, when they speak of the Great and Single furnace, which all can use, which is within the reach of all the world, and which men possess without knowing it, they allude to the philosophical and moral Alchemy. In fact, a strong and determined will can, in a little while, attain complete independence; and we all possess that chemical instrument, the great and single athanor or furnace, which serves to separate the subtle from the gross, and the fixed from the volatile. This instrument, complete as the world, and accurate as the mathematics themselves, is designated by the Sages under the emblem of the Pentagram or Star with five points, the absolute sign of human intelligence. It may be said that the Pentagram represents the power of the Divine Will, as manifested in Humanity, to effect conscious change. As conscious participants with the Divine Will, humanity is in the unique position of being able to be co-creators with the Divine. Our sisters of the Eastern Star utilize a Pentagram as their primary symbol. Interestingly, their usage places the pentagram “upside down,” with two points on top and a single point facing down. According to esoteric tradition, this usage indicates the “evil” forces of darkness. The occult authority Eliphas Levi writes in Transcendental Magic:
The Pentagram with two horns in the ascendant represents Satan, or the goat of the Sabbath, and with the single horn in the ascendant is the sign of the Savior. It is the figure of the human body with the four members and a point representing the head; a human figure head downward naturally represents the demon, that is, intellectual subversion, disorder and folly. As to whether the author of the Easter Star rituals was aware of these qualities when designing the emblem of the rite is most likely unknown. A contemporary member of the Eastern Star has informed us that the explanation of the symbol she received attributes the two points as facing towards the east, providing an unobstructed channel from the altar to the Eastern dais, as well as creating a confined center or “chamber” in the east that is formed between the two extended points and the dais. All alchemists would be familiar with the idea of having the path from the Altar to the East clear at all times, and this may in fact be the most probable reason for the design. The Pentagram has a long history of occult use. It was by use of a poorly constructed Pentagram that Mephistopheles was able to manifest in the circle of Faust! Magical grimoires of the western esoteric tradition are replete with examples of pentagrams being used as protective and evocatory talismans, or as the seals of circles of the Art which were traced on the floor of the ritual chamber. Literally thousands of examples are extant from the works of Trithemius, Dr. John Dee, Heinrich Agrippa, Kircher, Bruno, and many others, which show the hermetic and kabalistic applications of the Pentagram in ceremonial ritual use.Perhaps one of the most evocative descriptions of the occult powers of this symbol comes from the magician Eliphas Levi (Alphonse Louis Constant), who writes of the Pentagram in his book Transcendental Magic:
The Pentagram expresses the mind's domination over the elements and it is by this sign that we bind the demons of the air, the spirits of fire, the spectres of water, and the ghosts of earth. It is the Star of the Magi, the burning star of the Gnostic schools, the sign of intellectual omnipotence and autocracy. Its complete comprehension is the key of two worlds‑‑it is absolute natural philosophy and natural science. Its use, how-ever, is most dangerous to operators who do not completely and perfectly understand it. All mysteries of magic, all symbols of the gnosis, all figures of occultism, all Qabalis-tic keys of prophecy, are resumed in the sign of the Pentagram, which Paracelsus pro-claims to be the greatest and most potent of all. [...] this absolute sign, this sign as old or as older than history, should and must actually exercise an incalculable influence on souls disengaged from their material envelope. Armed therewith and suitably disposed, we can behold infinity through the medium of that faculty which is as the Soul’s Eye, and can cause ourselves to be served by legions of angels and demon hordes. The empire of the Will over the Astral Light which is the physical soul of the four elements, is represented in magic by the Pentagram.,If it be asked how a sign can exercise that immense power over spirits which is claimed for the Pentagram, we inquire in turn why the Christian world bows before the sign of the cross. The sign by itself is nothing, it derives strength from the doctrine which is resumes, and of which it is the Logos. Now, a sign which epitomizes by expression all the occult forces of Nature, which has always manifested to the elementary and other spirits a power superior to their own, naturally strikes them with fear and respect, and enforces their obedience by the empire of knowledge and will over ignorance and weakness. The points of the pentagram are often associated with the five-fold name of the Christ, IHShVH or Yeheshua. Paul Foster Case describes this: The letters at the five points of the pentagram are the Roman characters corresponding to Yod, Heh, Shin, Vau and Heh. They are the letters which spell the divine name IHVH, Jehovah, with the ‘holy letter,’ Shin, symbol of the Holy Spirit, placed between the first two and last two letters, thus: I H Sh V H. This is the occult and Rosicrucian spelling of the name Yeheshua, or Jesus…’It is the symbol of the Word made flesh.’ […] every pentagram … symbolizes the mystical name IHShVH…[viii]
La iglesia de san Carlos Borromeo (en alemán, Karlskirche) es una iglesia barroca de Viena, situada en Kreuzherrengasse, 1, en la parte sur de Karlsplatz, al borde del primer distrito, y doscientos metros por fuera de la Ringstrasse.
Durante la fuerte epidemia de peste que azotó Viena en 1713 y que se cobró la vida de unas 8.000 personas, el emperador Carlos VI prometió que, tan pronto, como la ciudad se viera libre de esta calamidad, levantaría un templo dedicado a san Carlos Borromeo, arzobispo de Milán y héroe de la epidemia de peste de 1576. Al año siguiente de la epidemia se anunció un concurso para el proyecto de la iglesia que fue adjudicado a Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. Los fondos que permitieron sufragar la construcción de la iglesia fueron aportados forzosamente por los judíos de Viena. La iglesia es un símbolo de poder religioso y político de la dinastía imperial de los Habsburgo.
Las obras se iniciaron en 1716, y tras la muerte del arquitecto en 1723, las obras fueron continuadas, hasta su terminación en 1737, por su hijo Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach.
La iglesia constituye una obra maestra del eclecticismo barroco, en el que se combinan diferentes estilos: la fachada central representa un pórtico griego, las columnas a su lado son de inspiración barroca y sobre la entrada domina una gigantesca cúpula. Los dos pabellones laterales muestran influencias del barroco romano y decoración oriental. El edificio tiene una altura de 80 metros por unos 60 de ancho y constituye el segundo templo más amplio de la capital después de la catedral de San Esteban
En el exterior destaca el frontis en el que se incluyen las dos columnas citadas, con relieves que muestran periodos de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. Están inspiradas en la columna Trajana de Roma y su decoración espiral presenta escenas de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. El tema que se representa en la columna izquierda es la constancia y el valor en la de la derecha.
En el frontón se encuentran relieves obra de Giovanni Stanetti, que describen los sufrimientos de la ciudad durante la peste de 1713, la estatua del santo patrón corona el frontón. Las escaleras de la entrada se encuentra flanqueada por ángeles que representan el antiguo y el nuevo testamento.
El interior alberga tallas y retablos realizados por los artistas más famosos de la época como Daniel Gran y Altomonte. Destaca la cúpula en la que se pueden contemplar un fresco pintado por Johann Michael Rottmayr de Salzburgo, realizado entre 1725 y 1730, denominado "La apoteosis de san Carlos Borromeo" y que sería el último encargo que cumplió el artista. En él se representa la intercesión de Carlos Borromeo, con el apoyo de la Virgen María, y en torno a ellos las virtudes cardinales.
El altar mayor en el que participaron Alberto Camesina y Ferdinand Maxmilián Brokoff, presenta un relieve de estuco con San Carlos sobre una nube, ascendiendo a los cielos.
Los pabellones que conducen a las entradas laterales tienen decoración de influencia china.
Los frescos de las capillas laterales fueron pintados por Daniel Gran.
La iglesia está cerca de la estación Karlsplatz del Metro de Viena, por la que pasan las líneas U1, U2 y U4; también se puede llegar desde las estaciones de tranvía Gußhausstrasse (línea D) o Wien Resselgasse (líneas 1 y 62).
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iglesia_de_San_Carlos_Borromeo_(Viena)
The Rektoratskirche St. Karl Borromäus, commonly called the Karlskirche (English: St. Charles Church), is a Baroque church located on the south side of Karlsplatz in Vienna, Austria. Widely considered the most outstanding baroque church in Vienna, as well as one of the city's greatest buildings, the church is dedicated to Saint Charles Borromeo, one of the great counter-reformers of the sixteenth century.
Located on the edge of the Innere Stadt, approximately 200 meters outside the Ringstraße, the church contains a dome in the form of an elongated ellipsoid.
In 1713, one year after the last great plague epidemic, Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, pledged to build a church for his namesake patron saint, Charles Borromeo, who was revered as a healer for plague sufferers. An architectural competition was announced, in which Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach prevailed over, among others, Ferdinando Galli-Bibiena and Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt. Construction began in 1716 under the supervision of Anton Erhard Martinelli. After J.B. Fischer's death in 1723, his son, Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, completed the construction in 1737 using partially altered plans. The church originally possessed a direct line of sight to the Hofburg and was also, until 1918, the imperial patron parish church.
As a creator of historic architecture, the elder Fischer von Erlach united the most diverse of elements. The façade in the center, which leads to the porch, corresponds to a Greek temple portico. The neighboring two columns, crafted by Lorenzo Mattielli, found a model in Trajan's Column in Rome. Next to those, two tower pavilions extend out and show the influence of the Roman baroque (Bernini and Borromini). Above the entrance, a dome rises up above a high drum, which the younger J.E. Fischer shortened and partly altered.
Next to the Church was the Spitaler Gottesacker. The composer Antonio Vivaldi died in Vienna and was buried there on July 28, 1741 but his tomb has been lost over time. The church hosts regular Vivaldi concerts in his honour.
Hedwig Kiesler (age 19), later American movie actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr, married Friedrich Mandl (age 32), businessman and Austrofascist, in the tiny chapel of this elaborate church on 10 August 1933. With over 200 prominent guests attending, Kiesler wore “a black-and-white print dress” and carried “a bouquet of white orchids.”
Since Karlsplatz was restored as an ensemble in the late 1980s, the church has garnered fame because of its dome and its two flanking columns of bas-reliefs, as well as its role as an architectural counterweight to the buildings of the Musikverein and of the Vienna University of Technology. The church is cared for by a religious order, the Knights of the Cross with the Red Star, and has long been the parish church as well as the seat of the Catholic student ministry of the Vienna University of Technology.
The iconographical program of the church originated from the imperial official Carl Gustav Heraeus and connects Saint Charles Borromeo with his imperial benefactor. The relief on the pediment above the entrance with the cardinal virtues and the figure of the patron on its apex point to the motivation of the donation. This sculpture group continues onto the attic story as well. The attic is also one of the elements which the younger Fischer introduced. The columns display scenes from the life of Charles Borromeo in a spiral relief and are intended to recall the two columns, Boaz and Jachim, that stood in front of the Temple at Jerusalem. They also recall the Pillars of Hercules and act as symbols of imperial power. The entrance is flanked by angels from the Old and New Testaments.
This program continues in the interior as well, above all in the dome fresco by Johann Michael Rottmayr of Salzburg and Gaetano Fanti, which displays an intercession of Charles Borromeo, supported by the Virgin Mary. Surrounding this scene are the cardinal virtues. The frescos in a number of side chapels are attributed to Daniel Gran.
The high altarpiece portraying the ascension of the saint was conceptualized by the elder Fischer and executed by Ferdinand Maxmilian Brokoff. The altar paintings in the side chapels are by various artists, including Daniel Gran, Sebastiano Ricci, Martino Altomonte and Jakob van Schuppen. A wooden statue of St. Anthony by Josef Josephu is also on display.
As strong effect emanates from the directing of light and architectural grouping, in particular the arch openings of the main axis. The color scheme is characterized by marble with sparring and conscious use of gold leaf. The large round glass window high above the main altar with the Hebrew Tetragrammaton/Yahweh symbolizes God's omnipotence and simultaneously, through its warm yellow tone, God's love. Below is a representation of Apotheosis of Saint Charles Borromeo.
Next to the structures at Schönbrunn Palace, which maintain this form but are more fragmented, the church is Fischer's greatest work. It is also an expression of the Austrian joie de vivre stemming from the victorious end of the Turkish Wars.
The pulpit of the church was probably designed by Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, and his plans might have been executed by a French furniture maker, Claude Le Fort du Plessy in 1735 although there are no surviving documents attesting their authorship or the manufacturing of the church furniture. It is a wooden structure with rich floral, vegetal, rosette and rocaille ornaments, the finer carvings made of hard walnut, in a gold and brown colour scheme. The abat-voix forms a theatrical canopy with two putti holding a cross and a chalice with host; there is a flaming urn on the top. Around 1860 the abat-voix was enlarged. A wide rim was added distorting the original proportions, obscuring the elegant, swirling lines and creating a top-heavy effect. In 2006-2007 this rim was removed after a long debate and the pulpit was restored. The missing carvings of the canopy decorations were reconstructed and the original appearance of the structure was re-established.
Life is a game. This statement is often thrown around by Buddhists, Hindus and the likes of Alan Watts but what do they mean when they say speak of this comparison of life to a game?
With or without the existence of a creator, I find myself arriving at a Nihilistic perspective of reality. In the atheistic world, it's easy to see that all our values are mere fictions we've created from thin air to sustain order and make common living more enjoyable and prosperous BUT the importance and value of enjoyable and/or prosperous living is still completely made up, therefore irradiating any potential purpose.
Now, when I consider the concept, complexity and abstract nature of a creator in the worlds of monotheism and polytheism, the idea that a God could desire anything of us appears highly implausible (as desire implies weakness and weakness implies a crack in omnipotence). The most realistic idea of a God's reasons for creation is perhaps some deeply inherent creating nature or reasons far beyond human comprehension, therefore anything we do on earth is still highly irrelevant and again: purposeless.
Therefore life can be considered a made up game either way. We make up rules, put on our masks and play to our heart's content.
Think of all the hard things there are in your life
(Susannah Spurgeon, "Words of Cheer and Comfort for Sick and Sorrowful Souls!" 1898)
"Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You!" Jeremiah 32:17
"Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for Me?" Jeremiah 32:26-27
Dear reader, your difficulties and trials may not be similar to those of "the weeping prophet" — but they are very real, and seemingly insurmountable to you. It is a fact that, of yourself, you can neither overcome nor endure them. So I want to remind you that the Lord's hand is not shortened — that what was true of His power in Jeremiah's time, is as certainly true today. Whatever present hardship may press upon you, or whatever burden may be weighing you down — you, yes, you may look up to Him with confident faith, and say, "There is nothing too hard for You!"
Oh, the blessed peace which such an assurance brings! I do not know what your particular sorrow or hardship may be — but I do know that, whatever its nature — cruel, or bitter, or hopeless — it is as "nothing" to Him! He is able to deliver you — as easily as you can call upon Him for support and help.
Now, dear friend, think of all the hard things there are in your life:
poor circumstances,
difficult duties,
grievous pains,
sore struggles,
bitter disappointments,
harsh words,
sinful thoughts,
a hard heart of your own,
a hard heart in others.
Gather all these, and many more together, and pile them one on another until you have one great mountain of afflictions — and your God still calmly asks the question: "Is there anything too hard for Me?"
When our hearts are weary of life's cares and crosses, when our courage flags because of our helplessness, and we cry out with the patriarch, "All these things are against me!" — then what a support and stronghold is the fact that our God has all power in heaven and on earth! There is nothing too mighty for Him to manage — there is nothing too insignificant to escape His notice! Jeremiah's faith . . .
sees no obstacles,
stumbles at no hindrances,
faints under no burden,
shrinks from no responsibilities
— because he realizes the sublime Omnipotence of God, and fortifies himself by calling to remembrance His "outstretched arm" in the creation of the heavens and the earth. Cannot we do likewise?
I took up a book in a leisure moment the other day, opened it carelessly, and this is what I read: "It is a scientifically proved fact, that this great globe on which we live, spins around on its axis at the rate of a thousand miles an hour, and propels through space in its orbit at a speed immensely greater!"
The thought of this, seemed almost to take away my breath! Was I calmly and constantly living in the swirl of such a stupendous miracle as this? Then surely I could say, "Ah, Lord God! there is nothing too hard for You! My little troubles and afflictions — how small they must be to You! Yet with what tender compassion, do You stoop from guiding the worlds in their courses — to support and comfort the hearts of those who fear You!"
Never let us give up in despair, while we have such a God to trust in. If there is a great mountain of sorrow or difficulty in your way, dear friend — do not be cast down by the darkness of its shadow. Your God can either make a way for you through it — or He can guide you around it — or, just as easily, He can carry you right over it! There is nothing too hard for Him! Expect Him to make the crooked things straight, and to bring the high things low. And while you keep humbly at His feet, He will work wondrously, and you shall see His salvation!
One of the stone reliefs on Marszalkowska Street in Warsaw.
Marszalkowska Street starts at the Plac Bankowy and runs parallel with the Royal Route (Krakowskie Przedmiescie, Nowy Swiat, Ujazdowskie). After the Plac Konstytucji it narrows substantially, before ending at Plac Unii Lubelskij.
Marszalkowska Street is interesting for several reasons. The street was devastated during WWII, and after the war the street was reconstructed as a socialist prestige project. Most of the street was thus reconstructed in a so-called Socialist Realism style, where monumental buildings show the omnipotence of society.
The straight and strong working people have been immortalized in the fronts of the buildings and on the roofs. Communist Poland was proud of the reconstruction of Poland - and it took care no one would forget who carried out the effort.
source:http://www.warszawaguide.info
Let us look for a moment at how some of this manifests in the cult leader. Cult leaders have an
outstanding ability to charm and win over followers. They beguile and seduce. They enter a room and garner all the attention. They command the utmost respect and obedience. These are "individuals whose narcissism is so extreme and grandiose that they exist in a kind of splendid isolation in which the creation of the grandiose self takes precedence over legal, moral or interpersonal commitments."(l8) Paranoia may be evident in simple or elaborate delusions of persecution. Highly suspicious, they may feel conspired against, spied upon or cheated, or maligned by a person, group, or governmental agency. Any real or suspected unfavorable reaction may be interpreted as a deliberate attack upon them or the group. (Considering the criminal nature of some groups and the antisocial behavior of others, some of these fears may have more of a basis in reality than delusion!)
Harder to evaluate, of course, is whether these leaders' belief in their magical powers, omnipotence, and connection to God (or whatever higher power or belief system they are espousing) is delusional or simply part of the con. Megalomania--the belief that one is able or entitled to rule the world--is equally hard to evaluate without psychological testing of the in- dividual, although numerous cult leaders state quite readily that their goal is to rule the world. In any case, beneath the surface gloss of intelligence, charm, and professed humility seethes an inner world of rage, depression, and fear.
Carlo Borromeo (Arona, Ducado de Milán, 2 de octubre de 1538 - Milán, 3 de noviembre de 1584) fue un cardenal italiano, arzobispo de Milán y uno de los grandes reformadores católicos de la época postridentina. Era sobrino del papa Pío IV y la Iglesia católica lo venera como santo.
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Borromeo
Charles Borromeo (Italian: Carlo Borromeo, Latin: Carolus Borromeus, 2 October 1538 – 3 November 1584) was the Latin archbishop of Milan from 1564 to 1584 and a cardinal of the Catholic Church. He was a leading figure of the Counter-Reformation combat against the Protestant Reformation together with St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. Philip Neri. In that role he was responsible for significant reforms in the Catholic Church, including the founding of seminaries for the education of priests. He is honored as a saint by the Catholic Church, with a feast day on November 4.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Borromeo
La iglesia de san Carlos Borromeo (en alemán, Karlskirche) es una iglesia barroca de Viena, situada en Kreuzherrengasse, 1, en la parte sur de Karlsplatz, al borde del primer distrito, y doscientos metros por fuera de la Ringstrasse.
Durante la fuerte epidemia de peste que azotó Viena en 1713 y que se cobró la vida de unas 8.000 personas, el emperador Carlos VI prometió que, tan pronto, como la ciudad se viera libre de esta calamidad, levantaría un templo dedicado a san Carlos Borromeo, arzobispo de Milán y héroe de la epidemia de peste de 1576. Al año siguiente de la epidemia se anunció un concurso para el proyecto de la iglesia que fue adjudicado a Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. Los fondos que permitieron sufragar la construcción de la iglesia fueron aportados forzosamente por los judíos de Viena. La iglesia es un símbolo de poder religioso y político de la dinastía imperial de los Habsburgo.
Las obras se iniciaron en 1716, y tras la muerte del arquitecto en 1723, las obras fueron continuadas, hasta su terminación en 1737, por su hijo Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach.
La iglesia constituye una obra maestra del eclecticismo barroco, en el que se combinan diferentes estilos: la fachada central representa un pórtico griego, las columnas a su lado son de inspiración barroca y sobre la entrada domina una gigantesca cúpula. Los dos pabellones laterales muestran influencias del barroco romano y decoración oriental. El edificio tiene una altura de 80 metros por unos 60 de ancho y constituye el segundo templo más amplio de la capital después de la catedral de San Esteban
En el exterior destaca el frontis en el que se incluyen las dos columnas citadas, con relieves que muestran periodos de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. Están inspiradas en la columna Trajana de Roma y su decoración espiral presenta escenas de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. El tema que se representa en la columna izquierda es la constancia y el valor en la de la derecha.
En el frontón se encuentran relieves obra de Giovanni Stanetti, que describen los sufrimientos de la ciudad durante la peste de 1713, la estatua del santo patrón corona el frontón. Las escaleras de la entrada se encuentra flanqueada por ángeles que representan el antiguo y el nuevo testamento.
El interior alberga tallas y retablos realizados por los artistas más famosos de la época como Daniel Gran y Altomonte. Destaca la cúpula en la que se pueden contemplar un fresco pintado por Johann Michael Rottmayr de Salzburgo, realizado entre 1725 y 1730, denominado "La apoteosis de san Carlos Borromeo" y que sería el último encargo que cumplió el artista. En él se representa la intercesión de Carlos Borromeo, con el apoyo de la Virgen María, y en torno a ellos las virtudes cardinales.
El altar mayor en el que participaron Alberto Camesina y Ferdinand Maxmilián Brokoff, presenta un relieve de estuco con San Carlos sobre una nube, ascendiendo a los cielos.
Los pabellones que conducen a las entradas laterales tienen decoración de influencia china.
Los frescos de las capillas laterales fueron pintados por Daniel Gran.
La iglesia está cerca de la estación Karlsplatz del Metro de Viena, por la que pasan las líneas U1, U2 y U4; también se puede llegar desde las estaciones de tranvía Gußhausstrasse (línea D) o Wien Resselgasse (líneas 1 y 62).
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iglesia_de_San_Carlos_Borromeo_(Viena)
The Rektoratskirche St. Karl Borromäus, commonly called the Karlskirche (English: St. Charles Church), is a Baroque church located on the south side of Karlsplatz in Vienna, Austria. Widely considered the most outstanding baroque church in Vienna, as well as one of the city's greatest buildings, the church is dedicated to Saint Charles Borromeo, one of the great counter-reformers of the sixteenth century.
Located on the edge of the Innere Stadt, approximately 200 meters outside the Ringstraße, the church contains a dome in the form of an elongated ellipsoid.
In 1713, one year after the last great plague epidemic, Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, pledged to build a church for his namesake patron saint, Charles Borromeo, who was revered as a healer for plague sufferers. An architectural competition was announced, in which Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach prevailed over, among others, Ferdinando Galli-Bibiena and Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt. Construction began in 1716 under the supervision of Anton Erhard Martinelli. After J.B. Fischer's death in 1723, his son, Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, completed the construction in 1737 using partially altered plans. The church originally possessed a direct line of sight to the Hofburg and was also, until 1918, the imperial patron parish church.
As a creator of historic architecture, the elder Fischer von Erlach united the most diverse of elements. The façade in the center, which leads to the porch, corresponds to a Greek temple portico. The neighboring two columns, crafted by Lorenzo Mattielli, found a model in Trajan's Column in Rome. Next to those, two tower pavilions extend out and show the influence of the Roman baroque (Bernini and Borromini). Above the entrance, a dome rises up above a high drum, which the younger J.E. Fischer shortened and partly altered.
Next to the Church was the Spitaler Gottesacker. The composer Antonio Vivaldi died in Vienna and was buried there on July 28, 1741 but his tomb has been lost over time. The church hosts regular Vivaldi concerts in his honour.
Hedwig Kiesler (age 19), later American movie actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr, married Friedrich Mandl (age 32), businessman and Austrofascist, in the tiny chapel of this elaborate church on 10 August 1933. With over 200 prominent guests attending, Kiesler wore “a black-and-white print dress” and carried “a bouquet of white orchids.”
Since Karlsplatz was restored as an ensemble in the late 1980s, the church has garnered fame because of its dome and its two flanking columns of bas-reliefs, as well as its role as an architectural counterweight to the buildings of the Musikverein and of the Vienna University of Technology. The church is cared for by a religious order, the Knights of the Cross with the Red Star, and has long been the parish church as well as the seat of the Catholic student ministry of the Vienna University of Technology.
The iconographical program of the church originated from the imperial official Carl Gustav Heraeus and connects Saint Charles Borromeo with his imperial benefactor. The relief on the pediment above the entrance with the cardinal virtues and the figure of the patron on its apex point to the motivation of the donation. This sculpture group continues onto the attic story as well. The attic is also one of the elements which the younger Fischer introduced. The columns display scenes from the life of Charles Borromeo in a spiral relief and are intended to recall the two columns, Boaz and Jachim, that stood in front of the Temple at Jerusalem. They also recall the Pillars of Hercules and act as symbols of imperial power. The entrance is flanked by angels from the Old and New Testaments.
This program continues in the interior as well, above all in the dome fresco by Johann Michael Rottmayr of Salzburg and Gaetano Fanti, which displays an intercession of Charles Borromeo, supported by the Virgin Mary. Surrounding this scene are the cardinal virtues. The frescos in a number of side chapels are attributed to Daniel Gran.
The high altarpiece portraying the ascension of the saint was conceptualized by the elder Fischer and executed by Ferdinand Maxmilian Brokoff. The altar paintings in the side chapels are by various artists, including Daniel Gran, Sebastiano Ricci, Martino Altomonte and Jakob van Schuppen. A wooden statue of St. Anthony by Josef Josephu is also on display.
As strong effect emanates from the directing of light and architectural grouping, in particular the arch openings of the main axis. The color scheme is characterized by marble with sparring and conscious use of gold leaf. The large round glass window high above the main altar with the Hebrew Tetragrammaton/Yahweh symbolizes God's omnipotence and simultaneously, through its warm yellow tone, God's love. Below is a representation of Apotheosis of Saint Charles Borromeo.
Next to the structures at Schönbrunn Palace, which maintain this form but are more fragmented, the church is Fischer's greatest work. It is also an expression of the Austrian joie de vivre stemming from the victorious end of the Turkish Wars.
The pulpit of the church was probably designed by Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, and his plans might have been executed by a French furniture maker, Claude Le Fort du Plessy in 1735 although there are no surviving documents attesting their authorship or the manufacturing of the church furniture. It is a wooden structure with rich floral, vegetal, rosette and rocaille ornaments, the finer carvings made of hard walnut, in a gold and brown colour scheme. The abat-voix forms a theatrical canopy with two putti holding a cross and a chalice with host; there is a flaming urn on the top. Around 1860 the abat-voix was enlarged. A wide rim was added distorting the original proportions, obscuring the elegant, swirling lines and creating a top-heavy effect. In 2006-2007 this rim was removed after a long debate and the pulpit was restored. The missing carvings of the canopy decorations were reconstructed and the original appearance of the structure was re-established.
So from the insolence
of your magnificent spring
enlightened by those
apparently eternal rays of sun,
you really think you can tell me
about things I have already lived
or about places where I have already been
or streets I have already covered
with the same sense of invincible
omnipotence you are showing me ?
You don’t surprise me,
maybe you saddened me a little
because I allowed you for a moment
the regret of a lost occasion to stay silent.
I won’t tell you the usual,
slightly envious nasty thing,
that you will hear,
again and again,
during your life,
year after year,
while, already too late,
you will try to swim
against the stream,
arduously, hopelessly
like a stubborn stupid salmon.
That the beauty is ephemeral.
This truth you already know.
Every day you can see it yourself .
You don’t need me telling you this again.
I will tell you another thing instead,
that one day you will understand,
it won’t be enough anymore,
and you will want something else,
much more than that,
something that is not up for sale.
Because for the man
you will choose to support
all his frailties on your shoulder,
not strong enough for that,
the one you will choose
to protect from the world
soothing its screams with your hands,
sustaining his mind
only with the pureness of your heart,
dissolving his insecurities
with a smile and your touch
dispersing his doubts
and his fears with a caress,
holding his hand when he trembles,
but conceding him the illusion
to be himself with his apparent strength
to protect you from
the ambushes of life,
keeping you safe.
Then for him, and only for him,
you will want to become a woman.
"With hope I built character...with character I built respect....with respect I built pride...with pride I finally built MYSELF...and with all that built I realized....I matter." - SDBWQ
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St. Charles's Church, Vienna
The St. Charles's Church (German: Karlskirche) is a church situated on the south side of Karlsplatz, Vienna. It is located on the edge of the 1st district, 200 metres outside the Ringstraße. It is one of the most outstanding baroque church structures, and boasts a dome in the form of an elongated ellipsoid.
Ever since Karlsplatz was restored as an ensemble in the late 1980s, the Karlskirche has garnered fame due to its dome and its two flanking columns of bas-reliefs, as well as its role as an architectural counterweight to the buildings of the Musikverein and of the Vienna University of Technology.
The church is cared for by a religious order and has long been the parish church as well as the seat of the Catholic student ministry of the Vienna University of Technology.
Design and construction
Karlskirche column, with spiral as on Trajan's Column
In 1713, one year after the last great plague epidemic, Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, pledged to build a church for his namesake patron saint, Charles Borromeo, who was revered as a healer for plague sufferers. An architectural competition was announced, in which Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach prevailed over, among others, Ferdinando Galli-Bibiena and Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt. Construction began in 1716 under the supervision of Anton Erhard Martinelli. After J. B. Fischer's death in 1723, his son, Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, completed the construction in 1737 using partially altered plans. The church originally possessed a direct line of sight to the Hofburg and was also, until 1918, the imperial patron parish church.
As a creator of historic architecture, J. B. Fischer united the most diverse of elements. The façade in the center, which leads to the porch, corresponds to a Greek temple portico. The neighboring two columns, crafted by Lorenzo Mattielli, found a model in Trajan's Column in Rome. Next to those, two tower pavilions extend out and show the influence of the Roman baroque (Bernini and Borromini). Above the entrance, a dome rises up above a high drum, which the younger J. E. Fischer shortened and partly altered.
[edit]Iconography
The iconographical program of the church originated from the imperial official Carl Gustav Heraeus and connects St. Charles Borromeo with his imperial benefactor. The relief on the pediment above the entrance with the cardinal virtues and the figure of the patron on its apex point to the motivation of the donation. This sculpture group continues onto the attic story as well. The attic is also one of the elements which the younger Fischer introduced. The columns display scenes from the life of Charles Borromeo in a spiral relief and are intended to recall the two columns, Boaz and Jachim, that stood in front of the Temple at Jerusalem. They also recall the Pillars of Hercules and act as symbols of imperial power. The entrance is flanked by angels from the Old and New Testaments.
This program continues in the interior as well, above all in the dome fresco by Johann Michael Rottmayr of Salzburg and Gaetano Fanti (pseudoarchitecture) which displays an intercession of Charles Borromeo, supported by the Virgin Mary. Surrounding this scene are the cardinal virtues. The frescos in a number of side chapels are attributed to Daniel Gran.
The gold piece high above the altar symbolizing Yahweh.
The high altar painting portraying the ascension of the saint was conceptualized by the elder Fischer and executed by Ferdinand Maximilian Brokoff. The altar paintings in the side chapels are by various artists, including Daniel Gran, Sebastiano Ricci, Martino Altomonte and Jakob van Schuppen.
Full view of the Altar
As strong effect emanates from the directing of light and architectural grouping, in particular the arch openings of the main axis. The color scheme is characterized by marble with sparring and conscious use of gold leaf. The large round glass window high above the main altar with the Hebrew Tetragrammaton/Yahweh symbolizes God's omnipotence and simultaneously, through its warm yellow tone, God's love.Below is a representation of Apotheosis of Saint Charles Borromeo.
Next to the structures at Schönbrunn Palace, which maintain this form but are more fragmented, the Karlskirche is Fischer's greatest work. It is also an expression of the Austrian joie de vivre stemming from the victorious end of the Turkish Wars.
Karlsplatz
Karlsplatz ("Charles' Square") is a town square on the border of the first and fourth districts of Vienna. It is one of the most frequented and best connected transportation hubs in Vienna. The Karlskirche is located here.
Resselpark, adorned with numerous monuments, takes up the most area in the plaza and is on the south side. The Evangelische Schule (Evangelical School) and the Technische Universität Wien (Vienna Technical University) are located here. The plaza is closed in by Karlskirche (which has a water tank and a Henry Moore sculpture in front of it), the main building of the Vienna Museum, and the Winterthur Insurance building. Separated from the plaza to the north are the buildings of the Wiener Musikverein (Vienna Music Society), the Künstlerhaus (art house), and the Handelsakademie (business school). A Video of the plaza and a eventlist are available on the Website of the association karlsplatz.org Verein zur Förderung d. kulturellen Belebung öffentlicher Räume [1].
On the Karlsplatz the exhibition of the United Buddy Bears was shown in 2006 for the first time in Austria. The exhibition was opened by Christiane Hörbiger, Film actress and UNICEF Ambassador, together with Grete Laska, Deputy Mayor of Vienna and Karin Schubert, Mayor of Berlin. According to the City of Vienna, project partners, they were able to count nearly 1 million visitors over the 6 weeks of the exhibition[1].
The first district can be reached either by subway or via Operngasse (a street). The pavilions of the former Karlsplatz Stadtbahn Station remain despite the construction of the U-Bahn system.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karlskirche
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karlsplatz
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I intent to publish in near future the TRAVEL PHOTOBOOKS on
Landscapes in 6 Continents (Title 1- Stupendous Landscapes across 6 Continents) ,
Wonders of World (Title 2 - "Ancient and New 7 Wonders of World from a Himalayan Photographers Eye") ,
28 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India (Title 3 -"All 28 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India") ,
Himalayas in India, Nepal, China, Tibet & Bhutan (Title 4 -"Stupendous Himalayas"),
UNESCO Interesting World Heritage Sites across globe ( Title 5 - "Best of UNESCO World Heritage Sites") ,
Himachal Pradesh (Title 6 - "Unforgettable Himachal Pradesh" Photostories by SunDeep® Bhardwaj sundeepkullu.com)
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WORLD IS MY STUDIO "I live with one vision to create things that would outlast me. I discovered photography as a means for me to connect with my innerself"........... SunDeep® Bhardwaj Kullu
Copyright © sundeepkullu.com All rights reserved.
The Stock samples of SDBWP SunDeep Bhardwaj World Photography in flickr Photostream cannot be Copied,Distributed,Published or Used in any form,full or in part,or in any kind of media without prior permission from Sundeep Bhardwaj the owner of these images.Utilization in other websites,intenet media,pages,blogs etc without written consent is PROHIBITED.
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admin@phototube.co (For Photo Tube . Co related) or
enquiries@himachalculturalvillage.com (For Himachal Cultural Village . Com related).
INDIA ROAMING AND HIMACHAL +91 9816499629 (Please drop me a SMS message)
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These are reduced sized pictures.Orignal pictures shot in 5,616 × 3,744 (21.1 megapixels) using Canon EOS 5D Mark II FULL FRAME DSLR CAMERA or 3872 x 2592 (10.2 million effective pixels) using NIKON D60 DSLR or 4,288 × 2,848 (12.3 effective megapixels) USING NIKON D90 DSLR's.
All rights reserved.
copyright 2011 © sundeepkullu.com
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HIGH RESOLUTION images on sundeepkullu.com WORLD IS MY STUDIO This picture is LOW RESOLUTION for web compatibility **Sorry Guys i have deleted most of my pictures from facebook due to copyright infringement by parties not authorised by me.But i have made a flash website for exibiting my Photostories Do visit sundeepkullu.com
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Lahaul and Spiti district
The district of Lahaul-Spiti in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh consists of the two formerly separate districts of Lahaul and Spiti. The present administrative centre is Keylong in Lahaul. Before the two districts were merged, Kardang was the capital of Lahaul, and Dhankar the capital of Spiti.
Kunzum la or the Kunzum Pass (altitude 4,551 m; 14,931 ft) is the entrance pass to the Spiti Valley from Lahaul. It is 21 km from Chandra Tal.[1] This district is connected to Manali through the Rohtang Pass. To the south, Spiti ends 24 km from Tabo, at the Pare chu gorge where the road enters Kinnaur and joins with National Highway No. 22.[2]
The two valleys are quite different in character. Spiti is more barren and difficult to cross, with an average elevation of the valley floor of 4,270 m (14,009 ft). It is enclosed between lofty ranges, with the Spiti river rushing out of a gorge in the southeast to meet the Sutlej River. It is a typical mountain desert area with an average annual rainfall of only 170 mm (6.7 inches).[3]
Flora and fauna
Lahaul valley in winter
Mountain peak in Lahaul and Spiti district
The harsh conditions of Lahaul permit only scattered tufts of hardy grasses and shrubs to grow, even below 4,000 metres. Glacier lines are usually found at 5,000 metres.
Animals such as yaks and dzos roam across the wild Lingti plains. However, over-hunting and a decrease in food supplies has led to a large decrease in the population of the Tibetan antelope, argali, kiangs, musk deer, and snow leopards in these regions, reducing them to the status of endangered species. However, in the Lahaul valley, one can see ibex, brown bears, foxes and snow leopards during winter.
[edit]People
Mother and child in near Gandhola Monastery. 2004
The language, culture, and populations of Lahaul and Spiti are closely related. Generally the Lahaulis are of Tibetan and Indo-Aryan descent, while the Spiti Bhotia are more similar to the Tibetans, owing to their proximity to Tibet. Fairer skin and hazel-colored eyes are commonly seen among the Lahaulis.
The languages of both the Lahauli and Spiti Bhutia belong to the Tibetan family. They are very similar to the Ladakhi and Tibetans culturally, as they had been placed under the rule of the Guge and Ladakh kingdoms at occasional intervals.
Among the Lahaulis, the family acts as the basic unit of kinship. The extended family system is common, evolved from the polyandric system of the past. The family is headed by a senior male member, known as the Yunda, while his wife, known as the Yundamo, attains authority by being the oldest member in the generation. The clan system, also known as Rhus, plays another major role in the Lahauli society.
The Spiti Bhutia community has an inheritance system that is otherwise unique to the Tibetans. Upon the death of both parents, only the eldest son will inherit the family property, while the eldest daughter inherits the mother's jewellery, and the younger siblings inherit nothing. Men usually fall back on the social security system of the Trans-Himalayan Gompas.
[edit]Lifestyle
The lifestyles of the Lahauli and Spiti Bhotia are similar, owing to their proximity. Polyandry was widely practiced by the Lahaulis in the past, although this practice has been dying out. The Spiti Bhutia do not generally practice polyandry any more, although it is accepted in a few isolated regions.
Divorces are accomplished by a simple ceremony performed in the presence of village elders. Divorce can be sought by either partner. The husband has to pay compensation to his ex-wife if she does not remarry. However, this is uncommon among the Lahaulis.
Agriculture is the main source of livelihood. Potato farming is common. Occupations include animal husbandry, working in government programs, government services, and other businesses and crafts that include weaving. Houses are constructed in the Tibetan architectural style, as the land in Lahul and Spiti is mountainous and quite prone to earthquakes.
[edit]Religion
Kunzum Pass between Lahul & Spiti
Ki-Gompa Spiti
Most of the Lahaulis follow a combination of Hinduism and Tibetan Buddhism of the Drukpa Kagyu order, while the Spiti Bhotia follow Tibetan Buddhism of the Gelugpa order. Within Lahoul/swangla, the Baralacha-La region had the strongest Buddhist influence, owing to its close proximity to Spiti. Lahoul/swangla has temples such as Triloknath , where pilgrims worship a certain god in different manifestations, notably in the form of Shiva and Avalokiteshvara where Udaipur is a puritan temple. This bas-relief, of marble, depicts the Buddhist deity Avalokiteshvara (the embodiment of the Buddha's compassion) in a stylized seated position; Hindu devotees take it to be Shiva Nataraj, Shiva dancing. This image appears to be of sixteenth century Chamba craftsmanship. It was created to replace the original black stone image of the deity, which became damaged by art looters. This original image is kept beneath the plinth of the shrine. It appears to be of 12th century Kashmiri provenance . Much of the art thieves are active in this remote belt because of neglected gompas and temples.
Before the spread of Tibetan Buddhism and Hinduism, the people were adherents of the religion 'Lung Pe Chhoi', an animistic religion that had some affinities with the Bön religion of Tibet. While the religion flourished, animal and human sacrifices were regularly offered up to the 'Iha', a term that refers to evil spirits residing in the natural world, notably in the old pencil-cedar trees, rocks and caves. Vestiges of the Lung Pe Chhoi religion can be seen in the behaviour of the Lamas, who are believed to possess certain supernatural powers.
The Losar festival (also known as Halda in Lahauli) is celebrated between the months of January and February. The date of celebration is decided by the Lamas. It has the same significance as the Diwali festival of Hinduism, but is celebrated in a Tibetan fashion.
At the start of the festival, two or three persons from every household will come holding burning incense. The burning sticks are then piled into a bonfire. The people will then pray to Shiskar Apa, the goddess of wealth (other name Vasudhara) in the Buddhist religion.
In the Pattan belt of the valley in Lahoul most population follows Hinduism,but counts for 14 percent of the total and they are called swanglas. The fagli festival is celebrated between February and March all over the valley. This festival is a new year festival and closely precedes beginning of tibetian and Chinese calendar. Notable is the Pattan people are the late settlers in the valley around 1500 A.D. and have broad highlights and have distinct language on the likes the central Asians,chamba, pangi, pashtoons and uyghurs. This belt is known for the convergence for chandra and bhaga rivers to form Chenab.
[edit]Tourism
Ki Gompa
The natural scenery and Buddhist monasteries, such as Ki, Dhankar, Shashur, Guru Ghantal and Tayul Gompas, are the main tourist attractions of the region.
One of the most interesting places is the Tabo Monastery, located 45 km from Kaza, Himachal Pradesh, the capital of the Spiti region. This monastery rose to prominence when it celebrated its thousandth year of existence in 1996. It houses a collection of Buddhist scriptures, Buddhist statues and Thangkas. The ancient gompa is finished with mud plaster, and contains several scriptures and documents. Lama Dzangpo heads the gompa here. There is a modern guest house with a dining hall and all facilities are available.
Another famous gompa, Kardang Monastery, is located at an elevation of 3,500 metres across the river, about 8 km from Keylong. Kardang is well connected by the road via the Tandi bridge which is about 14 km from Keylong. Built in the 12th century, this monastery houses a large library of Buddhist literature including the main Kangyur and Tangyur scriptures.
The treacherous weather in Lahaul and Spiti permits visitors to tour only between the months of June to October, when the roads and villages are free of snow and the high passes (Rothang La and Kunzum La) are open. It is possible to access Spiti from Kinnaur (along the Sutlej) all through the year, although the road is sometimes temporarily closed by landslides or avalanches.
Buddhist Monasteries in Spiti: Spiti is one of the important centers of Buddhism in Himachal Pradesh. It is popularly known as the 'land of lamas'. The valley is dotted by numerous Buddhist Monasteries or Gompas that are famous throughout the world and are a favorite of Dalai Lama.
Kye Monastery: Kye Monastery in Spiti is the main research center of the Buddhists in India. Near about 300 lamas are receiving their religious training from here. It is oldest and biggest monastery in Spiti. It houses the rare painting and beautiful scriptures of Buddha and other gods and goddess. You may also find rare 'Thangka' paintings and ancient musical instruments 'trumpets, cymbals, and drums in the monastery.
Tabo Monastery: Perched at an amazing altitude of 3050 meters, Tabo Monastery in the valley of Spiti is often referred to as the 'Ajanta of the Himalayas'. The 10th century Tabo Monastery was founded by the great scholar, Richen Zangpo, and has been declared as the World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The monastery houses more than 6 lamas and contains the rare collection of scriptures, pieces of art, wall paintings -Tankhas and Stucco.
Flora and fauna of Spiti Valley: The valley is blessed with the good population of snow leopards, ibex, Himalayan Brown Bear, Musk Deer, Himalayan Blue Sheep etc. which serves as the boon for the wildlife lovers. There are two important protected areas in the region that are a home to snow leopard and its prey including the Pin Valley National Park and Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary. Surprisingly, due to ardent religious beliefs, people of Spiti do not hunt these wild animals.
Apart from the exotic wildlife, the Valley of Spiti is also known for its amazing wealth of flora and the profusion of wild flowers. Some of the mot common species found here include Causinia thomsonii, Seseli trilobum, Crepis flexuosa, Caragana brevifolia and Krascheninikovia ceratoides. Then there are more than 62 species of medicinal plants found here.
Adventure activities:
To- do-Trials: For trekkers, the Spiti Valley is a paradise, offering challenging treks to explore the new heights of the Himalayas. The treks takes you to the most remote areas including the rugged villages and old Gompas followed by the exotic wildlife trails. Some of the popular trekking routes in the area includes Kaza-Langza-Hikim-Comic-Kaza, Kaza-Ki-Kibber-Gete-Kaza, Kaza-Losar-Kunzum La and Kaza-Tabo-Sumdo-Nako. Please note that you carry all the necessary things before out for the trekking tour to Spiti. Tents, sleeping bags, cooking equipment, heavy woollens and sunglasses are a must.
Skiing: Skiing is the popular adventure sports in Spiti and is popular in India from the past few years. The amazing snow clad mountains with the added advantage of inspiring heights are enough to allure the adventure spirits of the avid skier, providing all the thrill and fun attracted to the sport. People from all around the globe come to experience this enthralling adventure activity.
Yak Safari: The most exciting of all adventure activities in Spiti is the Yak safari. You can hire the Yak to see the flora and fauna of trans-Himalayan desert. It is, in fact, the lifetime opportunity that you won't find anywhere else so easily. Apart from this, horse safaris are also conducted in this area.
Sources en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lahaul_and_Spiti_district
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Carlo Borromeo (Arona, Ducado de Milán, 2 de octubre de 1538 - Milán, 3 de noviembre de 1584) fue un cardenal italiano, arzobispo de Milán y uno de los grandes reformadores católicos de la época postridentina. Era sobrino del papa Pío IV y la Iglesia católica lo venera como santo.
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Borromeo
Charles Borromeo (Italian: Carlo Borromeo, Latin: Carolus Borromeus, 2 October 1538 – 3 November 1584) was the Latin archbishop of Milan from 1564 to 1584 and a cardinal of the Catholic Church. He was a leading figure of the Counter-Reformation combat against the Protestant Reformation together with St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. Philip Neri. In that role he was responsible for significant reforms in the Catholic Church, including the founding of seminaries for the education of priests. He is honored as a saint by the Catholic Church, with a feast day on November 4.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Borromeo
La iglesia de san Carlos Borromeo (en alemán, Karlskirche) es una iglesia barroca de Viena, situada en Kreuzherrengasse, 1, en la parte sur de Karlsplatz, al borde del primer distrito, y doscientos metros por fuera de la Ringstrasse.
Durante la fuerte epidemia de peste que azotó Viena en 1713 y que se cobró la vida de unas 8.000 personas, el emperador Carlos VI prometió que, tan pronto, como la ciudad se viera libre de esta calamidad, levantaría un templo dedicado a san Carlos Borromeo, arzobispo de Milán y héroe de la epidemia de peste de 1576. Al año siguiente de la epidemia se anunció un concurso para el proyecto de la iglesia que fue adjudicado a Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. Los fondos que permitieron sufragar la construcción de la iglesia fueron aportados forzosamente por los judíos de Viena. La iglesia es un símbolo de poder religioso y político de la dinastía imperial de los Habsburgo.
Las obras se iniciaron en 1716, y tras la muerte del arquitecto en 1723, las obras fueron continuadas, hasta su terminación en 1737, por su hijo Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach.
La iglesia constituye una obra maestra del eclecticismo barroco, en el que se combinan diferentes estilos: la fachada central representa un pórtico griego, las columnas a su lado son de inspiración barroca y sobre la entrada domina una gigantesca cúpula. Los dos pabellones laterales muestran influencias del barroco romano y decoración oriental. El edificio tiene una altura de 80 metros por unos 60 de ancho y constituye el segundo templo más amplio de la capital después de la catedral de San Esteban
En el exterior destaca el frontis en el que se incluyen las dos columnas citadas, con relieves que muestran periodos de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. Están inspiradas en la columna Trajana de Roma y su decoración espiral presenta escenas de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. El tema que se representa en la columna izquierda es la constancia y el valor en la de la derecha.
En el frontón se encuentran relieves obra de Giovanni Stanetti, que describen los sufrimientos de la ciudad durante la peste de 1713, la estatua del santo patrón corona el frontón. Las escaleras de la entrada se encuentra flanqueada por ángeles que representan el antiguo y el nuevo testamento.
El interior alberga tallas y retablos realizados por los artistas más famosos de la época como Daniel Gran y Altomonte. Destaca la cúpula en la que se pueden contemplar un fresco pintado por Johann Michael Rottmayr de Salzburgo, realizado entre 1725 y 1730, denominado "La apoteosis de san Carlos Borromeo" y que sería el último encargo que cumplió el artista. En él se representa la intercesión de Carlos Borromeo, con el apoyo de la Virgen María, y en torno a ellos las virtudes cardinales.
El altar mayor en el que participaron Alberto Camesina y Ferdinand Maxmilián Brokoff, presenta un relieve de estuco con San Carlos sobre una nube, ascendiendo a los cielos.
Los pabellones que conducen a las entradas laterales tienen decoración de influencia china.
Los frescos de las capillas laterales fueron pintados por Daniel Gran.
La iglesia está cerca de la estación Karlsplatz del Metro de Viena, por la que pasan las líneas U1, U2 y U4; también se puede llegar desde las estaciones de tranvía Gußhausstrasse (línea D) o Wien Resselgasse (líneas 1 y 62).
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iglesia_de_San_Carlos_Borromeo_(Viena)
The Rektoratskirche St. Karl Borromäus, commonly called the Karlskirche (English: St. Charles Church), is a Baroque church located on the south side of Karlsplatz in Vienna, Austria. Widely considered the most outstanding baroque church in Vienna, as well as one of the city's greatest buildings, the church is dedicated to Saint Charles Borromeo, one of the great counter-reformers of the sixteenth century.
Located on the edge of the Innere Stadt, approximately 200 meters outside the Ringstraße, the church contains a dome in the form of an elongated ellipsoid.
In 1713, one year after the last great plague epidemic, Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, pledged to build a church for his namesake patron saint, Charles Borromeo, who was revered as a healer for plague sufferers. An architectural competition was announced, in which Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach prevailed over, among others, Ferdinando Galli-Bibiena and Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt. Construction began in 1716 under the supervision of Anton Erhard Martinelli. After J.B. Fischer's death in 1723, his son, Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, completed the construction in 1737 using partially altered plans. The church originally possessed a direct line of sight to the Hofburg and was also, until 1918, the imperial patron parish church.
As a creator of historic architecture, the elder Fischer von Erlach united the most diverse of elements. The façade in the center, which leads to the porch, corresponds to a Greek temple portico. The neighboring two columns, crafted by Lorenzo Mattielli, found a model in Trajan's Column in Rome. Next to those, two tower pavilions extend out and show the influence of the Roman baroque (Bernini and Borromini). Above the entrance, a dome rises up above a high drum, which the younger J.E. Fischer shortened and partly altered.
Next to the Church was the Spitaler Gottesacker. The composer Antonio Vivaldi died in Vienna and was buried there on July 28, 1741 but his tomb has been lost over time. The church hosts regular Vivaldi concerts in his honour.
Hedwig Kiesler (age 19), later American movie actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr, married Friedrich Mandl (age 32), businessman and Austrofascist, in the tiny chapel of this elaborate church on 10 August 1933. With over 200 prominent guests attending, Kiesler wore “a black-and-white print dress” and carried “a bouquet of white orchids.”
Since Karlsplatz was restored as an ensemble in the late 1980s, the church has garnered fame because of its dome and its two flanking columns of bas-reliefs, as well as its role as an architectural counterweight to the buildings of the Musikverein and of the Vienna University of Technology. The church is cared for by a religious order, the Knights of the Cross with the Red Star, and has long been the parish church as well as the seat of the Catholic student ministry of the Vienna University of Technology.
The iconographical program of the church originated from the imperial official Carl Gustav Heraeus and connects Saint Charles Borromeo with his imperial benefactor. The relief on the pediment above the entrance with the cardinal virtues and the figure of the patron on its apex point to the motivation of the donation. This sculpture group continues onto the attic story as well. The attic is also one of the elements which the younger Fischer introduced. The columns display scenes from the life of Charles Borromeo in a spiral relief and are intended to recall the two columns, Boaz and Jachim, that stood in front of the Temple at Jerusalem. They also recall the Pillars of Hercules and act as symbols of imperial power. The entrance is flanked by angels from the Old and New Testaments.
This program continues in the interior as well, above all in the dome fresco by Johann Michael Rottmayr of Salzburg and Gaetano Fanti, which displays an intercession of Charles Borromeo, supported by the Virgin Mary. Surrounding this scene are the cardinal virtues. The frescos in a number of side chapels are attributed to Daniel Gran.
The high altarpiece portraying the ascension of the saint was conceptualized by the elder Fischer and executed by Ferdinand Maxmilian Brokoff. The altar paintings in the side chapels are by various artists, including Daniel Gran, Sebastiano Ricci, Martino Altomonte and Jakob van Schuppen. A wooden statue of St. Anthony by Josef Josephu is also on display.
As strong effect emanates from the directing of light and architectural grouping, in particular the arch openings of the main axis. The color scheme is characterized by marble with sparring and conscious use of gold leaf. The large round glass window high above the main altar with the Hebrew Tetragrammaton/Yahweh symbolizes God's omnipotence and simultaneously, through its warm yellow tone, God's love. Below is a representation of Apotheosis of Saint Charles Borromeo.
Next to the structures at Schönbrunn Palace, which maintain this form but are more fragmented, the church is Fischer's greatest work. It is also an expression of the Austrian joie de vivre stemming from the victorious end of the Turkish Wars.
The pulpit of the church was probably designed by Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, and his plans might have been executed by a French furniture maker, Claude Le Fort du Plessy in 1735 although there are no surviving documents attesting their authorship or the manufacturing of the church furniture. It is a wooden structure with rich floral, vegetal, rosette and rocaille ornaments, the finer carvings made of hard walnut, in a gold and brown colour scheme. The abat-voix forms a theatrical canopy with two putti holding a cross and a chalice with host; there is a flaming urn on the top. Around 1860 the abat-voix was enlarged. A wide rim was added distorting the original proportions, obscuring the elegant, swirling lines and creating a top-heavy effect. In 2006-2007 this rim was removed after a long debate and the pulpit was restored. The missing carvings of the canopy decorations were reconstructed and the original appearance of the structure was re-established.
La iglesia de san Carlos Borromeo (en alemán, Karlskirche) es una iglesia barroca de Viena, situada en Kreuzherrengasse, 1, en la parte sur de Karlsplatz, al borde del primer distrito, y doscientos metros por fuera de la Ringstrasse.
Durante la fuerte epidemia de peste que azotó Viena en 1713 y que se cobró la vida de unas 8.000 personas, el emperador Carlos VI prometió que, tan pronto, como la ciudad se viera libre de esta calamidad, levantaría un templo dedicado a san Carlos Borromeo, arzobispo de Milán y héroe de la epidemia de peste de 1576. Al año siguiente de la epidemia se anunció un concurso para el proyecto de la iglesia que fue adjudicado a Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. Los fondos que permitieron sufragar la construcción de la iglesia fueron aportados forzosamente por los judíos de Viena. La iglesia es un símbolo de poder religioso y político de la dinastía imperial de los Habsburgo.
Las obras se iniciaron en 1716, y tras la muerte del arquitecto en 1723, las obras fueron continuadas, hasta su terminación en 1737, por su hijo Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach.
La iglesia constituye una obra maestra del eclecticismo barroco, en el que se combinan diferentes estilos: la fachada central representa un pórtico griego, las columnas a su lado son de inspiración barroca y sobre la entrada domina una gigantesca cúpula. Los dos pabellones laterales muestran influencias del barroco romano y decoración oriental. El edificio tiene una altura de 80 metros por unos 60 de ancho y constituye el segundo templo más amplio de la capital después de la catedral de San Esteban
En el exterior destaca el frontis en el que se incluyen las dos columnas citadas, con relieves que muestran periodos de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. Están inspiradas en la columna Trajana de Roma y su decoración espiral presenta escenas de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. El tema que se representa en la columna izquierda es la constancia y el valor en la de la derecha.
En el frontón se encuentran relieves obra de Giovanni Stanetti, que describen los sufrimientos de la ciudad durante la peste de 1713, la estatua del santo patrón corona el frontón. Las escaleras de la entrada se encuentra flanqueada por ángeles que representan el antiguo y el nuevo testamento.
El interior alberga tallas y retablos realizados por los artistas más famosos de la época como Daniel Gran y Altomonte. Destaca la cúpula en la que se pueden contemplar un fresco pintado por Johann Michael Rottmayr de Salzburgo, realizado entre 1725 y 1730, denominado "La apoteosis de san Carlos Borromeo" y que sería el último encargo que cumplió el artista. En él se representa la intercesión de Carlos Borromeo, con el apoyo de la Virgen María, y en torno a ellos las virtudes cardinales.
El altar mayor en el que participaron Alberto Camesina y Ferdinand Maxmilián Brokoff, presenta un relieve de estuco con San Carlos sobre una nube, ascendiendo a los cielos.
Los pabellones que conducen a las entradas laterales tienen decoración de influencia china.
Los frescos de las capillas laterales fueron pintados por Daniel Gran.
La iglesia está cerca de la estación Karlsplatz del Metro de Viena, por la que pasan las líneas U1, U2 y U4; también se puede llegar desde las estaciones de tranvía Gußhausstrasse (línea D) o Wien Resselgasse (líneas 1 y 62).
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iglesia_de_San_Carlos_Borromeo_(Viena)
The Rektoratskirche St. Karl Borromäus, commonly called the Karlskirche (English: St. Charles Church), is a Baroque church located on the south side of Karlsplatz in Vienna, Austria. Widely considered the most outstanding baroque church in Vienna, as well as one of the city's greatest buildings, the church is dedicated to Saint Charles Borromeo, one of the great counter-reformers of the sixteenth century.
Located on the edge of the Innere Stadt, approximately 200 meters outside the Ringstraße, the church contains a dome in the form of an elongated ellipsoid.
In 1713, one year after the last great plague epidemic, Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, pledged to build a church for his namesake patron saint, Charles Borromeo, who was revered as a healer for plague sufferers. An architectural competition was announced, in which Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach prevailed over, among others, Ferdinando Galli-Bibiena and Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt. Construction began in 1716 under the supervision of Anton Erhard Martinelli. After J.B. Fischer's death in 1723, his son, Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, completed the construction in 1737 using partially altered plans. The church originally possessed a direct line of sight to the Hofburg and was also, until 1918, the imperial patron parish church.
As a creator of historic architecture, the elder Fischer von Erlach united the most diverse of elements. The façade in the center, which leads to the porch, corresponds to a Greek temple portico. The neighboring two columns, crafted by Lorenzo Mattielli, found a model in Trajan's Column in Rome. Next to those, two tower pavilions extend out and show the influence of the Roman baroque (Bernini and Borromini). Above the entrance, a dome rises up above a high drum, which the younger J.E. Fischer shortened and partly altered.
Next to the Church was the Spitaler Gottesacker. The composer Antonio Vivaldi died in Vienna and was buried there on July 28, 1741 but his tomb has been lost over time. The church hosts regular Vivaldi concerts in his honour.
Hedwig Kiesler (age 19), later American movie actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr, married Friedrich Mandl (age 32), businessman and Austrofascist, in the tiny chapel of this elaborate church on 10 August 1933. With over 200 prominent guests attending, Kiesler wore “a black-and-white print dress” and carried “a bouquet of white orchids.”
Since Karlsplatz was restored as an ensemble in the late 1980s, the church has garnered fame because of its dome and its two flanking columns of bas-reliefs, as well as its role as an architectural counterweight to the buildings of the Musikverein and of the Vienna University of Technology. The church is cared for by a religious order, the Knights of the Cross with the Red Star, and has long been the parish church as well as the seat of the Catholic student ministry of the Vienna University of Technology.
The iconographical program of the church originated from the imperial official Carl Gustav Heraeus and connects Saint Charles Borromeo with his imperial benefactor. The relief on the pediment above the entrance with the cardinal virtues and the figure of the patron on its apex point to the motivation of the donation. This sculpture group continues onto the attic story as well. The attic is also one of the elements which the younger Fischer introduced. The columns display scenes from the life of Charles Borromeo in a spiral relief and are intended to recall the two columns, Boaz and Jachim, that stood in front of the Temple at Jerusalem. They also recall the Pillars of Hercules and act as symbols of imperial power. The entrance is flanked by angels from the Old and New Testaments.
This program continues in the interior as well, above all in the dome fresco by Johann Michael Rottmayr of Salzburg and Gaetano Fanti, which displays an intercession of Charles Borromeo, supported by the Virgin Mary. Surrounding this scene are the cardinal virtues. The frescos in a number of side chapels are attributed to Daniel Gran.
The high altarpiece portraying the ascension of the saint was conceptualized by the elder Fischer and executed by Ferdinand Maxmilian Brokoff. The altar paintings in the side chapels are by various artists, including Daniel Gran, Sebastiano Ricci, Martino Altomonte and Jakob van Schuppen. A wooden statue of St. Anthony by Josef Josephu is also on display.
As strong effect emanates from the directing of light and architectural grouping, in particular the arch openings of the main axis. The color scheme is characterized by marble with sparring and conscious use of gold leaf. The large round glass window high above the main altar with the Hebrew Tetragrammaton/Yahweh symbolizes God's omnipotence and simultaneously, through its warm yellow tone, God's love. Below is a representation of Apotheosis of Saint Charles Borromeo.
Next to the structures at Schönbrunn Palace, which maintain this form but are more fragmented, the church is Fischer's greatest work. It is also an expression of the Austrian joie de vivre stemming from the victorious end of the Turkish Wars.
The pulpit of the church was probably designed by Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, and his plans might have been executed by a French furniture maker, Claude Le Fort du Plessy in 1735 although there are no surviving documents attesting their authorship or the manufacturing of the church furniture. It is a wooden structure with rich floral, vegetal, rosette and rocaille ornaments, the finer carvings made of hard walnut, in a gold and brown colour scheme. The abat-voix forms a theatrical canopy with two putti holding a cross and a chalice with host; there is a flaming urn on the top. Around 1860 the abat-voix was enlarged. A wide rim was added distorting the original proportions, obscuring the elegant, swirling lines and creating a top-heavy effect. In 2006-2007 this rim was removed after a long debate and the pulpit was restored. The missing carvings of the canopy decorations were reconstructed and the original appearance of the structure was re-established.
Johann Michael Rottmayr (bautizado el 11 de diciembre de 1656 en Laufen an der Salzach, Austria- Viena, 25 de octubre de 1730) fue un pintor austriaco. Fue el primer pintor barroco, además de Martino Altomonte destacado al norte de los Alpes.
Su primer aprendizaje como pintor lo realizó con su madre. Más tarde se perfeccionó en el taller de Johann Carl Loth en Venecia (1675-1688). Así obtuvo un estilo que era mezcla de Venecia y Nápoles. Estuvo en Passau y desde 1689 en adelante trabajó en Salzburgo. En el Palacio Arzobispal pintó temas mitológicos en los techos.
A partir de 1706 vivió de continuo en Viena, y también estuvo activo en monasterios de la Baja Austria. Pinta numerosos frescos, en los que destaca el color y el uso del escorzo como medios ilusionistas. Su obra, lo mismo que la de Altomonte, preludia el rococó.
Entre sus obras al fresco, cabe citar:
Apoteosis en la cúpula de la sala de los ancestros en el palacio Vranov, Frain (1696)
Techo del Palacio Pommersfelden (1716-1718)
Iglesia colegial de Melk (1716-1722)
Iglesia de San Carlos Borromeo en Viena (1726)
Murales en el "Palacio Garten" de Viena, actual Museo Liechtenstein
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Michael_Rottmayr
Johann Michael Rottmayr (11 December 1656 – 25 October 1730), was an Austrian painter.
Rottmayr was born in Laufen an der Salzach, Bavaria. Along with his Laufen-born contemporary, Hans Adam Weissenkircher, he received his education from Johann Carl Loth in Venice. Just as Weissenkircher had brought the Italian Renaissance to the southern Alps and the court of the Princes of Eggenberg in Graz, so Rottmayr brought it north of the Alps and from 1689 onwards worked in Salzburg, where he was employed as the general painter of the Prince-Bishop of Salzburg.
Johann Michael Rottmayr painted the inside of the central dome of the Melk Abbey. This particular painting was recently selected as the main motif of a very high value collectors' coin: the Austrian Melk Abbey commemorative coin, minted on April 18, 2007. The reverse side gives a view up into the central dome of the church, with its typical vision of heaven.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Michael_Rottmayr
La iglesia de san Carlos Borromeo (en alemán, Karlskirche) es una iglesia barroca de Viena, situada en Kreuzherrengasse, 1, en la parte sur de Karlsplatz, al borde del primer distrito, y doscientos metros por fuera de la Ringstrasse.
Durante la fuerte epidemia de peste que azotó Viena en 1713 y que se cobró la vida de unas 8.000 personas, el emperador Carlos VI prometió que, tan pronto, como la ciudad se viera libre de esta calamidad, levantaría un templo dedicado a san Carlos Borromeo, arzobispo de Milán y héroe de la epidemia de peste de 1576. Al año siguiente de la epidemia se anunció un concurso para el proyecto de la iglesia que fue adjudicado a Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. Los fondos que permitieron sufragar la construcción de la iglesia fueron aportados forzosamente por los judíos de Viena. La iglesia es un símbolo de poder religioso y político de la dinastía imperial de los Habsburgo.
Las obras se iniciaron en 1716, y tras la muerte del arquitecto en 1723, las obras fueron continuadas, hasta su terminación en 1737, por su hijo Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach.
La iglesia constituye una obra maestra del eclecticismo barroco, en el que se combinan diferentes estilos: la fachada central representa un pórtico griego, las columnas a su lado son de inspiración barroca y sobre la entrada domina una gigantesca cúpula. Los dos pabellones laterales muestran influencias del barroco romano y decoración oriental. El edificio tiene una altura de 80 metros por unos 60 de ancho y constituye el segundo templo más amplio de la capital después de la catedral de San Esteban
En el exterior destaca el frontis en el que se incluyen las dos columnas citadas, con relieves que muestran periodos de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. Están inspiradas en la columna Trajana de Roma y su decoración espiral presenta escenas de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. El tema que se representa en la columna izquierda es la constancia y el valor en la de la derecha.
En el frontón se encuentran relieves obra de Giovanni Stanetti, que describen los sufrimientos de la ciudad durante la peste de 1713, la estatua del santo patrón corona el frontón. Las escaleras de la entrada se encuentra flanqueada por ángeles que representan el antiguo y el nuevo testamento.
El interior alberga tallas y retablos realizados por los artistas más famosos de la época como Daniel Gran y Altomonte. Destaca la cúpula en la que se pueden contemplar un fresco pintado por Johann Michael Rottmayr de Salzburgo, realizado entre 1725 y 1730, denominado "La apoteosis de san Carlos Borromeo" y que sería el último encargo que cumplió el artista. En él se representa la intercesión de Carlos Borromeo, con el apoyo de la Virgen María, y en torno a ellos las virtudes cardinales.
El altar mayor en el que participaron Alberto Camesina y Ferdinand Maxmilián Brokoff, presenta un relieve de estuco con San Carlos sobre una nube, ascendiendo a los cielos.
Los pabellones que conducen a las entradas laterales tienen decoración de influencia china.
Los frescos de las capillas laterales fueron pintados por Daniel Gran.
La iglesia está cerca de la estación Karlsplatz del Metro de Viena, por la que pasan las líneas U1, U2 y U4; también se puede llegar desde las estaciones de tranvía Gußhausstrasse (línea D) o Wien Resselgasse (líneas 1 y 62).
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iglesia_de_San_Carlos_Borromeo_(Viena)
The Rektoratskirche St. Karl Borromäus, commonly called the Karlskirche (English: St. Charles Church), is a Baroque church located on the south side of Karlsplatz in Vienna, Austria. Widely considered the most outstanding baroque church in Vienna, as well as one of the city's greatest buildings, the church is dedicated to Saint Charles Borromeo, one of the great counter-reformers of the sixteenth century.
Located on the edge of the Innere Stadt, approximately 200 meters outside the Ringstraße, the church contains a dome in the form of an elongated ellipsoid.
In 1713, one year after the last great plague epidemic, Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, pledged to build a church for his namesake patron saint, Charles Borromeo, who was revered as a healer for plague sufferers. An architectural competition was announced, in which Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach prevailed over, among others, Ferdinando Galli-Bibiena and Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt. Construction began in 1716 under the supervision of Anton Erhard Martinelli. After J.B. Fischer's death in 1723, his son, Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, completed the construction in 1737 using partially altered plans. The church originally possessed a direct line of sight to the Hofburg and was also, until 1918, the imperial patron parish church.
As a creator of historic architecture, the elder Fischer von Erlach united the most diverse of elements. The façade in the center, which leads to the porch, corresponds to a Greek temple portico. The neighboring two columns, crafted by Lorenzo Mattielli, found a model in Trajan's Column in Rome. Next to those, two tower pavilions extend out and show the influence of the Roman baroque (Bernini and Borromini). Above the entrance, a dome rises up above a high drum, which the younger J.E. Fischer shortened and partly altered.
Next to the Church was the Spitaler Gottesacker. The composer Antonio Vivaldi died in Vienna and was buried there on July 28, 1741 but his tomb has been lost over time. The church hosts regular Vivaldi concerts in his honour.
Hedwig Kiesler (age 19), later American movie actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr, married Friedrich Mandl (age 32), businessman and Austrofascist, in the tiny chapel of this elaborate church on 10 August 1933. With over 200 prominent guests attending, Kiesler wore “a black-and-white print dress” and carried “a bouquet of white orchids.”
Since Karlsplatz was restored as an ensemble in the late 1980s, the church has garnered fame because of its dome and its two flanking columns of bas-reliefs, as well as its role as an architectural counterweight to the buildings of the Musikverein and of the Vienna University of Technology. The church is cared for by a religious order, the Knights of the Cross with the Red Star, and has long been the parish church as well as the seat of the Catholic student ministry of the Vienna University of Technology.
The iconographical program of the church originated from the imperial official Carl Gustav Heraeus and connects Saint Charles Borromeo with his imperial benefactor. The relief on the pediment above the entrance with the cardinal virtues and the figure of the patron on its apex point to the motivation of the donation. This sculpture group continues onto the attic story as well. The attic is also one of the elements which the younger Fischer introduced. The columns display scenes from the life of Charles Borromeo in a spiral relief and are intended to recall the two columns, Boaz and Jachim, that stood in front of the Temple at Jerusalem. They also recall the Pillars of Hercules and act as symbols of imperial power. The entrance is flanked by angels from the Old and New Testaments.
This program continues in the interior as well, above all in the dome fresco by Johann Michael Rottmayr of Salzburg and Gaetano Fanti, which displays an intercession of Charles Borromeo, supported by the Virgin Mary. Surrounding this scene are the cardinal virtues. The frescos in a number of side chapels are attributed to Daniel Gran.
The high altarpiece portraying the ascension of the saint was conceptualized by the elder Fischer and executed by Ferdinand Maxmilian Brokoff. The altar paintings in the side chapels are by various artists, including Daniel Gran, Sebastiano Ricci, Martino Altomonte and Jakob van Schuppen. A wooden statue of St. Anthony by Josef Josephu is also on display.
As strong effect emanates from the directing of light and architectural grouping, in particular the arch openings of the main axis. The color scheme is characterized by marble with sparring and conscious use of gold leaf. The large round glass window high above the main altar with the Hebrew Tetragrammaton/Yahweh symbolizes God's omnipotence and simultaneously, through its warm yellow tone, God's love. Below is a representation of Apotheosis of Saint Charles Borromeo.
Next to the structures at Schönbrunn Palace, which maintain this form but are more fragmented, the church is Fischer's greatest work. It is also an expression of the Austrian joie de vivre stemming from the victorious end of the Turkish Wars.
The pulpit of the church was probably designed by Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, and his plans might have been executed by a French furniture maker, Claude Le Fort du Plessy in 1735 although there are no surviving documents attesting their authorship or the manufacturing of the church furniture. It is a wooden structure with rich floral, vegetal, rosette and rocaille ornaments, the finer carvings made of hard walnut, in a gold and brown colour scheme. The abat-voix forms a theatrical canopy with two putti holding a cross and a chalice with host; there is a flaming urn on the top. Around 1860 the abat-voix was enlarged. A wide rim was added distorting the original proportions, obscuring the elegant, swirling lines and creating a top-heavy effect. In 2006-2007 this rim was removed after a long debate and the pulpit was restored. The missing carvings of the canopy decorations were reconstructed and the original appearance of the structure was re-established.
The passing of the 10,000,000 views in the joy of accomplishment to capture the thrill of creative effort. 3333 images are shown in the gallery and 20 are over 50,000 views. Most viewed image exceeds 300,000 views Numerology is naturally an interest that occurs during awakening because many individuals will find themselves starting to see repeated numerological sequences over and over, sometimes even to the point where these numbers begin to haunt them. The most common being 11:11 however the more you notice the more you see, numbers such as 12:34, 111, 1:33, 333, 444, 555, etc. begin to follow you everywhere you go. Many people believe they are simply “Angelic Numbers” or “Messages from the Angels” but in truth Numerology is a very complex system. Each number corresponds to the system of the Kabbalah and the Tarot. The way to understand each of the numerological sequences you have to study the tree of life, archetypes, geometry and various symbolism throughout ancient history. Each number is a point on the dimensional plane of the system of the mind. Numerology works in a way that triggers a subconscious archetypal response within your long term memory all going right back to processing numbers like a futuristic computer. Carl Jung has studied this concept of subconscious triggers extensively within his work such as Man and His Symbols. They are essentially mind relapse triggers that influence our long term memory and change our DNA. You could say they’re “upgrades” but what they are doing is triggering your subconscious mind into the act of remembrance of who you are.What does seeing Numerology such as 11:11, 12:34, 1:11, 3:33… mean to me?
In reality while there is much symbolism behind each number, the true meaning all comes down to what resonates with you most. They could be said these are “Codes” that unlock our dna strands and awaken old memories of who we used to be but they are honestly a trigger like a talisman. 11:11 is by far the most common as well as 111,222,333,444,555, etc. Any of the master numbers can/will start showing up repeatedly denoting a particular sequential message. It’s always good to pay attention to your thoughts at the particular time you see the number or look at what you are doing. Being conscious of our surroundings, what we’re doing or what is around us at the time such as a symbol can sometimes help to figure out the meaning behind the message of the number.
There are various theories out there for why numbers are displaying a particular message. Some of these include:
Binary DNA Activation – Reality is composed from numbers, our mind is similar to a computer which relies on binary codes (1’s and 0’s). These Numbers such as 11:11 are working as a form of binary that activates your dormant (junk) DNA.
11:11 Gateway/Portal – Also known as Stargates, 10.10. 10. 11.11.11 12.12.12 These are astrological alignments that are created during a specific date in time. They are most known for being an Energetic Gateway for others to Awaken and also known to create energetic shifts. It could also signify that “11:11 is the doorway between two worlds – between the 3rd dimensional and the 5th dimensional worlds” [ref]In5d All About 11:11[/ref]
Making a Wish – Many Teenagers used to play the game “make a wish it’s 11:11”, perhaps their subconscious knew more than they did about this mysterious phenomena.
Life Path Numbers – Life Path numbers are a different form of numerology but are connected to Symbolic interpretation. They are found by adding your birth date and birth year together into a single digit.
Angel or Spirit Guide Messages – The more popular theory by Doreen Virtue that Numerology is basically messages from your angels or spirit guides trying to communicate with you. These messages include similar sayings such as “you are on the right direction of your spiritual path” or “stay positive, you have nothing to fear in regards to your soul purpose”
Fibonacci Sequence/Golden Ratio – Our reality is made around the Golden Ratio even our bodies are composed from the beautiful sequence of Phi, perhaps the numbers are simply reminding us of who we are?
Global Consciousness – Cosmic consciousness, sometimes people just simply think that these numbers are here to tell us we are connected to one another.
Wake Up Call – The most popular interpretation, Wake up call to GLOBAL AWAKENING. Numerology is mainly noticed by people who are going through the process of a Spiritual/ Kundalini Awakening. These numbers could simply mean you are on the right track and they signify your own Awakening Journey.
Since Numerology is linked to archetypal symbolism, the most direct interpretation will always be the symbolic representation of the Number itself. The numbers are there to guide us but the most powerful meaning is the one you put in front of the symbol. What resonates with you?
The Master Numbers:
1010 – reality is a biogenetic experiment created from numbers
911 – 9=Endings. 11=DNA. 911=ending code of our DNA program in this reality.
111 – The vision, illumination, channel to the subconscious, insight without rational thought, the gateway
222 – Duality – Polarity – Reality is created by an electromagnetic energy grid. 2+2=2=6=Flower of Life
333 – Represents a higher octave of 9 = closure in 3D
444 – Represents a higher octave of 3 = 4d mastery of thought and illusion
555 – All elements(air, earth, water, fire, ether) combined is a sphenic number. In base 10, it is a repdigit, and because it is divisible by the sum of its digits, it is a Harshad number. It is also a Harshad number in binary, base 11, base 13 and hexadecimal. Represents 5D
666 – Creating the merkabah, star of david, aligning the elements and the senses together in understanding. the number of man elements of earth combined with spirit
777 – Spiritual divine connection (connected to crown chakra)
888 – Rebirth, infinity, paradise regained
999 – Karma codes ending, life cycles complete. It is the Triple Triad – Completion; fulfillment; attainment; beginning and the end; the whole number; a celestial and angelic number – the Earthly Paradise.
10 – Completion and back to the source energy field or universal cosmic consciousness. Ten is the number of the cosmos—-the paradigm of creation. The decad contains all numbers and therefore all things and possibilities. It is the radix or turning point of all counting.
The representation of all master numbers connects to the universal sequence of 369.
0 – Tree of life, zero point
3 – Density line, creation for all. 3d. creation, the triangle, the student, the third solution, the creation of a double charge, the progression through life.
6 – Perfect balance, which ideally transmit the will of God on earth. Heaven uniting with earth. double-builder 33, the power of the material world, balance
9 – Completion, whole creation, all thought, divine, full circle, bio-energy, complete creation, power, brilliance, triple connection and balance.
[mks_separator style=”dotted” height=”2″]The 11 is the most intuitive of all numbers. It represents illumination; a channel to the subconscious; insight without rational thought; and sensitivity, nervous energy, shyness,andimpracticality. It is a dreamer. The 11 has all the aspects of the 2, enhanced and charged with charisma, leadership, and inspiration. It is a number with inborn duality, which creates dynamism, inner conflict, andothercatalyses with its mere presence. It is a number that, when not focused on some goal beyond itself, can beturnedinward to create fears and phobias. The 11 walks the edge between greatness and self-destruction. Its potential for growth, stability, and personal power lies in its acceptance of intuitive understanding, and of spiritual truths. For the 11, such peace is not found so much in logic, but in faith. It is the psychic’s number.The 22 is the most powerful of all numbers. It is often called the Master Builder. The 22 can turn the most ambitious of dreams into reality. It is potentially the most successful of all numbers. It has many of the inspirational insights of the 11, combined with the practicality and methodical nature of the 4. It is unlimited, yet disciplined. It sees the archetype, and brings itdown to earth in some material form. It has big ideas, great plans, idealism, leadership, and enormous self-confidence. If not practical, the 22s waste their potential. Like the 11, the 22 can easily shrink from its own ambition, causing difficult interior pressures. Both the 11 and the 22 experience the pressure-cooker effect very strongly, particularly at an early age. It must work toward the realization of goals that are larger than personal ambition. The 22 serves the world in a practical way.The 33 is the most influential of all numbers. It is the Master Teacher. The 33 combines the 11 and the 22 and brings their potential to another level. When expressed to the fullest, the 33 lacks all personal ambition, and instead focuses its considerable abilities toward the spiritual uplifting of mankind. What makes the 33 especially impressive, is the high level of sincere devotion. This is shown in its determination to seek understanding and wisdom before preaching to others. The 33 in full force is extremely rare. [ref]Numerology: Key to Your Inner Self By Hanz Decoz[/ref]
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Numbers Their Culture and Their Meanings:
The Numbers explained Further Curiosity of Crystalinks [ref]Crystalinks.com A major thank you to Ellie who let us use her pages for reference[/ref]:
Zero
Zero is a powerful number which brings great transformational change, sometimes occurring in a profound manner. It has much intensity, so caution is needed wherever it appears to ensure that extremes are not encountered.
Zero represents the Cosmic Egg, the primordial Androgyne – the Plenum. Zero as an empty circle depicts both the nothingness of death and yet the totality of life contained within the circle. As an ellipse the two sides represent ascent and descent, evolution and involution.
Before the One (meaning the Source—not the number) there is only Void, or non-being; thought; the ultimate mystery, the incomprehensible Absolute. Begins with meanings such as, Non-existence; nothingness; the unmanifest; the unlimited; the eternal. The absence of all quality or quantity.
Cultural References
Taoism: It symbolizes the Void; non-being.
Buddhism: It is the Void and no-thingness.
Kabbalism: Boundless; Limitless Light; the Ain.
Pathagoras saw zero as the perfect. Zero is the Monad, the originator and container of All.
Islamic: Zero is the Divine Essence.
Zero Number connected to Fibonacci Numbers
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One (1)
1 (one) is a number, numeral, and the name of the glyph representing that number. It is the natural number following 0 and preceding 2. It represents a single entity. One is sometimes referred to as unity or unit as an adjective. For example, a line segment of “unit length” is a line segment of length 1. Is considered to be a primordial unity. The beginning. The Creator. It the First Cause or as some cultures refer, the First Mover. One is the sum of all possibilities. It is essence, the Center. One is referred to isolation. One springs forth, upsurges. It is seen as the number that gives cause to duality as multiplicity and back to final unity. Chinese: refer to one as Yang, masculine; celestial. It is seen as an auspicios number. One is The Monad. Christian : God the Father; the Godhead.
Hebrew: Adonai, the Lord, the Most High, the I am, hidden intelligence. Islamic: One refers to one as God as unity; the Absolute; self sufficient. Pathagorean: One as meaning Spirit; God, from which all things come. It is the very essence, the Monad. Taoism “Tao begets One, One begets Two, Two begets Three and Three begets all things.” [mks_separator style=”dotted” height=”2″]
Two (2)
Duality. Alteration; diversity; conflict; dependence. Two is a static condition. It is rooted, seen as balance (two sides); stability; reflection. Two are the opposite poles. Represents the dual nature of the human being. It is desire, since all that is manifest in duality is in pairs of opposites. As One represents a point, two represents a length. The Binary is the first number to recede from Unity, it also symbolizes sin which deviates from the first good and denotes the transitory and the corruptible.Two represents two-fold strength—that is symbolized by two of anything, usually in history, by animals in pairs. Cultural References In Alchemy, two are the opposites, sun and moon. King and Queen. Sulpher and quicksilver, at first antagonistic but finally resolved and united in the androgyne. Buddhist: see two as the duality of samsara; male and female. Two is theory and practice; wisdom and method. It is blind and the lame united to see the way and to walk it.
Chinese, two is Yin , feminine; terrestrial; inauspicious. Christian: Christ with two natures as God and human.
Revelation: Two is the number of witness. The disciples were sent out by two’s (Mark 6:7). Two witnesses are required to establish truth (Deu 17:6, John 8:17, 2 Cor 13:1). Examples in Revelation are the beast out of the earth who has two horns like a lamb but spoke like a dragon (13:11). He is the false prophet. However the two witnesses are the true prophets of God (11:3). Hebrew: Two is The life-force. In Qabalism wisdom and self-consciousness. Hindu: Two is duality, the shakta-shakti. Islamic: Two Spirit. Platonic: Plato says two is a digit without meaning as it implies relationship, which introduces the third factor. Pythagorean: Two is The Duad, the divided terrestrial being. Taoist says two is representative of The K’ua, the Two. Determinants, the yin-yang. Two is a weak yin number as it as no center. Duality. Alteration; diversity; conflict; dependence. Two is a static condition. It is rooted, seen as balance (two sides); stability; reflection. Two are the opposite poles. Represents the dual nature of the human being. It is desire, since all that is manifest in duality is in pairs of opposites. As One represents a point, two represents a length. The Binary is the first number to recede from Unity, it also symbolizes sin which deviates from the first good and denotes the transitory and the corruptible.Two represents two-fold strength—that is symbolized by two of anything, usually in history, by animals in pairs. Cultural References
In Alchemy, two are the opposites, sun and moon. King and Queen. Sulpher and quicksilver, at first antagonistic but finally resolved and united in the androgyne. Buddhist: see two as the duality of samsara; male and female. Two is theory and practice; wisdom and method. It is blind and the lame united to see the way and to walk it. Chinese, two is Yin , feminine; terrestrial; inauspicious. Christian: Christ with two natures as God and human. Revelation: Two is the number of witness. The disciples were sent out by two’s (Mark 6:7). Two witnesses are required to establish truth (Deu 17:6, John 8:17, 2 Cor 13:1). Examples in Revelation are the beast out of the earth who has two horns like a lamb but spoke like a dragon (13:11). He is the false prophet. However the two witnesses are the true prophets of God (11:3). Hebrew: Two is The life-force. In Qabalism wisdom and self-consciousness. Hindu: Two is duality, the shakta-shakti. Islamic: Two Spirit. Platonic: Plato says two is a digit without meaning as it implies relationship, which introduces the third factor. Pythagorean: Two is The Duad, the divided terrestrial being. Taoist says two is representative of The K’ua, the Two. Determinants, the yin-yang. Two is a weak yin number as it as no center [mks_separator style=”dotted” height=”2″]
Three (3). The third dimension – we do things in threes so they will manifest in our physical realm. It’s roots stem from the meaning of multiplicity. Creative power; growth. Three is a moving forward of energy, overcoming duality, expression, manifestation and synthesis. Three is the first number to which the meaning “all” was given. It is The Triad, being the number of the whole as it contains the beginning, a middle and an end. The power of three is universal and is the tripartide nature of the world as heaven, earth, and waters. It is human as body, soul and spirit. Notice the distinction that soul and spirit are not the same. They are not. Three is birth, life, death. It is the beginning, middle and end. Three is a complete cycle unto itself. It is past, present, future. The symbol of three is the triangle. Three interwoven circles or triangles can represent the indissoluble unity of the three persons of the trinity. Others symbols using three are: trident, fleur-de-lis, trefoil, trisula, thunderbolt, and trigrams. The astral or emotional body stays connected to the physically body for three days after death. There is scientific evidence that the brain, even when all other systems are failing takes three days to register complete shutdown. There are 3 phases to the moon. Lunar animals are often depcited as 3 legged.
Three is the heavenly number, representing soul, as four represents body. Together the two equal seven (3+4=7 ) and form the sacred hebdomad. The 3×4=12 representing the signs of the Zodiac and months of the year. Pythagorean three means completion. There are three wishes, genies have three wishes, three leprecons, three prince or princesses, three witches, three weird sisters among others. Cultural References Africa Ashanti: the moon goddess is three people, two black, and one white. Arabian, Pre-Islamic: the Manant is a threefold goddess representing the 3 Holy Virgins, Al-Itab, Al-Uzza, and Al-Manat. They are depicted as aniconic stelae, stones or pillars, or as pillars surmounted by doves. Buddhist: tradition the theme of 3 is represented by, The Tri-ratna, The Three Precious Jewels, and the Buddha, Dharma, Sangha.
Chinese: Sanctity; the auspicious number; the first odd, yang number….The moon toad, or bird, is three-legged. Celtic: Bridgit is threefold; there are the Three Blessed Ladies and innumerable Triads, often a threefold aspect of the same divinity. Christianity: Three represents the Trinity, the soul, the union of body and soul in human in the church. There were three gifts of the Magi to Christ as God-King-Sacrifice; three figures of transformation, temptations, denials by Peter (one of the 12 Apostles—- 12=3 (1+2=3). There were 3 crosses at Calvary, He died on The Hills, there were 3 days to the death process for Christ, and there were 3 appearances after his death. There were 3 Marys, and there are 3 qualities or theological virtutes being Faith, Hope, Love or more commonly known as Charity. The number 3 gives to the meaning the embracing Godhead – Father, Mother, Son/Daughter. Egyptian: Hermetic tradition, Thoth is the Thrice Great, ‘Trismegistus’. The Supreme Power. The opening line of the Emerald Tablets of Thoth the Atlantean. Tablet 11
Three is the mystery, come from the great one, Hear, and light on thee will dawn. In the primeval dwell three unities,Other than these none can exist. These are the equilibrium, source of creation,One God, One Truth, One Point of Freedom.Three come forth from the three of the balance, All Life, all Good, all Power.Three are the qualities of God in his light-home Infinite Power, Infinite Wisdom, Infinite Love. Three are the circles (or states) of Existence: The Circle of Light where dwells nothing but God, and only God can traverse it, The Circle of Chaos where all things by nature arise from Death, The Circle of Awareness where all things spring from Life. All things animate are of three states of existence, Chaos or death, liberty in humanity, and felicity of Heaven. There is an ancient wisdom that’s says; ‘Messages or events that come in three’s are worth noticing. ‘Whenever anything is mentioned three times it is a witness to us that these things are of utmost importance. Three symbolizes manifestation into the physical. It is the triangle – pyramid shape in the vesica pisces – see image below. The TV Show ‘Charmed’ deals the ‘Power of Three Sister Witches’, known as the Charmed Ones. Their job is to vanquish evil forces in their many forms and sometimes non-forms. knot The symbol to the side, called a Triquetra (tri-KET a Latin word meaning ‘three cornered’) appears on The Book Of Shadows.an ancient book of spells that assists these ‘Charmed Ones’ in dealing with the evil forces they are continually encountering. In some episodes so called evil and good must work together to bring balance to a situation. They cancel each other out in the end – poof – gone – disappeared! ‘Power of Three’ has to do with Alchemy. The Egyptian god Thoth or the Greek Hermes Trismegistus (Thrice Blessed or Thrice Great) are the progenitors of the Emerald Tablets describing the mysteries of Alchemy. The alchemy of three is demonstrated by its power of multiplicity. For example, in understanding the numbers – One gave rise to Two (1+1=2) and Two gave Rise to Three (2+1=3) and Three gave rise to all numbers (3+1=4, 3+2=5, 3+3=6, 3+4=7, 3+5=8 3+6=9). Thus in addition to being a number of good fortune, Three is also the number of multiplicity and alchemy among other things. Many believe the Triquetrais an ancient symbol of the female trinity, because it is composed of three interlaced yonic Vesica Pisces (a.k.a. PiscisSLatin for “Vessel of the Fish”) and is the most basic and important construction in Sacred Geometry, which is the architecture of the universe.
A Vesica is formed when the circumference of two identical circles each pass through the center of the other in effect creating a portal. ‘The Triquetra’ represents the ‘Power of Three’ or the threefold nature of existence i.e. body, mind and spirit; life, death and rebirth; past, present and future; beginning, middle and end; Sun, Moon and Earth; and the threefold co-creative process described as thought, word, and deed. Sphere=ovum Vesica Pisces – Oval opening of the penis The creation process as described in the Vedas is unfolding, maintaining, and concluding as in birth, life and death. There are innumerable trinities and triads throughout myth and religious traditions, such as the triple goddess; maiden, mother, crone. One example in Greek mythology is Kore, Demeter, Hecate. The Christian trinity is Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Vedic trinities include Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva with their consorts Saraswati, Lakshmi and Kali to name just a few. [mks_separator style=”dotted” height=”2″]
Four (4)
Four is the 4th dimension = time which is illusion. Four is seen as the first solid number. Spatial in scheme or order in manifestation.Static as opposed to the circular and the dynamic Wholeness; totality; completion; solid Earth; order
Rational – relativity and justice Symbol of measurement
Foundation The are four cardinal points; four seasons; four winds; four directions (as in North, South, East, West); four elements (Fire, Water, Air, Earth) in the western culture. There are four sides to a square; four arms to a cross. There are four rivers to Paradise, that formed a cross (the Garden of Eden was said to be within the four rivers). Within Paradise were four infernal regions, seas, and sacred mountains. There are four watches of the night and day, quarters of the moon. There are four quarters to the earth. There are four tetramorphs. The Divine Quaternity is in direct contrast to the Trinity. Four is a symbolic number used throughout in the Old Testament. The quaternary can be depicted as the quatrefoil as well as the square and the cross.Cultural References
Native American: As in other cultures, ceremonies and ritual acts are repeated in fours. The Native Amercican cultures have used the number 4 most frequently as in the four cardinal directions. The four winds are depicted by the symbol of the cross and by the symbol of the swastika. The swastika as some misbelieve was not created by Hitler. It was instead borrowed from the Native American and occult beliefs of which Hitler had great interests. Hitler derived his “insanity” of power from his misdirected interpretation and use of metaphysical principles. He used knowledge that his human consciousness couldn’t possibly understand and the use of this knowledge for personal gain is part of the imbalance that creates the chaos and karma. Buddhism: The Damba Tree of Life has four limbs and from its roots four sacred streams of Paradise that represent the the four boundless wishes of compassion, affection, love impartiality. It also represents the four directions of the heart as well. Chinese Buddism: there are four celestial guardians of cardinal points are Mo-li Ch’ing, the East, with the jade ring and spear; Virupaksha, the West, the Far-gazer, with the four-stringed quitar; Virudhaka, the South, with the umbrella of choas and darkness and earthquakes; Vaisravenna, the North, with the whips, leopard-skin bag, snake and pearl. Chinese: Four is the number of the Earth, symbolized by square. There are four streams of immortality. Four is even an number. It is Yin in polarity.
Christian: Four is the number representing the body, with three representing the soul. Again we see the theme of the four rivers in Paradise. There are four Gospels, Evangelists, chef arch-angels, chef-devils, four Fathers of the Church, Great Prophets. There are four cardinal virtues—prudence, fortitude, justice, temperance. The are four winds from which the One Spirit is said to come. There are four horsemen of the Apocalypse. Revelation: There four angels standing at the four corners of the Earth, holding back the four winds of the earth (Rev 7:1). The great multitude from every nation, tribe, people and language (four-fold description) – Rev 5:9 11:9 13:7 14:6 the four-fold description indicates that these people come from all over the earth. Egyptian: Four is the sacred number of Time, measurement of the sun. Four pillars support the vault of heaven. There are four canopic jars placed around the dead at the four corners guarded by the four sons of Horus who are associated with the cardinal points. In the Hermetic it is the divine quaternity. It represents God. Gnostic: belief in Barbelo, the Four-ness of God. Greek: Four is the sacred number of Hermes Hebrew: Four represents measuring; beneficence; intelligence. In the Kabbalah four is memory; four represents the four worlds of the Kabbalah.It also represents the four directions of space and the four levels of the hierarchical organism of the Torah. Hindu: Four is Totality; plenitude; perfection. Brahma, the Creator is four faced. The temple is based on the four sides of the square, symbolizing order and finality. There are four tattvas the four bodies bodies of human and kingdoms of nature which are animal, vegetable, mineral, mind. There are four yugas. Four is the winning throw of the dice. There are four castes and pairs of opposites. Islamic: tradition the four terms of the quaternary are the Principle which is Creator; Universal Spirit; Universal Soul; and the primordial matter. These correspond to the four worlds of Kabbalism. There are four angelic beings and four houses of death. There are four levels to the Bardo. Mayan culture four giants support the celestial roof. Four is seen as the number of support .Pythagorean: Four is Perfection; harmonious proportion; justice; the earth. Four is the number of the Pythagorean oath. Four and ten are divinities. The Tetraktys 1+2+3+4=10. Scandinavian: there are four rivers of milk flowing in Asgard.Sumero-Semitic: Four astral gods are indentified with the four cardinal points. Teutonic: four dwarfs support the world. Taoist: There are four celestial guardians, Li, with the pagoda; Ma, with the sword; Cho with two swords; Wen with a spiked club. [mks_separator style=”dotted” height=”2″] Five (5)
Five is the symbol of human microcosm. The number of the human being. Human forms—-the pentagon when arms and legs are out stretched. The pentagon is endless —-sharing the symbolism of perfection and power of the circle. Five is a circular number as it produces itself in its last digit when raised to its own power. The pentacle, like the circle symbolizes whole, the quincunx being the number of its center and the meeting point of heaven, earth, and the four cardinal points plus the center point. Five is also representative of the Godhead – Central Creator of the four fours plus itself equalling five. Five is the marriage of the hieros gamos as combination of feminine and the masculine. Feminine being even, as 2, in frequency and masculine being odd as 3 in frequency = 5. The number five symbolizes meditation; religion; versatility. It represents the five senses (taste, touch, smell, sight, hearing) everywhere except in the East. In the East there are six—-the extra being Mind. We find meanings to five in the five petaled flower, five pointed leaves—especially the ROSE. The Rose has much symbolism, but also the lily, vine, all of which represent the microcosm.
The five pointed star depicts individuality and spiritual aspiration, and education when it points upward. The five pointed star pointing downward represents witchcraft, and it is used in black magic. Noted: There is a very broad difference between witchcraft and black magic. The number five formed the first counting process from which all else came. Cultural References Alchemy: The five petaled flower and five pointed star symbolizing the quintessence.
Buddhist: belief the heart has four directions— the heart center makes five, symbolizing, universality. This idea is also symbolized by the Sacred Mountains surrounded by the four islands. There are five Dhyani Buddhas: Vairocana, the Brillant, who is represented by the wheel, the witness; Akshobhya, the Imperturbable, with vajra, the East and blue; Ratnasambhava, the Jewel-born, jewel, south, yellow; Amitabha, Boundless Light, lotus, West, red; Amoghasiddhi, Infallible Success, sword, North, green. Chinese: There are five elements. Five atmospheres; conditions; planets; sacred mountains; grains, colors, tastes, poisons; powerful charms; cardinal virtues; blessings; eternal ideas; relations to human kind. Christian: Five depicts human beings after the Fall in the Garden of Eden. There are five senses; five points to the cross; wounds of Christ; fishes feeding five thousand; and books of Moses. Egyptian: There are five crocodiles of the Nile. Graeco-Roman: Five is the nuptial number of love and union.. It is the number of Venus. Venus years are completed in groups of five. Apollo as god of light has five qualities: omniscience, omnipresence; omnipotence, eternity, and unity.
Hebrew: Five represents strength and severity; radical intelligence. In kabbala five represence fear. Hindu: Five is the quinary groups of the world; the five elements of the subtle and coarse states; their primary colors; of senses; five faces of Siva and the twice-five incarnations of Vishnu. Islamic: There are five pillars of religion; five Devine Presences; five fundamental dogmas; five actions; and five daily times of prayer. Parsee: Five is a significant number in Parsee and Mandaean rites – possibly connected with the five sacred intercalary days of light. Pythagorean: Hieros, gamos, the marriage of heaven, earth. It represents Apollo as God of light and his five qualities. Crystalinks: The Pentagram Pentagrams often show up on palms – hands [mks_separator style=”dotted” height=”2″]
Six (6) Six represents equilibrium; harmony – balance. It is the perfect number within the decad: 1+2+3=6. It is the most productive of all numbers. It symbolizes union of polarity, the hermaphrodite being represented by the two interlaced triangles, the upward- pointing as male, fire and the heavens, and the downward-pointing as female, the waters and the earth. Six is the symbol of luck; love; health; beauty; chance. It is a winning number at the throw of the dice in the West. There are six rays of the solar wheel and there are six interlaced triangles. There are six pointed stars or Seal of Solomon – and Star of David – Merkabah Cultural References;Chinese: Six represents Universe, with its four cardinal points and the Above and Below – making it a total of six directions. Chinese culture there are six senses: tastse, touch, smell, sight, hearing, the sixth being mind. The day and night each have six periods. Christian: Six is perfection; completion because man was created on the sixth day. Six is man’s number The most obvious use of this number is in the notorious passage containing 666. (Rev 13:18 NIV) This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666. Hebrew: There are six days of creation. It symbolizes meditation and intelligence. Kabbalism: Six is creation, and beauty. Pythagorean: Luck Sumerian: Six days of creation
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Seven (7)
If 6 represents humanity then 7 – the center of the spiral is humanity’s connection to its source, god, Christ consciousness – or whatever name you prefer.
Seven is the number of the Universe. It is the three of the heavens (soul) combined with the four (body) of the earth; being the first number containing both the spiritual and the temporal. In looking over the list of meanings it doesn’t take long to figure out why the seven has become significant in metaphysical, religious and other spiritual doctrines – as seven represents the virginity of the Great Mother – feminine archetype – She who creates.
There are 7 ages of man ancient wonders of the world circles of Universe cosmic stages days of the week heavens hells
pillars of wisdom rays of the sun musical notes – sound as frequency plays a key roll in matters of Universe. There are over 80 octaves of frequency – each governing a specific manifestation in Universe. Cultural References In all cultures, myths and legends seven represents…completeness and totality macrocosm perfection plenty reintegration rest
security safety synthesis The writings about the seven-headed dragon appear throughout India, Persia, the Far East, especially Cambodia, but also Celtic and other Mediterranean myths. The seventh ray of the sun is the path by which the human beings pass from this world to the next. Seven days is the period for fasting and penitence. The seventh power of any number, both square and a cube and thus was given great importance. Alchemy – There are seven metals involved with the Work. Astrology: There are seven stars of the Great Bear which are indestructible. There are seven Pleiades— sometimes referred to as the, Seven Sisters. Buddhist: Seven is the number of ascent and of ascending to the higest; attaining the center. The seven steps of Buddha symbolize the ascent of the seven cosmic stages transcending time and space. The seven-storied prasada at Borobadur is a sacred mountain and axis mundi, culminating in the transcendent North, reaching the realm of Buddha. Chinese culture the meaning and symboligies are intertwined throughout in their myths and legends of fairies and animal spirits. Christian: Seven is idealogogy. God is represented by the seventh ray in the center of the six rays of creation. There are seven sacraments; gifts of spirit; the seven of 3+4 theological and cardinal virtues; deadly sins, tiers of Purgatory (in metaphysical belief this would be one of the lower astral planes – or in Buddhism, one of the Bardo planes). There are 7 councils of the early church – crystal spheres containing the planets – devils cast out by Christ – joys and sorrows of Mary the Blessed Virgin, mother of Jesus – liberal arts – major prophets – periods of fasting and penitence – seventh day after the six of creation In the Old Testament there are the seven altars of Baalam; oxen and rams for sacrifice; trumpets; circuits of Jericho; seven times Naaman bathed in the Jordan. Seven is the number of Samon’s bonds; the child raised by Elisha sneezed seven times. The Ark rested on the seventh month and the dove was sent out after seven days. The number seven is used 55 times in Revelation. It usually means fullness or completeness as in seven days of the week. God rested on the seventh day. Examples abound: seven churches, seven trumpets, seven seals, seven bowls, seven eyes etc etc. Egyptian mythology: There are seven Hathors as Fates and the priestesses of Hathor have seven jars in their seven tunics. Ra has seven hawks representing the seven Wise Ones. Six cows and a bull represent fertility. There are seven houses of the underworld, as depicted in Egyptian myths, with three times seven gates. Seven is the sacred number of Osiris. Graeco-Roman: Sacred to Apollo, whose lyre has seven strings, and to Athene/Minerva and Ares/Mars; Pan had seven pipes (again a reference to seven musical notes and frequency); there seven Wise Men of Greece. Hebrew tradition: Seven is the number of occult intelligence. There are seven Great Holy Days in the Jewish year; the Menorah has seven branches; the Temple took seven years to build; and there are seven pillars of wisdom. Hinduism there are Seven Jewels of the Brahmanas and seven gods before the floods and seven Wise Men saved from it. Islamic: The perfect number is seven. In Islamic tradition there are references to seven: heavens climates earths and seas
colors prophets (active powers) states or stations of the heart The Ka’aba is circumambulated seven times representing the seven attributes of God. Magic: There are seven knots in a cord for “spellbinding” and incantations are sevenfold. Certain orders of Brotherhood use theme of tying seven knots in their rope sash worn around their waist. Mithraic: The cave of Mithras has seven doors, seven altars, and a ladder with seven rungs depicting the seven grades of initiation into the mystery schools. Pythagorean: Seven is a cosmic number with three of heaven and four of the world. Sumero-Semitic: There are seven lunar divisions and days of the week. “Thou shalt shine with horns to determine six days and on the seventh with half a crown.”, the seventh thus becomes opposition to the sun and symbolizes darkness and balefulness and therefore is dangerous to undertake anything on the seventh day because that is the day of rest. We can see here the influence of this belief in other religious contexts. There are seven zones of earth; heavens, symbolized by the planes of ziggurat. There are seven branches to the Tree of Life each having seven leaves. Leaves are symbols of fertility, renewal and growth. There are seven gates of hell, seven demons of Tiamat and seven winds to destroy her—-interesting to note that in many belief systems it is said that the astral plane has seven levels to it—one sound on one of those levels is “wind”.
Seven is a mystic number traditionally associated with Venus and more recently with Neptune. It is the number of feelings and of instincts – of the Group Mind, of Love, whether that strange, indescribable but pervasive feeling of love is towards another person, a pet, oneself or one’s God. ‘Love’ embodies tremendous sexual energy, the emotions of which may be directed in various ways.
La iglesia de san Carlos Borromeo (en alemán, Karlskirche) es una iglesia barroca de Viena, situada en Kreuzherrengasse, 1, en la parte sur de Karlsplatz, al borde del primer distrito, y doscientos metros por fuera de la Ringstrasse.
Durante la fuerte epidemia de peste que azotó Viena en 1713 y que se cobró la vida de unas 8.000 personas, el emperador Carlos VI prometió que, tan pronto, como la ciudad se viera libre de esta calamidad, levantaría un templo dedicado a san Carlos Borromeo, arzobispo de Milán y héroe de la epidemia de peste de 1576. Al año siguiente de la epidemia se anunció un concurso para el proyecto de la iglesia que fue adjudicado a Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. Los fondos que permitieron sufragar la construcción de la iglesia fueron aportados forzosamente por los judíos de Viena. La iglesia es un símbolo de poder religioso y político de la dinastía imperial de los Habsburgo.
Las obras se iniciaron en 1716, y tras la muerte del arquitecto en 1723, las obras fueron continuadas, hasta su terminación en 1737, por su hijo Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach.
La iglesia constituye una obra maestra del eclecticismo barroco, en el que se combinan diferentes estilos: la fachada central representa un pórtico griego, las columnas a su lado son de inspiración barroca y sobre la entrada domina una gigantesca cúpula. Los dos pabellones laterales muestran influencias del barroco romano y decoración oriental. El edificio tiene una altura de 80 metros por unos 60 de ancho y constituye el segundo templo más amplio de la capital después de la catedral de San Esteban
En el exterior destaca el frontis en el que se incluyen las dos columnas citadas, con relieves que muestran periodos de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. Están inspiradas en la columna Trajana de Roma y su decoración espiral presenta escenas de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. El tema que se representa en la columna izquierda es la constancia y el valor en la de la derecha.
En el frontón se encuentran relieves obra de Giovanni Stanetti, que describen los sufrimientos de la ciudad durante la peste de 1713, la estatua del santo patrón corona el frontón. Las escaleras de la entrada se encuentra flanqueada por ángeles que representan el antiguo y el nuevo testamento.
El interior alberga tallas y retablos realizados por los artistas más famosos de la época como Daniel Gran y Altomonte. Destaca la cúpula en la que se pueden contemplar un fresco pintado por Johann Michael Rottmayr de Salzburgo, realizado entre 1725 y 1730, denominado "La apoteosis de san Carlos Borromeo" y que sería el último encargo que cumplió el artista. En él se representa la intercesión de Carlos Borromeo, con el apoyo de la Virgen María, y en torno a ellos las virtudes cardinales.
El altar mayor en el que participaron Alberto Camesina y Ferdinand Maxmilián Brokoff, presenta un relieve de estuco con San Carlos sobre una nube, ascendiendo a los cielos.
Los pabellones que conducen a las entradas laterales tienen decoración de influencia china.
Los frescos de las capillas laterales fueron pintados por Daniel Gran.
La iglesia está cerca de la estación Karlsplatz del Metro de Viena, por la que pasan las líneas U1, U2 y U4; también se puede llegar desde las estaciones de tranvía Gußhausstrasse (línea D) o Wien Resselgasse (líneas 1 y 62).
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iglesia_de_San_Carlos_Borromeo_(Viena)
The Rektoratskirche St. Karl Borromäus, commonly called the Karlskirche (English: St. Charles Church), is a Baroque church located on the south side of Karlsplatz in Vienna, Austria. Widely considered the most outstanding baroque church in Vienna, as well as one of the city's greatest buildings, the church is dedicated to Saint Charles Borromeo, one of the great counter-reformers of the sixteenth century.
Located on the edge of the Innere Stadt, approximately 200 meters outside the Ringstraße, the church contains a dome in the form of an elongated ellipsoid.
In 1713, one year after the last great plague epidemic, Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, pledged to build a church for his namesake patron saint, Charles Borromeo, who was revered as a healer for plague sufferers. An architectural competition was announced, in which Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach prevailed over, among others, Ferdinando Galli-Bibiena and Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt. Construction began in 1716 under the supervision of Anton Erhard Martinelli. After J.B. Fischer's death in 1723, his son, Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, completed the construction in 1737 using partially altered plans. The church originally possessed a direct line of sight to the Hofburg and was also, until 1918, the imperial patron parish church.
As a creator of historic architecture, the elder Fischer von Erlach united the most diverse of elements. The façade in the center, which leads to the porch, corresponds to a Greek temple portico. The neighboring two columns, crafted by Lorenzo Mattielli, found a model in Trajan's Column in Rome. Next to those, two tower pavilions extend out and show the influence of the Roman baroque (Bernini and Borromini). Above the entrance, a dome rises up above a high drum, which the younger J.E. Fischer shortened and partly altered.
Next to the Church was the Spitaler Gottesacker. The composer Antonio Vivaldi died in Vienna and was buried there on July 28, 1741 but his tomb has been lost over time. The church hosts regular Vivaldi concerts in his honour.
Hedwig Kiesler (age 19), later American movie actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr, married Friedrich Mandl (age 32), businessman and Austrofascist, in the tiny chapel of this elaborate church on 10 August 1933. With over 200 prominent guests attending, Kiesler wore “a black-and-white print dress” and carried “a bouquet of white orchids.”
Since Karlsplatz was restored as an ensemble in the late 1980s, the church has garnered fame because of its dome and its two flanking columns of bas-reliefs, as well as its role as an architectural counterweight to the buildings of the Musikverein and of the Vienna University of Technology. The church is cared for by a religious order, the Knights of the Cross with the Red Star, and has long been the parish church as well as the seat of the Catholic student ministry of the Vienna University of Technology.
The iconographical program of the church originated from the imperial official Carl Gustav Heraeus and connects Saint Charles Borromeo with his imperial benefactor. The relief on the pediment above the entrance with the cardinal virtues and the figure of the patron on its apex point to the motivation of the donation. This sculpture group continues onto the attic story as well. The attic is also one of the elements which the younger Fischer introduced. The columns display scenes from the life of Charles Borromeo in a spiral relief and are intended to recall the two columns, Boaz and Jachim, that stood in front of the Temple at Jerusalem. They also recall the Pillars of Hercules and act as symbols of imperial power. The entrance is flanked by angels from the Old and New Testaments.
This program continues in the interior as well, above all in the dome fresco by Johann Michael Rottmayr of Salzburg and Gaetano Fanti, which displays an intercession of Charles Borromeo, supported by the Virgin Mary. Surrounding this scene are the cardinal virtues. The frescos in a number of side chapels are attributed to Daniel Gran.
The high altarpiece portraying the ascension of the saint was conceptualized by the elder Fischer and executed by Ferdinand Maxmilian Brokoff. The altar paintings in the side chapels are by various artists, including Daniel Gran, Sebastiano Ricci, Martino Altomonte and Jakob van Schuppen. A wooden statue of St. Anthony by Josef Josephu is also on display.
As strong effect emanates from the directing of light and architectural grouping, in particular the arch openings of the main axis. The color scheme is characterized by marble with sparring and conscious use of gold leaf. The large round glass window high above the main altar with the Hebrew Tetragrammaton/Yahweh symbolizes God's omnipotence and simultaneously, through its warm yellow tone, God's love. Below is a representation of Apotheosis of Saint Charles Borromeo.
Next to the structures at Schönbrunn Palace, which maintain this form but are more fragmented, the church is Fischer's greatest work. It is also an expression of the Austrian joie de vivre stemming from the victorious end of the Turkish Wars.
The pulpit of the church was probably designed by Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, and his plans might have been executed by a French furniture maker, Claude Le Fort du Plessy in 1735 although there are no surviving documents attesting their authorship or the manufacturing of the church furniture. It is a wooden structure with rich floral, vegetal, rosette and rocaille ornaments, the finer carvings made of hard walnut, in a gold and brown colour scheme. The abat-voix forms a theatrical canopy with two putti holding a cross and a chalice with host; there is a flaming urn on the top. Around 1860 the abat-voix was enlarged. A wide rim was added distorting the original proportions, obscuring the elegant, swirling lines and creating a top-heavy effect. In 2006-2007 this rim was removed after a long debate and the pulpit was restored. The missing carvings of the canopy decorations were reconstructed and the original appearance of the structure was re-established.
Ready to sink and faint?
(Mason, "A Spiritual Treasury for the Children of God")
Are our hearts weak and low, ready to sink and faint?
Are our graces upon the decline?
Are our enemies strong—and our troubles increased?
To whom should we fly—but to our almighty God and
Savior, Jesus! Faith receives all its courage and strength
from its author, Jesus. It is armed with Omnipotence!
Paul says, "I can do all things!" Why? because he was
a great apostle? No! Paul was no stronger than the
weakest believer! "It is Christ who strengthens me!"
"The Sovereign Lord is my strength!" Habakkuk 3:19
Gaja samhara moorthi at Devikapuram.
This is one of the favourite of sculpture on Lord Siva. But most wonderful sculpture is preserved at Thanjavur Art Gallery. Vazhuvur is one of the places where Siva danced his cosmic dance to crush the demon of ignorance.
Once, some sages doubting the omnipotence of the god Shiva created an elephant and challenged the god to a duel.Shiva took the form of Gajasamharamurti and killed the elephant and wore its skin as a garment.
I was truly blessed to see this sign of God's amazing omnipotence... In the form of the largest rainbow I have ever seen. In a Biblical sense, a rainbow symbolizes God's promise to mankind that He will never again send a flood to destroy the earth. On this day, perched high above Umeda in the confines of the Hep Five 5 Ferris wheel, I spotted this rainbow in a patch of sunlight far in the distance. It was only a short break in the rain, but the timing couldn't have been better.
HEP Five is a shopping complex that caters to the younger crowd which hangs our in Umeda. You can find many supposedly trendy clothing shops and foreign goods. It is perhaps most famous for its Ferris wheel, however, which operates from the top floor. The Ferris wheel rises 106m from the ground and has 52 gondolas from which to view the Osaka environs. It is a very distinguishable building for sure.
Hankyu Entertainment Park. Umeda, Osaka.
This is a bit long but its worth a read... this artwork compliments "Immeasurable love" Enjoy.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."—John 3:16
I WAS very greatly surprised the other day, in looking over the list of texts from which I have preached, to find that I have no record of ever having spoken from this verse. This is all the more singular, because I can truly say that it might be put in the forefront of all my volumes of discourses as the sole topic of my life's ministry. It has been my one and only business to set forth the love of God to men in Christ Jesus. I heard lately of an aged minister of whom it was said, "Whatever his text, he never failed to set forth God as love, and Christ as the atonement for sin." I wish that much the same may be said of me. My heart's desire has been to sound forth as with a trumpet the good news that "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
We are about to meet around the communion table, and I cannot preach from this text anything but a simple gospel sermon. Can you desire a better preparation for communion? We have fellowship with God and with one another upon the basis of the infinite love which is displayed in Jesus Christ our Lord. The gospel is the fair white linen cloth which covers the table on which the Communion Feast is set. The higher truths, those truths which belong to a more enlightened experience, those richer truths which tell of the fellowship of the higher life—all these are helpful to holy fellowship; but I am sure not more so than those elementary and foundation truths which were the means of our first entrance into the kingdom of God. Babes in Christ and men in Christ here feed upon one common food. Come, ye aged saints, be children again; and you that have long known your Lord, take up your first spelling-book, and go over your A B C again, by learning that God so loved the world, that he gave his Son to die, that man might live through him. I do not call you to an elementary lesson because you have forgotten your letters, but because it is a good thing to refresh the memory, and a blessed thing to feel young again. What the old folks used to call the Christ-cross Row contained nothing but the letters; and yet all the books in the language are made out of that line: therefore do I call you back to the cross, and to him who bled thereon. It is a good things for us all to return at times to our starting place, and make sure that we are in the way everlasting. The love of our espousals is most likely to continue if we again and again begin where God began with us, and where we first began with God. It is wise to come to him afresh, as we came in that first day when, helpless, needy, heavy-laden, we stood weeping at the cross, and left our burden at the pierced feet. There we learned to look, and live, and love; and there would we repeat the lesson till we rehearse it perfectly in glory.
To-night, we have to talk about the love of God: "God so loved the world." That love of God is a very wonderful thing, especially when we see it set upon a lost, ruined, guilty world. What was there in the world that God should love it? There was nothing lovable in it. No fragrant flower grew in that arid desert. Enmity to him, hatred to his truth, disregard of his law, rebellion against his commandments; those were the thorns and briars which covered the waste land; but no desirable thing blossomed there. Yet, "God loved the world," says the text; "so" loved it, that even the writer of the book of John could not tell us how much; but so greatly, so divinely, did he love it that he gave his Son, his only Son, to redeem the world from perishing, and to gather out of it a people to his praise.
Whence came that love? Not from anything outside of God himself. God's love springs from himself. He loves because it is his nature to do so. "God is love." As I have said already, nothing upon the face of the earth could have merited his love, though there was much to merit his displeasure. This stream of love flows from its own secret source in the eternal Deity, and it owes nothing to any earth-born rain or rivulet; it springs from beneath the everlasting throne, and fills itself full from the springs of the infinite. God loved because he would love. When we enquire why the Lord loved this man or that, we have to come back to our Saviour's answer to the question, "Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight." God has such love in his nature that he must needs let it flow forth to a world perishing by its own wilful sin; and when it flowed forth it was so deep, so wide, so strong, that even inspiration could not compute its measure, and therefore the Holy Spirit gave us that great little word SO, and left us to attempt the measurement, according as we perceive more and more of love divine.
Now, there happened to be an occasion upon which the great God could display his immeasurable love. The world had sadly gone astray; the world had lost itself; the world was tried and condemned; the world was given over to perish, because of its offenses; and there was need for help. The fall of Adam and the destruction of mankind made ample room and verge enough for love almighty. Amid the ruins of humanity there was space for showing how much Jehovah loved the sons of men; for the compass of his love was no less than the world, the object of it no less than to deliver men from going down to the pit, and the result of it no less than the finding of a ransom for them. The far-reaching purpose of that love was both negative and positive; that, believing in Jesus, men might not perish, but have eternal life. The desperate disease of man gave occasion for the introduction of that divine remedy which God alone could have devised and supplied. By the plan of mercy, and the great gift which was needed for carrying it out, the Lord found means to display his boundless love to guilty men. Had there been no fall, and no perishing, God might have shown his love to us as he does to the pure and perfect spirits that surround his throne; but he never could have commended his love to us to such an extent as he now does. In the gift of his only-begotten Son, God commended his love to us, in that while we were yet sinners, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. The black background of sin makes the bright line of love shine out the more clearly. When the lightning writes the name of the Lord with flaming finger across the black brow of the tempest, we are compelled to see it; so when love inscribes the cross upon the jet tablet of our sin, even blind eyes must see that "herein is love."
I might handle my text in a thousand different ways to-night; but for simplicity's sake, and to keep to the one point of setting forth the love of God, I want to make you see how great that love is by five different particulars.
I. The first is the GIFT: "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son." Men who love much will give much, and you may usually measure the truth of love by its self-denials and sacrifices. That love which spares nothing, but spends itself to help and bless its object, is love indeed, and not the mere name of it. Little love forgets to bring water for the feet, but great love breaks its box of alabaster and lavishes its precious ointment.
Consider, then, what this gift was that God gave. I should have to labour for expression if I were to attempt to set forth to the full this priceless boon; and I will not court a failure by attempting the impossible. I will only invite you to think of the sacred Person whom the Great Father gave in order that he might prove his love to men. It was his only-begotten Son—his beloved Son, in whom he was well pleased. None of us had ever such a son to give. Ours are the sons of men; his was the Son of God. The Father gave his other self, one with himself. When the great God gave his Son he gave God himself, for Jesus is not in his eternal nature less than God. When God gave God for us he gave himself. What more could he give? God gave his all: he gave himself. Who can measure this love?
Judge, ye fathers, how ye love your sons: could ye give them to die for your enemy? Judge, ye that have an only son, how your hearts are entwined about your first-born, your only-begotten. There was no higher proof of Abraham's love to God than when he did not withhold from God his son, his only son, his Isaac whom he loved; and there can certainly be no greater display of love than for the Eternal Father to give his only-begotten Son to die for us. No living thing will readily lose its offspring; man has peculiar grief when his son is taken; has not God yet more? A story has often been told of the fondness of parents for their children how in a famine in the East a father and mother were reduced to absolute starvation, and the only possibility of preserving the life of the family was to sell one of the children into slavery. So they considered it. The pinch of hunger became unbearable, and their children pleading for bread tugged so painfully at their heart-strings, that they must entertain the idea of selling one to save the lives of the rest. They had four sons. Who of these should be sold? It must not be the first: how could they spare their first-born? The second was so strangely like his father that he seemed a reproduction of him, and the mother said that she would never part with him. The third was so singularly like the mother that the father said he would sooner die than that this dear boy should go into bondage; and as for the fourth, he was their Benjamin, their last, their darling, and they could not part with him. They concluded that it were better for them all to die together than willingly to part with any one of their children. Do you not sympathize with them? I see you do. Yet God so loved us that, to put it very strongly, he seemed to love us better than his only Son, and did not spare him that he might spare us. He permitted his Son to perish from among men "that whosoever believeth in him might not perish, but have everlasting life."
If you desire to see the love of God in this great procedure you must consider how he gave his Son. He did not give his Son, as you might do, to some profession in the pursuit of which you might still enjoy his company; but he gave his Son to exile among men. He sent him down to yonder manger, united with a perfect manhood, which at the first was in an infant's form. There he slept, where horned oxen fed! The Lord God sent the heir of all things to toil in a carpenter's shop: to drive the nail, and push the plane, and use the saw. He sent him down amongst scribes and Pharisees, whose cunning eyes watched him, and whose cruel tongues scourged him with base slanders. He sent him down to hunger, and thirst, amid poverty so dire that he had not where to lay his head. He sent him down to the scourging and the crowning with thorns, to the giving of his back to the smiters and his cheeks to those that plucked off the hair. At length he gave him up to death—a felon's death, the death of the crucified. Behold that cross and see the anguish of him that dies upon it, and mark how the Father has so given him, that he hides his face from him, and seems as if he would not own him! "Lama sabachthani" tells us how fully God gave his Son to ransom the souls of the sinful. He gave him to be made a curse for us; gave him that he might die "the just for the unjust, to bring us to God."
Dear sirs, I can understand your giving up your children to go to India on her Majesty's service, or to go out to the Cameroons or the Congo upon the errands of our Lord Jesus. I can well comprehend your yielding them up even with the fear of a pestilential climate before you, for if they die they will die honourably in a glorious cause; but could you think of parting with them to die a felon's death, upon a gibbet, execrated by those whom they sought to bless, stripped naked in body and deserted in mind? Would not that be too much? Would you not cry, "I cannot part with my son for such wretches as these. Why should he be put to a cruel death for such abominable beings, who even wash their hands in the blood of their best friend"? Remember that our Lord Jesus died what his countrymen considered to be an accursed death. To the Romans it was the death of a condemned slave, a death which had all the elements of pain, disgrace, and scorn mingled in it to the uttermost. "But God commendeth his love to- ward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Oh, wondrous stretch of love, that Jesus Christ should die!
Yet, I cannot leave this point till I have you notice when God gave his Son, for there is love in the time. "God so loved the world that he gave his Only Begotten Son." But when did he do that? In his eternal purpose he did this from before the foundation of the world. The words here used, "He gave his Only Begotten Son," cannot relate exclusively to the death of Christ, for Christ was not dead at the time of the utterance of this third chapter of John. Our Lord had just been speaking with Nicodemus, and that conversation took place at the beginning of his ministry. The fact is that Jesus was always the gift of God. The promise of Jesus was made in the garden of Eden almost as soon as Adam fell. On the spot where our ruin was accomplished, a Deliverer was bestowed whose heel should be bruised, but who should break the serpent's head beneath his foot.
Throughout the ages the great Father stood to his gift. He looked upon his Only Begotten as man's hope, the inheritance of the chosen seed, who in him would possess all things. Every sacrifice was God's renewal of his gift of grace, a reassurance that he had bestowed the gift, and would never draw back therefrom. The whole system of types under the law betokened that in the fulness of time the Lord would in very deed give up his Son, to be born of a woman, to bear the iniquities of his people, and to die the death in their behalf. I greatly admire this pertinacity of love; for many a man in a moment of generous excitement can perform a supreme act of benevolence, and yet could not bear to look at it calmly, and consider it from year to year; the slow fire of anticipation would have been unbearable. If the Lord should take away yonder dear boy from his mother, she would bear the blow with some measure of patience, heavy as it would be to her tender heart; but suppose that she were credibly informed that on such a day her boy must die, and thus had from year to year to look upon him as one dead, would it not cast a cloud over every hour of her future life? Suppose also that she knew that he would be hanged upon a tree to die, as one condemned; would it not embitter her existence? If she could withdraw from such a trial, would she not? Assuredly she would. Yet the Lord God spared not his own Son, but freely delivered him up for us all, doing it in his heart from age, to age. Herein is love: love which many waters could not quench: love eternal, inconceivable, infinite!
Now, as this gift refers not only to our Lord's death, but to the ages before it, so it includes also all the ages afterwards. God "so loved the world that he gave"—and still gives—"his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him might not perish, but have everlasting life." The Lord is giving Christ away to-night. Oh, that thousands of you may gladly accept the gift unspeakable! Will anyone refuse? This good gift, this perfect gift,—can you decline it? Oh, that you may have faith to lay hold on Jesus, for thus he will be yours. He is God's free gift to all free receivers; a full Christ for empty sinners. If you can but hold out your empty willing hand, the Lord will give Christ to you at this moment. Nothing is freer than a gift. Nothing is more worth having than a gift which comes fresh from the hand of God, as full of effectual power as ever it was. The fountain is eternal, but the stream from it is as fresh as when first the fountain was opened. There is no exhausting this gift.
"Dear dying Lamb, thy precious blood
Shall never lose it power
Till all the ransomed church of God
Be saved to sin no more."
See, then, what is the love of God, that he gave his Son from of old, and has never revoked the gift. He stands to his gift, and continues still to give his dear Son to all who are willing to accept him. Out of the riches of his grace he has given, is giving, and will give the Lord Jesus Christ, and all the priceless gifts which are contained in him, to all needy sinners who will simply trust him.
I call upon you from this first point to admire the love of God, because of the transcendent greatness of his gift to the world, even the gift of his only begotten Son.
II. Now notice secondly, and, I think I may say, with equal admiration, the love of God in THE PLAN OF SALVATION. He has put it thus: "that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life." The way of salvation is extremely simple to understand, and exceedingly easy to practise, when once the heart is made willing and obedient. The method of the covenant of grace differs as much from that of the covenant of works as light from darkness. It is not said that God has given his Son to all who will keep his law, for that we could not do, and therefore the gift would have been available to none of us. Nor is it said that he has given his Son to all that experience terrible despair and bitter remorse, for that is not felt by many who nevertheless are the Lord's own people. But the great God has given his own Son, that "whosoever believeth in him" should not perish. Faith, however slender, saves the soul. Trust in Christ is the certain way of eternal happiness.
Now, what is it to believe in Jesus? It is just this: it is to trust yourself with him. If your hearts are ready, though you have never believed in Jesus before, I trust you will believe in him now. O Holy Spirit graciously make it so.
What is it to believe in Jesus?
It is, first, to give your firm and cordial assent to the truth, that God did send his Son, born of a woman, to stand in the room and stead of guilty men, and that God did cause to meet on him the iniquities of us all, so that he bore the punishment due to our transgressions, being made a curse for us. We must heartily believe the Scripture which saith,—"the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes ye are healed." I ask for your assent to the grand doctrine of substitution, which is the marrow of the gospel. Oh, may God the Holy Spirit lead you to give a cordial assent to it at once; for wonderful as it is, it is a fact that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them. Oh that you may rejoice that this is true, and be thankful that such a blessed fact is revealed by God himself. Believe that the substitution of the Son of God is certain; cavil not at the plan, nor question its validity, or efficacy, as many do. Alas! they kick at God's great sacrifice, and count it a sorry invention. As for me, since God has ordained to save man by a substitutionary sacrifice, I joyfully agree to his method, and see no reason to do anything else but admire it and adore the Author of it. I joy and rejoice that such a plan should have been thought of, whereby the justice of God is vindicated, and his mercy is set free to do all that he desires. Sin is punished in the person of the Christ, yet mercy is extended to the guilty. In Christ mercy is sustained by justice, and justice satisfied by an act of mercy. The worldly wise say hard things about this device of infinite wisdom; but as for me, I love the very name of the cross, and count it to be the centre of wisdom, the focus of love, the heart of righteousness. This is a main point of faith—to give a hearty assent to the giving of Jesus to suffer in our place and stead, to agree with all our soul and mind to this way of salvation.
The second thing is that you do accept this for yourself. In Adam's sin, you did not sin personally, for you were not then in existence; yet you fell; neither can you now complain thereof, for you have willingly endorsed and adopted Adam's sin by committing personal transgressions. You have laid your hand, as it were, upon Adam's sin, and made it your own, by committing personal and actual sin. Thus you perished by the sin of another, which you adopted and endorsed; and in like manner must you be saved by the righteousness of another, which you are to accept and appropriate. Jesus has offered an atonement, and that atonement becomes yours when you accept it by putting your trust in him. I want you now to say,
"My faith doth lay her hand
On that dear head of thine,
While, like a penitent, I stand,
And here confess my sin."
Surely this is no very difficult matter. To say that Christ who hung upon the cross shall be my Christ, my surety, needs neither stretch of intellect, nor splendor of character; and yet it is the act which brings salvation to the soul.
One thing more is needful; and that is personal trust. First comes assent to the truth, then acceptance of that truth for yourself, and then a simple trusting of yourself wholly to Christ, as a substitute. The essence of faith is trust, reliance, dependence. Fling away every other confidence of every sort, save confidence in Jesus. Do not allow a ghost of a shade of a shadow of a confidence in anything that you can do, or in anything that you can be; but look alone to him whom God has set forth to be the propitiation for sin. This I do at this very moment; will you not do the same? Oh, may the sweet Spirit of God lead you now to trust in Jesus!
See, then, the love of God in putting it in so plain, so easy a way. Oh, thou broken, crushed and despairing sinner, thou canst not work, but canst thou not believe that which is true? Thou canst not sigh; thou canst not cry; thou canst not melt thy stony heart; but canst thou not believe that Jesus died for thee, and that he can change that heart of thine and make thee a new creature? If thou canst believe this, then trust in Jesus to do so, and thou art saved; for he that believes in him is justified. "He that believeth in him hath everlasting life." He is a saved man. His sins are forgiven him. Let him go his way in peace, and sin no more.
I admire, first, the love of God in the great gift, and then in the great plan by which that gift becomes available to guilty men.
III. Thirdly, the love of God shines forth with transcendent brightness in a third point, namely, in THE PERSONS FOR WHOM THIS PLAN IS AVAILABLE, and for whom this gift is given. They are described in these words—"Whosoever believeth in him." There is in the text a word which has no limit—"God so loved the world"; but then comes in the descriptive limit, which I beg you to notice with care: "He gave his Only Begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him might not perish." God did not so love the world that any man who does not believe in Christ shall be saved; neither did God so give his Son that any man shall be saved who refuses to believe in him. See how it is put—"God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish." Here is the compass of the love: while every unbeliever is excluded, every believer is included. "Whosoever believeth in him." Suppose there be a man who has been guilty of all the lusts of the flesh to an infamous degree, suppose that he is so detestable that he is only fit to be treated like a moral leper, and shut up in a separate house for fear he should contaminate those who hear or see him; yet if that man shall believe in Jesus Christ, he shall at once be made clean from his defilement, and shall not perish because of his sin. And suppose there be another man who, in the pursuit of his selfish motives, has ground down the poor, has robbed his fellow-traders, and has even gone so far as to commit actual crime of which the law has taken cognisance, yet if he believes in the Lord Jesus Christ he shall be led to make restitution, and his sins shall be forgiven him. I once heard of a preacher addressing a company of men in chains, condemned to die for murder and other crimes. They were such a drove of beasts to all outward appearances that it seemed hopeless to preach to them; yet were I set to be chaplain to such a wretched company I should not hesitate to tell them that "God so loved the world, that he gave his Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." O man, if thou wilt believe in Jesus as the Christ, however horrible thy past sins have been they shall be blotted out; thou shalt be saved from the power of thine evil habits; and thou shalt begin again like a child newborn, with a new and true life, which God shall give thee. "Whosoever believeth in him,"—that takes you in, my aged friend, now lingering within a few tottering steps of the grave. O grey-headed sinner, if you believe in him, you shall not perish. The text also includes you, dear boy, who have scarcely entered your teens as yet: if you believe in him, you shall not perish. That takes you in, fair maiden, and gives you hope and joy while yet young. That comprehends all of us, provided we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Neither can all the devils in hell find out any reason why the man that believes in Christ shall be lost, for it is written, "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." Do they say, "Lord, he has been so long in coming"? The Lord replies,—"Has he come? Then I will not cast him out for all his delays." But, Lord, he went back after making a profession. "Has he at length come? Then I will not cast him out for all his backsliding." But, Lord, he was a foul-mouthed blasphemer. "Has he come to me? Then I will not cast him out for all his blasphemies." But, says one, "I take exception to the salvation of this wicked wretch. He has behaved so abominably that in all justice he ought to be sent to hell." Just so. But if he repents of his sin and believes in the Lord Jesus Christ, whoever he may be, he shall not be sent there. He shall be changed in character, so that he shall never perish, but have eternal life.
Now, observe, that this "whosoever" makes a grand sweep; for it encircles all degrees of faith. "Whosoever believeth in him." It may be that he has no full assurance; it may be that he has no assurance at all; but if he has faith, true and childlike, by it he shall be saved. Though his faith be so little that I must needs put on my spectacles to see it, yet Christ will see it and reward it. His faith is such a tiny grain of mustard seed that I look and look again but hardly discern it, and yet it brings him eternal life, and it is itself a living thing. The Lord can see within that mustard seed a tree among whose branches the birds of the air shall make their nests.
"My faith is feeble, I confess,
I faintly trust thy word;
But wilt thou pity me the less?
Be that far from thee, Lord!"
O Lord Jesus, if I cannot take thee up in my arms as Simeon did, I will at least touch thy garment's hem as the poor diseased woman did to whom thy healing virtue flowed. It is written, "God so loveth the world that he gave his Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." That means me. I cannot preach at length to you to-night; but I would preach with strength. Oh that this truth may soak into your souls. Oh you that feel yourselves guilty; and you that feel guilty because you do not feel guilty; you that are broken in heart because your heart will not break; you that feel that you cannot feel; it is to you that I would preach salvation in Christ by faith. You groan because you cannot groan; but whoever you may be, you are still within the range of this mighty word, that "whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life."
Thus have I commended God's love to you in those three points—the divine gift, the divine method of saving, and the divine choice of the persons to whom salvation comes.
IV. Now fourthly, another beam of divine love is to be seen in the negative blessing here stated, namely, in THE DELIVERANCE implied in the words, "that whosoever believeth in him should not perish."
I understand that word to mean that whosoever believes in the Lord Jesus Christ shall not perish, though he is ready to perish. His sins would cause him to perish, but he shall never perish. At first he has a little hope in Christ, but its existence is feeble. It will soon die out, will it not? No, his faith shall not perish, for this promise covers it—"Whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish." The penitent has believed in Jesus, and therefore he has begun to be a Christian; "Oh," cries an enemy, "let him alone: he will soon be back among us; he will soon be as careless as ever." Listen. "Whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish," and therefore he will not return to his former state. This proves the final perseverance of the saints; for if the believer ceased to be a believer he would perish; and as he cannot perish, it is clear that he will continue a believer. If thou believest in Jesus, thou shalt never leave off believing in him; for that would be to perish. If thou believest in him, thou shalt never delight in thine old sins; for that would be to perish. If thou believest in him, thou shalt never lose spiritual life. How canst thou lose that which is everlasting? If thou wert to lose it, it would prove that it was not everlasting, and thou wouldst perish; and thus thou wouldst make this word to be of no effect. Whosoever with his heart believeth in Christ is a saved man, not for to-night only, but for all the nights that ever shall be, and for that dread night of death, and for that solemn eternity which draws so near. "Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish;" but he shall have a life that cannot die, a justification that cannot be disputed, an acceptance which shall never cease.
What is it to perish? It is to lose all hope in Christ, all trust in God, all light in life, all peace in death, all joy, all bliss, all union with God. This shall never happen to thee if thou believest in Christ. If thou believest, thou shalt be chastened when thou dost wrong, for every child of God comes under discipline; and what son is there whom the Father chasteneth not? If thou believest, thou mayest doubt and fear as to thy state, as a man on board a ship may be tossed about; but thou hast gotten on board a ship that never can be wrecked. He that hath union with Christ has union with perfection, omnipotence and glory. He that believeth is a member of Christ: will Christ lose his members? How should Christ be perfect if he lost even his little finger? Are Christ's members to rot off, or to be cut off? Impossible. If thou hast faith in Christ thou are a partaker of Christ's life, and thou canst not perish. If men were trying to drown me, they could not drown my foot as long as I had my head above water; and as long as our Head is above water, up yonder in the eternal sunshine, the least limb of his body can never be destroyed. He that believeth in Jesus is united to him, and he must live because Jesus lives. Oh what a word is this, "I give unto my sheep eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them to me is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand."
I feel that I have a grand gospel to preach to you when I read that whosoever believeth in Jesus shall not perish. I would not give two pins for that trumpery, temporary salvation which some proclaim, which floats the soul for a time and then ebbs away to apostasy. I do not believe that the man who is once in Christ may live in sin and delight in it, and yet be saved. That is abominable teaching, and none of mine. But I believe that the man who is in Christ will not live in sin, for he is saved from it; nor will he return to his old sins and abide in them, for the grace of God will continue to save him from his sins. Such a change is wrought by regeneration that the newborn man cannot abide in sin, nor find comfort in it, but he loves holiness and makes progress in it. The Ethiopian may change his skin, and the leopard his spots, but only grace divine can work the change; and when divine grace has done the deed the blackamore will remain white, and the leopard's spots will never return. It would be as great a miracle to undo the work of God as to do it; and to destroy the new creation would require as great a power as to make it. As only God can create, so only God can destroy; and he will never destroy the work of his own hands. Will God begin to build and not finish? Will he commence a warfare and end it before he has won the victory? What would the devil say if Christ were to begin to save a soul and fail in the attempt? If there should come to be souls in hell that were believers in Christ, and yet did perish, it would cast a cloud upon the diadem of our exalted Lord. It cannot, shall not, be. Such is the love of God, that whosoever believeth in his dear Son shall not perish: in this assurance we greatly rejoice.
V. The last commendation of his love lies in the positive—IN THE POSSESSION. I shall have to go in a measure over the same ground again, let me therefore be the shorter. God gives to every man that believes in Christ everlasting life. The moment thou believest there trembles into thy bosom a vital spark of heavenly flame which never shall be quenched. In that same moment when thou dost cast thyself on Christ, Christ comes to thee in the living and incorruptible word which liveth and abideth for ever. Though there should drop into thy heart but one drop of the heavenly water of life, remember this,—he hath said it who cannot lie,—"The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." When I first received everlasting life I had no idea what a treasure had come to me. I knew that I had obtained something very extraordinary, but of its superlative value I was not aware. I did but look to Christ in the little chapel, and I received eternal life. I looked to Jesus, and he looked on me; and we were one for ever. That moment my joy surpassed all bounds, just as my sorrow had aforetime driven me to an extreme of grief. I was perfectly at rest in Christ, satisfied with him, and my heart was glad; but I did not know that this grace was everlasting life till I began to read in the Scriptures, and to know more fully the value of the jewel which God had given me. The next Sunday I sent to the same chapel, as it was very natural that I should. But I never went afterwards, for this reason, that during my first week the new life that was in me had been compelled to fight for its existence, and a conflict with the old nature had been vigorously carried on. This I knew to be a special token of the indwelling of grace in my soul; but in that same chapel I heard a sermon upon "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" And the preacher declared that Paul was not a Christian when he had that experience. Babe as I was, I knew better than to believe so absurd a statement. What but divine grace could produce such a sighing and crying after deliverance from indwelling sin? I felt that a person who could talk such nonsense knew little of the life of a true believer. I said to myself, "What! am I not alive because I feel a conflict within me? I never felt this fight when I was an unbeliever. When I was not a Christian I never groaned to be set free from sin. This conflict is one of the surest evidences of my new birth, and yet this man cannot see it; he may be a good exhorter to sinners, but he cannot feed believers." I resolved to go into that pasture no more, for I could not feed therein. I find that the struggle becomes more and more intense; each victory over sin reveals another army of evil tendencies, and I am never able to sheathe my sword, nor cease from prayer and watchfulness.
I cannot advance an inch without praying my way, nor keep the inch I gain without watching and standing fast. Grace alone can preserve and perfect me. The old nature will kill the new nature if it can; and to this moment the only reason why my new nature is not dead is this—because it cannot die. If it could have died, it would have been slain long ago; but Jesus said, "I give unto my sheep eternal life"; "he that believeth on me hast everlasting life"; and therefore the believer cannot die. The only religion which will save you is one that you cannot leave, because it possesses you, and will not leave you. If you hold a doctrine which you can give up, give it up; but if the doctrines are burnt into you so that as long as you live you must hold them, and so that if you were burnt every ash would hold that same truth in it, because you are impregnated with it, then you have found the right thing.
You are not a saved man unless Christ has saved you for ever. But that which has such a grip of you that its grasp is felt in the core of your being is the power of God. To have Christ living in you, and the truth ingrained in your very nature—O sirs, this is the thing that saves the soul, and nothing short of it. It is written in the text, "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." What is this but a life that shall last through your three-score years and ten; a life that shall last you should you outlive a century; a life that will still flourish when you lie at the grave's mouth; a life that will abide when you have quitted the body, and left it rotting in the tomb; a life that will continue when your body is raised again, and you shall stand before the judgment-seat of Christ; a life that will outshine those stars and yon sun and moon; a life that shall be co-eval with the life of the Eternal Father? As long as there is a God, the believer shall not only exist, but live. As long as there is a heaven, you shall enjoy it; as long as there is a Christ, you shall live in his love; and as long as there is an eternity, you shall continue to fill it with delight.
God bless you and help you to believe in Jesus.—Amen.
Intended for reading on Lord's-Day, July 26th, 1885,
Delivered by
C. H. SPURGEON,
カンボヂアのアンコル ワトのバヨン。
A few of the smiling faces watching over Bayon temple, Angkor Thom, Cambodia.
A translation of King Jayavarman VII`s mystic Buddhist beliefs, Bayon is a spiritual experience. From each of the survivng towers the enlightened grin of the Boddhisattva Avalokitesvara, one of the most worshipped divinities in Mahayana Buddhism and the kingdom's principal divinity, compassion radiates out in the four cardinal directions. Carved in the likeness of the King himself (his portrait is known from other sculptures found elsewhere in Cambodia and Thailand), these enigmatically smiling faces portray the King as god, symbolizing his omnipresence and omnipotence.
La iglesia de san Carlos Borromeo (en alemán, Karlskirche) es una iglesia barroca de Viena, situada en Kreuzherrengasse, 1, en la parte sur de Karlsplatz, al borde del primer distrito, y doscientos metros por fuera de la Ringstrasse.
Durante la fuerte epidemia de peste que azotó Viena en 1713 y que se cobró la vida de unas 8.000 personas, el emperador Carlos VI prometió que, tan pronto, como la ciudad se viera libre de esta calamidad, levantaría un templo dedicado a san Carlos Borromeo, arzobispo de Milán y héroe de la epidemia de peste de 1576. Al año siguiente de la epidemia se anunció un concurso para el proyecto de la iglesia que fue adjudicado a Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. Los fondos que permitieron sufragar la construcción de la iglesia fueron aportados forzosamente por los judíos de Viena. La iglesia es un símbolo de poder religioso y político de la dinastía imperial de los Habsburgo.
Las obras se iniciaron en 1716, y tras la muerte del arquitecto en 1723, las obras fueron continuadas, hasta su terminación en 1737, por su hijo Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach.
La iglesia constituye una obra maestra del eclecticismo barroco, en el que se combinan diferentes estilos: la fachada central representa un pórtico griego, las columnas a su lado son de inspiración barroca y sobre la entrada domina una gigantesca cúpula. Los dos pabellones laterales muestran influencias del barroco romano y decoración oriental. El edificio tiene una altura de 80 metros por unos 60 de ancho y constituye el segundo templo más amplio de la capital después de la catedral de San Esteban
En el exterior destaca el frontis en el que se incluyen las dos columnas citadas, con relieves que muestran periodos de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. Están inspiradas en la columna Trajana de Roma y su decoración espiral presenta escenas de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. El tema que se representa en la columna izquierda es la constancia y el valor en la de la derecha.
En el frontón se encuentran relieves obra de Giovanni Stanetti, que describen los sufrimientos de la ciudad durante la peste de 1713, la estatua del santo patrón corona el frontón. Las escaleras de la entrada se encuentra flanqueada por ángeles que representan el antiguo y el nuevo testamento.
El interior alberga tallas y retablos realizados por los artistas más famosos de la época como Daniel Gran y Altomonte. Destaca la cúpula en la que se pueden contemplar un fresco pintado por Johann Michael Rottmayr de Salzburgo, realizado entre 1725 y 1730, denominado "La apoteosis de san Carlos Borromeo" y que sería el último encargo que cumplió el artista. En él se representa la intercesión de Carlos Borromeo, con el apoyo de la Virgen María, y en torno a ellos las virtudes cardinales.
El altar mayor en el que participaron Alberto Camesina y Ferdinand Maxmilián Brokoff, presenta un relieve de estuco con San Carlos sobre una nube, ascendiendo a los cielos.
Los pabellones que conducen a las entradas laterales tienen decoración de influencia china.
Los frescos de las capillas laterales fueron pintados por Daniel Gran.
La iglesia está cerca de la estación Karlsplatz del Metro de Viena, por la que pasan las líneas U1, U2 y U4; también se puede llegar desde las estaciones de tranvía Gußhausstrasse (línea D) o Wien Resselgasse (líneas 1 y 62).
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iglesia_de_San_Carlos_Borromeo_(Viena)
The Rektoratskirche St. Karl Borromäus, commonly called the Karlskirche (English: St. Charles Church), is a Baroque church located on the south side of Karlsplatz in Vienna, Austria. Widely considered the most outstanding baroque church in Vienna, as well as one of the city's greatest buildings, the church is dedicated to Saint Charles Borromeo, one of the great counter-reformers of the sixteenth century.
Located on the edge of the Innere Stadt, approximately 200 meters outside the Ringstraße, the church contains a dome in the form of an elongated ellipsoid.
In 1713, one year after the last great plague epidemic, Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, pledged to build a church for his namesake patron saint, Charles Borromeo, who was revered as a healer for plague sufferers. An architectural competition was announced, in which Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach prevailed over, among others, Ferdinando Galli-Bibiena and Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt. Construction began in 1716 under the supervision of Anton Erhard Martinelli. After J.B. Fischer's death in 1723, his son, Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, completed the construction in 1737 using partially altered plans. The church originally possessed a direct line of sight to the Hofburg and was also, until 1918, the imperial patron parish church.
As a creator of historic architecture, the elder Fischer von Erlach united the most diverse of elements. The façade in the center, which leads to the porch, corresponds to a Greek temple portico. The neighboring two columns, crafted by Lorenzo Mattielli, found a model in Trajan's Column in Rome. Next to those, two tower pavilions extend out and show the influence of the Roman baroque (Bernini and Borromini). Above the entrance, a dome rises up above a high drum, which the younger J.E. Fischer shortened and partly altered.
Next to the Church was the Spitaler Gottesacker. The composer Antonio Vivaldi died in Vienna and was buried there on July 28, 1741 but his tomb has been lost over time. The church hosts regular Vivaldi concerts in his honour.
Hedwig Kiesler (age 19), later American movie actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr, married Friedrich Mandl (age 32), businessman and Austrofascist, in the tiny chapel of this elaborate church on 10 August 1933. With over 200 prominent guests attending, Kiesler wore “a black-and-white print dress” and carried “a bouquet of white orchids.”
Since Karlsplatz was restored as an ensemble in the late 1980s, the church has garnered fame because of its dome and its two flanking columns of bas-reliefs, as well as its role as an architectural counterweight to the buildings of the Musikverein and of the Vienna University of Technology. The church is cared for by a religious order, the Knights of the Cross with the Red Star, and has long been the parish church as well as the seat of the Catholic student ministry of the Vienna University of Technology.
The iconographical program of the church originated from the imperial official Carl Gustav Heraeus and connects Saint Charles Borromeo with his imperial benefactor. The relief on the pediment above the entrance with the cardinal virtues and the figure of the patron on its apex point to the motivation of the donation. This sculpture group continues onto the attic story as well. The attic is also one of the elements which the younger Fischer introduced. The columns display scenes from the life of Charles Borromeo in a spiral relief and are intended to recall the two columns, Boaz and Jachim, that stood in front of the Temple at Jerusalem. They also recall the Pillars of Hercules and act as symbols of imperial power. The entrance is flanked by angels from the Old and New Testaments.
This program continues in the interior as well, above all in the dome fresco by Johann Michael Rottmayr of Salzburg and Gaetano Fanti, which displays an intercession of Charles Borromeo, supported by the Virgin Mary. Surrounding this scene are the cardinal virtues. The frescos in a number of side chapels are attributed to Daniel Gran.
The high altarpiece portraying the ascension of the saint was conceptualized by the elder Fischer and executed by Ferdinand Maxmilian Brokoff. The altar paintings in the side chapels are by various artists, including Daniel Gran, Sebastiano Ricci, Martino Altomonte and Jakob van Schuppen. A wooden statue of St. Anthony by Josef Josephu is also on display.
As strong effect emanates from the directing of light and architectural grouping, in particular the arch openings of the main axis. The color scheme is characterized by marble with sparring and conscious use of gold leaf. The large round glass window high above the main altar with the Hebrew Tetragrammaton/Yahweh symbolizes God's omnipotence and simultaneously, through its warm yellow tone, God's love. Below is a representation of Apotheosis of Saint Charles Borromeo.
Next to the structures at Schönbrunn Palace, which maintain this form but are more fragmented, the church is Fischer's greatest work. It is also an expression of the Austrian joie de vivre stemming from the victorious end of the Turkish Wars.
The pulpit of the church was probably designed by Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, and his plans might have been executed by a French furniture maker, Claude Le Fort du Plessy in 1735 although there are no surviving documents attesting their authorship or the manufacturing of the church furniture. It is a wooden structure with rich floral, vegetal, rosette and rocaille ornaments, the finer carvings made of hard walnut, in a gold and brown colour scheme. The abat-voix forms a theatrical canopy with two putti holding a cross and a chalice with host; there is a flaming urn on the top. Around 1860 the abat-voix was enlarged. A wide rim was added distorting the original proportions, obscuring the elegant, swirling lines and creating a top-heavy effect. In 2006-2007 this rim was removed after a long debate and the pulpit was restored. The missing carvings of the canopy decorations were reconstructed and the original appearance of the structure was re-established.
The Myth.
Niobe, wife of Amphion, King of Thebes, had a large number of children - between five and 10 of each sex, depending on the source - called Niobids. She was very proud of her children and boasted that she was superior to the goddess Leto, who had only two children, Apollo and Artemis, whereupon the offended goddess sent her son and daughter to earth to avenge the insult. Apollo shot all Niobe's sons while they were out hunting on Cithaeron, and Artemis shot all her daughters in the house.
Just as Artemis was about to shoot the last child, Niobe in desperation shielded the girl and pleaded that this one, her youngest, be spared. While she was uttering this prayer, she was turned to stone; and a whirlwind whisked her away to her homeland, Phrygia, where she was placed on a mountaintop.
According to another tradition, Niobe, in her grief, went back to her father's land, and there she was turned into a rock on Mount Sipylus, an image of everlasting sorrow with water flowing down her face like tears.
The Sarcophagus.
The myth of Niobe is represented on Roman sarcophagi by means of two iconographic models. The first model, see the sarcophagus at Glyptothek in Munich, represents the killing of Niobids children within the domestic walls. According to the myth passed down by literary sources, the second model places the death of the Niobids in a rocky landscape while they are exercising on riding and hunting. Both the models doesn’t respect the chronology of events passed down by the myth, and combine the fate of the Niobids in one atrocious massacre that is represented as simultaneous to the eyes of the observer.
This sarcophagus, as the exemplar exhibited inside Venice's Archaeological Museum, belongs to the second model. The separation between boys and girls, and more generally, any temporal scansion of events is suppressed, and the tragedy is condensed in the image of a single mass slaughter that strikes at the same time the male and female children of Niobe.
The artist uses the whole iconographic arsenal available to describe the injuring, the pain and the agony of the innocent children. The deities responsible for Niobe's punishment are represented on the sides of the sarcophagus lid. Apollo and Artemis are flinging their arrows from the top toward the figures carved on underlying bass relief. The meaning of this representation is clear: the death is established by the gods and it comes from above. Servants, wet-nurse and an old pedagogue are attempting to save the Niobids, the unfortunate parents are carved in the corners of the main frieze. On the far left corner their father Amphion is trying to protect a fatally injured son with his shield. The man is standing strong and fully armed, but absolutely powerless. The message is simple and clear: despite his strength Amphion becomes an example of the human helplessness in facing death. The virile “virtus” is ineffective against the omnipotence and arbitrariness of the gods. On the opposite side of the frieze, Niobe too is unable to save the smallest of his daughters. Her head is turned towards the sky from which the arrows fall killing her children. Her gaze is full of horror, and recalls the description of this tragedy made by Ovid:
“Sexque datis leto diversaque vulnera passis
ultima restabat. Quam toto corpore mater,
tota veste tegens “unam minimamque relinque
de multis minimam posco” clamavit “et unam.”
Dumque rogat, pro qua rogat, occidit. Orba resedit
exanimes inter natos natasque virumque,
deriguitque malis”
One child remained. Then in a frenzy-fear
the mother, as she covered her with all
her garments and her body, wailed—“Oh, leave
me this one child! the youngest of them all!
My darling daughter—only leave me one!”
But even while she was entreating for its life—
the life was taken from her only child.
Childless— she crouched beside her slaughtered sons,
her lifeless daughters, and her husband's corpse.
Ovid, Met. VI, 279 – 303
P Ovidius Naso, Metamorphoses – Brokes More, Ed.
Niobe was the epitome of the grieving parent and could be used as a consolation to the bereaved.
The Vatican Niobid's sarcophagus was found in a funeral building with another sarcophagus housed in the Vatican Museums, and decorated by scenes from the myth of Orestes. They were placed opposite each other on marble architraves decorated with Atlas' figures.
The sarcophagus dates from 130-140 AD.
Source: Zanker P. & Ewald BC., “Vivere con i Miti. L’iconografia dei sarcofagi Romani”
Marble sarcophagus
130-140 AD
Vatican City State, Vatican Museums, Museo Gregoriano Profano
Johann Michael Rottmayr (bautizado el 11 de diciembre de 1656 en Laufen an der Salzach, Austria- Viena, 25 de octubre de 1730) fue un pintor austriaco. Fue el primer pintor barroco, además de Martino Altomonte destacado al norte de los Alpes.
Su primer aprendizaje como pintor lo realizó con su madre. Más tarde se perfeccionó en el taller de Johann Carl Loth en Venecia (1675-1688). Así obtuvo un estilo que era mezcla de Venecia y Nápoles. Estuvo en Passau y desde 1689 en adelante trabajó en Salzburgo. En el Palacio Arzobispal pintó temas mitológicos en los techos.
A partir de 1706 vivió de continuo en Viena, y también estuvo activo en monasterios de la Baja Austria. Pinta numerosos frescos, en los que destaca el color y el uso del escorzo como medios ilusionistas. Su obra, lo mismo que la de Altomonte, preludia el rococó.
Entre sus obras al fresco, cabe citar:
Apoteosis en la cúpula de la sala de los ancestros en el palacio Vranov, Frain (1696)
Techo del Palacio Pommersfelden (1716-1718)
Iglesia colegial de Melk (1716-1722)
Iglesia de San Carlos Borromeo en Viena (1726)
Murales en el "Palacio Garten" de Viena, actual Museo Liechtenstein
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Michael_Rottmayr
Johann Michael Rottmayr (11 December 1656 – 25 October 1730), was an Austrian painter.
Rottmayr was born in Laufen an der Salzach, Bavaria. Along with his Laufen-born contemporary, Hans Adam Weissenkircher, he received his education from Johann Carl Loth in Venice. Just as Weissenkircher had brought the Italian Renaissance to the southern Alps and the court of the Princes of Eggenberg in Graz, so Rottmayr brought it north of the Alps and from 1689 onwards worked in Salzburg, where he was employed as the general painter of the Prince-Bishop of Salzburg.
Johann Michael Rottmayr painted the inside of the central dome of the Melk Abbey. This particular painting was recently selected as the main motif of a very high value collectors' coin: the Austrian Melk Abbey commemorative coin, minted on April 18, 2007. The reverse side gives a view up into the central dome of the church, with its typical vision of heaven.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Michael_Rottmayr
La iglesia de san Carlos Borromeo (en alemán, Karlskirche) es una iglesia barroca de Viena, situada en Kreuzherrengasse, 1, en la parte sur de Karlsplatz, al borde del primer distrito, y doscientos metros por fuera de la Ringstrasse.
Durante la fuerte epidemia de peste que azotó Viena en 1713 y que se cobró la vida de unas 8.000 personas, el emperador Carlos VI prometió que, tan pronto, como la ciudad se viera libre de esta calamidad, levantaría un templo dedicado a san Carlos Borromeo, arzobispo de Milán y héroe de la epidemia de peste de 1576. Al año siguiente de la epidemia se anunció un concurso para el proyecto de la iglesia que fue adjudicado a Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. Los fondos que permitieron sufragar la construcción de la iglesia fueron aportados forzosamente por los judíos de Viena. La iglesia es un símbolo de poder religioso y político de la dinastía imperial de los Habsburgo.
Las obras se iniciaron en 1716, y tras la muerte del arquitecto en 1723, las obras fueron continuadas, hasta su terminación en 1737, por su hijo Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach.
La iglesia constituye una obra maestra del eclecticismo barroco, en el que se combinan diferentes estilos: la fachada central representa un pórtico griego, las columnas a su lado son de inspiración barroca y sobre la entrada domina una gigantesca cúpula. Los dos pabellones laterales muestran influencias del barroco romano y decoración oriental. El edificio tiene una altura de 80 metros por unos 60 de ancho y constituye el segundo templo más amplio de la capital después de la catedral de San Esteban
En el exterior destaca el frontis en el que se incluyen las dos columnas citadas, con relieves que muestran periodos de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. Están inspiradas en la columna Trajana de Roma y su decoración espiral presenta escenas de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. El tema que se representa en la columna izquierda es la constancia y el valor en la de la derecha.
En el frontón se encuentran relieves obra de Giovanni Stanetti, que describen los sufrimientos de la ciudad durante la peste de 1713, la estatua del santo patrón corona el frontón. Las escaleras de la entrada se encuentra flanqueada por ángeles que representan el antiguo y el nuevo testamento.
El interior alberga tallas y retablos realizados por los artistas más famosos de la época como Daniel Gran y Altomonte. Destaca la cúpula en la que se pueden contemplar un fresco pintado por Johann Michael Rottmayr de Salzburgo, realizado entre 1725 y 1730, denominado "La apoteosis de san Carlos Borromeo" y que sería el último encargo que cumplió el artista. En él se representa la intercesión de Carlos Borromeo, con el apoyo de la Virgen María, y en torno a ellos las virtudes cardinales.
El altar mayor en el que participaron Alberto Camesina y Ferdinand Maxmilián Brokoff, presenta un relieve de estuco con San Carlos sobre una nube, ascendiendo a los cielos.
Los pabellones que conducen a las entradas laterales tienen decoración de influencia china.
Los frescos de las capillas laterales fueron pintados por Daniel Gran.
La iglesia está cerca de la estación Karlsplatz del Metro de Viena, por la que pasan las líneas U1, U2 y U4; también se puede llegar desde las estaciones de tranvía Gußhausstrasse (línea D) o Wien Resselgasse (líneas 1 y 62).
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iglesia_de_San_Carlos_Borromeo_(Viena)
The Rektoratskirche St. Karl Borromäus, commonly called the Karlskirche (English: St. Charles Church), is a Baroque church located on the south side of Karlsplatz in Vienna, Austria. Widely considered the most outstanding baroque church in Vienna, as well as one of the city's greatest buildings, the church is dedicated to Saint Charles Borromeo, one of the great counter-reformers of the sixteenth century.
Located on the edge of the Innere Stadt, approximately 200 meters outside the Ringstraße, the church contains a dome in the form of an elongated ellipsoid.
In 1713, one year after the last great plague epidemic, Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, pledged to build a church for his namesake patron saint, Charles Borromeo, who was revered as a healer for plague sufferers. An architectural competition was announced, in which Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach prevailed over, among others, Ferdinando Galli-Bibiena and Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt. Construction began in 1716 under the supervision of Anton Erhard Martinelli. After J.B. Fischer's death in 1723, his son, Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, completed the construction in 1737 using partially altered plans. The church originally possessed a direct line of sight to the Hofburg and was also, until 1918, the imperial patron parish church.
As a creator of historic architecture, the elder Fischer von Erlach united the most diverse of elements. The façade in the center, which leads to the porch, corresponds to a Greek temple portico. The neighboring two columns, crafted by Lorenzo Mattielli, found a model in Trajan's Column in Rome. Next to those, two tower pavilions extend out and show the influence of the Roman baroque (Bernini and Borromini). Above the entrance, a dome rises up above a high drum, which the younger J.E. Fischer shortened and partly altered.
Next to the Church was the Spitaler Gottesacker. The composer Antonio Vivaldi died in Vienna and was buried there on July 28, 1741 but his tomb has been lost over time. The church hosts regular Vivaldi concerts in his honour.
Hedwig Kiesler (age 19), later American movie actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr, married Friedrich Mandl (age 32), businessman and Austrofascist, in the tiny chapel of this elaborate church on 10 August 1933. With over 200 prominent guests attending, Kiesler wore “a black-and-white print dress” and carried “a bouquet of white orchids.”
Since Karlsplatz was restored as an ensemble in the late 1980s, the church has garnered fame because of its dome and its two flanking columns of bas-reliefs, as well as its role as an architectural counterweight to the buildings of the Musikverein and of the Vienna University of Technology. The church is cared for by a religious order, the Knights of the Cross with the Red Star, and has long been the parish church as well as the seat of the Catholic student ministry of the Vienna University of Technology.
The iconographical program of the church originated from the imperial official Carl Gustav Heraeus and connects Saint Charles Borromeo with his imperial benefactor. The relief on the pediment above the entrance with the cardinal virtues and the figure of the patron on its apex point to the motivation of the donation. This sculpture group continues onto the attic story as well. The attic is also one of the elements which the younger Fischer introduced. The columns display scenes from the life of Charles Borromeo in a spiral relief and are intended to recall the two columns, Boaz and Jachim, that stood in front of the Temple at Jerusalem. They also recall the Pillars of Hercules and act as symbols of imperial power. The entrance is flanked by angels from the Old and New Testaments.
This program continues in the interior as well, above all in the dome fresco by Johann Michael Rottmayr of Salzburg and Gaetano Fanti, which displays an intercession of Charles Borromeo, supported by the Virgin Mary. Surrounding this scene are the cardinal virtues. The frescos in a number of side chapels are attributed to Daniel Gran.
The high altarpiece portraying the ascension of the saint was conceptualized by the elder Fischer and executed by Ferdinand Maxmilian Brokoff. The altar paintings in the side chapels are by various artists, including Daniel Gran, Sebastiano Ricci, Martino Altomonte and Jakob van Schuppen. A wooden statue of St. Anthony by Josef Josephu is also on display.
As strong effect emanates from the directing of light and architectural grouping, in particular the arch openings of the main axis. The color scheme is characterized by marble with sparring and conscious use of gold leaf. The large round glass window high above the main altar with the Hebrew Tetragrammaton/Yahweh symbolizes God's omnipotence and simultaneously, through its warm yellow tone, God's love. Below is a representation of Apotheosis of Saint Charles Borromeo.
Next to the structures at Schönbrunn Palace, which maintain this form but are more fragmented, the church is Fischer's greatest work. It is also an expression of the Austrian joie de vivre stemming from the victorious end of the Turkish Wars.
The pulpit of the church was probably designed by Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, and his plans might have been executed by a French furniture maker, Claude Le Fort du Plessy in 1735 although there are no surviving documents attesting their authorship or the manufacturing of the church furniture. It is a wooden structure with rich floral, vegetal, rosette and rocaille ornaments, the finer carvings made of hard walnut, in a gold and brown colour scheme. The abat-voix forms a theatrical canopy with two putti holding a cross and a chalice with host; there is a flaming urn on the top. Around 1860 the abat-voix was enlarged. A wide rim was added distorting the original proportions, obscuring the elegant, swirling lines and creating a top-heavy effect. In 2006-2007 this rim was removed after a long debate and the pulpit was restored. The missing carvings of the canopy decorations were reconstructed and the original appearance of the structure was re-established.
The Lunar Files
The backstory behind oppression, suffering, darkness and everything else that ever goes wrong.
By Tzvi Freeman
Arguing with G‑d is an old Jewish tradition. Abraham did it, Moses did it, most Jewish grandmothers do it frequently. But, according to our sages, the first to argue with G‑d was the moon.
Before we get to that story, it’s important to point out just how ludicrous arguing with G‑d really is. Here you have the first belief system that ascribes absolute omnipotence to a single deity. Power over everything, both in heaven and in earth. He knows all, directs all, and everything that occurs comes from Him. Everything—including Abraham, Moses and your grandmother. And they argued with him.
It doesn’t stop there: They usually win.
We must say, therefore, that G‑d wants to argue. It’s part of The Plan. Furthermore, we must say that He likes losing arguments (most of the time).
I can empathize. After all, what fun is it to run a world so passive that its inhabitants agree with whatever you do? There would be no challenge, no thrill. It’s that interactive experience that G‑d desired in creating the cosmos. And a lot of that comes from losing arguments with your own creations.
In fact, the rabbis of the Talmud recount that when G‑d lost an argument with them once, He laughed and said, “They beat me! My children beat me!” So, He really does get a kick out of the whole thing.
Arguing with the moon—and losing—was also part of the plan. G‑d set her up to it.
The Babylonian Talmud (Chulin 60b) tells the story in cryptic form. Here, for the first time, reconstructed from genuine accounts of enlightened sages, is the entire dialog:
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The Greatness of Being Small
It was early on that first Wednesday morning that the sun and the moon woke up to find themselves initialized into existence, high up in the sky, both illuminating Planet Earth with equal intensity. Right off, the moon complained.
“So we’ve got two bosses in the same office! What kind of a dumb cosmos is this anyways?”
Now, G‑d is a reasonable employer, open to constructive criticism. He considered the comments of His newborn critic and replied, “Good point.”
“Yes?”
“Yes. Therefore, kindly make yourself smaller.”
Creation being a voice-activated interface, the moon was instantly “What a crummy system!” the moon exclaimed. “You lay things out the way they are, and you get shrunk for it!”diminished in size. That’s when the real argument began.
“What a crummy system!” the moon exclaimed. “You lay things out the way they are, and you get shrunk for it!”
Once again, G‑d was impressed by the biting insight of His creation. It seemed that He really liked the moon and felt for her case.
“Please allow me to make up for this,” He begged her.
“Like how?” she demanded.
“How’s this,” G‑d replied. “The sun only gets to shine for her set twelve hours. You, on the other hand, are permitted to shine both at night and sometimes for a little of the day.”
“Big deal!” she snapped back. “With the luminance range you’ve given me, I might as well be a birthday-cake candle in the big blue sky!”
“Talking about the sky—” the dark sky began to glitter as G‑d spoke—“I’ve filled the night sky with pretty stars to keep you company!”
“I’ll keep the jewelry,” she answered, “but I’m still not satisfied. I don’t like being small.”
“Look at the brighter side,” G‑d pleaded with her. “What’s so terrible about being small? The truly great people of history will be small! Jacob will be smaller than his brother, Esau. David will be smaller than any of his seven big brothers. There will even be a great sage who they will call ‘Samuel the Small’!”
“Great!” she cried back. “And I’ll be the small, insignificant moon. Nobody will even notice me! If they do, they’ll just say, ‘When’s that dumb little moon going to go away and the sun will come back and give some real light?’”
“That’s not true!” G‑d exclaimed. “You will serve a very major function in their lives. You see, although most peoples will fix their calendars according to the position of the sun and the corresponding seasons, I will tell the Jewish people—right away, as soon as I’m about to take them from Egypt—to count their days according to the appearance of the new moon!”
“And what about seasons?”
“Seasons?”
“Yeah, seasons. Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer. Rainy Seasons. Dry Seasons. You’re going to tell me they won’t bother with seasons? That’s impossible. I know what’s in the works. You’re planning to have them make all sorts of adjustments so that their holidays stay in the right seasons. They’ll take a look at how the sun is still to far to the south and add a month once in a while, just to keep up with the seasons.”
“So what’s so terrible? They’re still counting months, not days!”
“You see! It’s not enough I’ve been condemned to second place! Even when I get my own domain, it’s got to be tailored to suit Miss Big over there!”
She paused, sniffed a little, and then muttered, “Can’t you just make me big again?”
The Protocols of a Real World
“And what, then,” G‑d pleaded, “will be with my universe? I can’t make everybody the same size. You said that yourself. There has to be protocol or else it just isn’t a world!”
“Aha!” the moon exclaimed. “Just as I thought! You had this whole thing set up! You were just waiting for me to kvetch so you would have an excuse to diminish my size! It was a trap, and I fell neatly into it like a fool! And now you expect me to forgive you and go about my planned role as if it were all my fault!”
“No. It’s my fault.” G‑d spoke pensively. “I wanted a world. And a world is a place where there is higher and lower, greater and smaller, parent and child. A hierarchy. Where things begin in one place and move on to somewhere else.”
“And I have to be the somewhere else,” kvetched the moon. “The bottom of the pyramid. I don’t even get my own light. I just get to take whatever light I can receive from Her Royal Highness, Miss Luminance the Great, and reflect some miserable fraction of it down to a dark earth.”
“In my mind, you’re no less than her. You are both my creations, and both of utmost significance.”
“But light begins with her!”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course.”
“Then watch this.”
It was an eerie feeling as the spin of the earth suddenly swung into reverse, along with the orbit of all the planets, the moon included. The strangest part, however, was the flow of radiant energy, as though it were sucked inwards, back from the moon to the sun. The moon was no longer receiving and reflecting light. It was emanating light, and—strangest of all—by the time the light arrived at the sun, it was a million times as powerful.
“What kind of a crazy cosmos have you made now?!” exclaimed the moon.
“Nothing more crazy than the first,” G‑d answered. “What’s better one “As far as I am concerned,” said G‑d, “the hierarchy that bothers you so much doesn’t really exist. It’s only an artifact of the time continuum of your world.”direction of time than another?”
“But what’s the point?”
“The point is that, as far as I am concerned, the hierarchy that bothers you so much doesn’t really exist. It’s only an artifact of the time continuum of your world. You see light originating with the sun and emanating towards you. I can see all things moving in the opposite direction. Or in any direction. Or not at all. Or all at once. For I am beyond time. And so, for me, you and the sun are both the same. You both shine, and that’s it.”
“Very nice. I’m very glad for you. And if you’re planning to make one of those backward worlds, I’ll be the first to sign up. In the meantime, I’m condemned to live through this forward paradigm, where I get to be the afterward. And for you, my pain doesn’t even exist.”
“Of course it exists! Otherwise, why should I have built in all this compensation!” G‑d paused. “Here, let me show you what the future has in store.”
The Subversive Mitzvah Plan
The cosmos quickly arranged themselves to the year 2448 after creation. The moon rose over Ancient Egypt, no more than a sliver in the sky.
“What do you see?” G‑d asked her.
“Pyramids. Just what I was talking about.”
“Yes, this is the land of pyramids. The ultimate in authority and hierarchy. All knowledge, all power, all wealth in a neat pyramid of higher to lower. No one dares question the absolute power of Pharaoh. No slave dares question his lot in life as a slave. No one—until my man in Egypt. And now I shall speak with him.”
“Moses!”
“Yes, Sir!”
“You have done a fine job. As your ancestor, Abraham, smashed the idols of his father’s house, you have flattened the pyramid of Egyptian authoritarianism. You have championed the plight of the oppressed and brought freedom and liberation into my world.”
“Thanks, O Infinite One. What’s next?”
“Now I want to introduce you to your mascot. She is the symbol of all that you and your people must accomplish. She is the moon and she is small, and she is humble and oppressed. You will begin now to redeem her, to uplift her status, by counting your calendar according to her cycles.”
“And this shall be a constant reminder for you and your people of your mission in this world. For in this world you shall not be the most powerful, nor the most numerous. You shall be the smallest of the nations. At times you shall dwindle and almost disappear—as she disappears from the sky at the end of each month. But only to return again, as an imperishable light, once again to champion the cause of the downtrodden and enslaved.”
“Social activism is cool,” Moses commented, “but what about spirituality?”
“That’s where it all begins. Currently, the spiritual leadership promotes abandonment of the lowly, earthbound realm in order to achieve enlightenment. They’re hiding out in caves, pastures and mountaintops, leaving the common world desolate. “It’s all part of one big scheme: To flatten the pyramids of the world and reveal the value of those placed on the bottom.”Your people need to reverse that trend. You will demonstrate that the most awesome spiritual highs are to be found in mundane matters of the everyday world. I’ve got a whole passel of mitzvahs ready for you guys, all involving fusion of the spiritual and the physical. It’s all part of one big scheme: To flatten the pyramids of the world and reveal the value of those placed on the bottom.”
Moses raised his fist in a power-salute. “Right on, O Faithful Redeemer!” he cried out.
But the moon wasn’t yet impressed.
“That all sounds very inspiring and nice,” she said. “But I don’t get how you plan to make any of this really happen.”
“Why, through mitzvahs and acts of kindness and beauty!”
“Show me.”
“Very well.”
Givers and Getters
A thousand scenes passed by. Scenes of valiant giving, heroic rescue, boundless compassion, of sharing and kindness. The oppressed were rescued from their plight. The downtrodden were returned their self-esteem. Those suffering pain and misfortune were comforted and healed.
“What do you see in all these scenes?” G‑d asked.
“I see that there is always one who gives and one who gets. And I don’t get it. If it’s justice you want, then why do you allow injustice to begin with?”
“If it were not for some imbalance, what room would there be for acts of kindness?”
“Who needs the acts of kindness? It just reinforces your whole hierarchical scheme. Like I said, there are those who give and those who get. Now if that isn’t a pyramid…”
“Look again.”
It was a simple scene of a lone traveler knocking on the door of a suburban home. The door opened, the traveler was invited in and he explained his predicament. His brother needed some very expensive medical therapy and he was traveling abroad to collect contributions. The homeowner listened patiently and then wrote a modest check. Sympathetically, he wished the traveler good luck. The traveler in return blessed the homeowner and his family a traditional blessing.
“Same thing all over again,” muttered the moon. “One gives, one gets.”
“Look again.”
As the traveler left the house back into the dark night, a deep joy filled the hearts of those inside. Warmth and blessing emanated from inside their home. Somehow, they had all been elevated, their home infused with a glow of the Infinite Light that preceded all worlds.
“Now who is giving and who is receiving?” asked G‑d.
“But how did they receive so much?” the moon asked in amazement.
“Wait. First watch this.”
It was a classroom, an active one. The children were at the prime of human intelligence—about ten years of age. The teacher was struggling to get a point across, but the students kept badgering her with questions.
“Another hierarchy,” commented the moon. “Just that this time the goods are intellectual.”
“Keep looking.”
The teacher was struggling to clarify a point. She drew a diagram on the board, but that didn’t help. She showed the class pictures. But some were still confused. Finally, she closed her eyes to concentrate. Then she smiled. “Listen to this!” she exclaimed.
For once, the students sat still and listened as the teacher told a parable, a wonderful metaphor for the subject she had been trying to explain. Their eyes widened and they sighed with relief, as the idea finally became clear to them. When the teacher was finished, a student exclaimed, “Teacher, why didn’t you put it that way before?”
The teacher smiled again. “I guess I hadn’t thought of it that way before,” she “There are no one-way streets in My world. Nothing, but nothing, only receives without giving back at least as much.”answered.
“Now,” prodded G‑d, “who is giving and who is getting?”
“Does that always happen?” asked the moon.
“Always,” affirmed G‑d. “There are no one-way streets in My world. Nothing, but nothing, only receives without giving back at least as much. The poor give to the rich, students to their teachers, children to parents, the small to the great. And those who exploit others, in the end are only stealing from their own selves. It’s just that you must look again, look deeper, to see the inner flow of life.”
The Greatness of Being Nothing
“But they are still small!” exclaimed the moon. “They are small and the others are great! If you have to give, wouldn’t you rather be on the top giving downwards? Wouldn’t you like to get some recognition? Hey, I’ll bet that’s the whole reason you created this whole universe to begin with—’cuz you want some recognition for your greatness! After all, without a world, who’s going to know how Absolutely One and Infinite you are? Well, I want recognition, too. I want to be seen, to be big and shiny up there and everyone below will look up and say, ‘Isn’t that a great job that big, shiny moon is doing!’”
“That’s just what people will say! Once a month you will look so lovely in the dark velvet setting of the night as you reach your fullness.”
“Once a month,” she mocked. “Once a month you let me grow and be a little bit of a somebody. And then, just as I get to the point where I can feel that I’m accomplishing something, then I’ve got to start diminishing myself all over again. Until I’m a nothing. An absolute non-entity in the sky!”
“Just as the great personalities of history I mentioned to you before. They, too, become great by becoming nothing.”
“Now you get great by being nothing. Now if that isn’t a sneaky paradigm shift…”
“It’s true!”
“Not with the big guys I see down there. Look at Pharaoh. Struts around his luxurious palace with his nose in the air. Boats down the Nile in his yacht like he created it. Same thing with all those Caesars, Emperors, Czars, Global Corporation CEO’s…”
“They are all nothing, and their end is nothing. I’m talking about the truly great. The ones who carry the entire world on the shoulders of their righteous deeds. Look at Moses! I choose him out of all humankind for the greatest job of history, and what does he say? ‘I’m not good enough.’ Same with King Saul—they had to drag him out from his hiding place behind the luggage when he was chosen as the first king of Israel. And King David? At the “The whole world will endure on the merits of Harriet Goldberg.”height of his glory, he sits in his palace late at night and sings songs to me about what a worthless worm he is! And then there’s Harriet Goldberg…”
“Who’s Harriet Goldberg?”
“The whole world will endure on the merits of Harriet Goldberg.”
“How come I haven’t heard of her?”
“Nobody will. She’s a waitress in a greasy-spoon cafeteria where she excels at keeping her good deeds quiet. Like you and all the other true greats—as soon as she begins to shine, she reminds herself of her nothingness, diminishing herself to a complete state of spiritual void. And that is the secret of the power of her deeds.”
“I bet she leads a miserable life.”
“She doesn’t think so.”
“I bet there’s a lot of suffering down in that world of yours.”
“Well…”
Brilliant Darkness
“Well, nothing. There’s suffering, there’s pain, there’s just a lot of darkness. And you’re going to tell me that’s all part of the plan. Because from the suffering will come good and from the darkness light. Well, I don’t buy it. I don’t get the whole idea of making a world so full of darkness, people can’t tell between good and bad. If it were up to me, the entire world would be filled with light and joy and happiness!”
“And what’s so great about light?” G‑d asked.
“Oh, come on. Now you’ve gone too far.”
“Really. Why is light any greater than darkness?”
“Because, when there’s light, you know the truth!” yelled the moon in exasperation. “And you don’t suffer this horrible pain of meaninglessness and confusion!”
“When there is light you have a ray of the truth. In the dark you can touch the essence.”
Now the moon was entirely bewildered. G‑d continued. “Let me illustrate what happens when you diminish to complete darkness as far as the inhabitants of the earth are concerned. Let’s put you in full moon mode. Okay. Where are you in relation to the sun?”
“Well, there’s the sun, then a few planets. Then earth. Then, a little further and there’s little me. The sun shines onto me and some of that light bounces down to earth.”
“Exactly. Now, let’s see where you are when your light disappears from the earth. There. How do you relate to the sun now?”
“Well, the earth isn’t between us anymore.”
“So are you further or closer?”
“Closer.”
“Yes!” G‑d exclaimed. “And so it is with all those who travel through darkness in their life. They may feel dejected and hopeless—but the reality is that they are closer to the truth at that time than at any other. It is only because of those dark moments that they are able to shine at others.”
“But they are in the dark! And dark is bad!”
“Darkness is my creation just as is light.”
“Well, I don’t know what in heaven’s name you made it for!”
“Do I have to tell you everything?”
“No. You could just concede the case and make me bigger again,” the moon suggested.
G‑d paused. For a moment, it seemed as though He might just conceded.
Freedom in the Dark
“But then no one would ever know the beauty of darkness,” He said.
“At the time when the sun rises or sets in its glory, you would not be there to proclaim that no, that is not all there is to the greatness of the Creator of All Things. He is more than just light. More than a nuclear fusion generator in the heavens that brings all things into being. He knows no limitations whatsoever, not even that of unlimited creative ability.”
“But that is who you are,” the moon asserted. “The Creator. You made all this out of the absolute void. And You sustain it from collapsing back into that nothingness at every moment.”
“And if darkness was only a tunnel to reach the light,” G‑d replied, “if it had no real purpose of its own in my world, then I would be known as just that. And nothing else would have meaning.”
“So I made an utter darkness. I made a world where my presence is hidden in such an absolute way that its creatures would feel entirely autonomous of me. As though they weren’t just beams of my light shining within me. As though they were beings that just are because they are. And then they would have free choice, to take responsibility for their lives and for their destiny.”
“But you are there!” the moon exclaimed. “In everything that happens and within all things! You are the true being of all things.”
“But I am more than Being,” G‑d explained. “I am the Absence of Being, as well. And when you and the sun unite at that point just before the new moon, that is when Being and Absence of Being converge. And there is the Essence of G‑d.”
Atone For Me
The moon pondered all this. “So they have free choice,” she said. “And in that free choice is expressed your Essence—your Being and Not-Being, as you say.”
“Yes.”
“And that is why there is darkness, and pain, and oppression and all the other bumps and blemishes of your world. It’s supposed to be that way. So they can touch not just you in a revealed sense, but your essence.”
“Yes.”
“And your Essence is unlimited and infinite.”
“Yes.”
“Then why can’t you do anything?”
“I can.”
“SO THEN WHY CANT YOU MAKE THAT THEY COULD REACH YOUR ESSENCE WITHOUT THE BLASTED SUFFERING?!!!”
“That I will not say.”
“Then you lose.”
Silence.
Then G‑d looked down again to Moses. “Moses!” He called.
“Yes, sir!”
“I have another mitzvah for you. It has to do with the new moon. When it comes to that time, at the beginning of each month, I want you to bring a sin offering for me.”
“A sin offering for who?“ Moses asked.
“For me. Because I have diminished the light of the moon. And because there is suffering and oppression in my world. And darkness.”
“But G‑d,” Moses asked. “Why don’t you just do away with the suffering?”
“That’s your job, Moses.”
“So why did you put it here in the first place? Who forced your Almighty Hand?”
“You, too?”
G‑d paused. Moses waited. Finally, G‑d said, “Moses, you know I have revealed to you every secret of the cosmos. I have opened for you every chamber of the innermost wisdom, all the gates of esoteric understanding. I have not held back a thing, but given you “But there is one thing that, as long as you live in this world, I cannot reveal to you, one thing for which I must only say, ‘Silence! So I have decided that it should be!’”my entire Torah, my most essential wisdom, to share and to teach to your people.”
Moses stood perfectly still, in waiting.
“But there is one thing that, as long as you live in this world, I cannot reveal to you, one thing for which I must only say, ‘Silence! So I have decided that it should be!’”
“But tell me why, Eternal G‑d!” Moses pleaded.
“Moses,” G‑d asked. “If you knew the answer, if you understood why there had to be suffering from an all-powerful, beneficent G‑d. What would you do then?”
“I suppose I wouldn’t feel so bad about it then.”
“Precisely. And that is just what I will not have.”
“I don’t want you to be complacent. I don’t want you to tolerate darkness. You must fight it with every sinew of your flesh, with all the capacity of your soul. Until you redeem every spark of light from its captivity, until you can bring sweetness to the most bitter places, until you have not left a corner of my world untouched with acts of kindness and compassion… until then you must hate the darkness as a blood-sworn enemy.”
“So until that time, when I will wipe the tears of sorrow from every face, when all darkness—even the darkness of the past—will become light as the light of the first day of Creation, when, as Isaiah will say, the light of the moon will be as great as the light of the sun…”
“Until then, atone for Me.”
Sources: See Likutei Sichot, vol. 30, pp. 8-15. Sicha, Hoshanah Rabbah 5743.
By Tzvi Freeman
The Quran (English pronunciation: /kɔrˈɑːn/ kor-AHN , Arabic: القرآن al-qur'ān, IPA: [qurˈʔaːn], literally meaning "the recitation", also romanised Qur'an or Koran) is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims believe to be a revelation from God (Arabic: الله, Allah). Its scriptural status among a world-spanning religious community, and its major place within world literature generally, has led to a great deal of secondary literature on the Quran. Quranic chapters are called suras and verses are called ayahs.
Muslims believe that the Quran was verbally revealed by God to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel (Jibril), gradually over a period of approximately 23 years, beginning on 22 December 609 CE, when Muhammad was 40, and concluding in 632 CE, the year of his death. Muslims regard the Quran as the most important miracle of Muhammad, a proof of his prophethood, and the culmination of a series of divine messages that started with the messages revealed to Adam and ended with Muhammad. They consider the Quran to be the only revealed book that has been protected by God from distortion or corruption.
According to the traditional narrative, several companions of Muhammad served as scribes and were responsible for writing down the revelations. Shortly after Muhammad's death, the Quran was compiled by his companions who wrote down and memorized parts of it. These codices had differences that motivated the Caliph Uthman to establish a standard version now known as Uthman's codex, which is generally considered the archetype of the Quran we have today. However, the existence of variant readings, with mostly minor and some significant variations, and the early unvocalized Arabic script mean the relationship between Uthman's codex to both the text of today's Quran and to the revelations of Muhammad's time is still unclear.
The Quran assumes familiarity with major narratives recounted in the Jewish and Christian scriptures. It summarizes some, dwells at length on others and, in some cases, presents alternative accounts and interpretations of events. The Quran describes itself as a book of guidance. It sometimes offers detailed accounts of specific historical events, and it often emphasizes the moral significance of an event over its narrative sequence. The Quran is used along with the hadith to interpret sharia law. During prayers, the Quran is recited only in Arabic.
Someone who has memorized the entire Quran is called a hafiz. Some Muslims read Quranic ayahs (verses) with elocution, which is often called tajwīd. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims typically complete the recitation of the whole Quran during tarawih prayers. In order to extrapolate the meaning of a particular Quranic verse, most Muslims rely on the tafsir.
ETYMOLOGY & MEANING
The word qurʼān appears about 70 times in the Quran itself, assuming various meanings. It is a verbal noun (maṣdar) of the Arabic verb qaraʼa (قرأ), meaning "he read" or "he recited". The Syriac equivalent is (ܩܪܝܢܐ) qeryānā, which refers to "scripture reading" or "lesson". While some Western scholars consider the word to be derived from the Syriac, the majority of Muslim authorities hold the origin of the word is qaraʼa itself. Regardless, it had become an Arabic term by Muhammad's lifetime. An important meaning of the word is the "act of reciting", as reflected in an early Quranic passage: "It is for Us to collect it and to recite it (qurʼānahu)."
In other verses, the word refers to "an individual passage recited [by Muhammad]". Its liturgical context is seen in a number of passages, for example: "So when al-qurʼān is recited, listen to it and keep silent." The word may also assume the meaning of a codified scripture when mentioned with other scriptures such as the Torah and Gospel.
The term also has closely related synonyms that are employed throughout the Quran. Each synonym possesses its own distinct meaning, but its use may converge with that of qurʼān in certain contexts. Such terms include kitāb (book); āyah (sign); and sūrah (scripture). The latter two terms also denote units of revelation. In the large majority of contexts, usually with a definite article (al-), the word is referred to as the "revelation" (waḥy), that which has been "sent down" (tanzīl) at intervals. Other related words are: dhikr (remembrance), used to refer to the Quran in the sense of a reminder and warning, and ḥikmah (wisdom), sometimes referring to the revelation or part of it.
The Quran describes itself as "the discernment or the criterion between truth and falsehood" (al-furqān), "the mother book" (umm al-kitāb), "the guide" (huda), "the wisdom" (hikmah), "the remembrance" (dhikr) and "the revelation" (tanzīl; something sent down, signifying the descent of an object from a higher place to lower place). Another term is al-kitāb (the book), though it is also used in the Arabic language for other scriptures, such as the Torah and the Gospels. The adjective of "Quran" has multiple transliterations including "quranic," "koranic" and "qur'anic," or capitalised as "Qur'anic," "Koranic" and "Quranic." The term muṣḥaf ('written work') is often used to refer to particular Quranic manuscripts but is also used in the Quran to identify earlier revealed books. Other transliterations of "Quran" include "al-Coran", "Coran", "Kuran" and "al-Qurʼan".
HISTORY
PROPHETIC ERA
Islamic tradition relates that Muhammad received his first revelation in the Cave of Hira during one of his isolated retreats to the mountains. Thereafter, he received revelations over a period of 23 years. According to hadith and Muslim history, after Muhammad emigrated to Medina and formed an independent Muslim community, he ordered many of his companions to recite the Quran and to learn and teach the laws, which were revealed daily. It is related that some of the Quraish who were taken prisoners at the battle of Badr regained their freedom after they had taught some of the Muslims the simple writing of the time. Thus a group of Muslims gradually became literate. As it was initially spoken, the Quran was recorded on tablets, bones, and the wide, flat ends of date palm fronds. Most suras were in use amongst early Muslims since they are mentioned in numerous sayings by both Sunni and Shia sources, relating Muhammad's use of the Quran as a call to Islam, the making of prayer and the manner of recitation. However, the Quran did not exist in book form at the time of Muhammad's death in 632 CE. There is agreement among scholars that Muhammad himself did not write down the revelation.
Sahih al-Bukhari narrates Muhammad describing the revelations as, "Sometimes it is (revealed) like the ringing of a bell" and Aisha reported, "I saw the Prophet being inspired Divinely on a very cold day and noticed the sweat dropping from his forehead (as the Inspiration was over)." Muhammad's first revelation, according to the Quran, was accompanied with a vision. The agent of revelation is mentioned as the "one mighty in power", the one who "grew clear to view when he was on the uppermost horizon. Then he drew nigh and came down till he was (distant) two bows' length or even nearer." The Islamic studies scholar Welch states in the Encyclopaedia of Islam that he believes the graphic descriptions of Muhammad's condition at these moments may be regarded as genuine, because he was severely disturbed after these revelations. According to Welch, these seizures would have been seen by those around him as convincing evidence for the superhuman origin of Muhammad's inspirations. However, Muhammad's critics accused him of being a possessed man, a soothsayer or a magician since his experiences were similar to those claimed by such figures well known in ancient Arabia. Welch additionally states that it remains uncertain whether these experiences occurred before or after Muhammad's initial claim of prophethood. The Quran describes Muhammad as "ummi", which is traditionally interpreted as "illiterate," but the meaning is rather more complex. The medieval commentators such as Al-Tabari maintained that the term induced two meanings: first, the inability to read or write in general; second, the inexperience or ignorance of the previous books or scriptures (but they gave priority to the first meaning). Besides, Muhammad's illiteracy was taken as a sign of the genuineness of his prophethood. For example, according to Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, if Muhammad had mastered writing and reading he possibly would have been suspected of having studied the books of the ancestors. Some scholars such as Watt prefer the second meaning.
COMPILATION
Based on earlier transmitted reports, in the year 632 CE, after Muhammad died and a number of his companions who knew the Quran by heart were killed in a battle by Musaylimah, the first caliph Abu Bakr (d. 634CE) decided to collect the book in one volume so that it could be preserved. Zayd ibn Thabit (d. 655CE) was the person to collect the Quran since "he used to write the Divine Inspiration for Allah's Apostle". Thus, a group of scribes, most importantly Zayd, collected the verses and produced a hand-written manuscript of the complete book. The manuscript according to Zayd remained with Abu Bakr until he died. Zayd's reaction to the task and the difficulties in collecting the Quranic material from parchments, palm-leaf stalks, thin stones and from men who knew it by heart is recorded in earlier narratives. After Abu Bakr, Hafsa bint Umar, Muhammad's widow, was entrusted with the manuscript. In about 650 CE, the third Caliph Uthman ibn Affan (d. 656CE) began noticing slight differences in pronunciation of the Quran as Islam expanded beyond the Arabian peninsula into Persia, the Levant, and North Africa. In order to preserve the sanctity of the text, he ordered a committee headed by Zayd to use Abu Bakr's copy and prepare a standard copy of the Quran. Thus, within 20 years of Muhammad's death, the Quran was committed to written form. That text became the model from which copies were made and promulgated throughout the urban centers of the Muslim world, and other versions are believed to have been destroyed. The present form of the Quran text is accepted by Muslim scholars to be the original version compiled by Abu Bakr.
According to Shia and some Sunni scholars, Ali ibn Abi Talib (d. 661CE) compiled a complete version of the Quran shortly after Muhammad's death. The order of this text differed from that gathered later during Uthman's era in that this version had been collected in chronological order. Despite this, he made no objection against the standardized Quran and accepted the Quran in circulation. Other personal copies of the Quran might have existed including Ibn Mas'ud's and Ubayy ibn Kab's codex, none of which exist today.
The Quran most likely existed in scattered written form during Muhammad's lifetime. Several sources indicate that during Muhammad's lifetime a large number of his companions had memorized the revelations. Early commentaries and Islamic historical sources support the above-mentioned understanding of the Quran's early development. The Quran in its present form is generally considered by academic scholars to record the words spoken by Muhammad because the search for variants has not yielded any differences of great significance. Although most variant readings of the text of the Quran have ceased to be transmitted, some still are. There has been no critical text produced on which a scholarly reconstruction of the Quranic text could be based. Historically, controversy over the Quran's content has rarely become an issue, although debates continue on the subject.
In 1972, in a mosque in the city of Sana'a, Yemen, manuscripts were discovered that were later proved to be the most ancient Quranic text known to exist. The Sana'a manuscripts contain palimpsests, a manuscript page from which the text has been washed off to make the parchment reusable again - a practice which was common in ancient times due to scarcity of writing material. However, the faint washed-off underlying text (scriptio inferior) is still barely visible and believed to be "pre-Uthmanic" Quranic content, while the text written on top (scriptio superior) is believed to belong to Uthmanic time. Studies using radiocarbon dating indicate that the parchments are dated to the period before 671 AD with a 99 percent probability.
SIGNIFICANCE IN ISLAM
WORSHIP
Muslims believe the Quran to be the book of divine guidance revealed from God to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel over a period of 23 years and view the Quran as God's final revelation to humanity. They also believe that the Quran has solutions to all the problems of humanity irrespective of how complex they may be and in what age they occur.
Revelation in Islamic and Quranic concept means the act of God addressing an individual, conveying a message for a greater number of recipients. The process by which the divine message comes to the heart of a messenger of God is tanzil (to send down) or nuzūl (to come down). As the Quran says, "With the truth we (God) have sent it down and with the truth it has come down."
The Quran frequently asserts in its text that it is divinely ordained. Some verses in the Quran seem to imply that even those who do not speak Arabic would understand the Quran if it were recited to them. The Quran refers to a written pre-text, "the preserved tablet", that records God's speech even before it was sent down.
The issue of whether the Quran is eternal or created became a theological debate (Quran's createdness) in the ninth century. Mu'tazilas, an Islamic school of theology based on reason and rational thought, held that the Quran was created while the most widespread varieties of Muslim theologians considered the Quran to be co-eternal with God and therefore uncreated. Sufi philosophers view the question as artificial or wrongly framed.
Muslims believe that the present wording of the Quran corresponds to that revealed to Muhammad, and according to their interpretation of Quran 15:9, it is protected from corruption ("Indeed, it is We who sent down the Quran and indeed, We will be its guardian."). Muslims consider the Quran to be a guide, a sign of the prophethood of Muhammad and the truth of the religion. They argue it is not possible for a human to produce a book like the Quran, as the Quran itself maintains.
Muslims commemorate annually the beginning of Quran's revelation on the Night of Destiny (Laylat al-Qadr), during the last 10 days of Ramadan, the month during which they fast from sunrise until sunset.
The first sura of the Quran is repeated in daily prayers and in other occasions. This sura, which consists of seven verses, is the most often recited sura of the Quran:
"All praise belongs to God, Lord of the Universe, the Beneficent, the Merciful and Master of the Day of Judgment, You alone We do worship and from You alone we do seek assistance, guide us to the right path, the path of those to whom You have granted blessings, those who are neither subject to Your anger nor have gone astray."
Respect for the written text of the Quran is an important element of religious faith by many Muslims, and the Quran is treated with reverence. Based on tradition and a literal interpretation of Quran 56:79 ("none shall touch but those who are clean"), some Muslims believe that they must perform a ritual cleansing with water before touching a copy of the Quran, although this view is not universal. Worn-out copies of the Quran are wrapped in a cloth and stored indefinitely in a safe place, buried in a mosque or a Muslim cemetery, or burned and the ashes buried or scattered over water.
In Islam, most intellectual disciplines, including Islamic theology, philosophy, mysticism and Jurisprudence, have been concerned with the Quran or have their foundation in its teachings. Muslims believe that the preaching or reading of the Quran is rewarded with divine rewards variously called ajr, thawab or hasanat.
IN ISLAMIC ART
The Quran also inspired Islamic arts and specifically the so-called Quranic arts of calligraphy and illumination.[1] The Quran is never decorated with figurative images, but many Qurans have been highly decorated with decorative patterns in the margins of the page, or between the lines or at the start of suras. Islamic verses appear in many other media, on buildings and on objects of all sizes, such as mosque lamps, metal work, pottery and single pages of calligraphy for muraqqas or albums.
INIMITABILITY
Inimitability of the Quran (or "I'jaz") is the belief that no human speech can match the Quran in its content and form. The Quran is considered an inimitable miracle by Muslims, effective until the Day of Resurrection - and, thereby, the central proof granted to Muhammad in authentication of his prophetic status. The concept of inimitability originates in the Quran where in five different verses opponents are challenged to produce something like the Quran: "If men and sprites banded together to produce the like of this Quran they would never produce its like not though they backed one another."[61] So the suggestion is that if there are doubts concerning the divine authorship of the Quran, come forward and create something like it. From the ninth century, numerous works appeared which studied the Quran and examined its style and content. Medieval Muslim scholars including al-Jurjani (d. 1078CE) and al-Baqillani (d. 1013CE) have written treatises on the subject, discussed its various aspects, and used linguistic approaches to study the Quran. Others argue that the Quran contains noble ideas, has inner meanings, maintained its freshness through the ages and has caused great transformations in individual level and in the history. Some scholars state that the Quran contains scientific information that agrees with modern science. The doctrine of miraculousness of the Quran is further emphasized by Muhammad's illiteracy since the unlettered prophet could not have been suspected of composing the Quran.
TEXT & ARRANGEMENT
The Quran consists of 114 chapters of varying lengths, each known as a sura. Suras are classified as Meccan or Medinan, depending on whether the verses were revealed before or after the migration of Muhammad to the city of Medina. However, a sura classified as Medinan may contain Meccan verses in it and vice versa. Sura titles are derived from a name or quality discussed in the text, or from the first letters or words of the surah. Suras are arranged roughly in order of decreasing size. The sura arrangement is thus not connected to the sequence of revelation. Each sura except the ninth starts with the Bismillah (بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم) an Arabic phrase meaning 'In the name of God.' There are, however, still 114 occurrences of the Bismillah in the Quran, due to its presence in Quran 27:30 as the opening of Solomon's letter to the Queen of Sheba.
Each sura consists of several verses, known as ayat, which originally means a 'sign' or 'evidence' sent by God. The number of verses differs from sura to sura. An individual verse may be just a few letters or several lines. The total number of verses in the Quran is 6236, however, the number varies if the bismillahs are counted separately.
In addition to and independent of the division into suras, there are various ways of dividing the Quran into parts of approximately equal length for convenience in reading. The 30 juz' (plural ajzāʼ) can be used to read through the entire Quran in a month. Some of these parts are known by names - which are the first few words by which the juzʼ starts. A juz' is sometimes further divided into two ḥizb (plural aḥzāb), and each hizb subdivided into four rubʻ al-ahzab. The Quran is also divided into seven approximately equal parts, manzil (plural manāzil), for it to be recited in a week.
Muqatta'at, or the Quranic initials, are 14 different letter combinations of 14 Arabic letters that appear in the beginning of 29 suras of the Quran. The meanings of these initials remain unclear.
According to one estimate the Quran consists of 77,430 words, 18,994 unique words, 12,183 stems, 3,382 lemmas and 1,685 roots.
CONTENTS
The Quranic content is concerned with the basic beliefs of Islam which include the existence of God and the resurrection. Narratives of the early prophets, ethical and legal subjects, historical events of Muhammad's time, charity and prayer also appear in the Quran. The Quranic verses contain general exhortations regarding right and wrong and the historical events are related to outline general moral lessons. Verses pertaining to natural phenomena have been interpreted by Muslims as an indication of the authenticity of the Quranic message.
MONOTHEISM
The central theme of the Quran is monotheism. God is depicted as living, eternal, omniscient and omnipotent (see, e.g., Quran 2:20, 2:29, 2:255). God's omnipotence appears above all in his power to create. He is the creator of everything, of the heavens and the earth and what is between them (see, e.g., Quran 13:16, 50:38, etc.). All human beings are equal in their utter dependence upon God, and their well-being depends upon their acknowledging that fact and living accordingly.
The Quran uses cosmological and contingency arguments in various verses without referring to the terms to prove the existence of God. Therefore, the universe is originated and needs an originator, and whatever exists must have a sufficient cause for its existence. Besides, the design of the universe, is frequently referred to as a point of contemplation: "It is He who has created seven heavens in harmony. You cannot see any fault in God's creation; then look again: Can you see any flaw?"
ESCHATOLOGY
The doctrine of the last day and eschatology (the final fate of the universe) may be reckoned as the second great doctrine of the Quran. It is estimated that around a full one-third of the Quran is eschatological, dealing with the afterlife in the next world and with the day of judgment at the end of time. There is a reference of the afterlife on most pages of the Quran and the belief in the afterlife is often referred to in conjunction with belief in God as in the common expression: "Believe in God and the last day". A number of suras such as 44, 56, 75, 78, 81 and 101 are directly related to the afterlife and its preparations. Some of the suras indicate the closeness of the event and warn people to be prepared for the imminent day. For instance, the first verses of Sura 22, which deal with the mighty earthquake and the situations of people on that day, represent this style of divine address: "O People! Be respectful to your Lord. The earthquake of the Hour is a mighty thing."
The Quran is often vivid in its depiction of what will happen at the end time. Watt describes the Quranic view of End Time:
"The climax of history, when the present world comes to an end, is referred to in various ways. It is 'the Day of Judgment,' 'the Last Day,' 'the Day of Resurrection,' or simply 'the Hour.' Less frequently it is 'the Day of Distinction' (when the good are separated from the evil), 'the Day of the Gathering' (of men to the presence of God) or 'the Day of the Meeting' (of men with God). The Hour comes suddenly. It is heralded by a shout, by a thunderclap, or by the blast of a trumpet. A cosmic upheaval then takes place. The mountains dissolve into dust, the seas boil up, the sun is darkened, the stars fall and the sky is rolled up. God appears as Judge, but his presence is hinted at rather than described. [...] The central interest, of course, is in the gathering of all mankind before the Judge. Human beings of all ages, restored to life, join the throng. To the scoffing objection of the unbelievers that former generations had been dead a long time and were now dust and mouldering bones, the reply is that God is nevertheless able to restore them to life."
The Quran does not assert a natural immortality of the human soul, since man's existence is dependent on the will of God: when he wills, he causes man to die; and when he wills, he raises him to life again in a bodily resurrection.[68]
PROPHETS
According to the Quran, God communicated with man and made his will known through signs and revelations. Prophets, or 'Messengers of God', received revelations and delivered them to humanity. The message has been identical and for all humankind. "Nothing is said to you that was not said to the messengers before you, that your lord has at his Command forgiveness as well as a most Grievous Penalty." The revelation does not come directly from God to the prophets. Angels acting as God's messengers deliver the divine revelation to them. This comes out in Quran 42:51, in which it is stated: "It is not for any mortal that God should speak to them, except by revelation, or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger to reveal by his permission whatsoever He will."
ETHICO-RELIGIOUS CONCEPTS
Belief is the center of the sphere of positive moral properties in the Quran. A number of scholars have tried to determine the semantic contents of the words meaning 'belief' and 'believer' in the Quran [70] The Ethico-legal concepts and exhortations dealing with righteous conduct are linked to a profound awareness of God, thereby emphasizing the importance of faith, accountability and the belief in each human's ultimate encounter with God. People are invited to perform acts of charity, especially for the needy. Believers who "spend of their wealth by night and by day, in secret and in public" are promised that they "shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve" It also affirms family life by legislating on matters of marriage, divorce and inheritance. A number of practices such as usury and gambling are prohibited. The Quran is one of the fundamental sources of the Islamic law, or sharia. Some formal religious practices receive significant attention in the Quran including the formal prayers and fasting in the month of Ramadan. As for the manner in which the prayer is to be conducted, the Quran refers to prostration. The term used for charity, Zakat, actually means purification. Charity, according to the Quran, is a means of self-purification.
LITERARY STYLE
The Quran's message is conveyed with various literary structures and devices. In the original Arabic, the suras and verses employ phonetic and thematic structures that assist the audience's efforts to recall the message of the text. Muslims[who?] assert (according to the Quran itself) that the Quranic content and style is inimitable.
The language of the Quran has been described as "rhymed prose" as it partakes of both poetry and prose, however, this description runs the risk of compromising the rhythmic quality of Quranic language, which is certainly more poetic in some parts and more prose-like in others. Rhyme, while found throughout the Quran, is conspicuous in many of the earlier Meccan suras, in which relatively short verses throw the rhyming words into prominence. The effectiveness of such a form is evident for instance in Sura 81, and there can be no doubt that these passages impressed the conscience of the hearers. Frequently a change of rhyme from one set of verses to another signals a change in the subject of discussion. Later sections also preserve this form but the style is more expository.
The Quranic text seems to have no beginning, middle, or end, its nonlinear structure being akin to a web or net. The textual arrangement is sometimes considered to have lack of continuity, absence of any chronological or thematic order and presence of repetition. Michael Sells, citing the work of the critic Norman O. Brown, acknowledges Brown's observation that the seeming disorganization of Quranic literary expression – its scattered or fragmented mode of composition in Sells's phrase – is in fact a literary device capable of delivering profound effects as if the intensity of the prophetic message were shattering the vehicle of human language in which it was being communicated. Sells also addresses the much-discussed repetitiveness of the Quran, seeing this, too, as a literary device.
A text is self-referential when it speaks about itself and makes reference to itself. According to Stefan Wild the Quran demonstrates this meta-textuality by explaining, classifying, interpreting and justifying the words to be transmitted. Self-referentiality is evident in those passages when the Quran refers to itself as revelation (tanzil), remembrance (dhikr), news (naba'), criterion (furqan) in a self-designating manner (explicitly asserting its Divinity, "And this is a blessed Remembrance that We have sent down; so are you now denying it?"), or in the frequent appearance of the 'Say' tags, when Muhammad is commanded to speak (e.g. "Say: 'God's guidance is the true guidance' ", "Say: 'Would you then dispute with us concerning God?' "). According to Wild the Quran is highly self-referential. The feature is more evident in early Meccan suras.
INTERPRETATION
The Quran has sparked a huge body of commentary and explication (tafsīr), aimed at explaining the "meanings of the Quranic verses, clarifying their import and finding out their significance".
Tafsir is one of the earliest academic activities of Muslims. According to the Quran, Muhammad was the first person who described the meanings of verses for early Muslims. Other early exegetes included a few Companions of Muhammad, like ʻAli ibn Abi Talib, ʻAbdullah ibn Abbas, ʻAbdullah ibn Umar and Ubayy ibn Kaʻb. Exegesis in those days was confined to the explanation of literary aspects of the verse, the background of its revelation and, occasionally, interpretation of one verse with the help of the other. If the verse was about a historical event, then sometimes a few traditions (hadith) of Muhammad were narrated to make its meaning clear.
Because the Quran is spoken in classical Arabic, many of the later converts to Islam (mostly non-Arabs) did not always understand the Quranic Arabic, they did not catch allusions that were clear to early Muslims fluent in Arabic and they were concerned with reconciling apparent conflict of themes in the Quran. Commentators erudite in Arabic explained the allusions, and perhaps most importantly, explained which Quranic verses had been revealed early in Muhammad's prophetic career, as being appropriate to the very earliest Muslim community, and which had been revealed later, canceling out or "abrogating" (nāsikh) the earlier text (mansūkh). Other scholars, however, maintain that no abrogation has taken place in the Quran. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has published a 10-volume Urdu commentary on the Quran, with the name Tafseer e Kabir.
ESOTERIC INTERPRETATION
Esoteric or Sufi interpretation attempts to unveil the inner meanings of the Quran. Sufism moves beyond the apparent (zahir) point of the verses and instead relates Quranic verses to the inner or esoteric (batin) and metaphysical dimensions of consciousness and existence. According to Sands, esoteric interpretations are more suggestive than declarative, they are 'allusions' (isharat) rather than explanations (tafsir). They indicate possibilities as much as they demonstrate the insights of each writer.
Sufi interpretation, according to Annabel Keeler, also exemplifies the use of the theme of love, as for instance can seen in Qushayri's interpretation of the Quran. Quran 7:143 says:
"when Moses came at the time we appointed, and his Lord spoke to him, he said, 'My Lord, show yourself to me! Let me see you!' He said, 'you shall not see me but look at that mountain, if it remains standing firm you will see me.' When his Lord revealed Himself to the mountain, He made it crumble. Moses fell down unconscious. When he recovered, he said, 'Glory be to you! I repent to you! I am the first to believe!'"
Moses, in 7:143, comes the way of those who are in love, he asks for a vision but his desire is denied, he is made to suffer by being commanded to look at other than the Beloved while the mountain is able to see God. The mountain crumbles and Moses faints at the sight of God's manifestation upon the mountain. In Qushayri's words, Moses came like thousands of men who traveled great distances, and there was nothing left to Moses of Moses. In that state of annihilation from himself, Moses was granted the unveiling of the realities. From the Sufi point of view, God is the always the beloved and the wayfarer's longing and suffering lead to realization of the truths.[90]
Muhammad Husayn Tabatabaei says that according to the popular explanation among the later exegetes, ta'wil indicates the particular meaning a verse is directed towards. The meaning of revelation (tanzil), as opposed to ta'wil, is clear in its accordance to the obvious meaning of the words as they were revealed. But this explanation has become so widespread that, at present, it has become the primary meaning of ta'wil, which originally meant "to return" or "the returning place". In Tabatabaei's view, what has been rightly called ta'wil, or hermeneutic interpretation of the Quran, is not concerned simply with the denotation of words. Rather, it is concerned with certain truths and realities that transcend the comprehension of the common run of men; yet it is from these truths and realities that the principles of doctrine and the practical injunctions of the Quran issue forth. Interpretation is not the meaning of the verse - rather it transpires through that meaning, in a special sort of transpiration. There is a spiritual reality - which is the main objective of ordaining a law, or the basic aim in describing a divine attribute - and then there is an actual significance that a Quranic story refers to.
According to Shia beliefs, those who are firmly rooted in knowledge like Muhammad and the imams know the secrets of the Quran. According to Tabatabaei, the statement "none knows its interpretation except God" remains valid, without any opposing or qualifying clause. Therefore, so far as this verse is concerned, the knowledge of the Quran's interpretation is reserved for God. But Tabatabaei uses other verses and concludes that those who are purified by God know the interpretation of the Quran to a certain extent.
According to Tabatabaei, there are acceptable and unacceptable esoteric interpretations. Acceptable ta'wil refers to the meaning of a verse beyond its literal meaning; rather the implicit meaning, which ultimately is known only to God and can't be comprehended directly through human thought alone. The verses in question here refer to the human qualities of coming, going, sitting, satisfaction, anger and sorrow, which are apparently attributed to God. Unacceptable ta'wil is where one "transfers" the apparent meaning of a verse to a different meaning by means of a proof; this method is not without obvious inconsistencies. Although this unacceptable ta'wil has gained considerable acceptance, it is incorrect and cannot be applied to the Quranic verses. The correct interpretation is that reality a verse refers to. It is found in all verses, the decisive and the ambiguous alike; it is not a sort of a meaning of the word; it is a fact that is too sublime for words. God has dressed them with words to bring them a bit nearer to our minds; in this respect they are like proverbs that are used to create a picture in the mind, and thus help the hearer to clearly grasp the intended idea.
HISTORY OF SUFI COMMENTARIES
One of the notable authors of esoteric interpretation prior to the 12th century is Sulami (d. 1021 CE) without whose work the majority of very early Sufi commentaries would not have been preserved. Sulami's major commentary is a book named haqaiq al-tafsir ("Truths of Exegesis") which is a compilation of commentaries of earlier Sufis. From the 11th century onwards several other works appear, including commentaries by Qushayri (d. 1074), Daylami (d. 1193), Shirazi (d. 1209) and Suhrawardi (d. 1234). These works include material from Sulami's books plus the author's contributions. Many works are written in Persian such as the works of Maybudi (d. 1135) kash al-asrar ("the unveiling of the secrets"). Rumi (d. 1273) wrote a vast amount of mystical poetry in his book Mathnawi. Rumi makes heavy use of the Quran in his poetry, a feature that is sometimes omitted in translations of Rumi's work. A large number of Quranic passages can be found in Mathnawi, which some consider a kind of Sufi interpretation of the Quran. Rumi's book is not exceptional for containing citations from and elaboration on the Quran, however, Rumi does mention Quran more frequently. Simnani (d. 1336) wrote two influential works of esoteric exegesis on the Quran. He reconciled notions of God's manifestation through and in the physical world with the sentiments of Sunni Islam. Comprehensive Sufi commentaries appears in the 18th century such as the work of Ismail Hakki Bursevi (d. 1725). His work ruh al-Bayan (the Spirit of Elucidation) is a voluminous exegesis. Written in Arabic, it combines the author's own ideas with those of his predecessors (notably Ibn Arabi and Ghazali), all woven together in Hafiz, a Persian poetry form.
LEVELS OF MEANING
Unlike the Salafis and Zahiri, Shias and Sufis as well as some other Muslim philosophers believe the meaning of the Quran is not restricted to the literal aspect. For them, it is an essential idea that the Quran also has inward aspects. Henry Corbin narrates a hadith that goes back to Muhammad:
"The Quran possesses an external appearance and a hidden depth, an exoteric meaning and an esoteric meaning. This esoteric meaning in turn conceals an esoteric meaning (this depth possesses a depth, after the image of the celestial Spheres, which are enclosed within each other). So it goes on for seven esoteric meanings (seven depths of hidden depth)."
According to this view, it has also become evident that the inner meaning of the Quran does not eradicate or invalidate its outward meaning. Rather, it is like the soul, which gives life to the body. Corbin considers the Quran to play a part in Islamic philosophy, because gnosiology itself goes hand in hand with prophetology.
Commentaries dealing with the zahir (outward aspects) of the text are called tafsir, and hermeneutic and esoteric commentaries dealing with the batin are called ta'wil ("interpretation" or "explanation"), which involves taking the text back to its beginning. Commentators with an esoteric slant believe that the ultimate meaning of the Quran is known only to God. In contrast, Quranic literalism, followed by Salafis and Zahiris, is the belief that the Quran should only be taken at its apparent meaning.
TRANSLATIONS
Translation of the Quran has always been a problematic and difficult issue. Many argue that the Quranic text cannot be reproduced in another language or form. Furthermore, an Arabic word may have a range of meanings depending on the context, making an accurate translation even more difficult.
Nevertheless, the Quran has been translated into most African, Asian and European languages. The first translator of the Quran was Salman the Persian, who translated surat al-Fatiha into Persian during the seventh century. Another translation of the Quran was completed in 884 CE in Alwar (Sindh, India now Pakistan) by the orders of Abdullah bin Umar bin Abdul Aziz on the request of the Hindu Raja Mehruk.
The first fully attested complete translations of the Quran were done between the 10th and 12th centuries in Persian language. The Samanid king, Mansur I (961-976), ordered a group of scholars from Khorasan to translate the Tafsir al-Tabari, originally in Arabic, into Persian. Later in the 11th century, one of the students of Abu Mansur Abdullah al-Ansari wrote a complete tafsir of the Quran in Persian. In the 12th century, Najm al-Din Abu Hafs al-Nasafi translated the Quran into Persian. The manuscripts of all three books have survived and have been published several times.
Islamic tradition also holds that translations were made for Emperor Negus of Abyssinia and Byzantine Emperor Heraclius, as both received letters by Muhammad containing verses from the Quran. In early centuries, the permissibility of translations was not an issue, but whether one could use translations in prayer.
In 1936, translations in 102 languages were known. In 2010, the Hürriyet Daily News and Economic Review reported that the Quran was presented in 112 languages at the 18th International Quran Exhibition in Tehran.
La iglesia de san Carlos Borromeo (en alemán, Karlskirche) es una iglesia barroca de Viena, situada en Kreuzherrengasse, 1, en la parte sur de Karlsplatz, al borde del primer distrito, y doscientos metros por fuera de la Ringstrasse.
Durante la fuerte epidemia de peste que azotó Viena en 1713 y que se cobró la vida de unas 8.000 personas, el emperador Carlos VI prometió que, tan pronto, como la ciudad se viera libre de esta calamidad, levantaría un templo dedicado a san Carlos Borromeo, arzobispo de Milán y héroe de la epidemia de peste de 1576. Al año siguiente de la epidemia se anunció un concurso para el proyecto de la iglesia que fue adjudicado a Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. Los fondos que permitieron sufragar la construcción de la iglesia fueron aportados forzosamente por los judíos de Viena. La iglesia es un símbolo de poder religioso y político de la dinastía imperial de los Habsburgo.
Las obras se iniciaron en 1716, y tras la muerte del arquitecto en 1723, las obras fueron continuadas, hasta su terminación en 1737, por su hijo Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach.
La iglesia constituye una obra maestra del eclecticismo barroco, en el que se combinan diferentes estilos: la fachada central representa un pórtico griego, las columnas a su lado son de inspiración barroca y sobre la entrada domina una gigantesca cúpula. Los dos pabellones laterales muestran influencias del barroco romano y decoración oriental. El edificio tiene una altura de 80 metros por unos 60 de ancho y constituye el segundo templo más amplio de la capital después de la catedral de San Esteban
En el exterior destaca el frontis en el que se incluyen las dos columnas citadas, con relieves que muestran periodos de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. Están inspiradas en la columna Trajana de Roma y su decoración espiral presenta escenas de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. El tema que se representa en la columna izquierda es la constancia y el valor en la de la derecha.
En el frontón se encuentran relieves obra de Giovanni Stanetti, que describen los sufrimientos de la ciudad durante la peste de 1713, la estatua del santo patrón corona el frontón. Las escaleras de la entrada se encuentra flanqueada por ángeles que representan el antiguo y el nuevo testamento.
El interior alberga tallas y retablos realizados por los artistas más famosos de la época como Daniel Gran y Altomonte. Destaca la cúpula en la que se pueden contemplar un fresco pintado por Johann Michael Rottmayr de Salzburgo, realizado entre 1725 y 1730, denominado "La apoteosis de san Carlos Borromeo" y que sería el último encargo que cumplió el artista. En él se representa la intercesión de Carlos Borromeo, con el apoyo de la Virgen María, y en torno a ellos las virtudes cardinales.
El altar mayor en el que participaron Alberto Camesina y Ferdinand Maxmilián Brokoff, presenta un relieve de estuco con San Carlos sobre una nube, ascendiendo a los cielos.
Los pabellones que conducen a las entradas laterales tienen decoración de influencia china.
Los frescos de las capillas laterales fueron pintados por Daniel Gran.
La iglesia está cerca de la estación Karlsplatz del Metro de Viena, por la que pasan las líneas U1, U2 y U4; también se puede llegar desde las estaciones de tranvía Gußhausstrasse (línea D) o Wien Resselgasse (líneas 1 y 62).
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iglesia_de_San_Carlos_Borromeo_(Viena)
The Rektoratskirche St. Karl Borromäus, commonly called the Karlskirche (English: St. Charles Church), is a Baroque church located on the south side of Karlsplatz in Vienna, Austria. Widely considered the most outstanding baroque church in Vienna, as well as one of the city's greatest buildings, the church is dedicated to Saint Charles Borromeo, one of the great counter-reformers of the sixteenth century.
Located on the edge of the Innere Stadt, approximately 200 meters outside the Ringstraße, the church contains a dome in the form of an elongated ellipsoid.
In 1713, one year after the last great plague epidemic, Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, pledged to build a church for his namesake patron saint, Charles Borromeo, who was revered as a healer for plague sufferers. An architectural competition was announced, in which Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach prevailed over, among others, Ferdinando Galli-Bibiena and Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt. Construction began in 1716 under the supervision of Anton Erhard Martinelli. After J.B. Fischer's death in 1723, his son, Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, completed the construction in 1737 using partially altered plans. The church originally possessed a direct line of sight to the Hofburg and was also, until 1918, the imperial patron parish church.
As a creator of historic architecture, the elder Fischer von Erlach united the most diverse of elements. The façade in the center, which leads to the porch, corresponds to a Greek temple portico. The neighboring two columns, crafted by Lorenzo Mattielli, found a model in Trajan's Column in Rome. Next to those, two tower pavilions extend out and show the influence of the Roman baroque (Bernini and Borromini). Above the entrance, a dome rises up above a high drum, which the younger J.E. Fischer shortened and partly altered.
Next to the Church was the Spitaler Gottesacker. The composer Antonio Vivaldi died in Vienna and was buried there on July 28, 1741 but his tomb has been lost over time. The church hosts regular Vivaldi concerts in his honour.
Hedwig Kiesler (age 19), later American movie actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr, married Friedrich Mandl (age 32), businessman and Austrofascist, in the tiny chapel of this elaborate church on 10 August 1933. With over 200 prominent guests attending, Kiesler wore “a black-and-white print dress” and carried “a bouquet of white orchids.”
Since Karlsplatz was restored as an ensemble in the late 1980s, the church has garnered fame because of its dome and its two flanking columns of bas-reliefs, as well as its role as an architectural counterweight to the buildings of the Musikverein and of the Vienna University of Technology. The church is cared for by a religious order, the Knights of the Cross with the Red Star, and has long been the parish church as well as the seat of the Catholic student ministry of the Vienna University of Technology.
The iconographical program of the church originated from the imperial official Carl Gustav Heraeus and connects Saint Charles Borromeo with his imperial benefactor. The relief on the pediment above the entrance with the cardinal virtues and the figure of the patron on its apex point to the motivation of the donation. This sculpture group continues onto the attic story as well. The attic is also one of the elements which the younger Fischer introduced. The columns display scenes from the life of Charles Borromeo in a spiral relief and are intended to recall the two columns, Boaz and Jachim, that stood in front of the Temple at Jerusalem. They also recall the Pillars of Hercules and act as symbols of imperial power. The entrance is flanked by angels from the Old and New Testaments.
This program continues in the interior as well, above all in the dome fresco by Johann Michael Rottmayr of Salzburg and Gaetano Fanti, which displays an intercession of Charles Borromeo, supported by the Virgin Mary. Surrounding this scene are the cardinal virtues. The frescos in a number of side chapels are attributed to Daniel Gran.
The high altarpiece portraying the ascension of the saint was conceptualized by the elder Fischer and executed by Ferdinand Maxmilian Brokoff. The altar paintings in the side chapels are by various artists, including Daniel Gran, Sebastiano Ricci, Martino Altomonte and Jakob van Schuppen. A wooden statue of St. Anthony by Josef Josephu is also on display.
As strong effect emanates from the directing of light and architectural grouping, in particular the arch openings of the main axis. The color scheme is characterized by marble with sparring and conscious use of gold leaf. The large round glass window high above the main altar with the Hebrew Tetragrammaton/Yahweh symbolizes God's omnipotence and simultaneously, through its warm yellow tone, God's love. Below is a representation of Apotheosis of Saint Charles Borromeo.
Next to the structures at Schönbrunn Palace, which maintain this form but are more fragmented, the church is Fischer's greatest work. It is also an expression of the Austrian joie de vivre stemming from the victorious end of the Turkish Wars.
The pulpit of the church was probably designed by Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, and his plans might have been executed by a French furniture maker, Claude Le Fort du Plessy in 1735 although there are no surviving documents attesting their authorship or the manufacturing of the church furniture. It is a wooden structure with rich floral, vegetal, rosette and rocaille ornaments, the finer carvings made of hard walnut, in a gold and brown colour scheme. The abat-voix forms a theatrical canopy with two putti holding a cross and a chalice with host; there is a flaming urn on the top. Around 1860 the abat-voix was enlarged. A wide rim was added distorting the original proportions, obscuring the elegant, swirling lines and creating a top-heavy effect. In 2006-2007 this rim was removed after a long debate and the pulpit was restored. The missing carvings of the canopy decorations were reconstructed and the original appearance of the structure was re-established.
Interference of the State, the belief in the omnipotence of the State: that is a reaction to market failures. There is a temptation to expand direct interference of state in economy. In the Soviet Union that became an absolute. We paid a very dear price for that. -- Vladimir Putin 2009 [Source: The Times]
La iglesia de san Carlos Borromeo (en alemán, Karlskirche) es una iglesia barroca de Viena, situada en Kreuzherrengasse, 1, en la parte sur de Karlsplatz, al borde del primer distrito, y doscientos metros por fuera de la Ringstrasse.
Durante la fuerte epidemia de peste que azotó Viena en 1713 y que se cobró la vida de unas 8.000 personas, el emperador Carlos VI prometió que, tan pronto, como la ciudad se viera libre de esta calamidad, levantaría un templo dedicado a san Carlos Borromeo, arzobispo de Milán y héroe de la epidemia de peste de 1576. Al año siguiente de la epidemia se anunció un concurso para el proyecto de la iglesia que fue adjudicado a Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. Los fondos que permitieron sufragar la construcción de la iglesia fueron aportados forzosamente por los judíos de Viena. La iglesia es un símbolo de poder religioso y político de la dinastía imperial de los Habsburgo.
Las obras se iniciaron en 1716, y tras la muerte del arquitecto en 1723, las obras fueron continuadas, hasta su terminación en 1737, por su hijo Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach.
La iglesia constituye una obra maestra del eclecticismo barroco, en el que se combinan diferentes estilos: la fachada central representa un pórtico griego, las columnas a su lado son de inspiración barroca y sobre la entrada domina una gigantesca cúpula. Los dos pabellones laterales muestran influencias del barroco romano y decoración oriental. El edificio tiene una altura de 80 metros por unos 60 de ancho y constituye el segundo templo más amplio de la capital después de la catedral de San Esteban
En el exterior destaca el frontis en el que se incluyen las dos columnas citadas, con relieves que muestran periodos de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. Están inspiradas en la columna Trajana de Roma y su decoración espiral presenta escenas de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. El tema que se representa en la columna izquierda es la constancia y el valor en la de la derecha.
En el frontón se encuentran relieves obra de Giovanni Stanetti, que describen los sufrimientos de la ciudad durante la peste de 1713, la estatua del santo patrón corona el frontón. Las escaleras de la entrada se encuentra flanqueada por ángeles que representan el antiguo y el nuevo testamento.
El interior alberga tallas y retablos realizados por los artistas más famosos de la época como Daniel Gran y Altomonte. Destaca la cúpula en la que se pueden contemplar un fresco pintado por Johann Michael Rottmayr de Salzburgo, realizado entre 1725 y 1730, denominado "La apoteosis de san Carlos Borromeo" y que sería el último encargo que cumplió el artista. En él se representa la intercesión de Carlos Borromeo, con el apoyo de la Virgen María, y en torno a ellos las virtudes cardinales.
El altar mayor en el que participaron Alberto Camesina y Ferdinand Maxmilián Brokoff, presenta un relieve de estuco con San Carlos sobre una nube, ascendiendo a los cielos.
Los pabellones que conducen a las entradas laterales tienen decoración de influencia china.
Los frescos de las capillas laterales fueron pintados por Daniel Gran.
La iglesia está cerca de la estación Karlsplatz del Metro de Viena, por la que pasan las líneas U1, U2 y U4; también se puede llegar desde las estaciones de tranvía Gußhausstrasse (línea D) o Wien Resselgasse (líneas 1 y 62).
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iglesia_de_San_Carlos_Borromeo_(Viena)
The Rektoratskirche St. Karl Borromäus, commonly called the Karlskirche (English: St. Charles Church), is a Baroque church located on the south side of Karlsplatz in Vienna, Austria. Widely considered the most outstanding baroque church in Vienna, as well as one of the city's greatest buildings, the church is dedicated to Saint Charles Borromeo, one of the great counter-reformers of the sixteenth century.
Located on the edge of the Innere Stadt, approximately 200 meters outside the Ringstraße, the church contains a dome in the form of an elongated ellipsoid.
In 1713, one year after the last great plague epidemic, Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, pledged to build a church for his namesake patron saint, Charles Borromeo, who was revered as a healer for plague sufferers. An architectural competition was announced, in which Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach prevailed over, among others, Ferdinando Galli-Bibiena and Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt. Construction began in 1716 under the supervision of Anton Erhard Martinelli. After J.B. Fischer's death in 1723, his son, Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, completed the construction in 1737 using partially altered plans. The church originally possessed a direct line of sight to the Hofburg and was also, until 1918, the imperial patron parish church.
As a creator of historic architecture, the elder Fischer von Erlach united the most diverse of elements. The façade in the center, which leads to the porch, corresponds to a Greek temple portico. The neighboring two columns, crafted by Lorenzo Mattielli, found a model in Trajan's Column in Rome. Next to those, two tower pavilions extend out and show the influence of the Roman baroque (Bernini and Borromini). Above the entrance, a dome rises up above a high drum, which the younger J.E. Fischer shortened and partly altered.
Next to the Church was the Spitaler Gottesacker. The composer Antonio Vivaldi died in Vienna and was buried there on July 28, 1741 but his tomb has been lost over time. The church hosts regular Vivaldi concerts in his honour.
Hedwig Kiesler (age 19), later American movie actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr, married Friedrich Mandl (age 32), businessman and Austrofascist, in the tiny chapel of this elaborate church on 10 August 1933. With over 200 prominent guests attending, Kiesler wore “a black-and-white print dress” and carried “a bouquet of white orchids.”
Since Karlsplatz was restored as an ensemble in the late 1980s, the church has garnered fame because of its dome and its two flanking columns of bas-reliefs, as well as its role as an architectural counterweight to the buildings of the Musikverein and of the Vienna University of Technology. The church is cared for by a religious order, the Knights of the Cross with the Red Star, and has long been the parish church as well as the seat of the Catholic student ministry of the Vienna University of Technology.
The iconographical program of the church originated from the imperial official Carl Gustav Heraeus and connects Saint Charles Borromeo with his imperial benefactor. The relief on the pediment above the entrance with the cardinal virtues and the figure of the patron on its apex point to the motivation of the donation. This sculpture group continues onto the attic story as well. The attic is also one of the elements which the younger Fischer introduced. The columns display scenes from the life of Charles Borromeo in a spiral relief and are intended to recall the two columns, Boaz and Jachim, that stood in front of the Temple at Jerusalem. They also recall the Pillars of Hercules and act as symbols of imperial power. The entrance is flanked by angels from the Old and New Testaments.
This program continues in the interior as well, above all in the dome fresco by Johann Michael Rottmayr of Salzburg and Gaetano Fanti, which displays an intercession of Charles Borromeo, supported by the Virgin Mary. Surrounding this scene are the cardinal virtues. The frescos in a number of side chapels are attributed to Daniel Gran.
The high altarpiece portraying the ascension of the saint was conceptualized by the elder Fischer and executed by Ferdinand Maxmilian Brokoff. The altar paintings in the side chapels are by various artists, including Daniel Gran, Sebastiano Ricci, Martino Altomonte and Jakob van Schuppen. A wooden statue of St. Anthony by Josef Josephu is also on display.
As strong effect emanates from the directing of light and architectural grouping, in particular the arch openings of the main axis. The color scheme is characterized by marble with sparring and conscious use of gold leaf. The large round glass window high above the main altar with the Hebrew Tetragrammaton/Yahweh symbolizes God's omnipotence and simultaneously, through its warm yellow tone, God's love. Below is a representation of Apotheosis of Saint Charles Borromeo.
Next to the structures at Schönbrunn Palace, which maintain this form but are more fragmented, the church is Fischer's greatest work. It is also an expression of the Austrian joie de vivre stemming from the victorious end of the Turkish Wars.
The pulpit of the church was probably designed by Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, and his plans might have been executed by a French furniture maker, Claude Le Fort du Plessy in 1735 although there are no surviving documents attesting their authorship or the manufacturing of the church furniture. It is a wooden structure with rich floral, vegetal, rosette and rocaille ornaments, the finer carvings made of hard walnut, in a gold and brown colour scheme. The abat-voix forms a theatrical canopy with two putti holding a cross and a chalice with host; there is a flaming urn on the top. Around 1860 the abat-voix was enlarged. A wide rim was added distorting the original proportions, obscuring the elegant, swirling lines and creating a top-heavy effect. In 2006-2007 this rim was removed after a long debate and the pulpit was restored. The missing carvings of the canopy decorations were reconstructed and the original appearance of the structure was re-established.
La iglesia de san Carlos Borromeo (en alemán, Karlskirche) es una iglesia barroca de Viena, situada en Kreuzherrengasse, 1, en la parte sur de Karlsplatz, al borde del primer distrito, y doscientos metros por fuera de la Ringstrasse.
Durante la fuerte epidemia de peste que azotó Viena en 1713 y que se cobró la vida de unas 8.000 personas, el emperador Carlos VI prometió que, tan pronto, como la ciudad se viera libre de esta calamidad, levantaría un templo dedicado a san Carlos Borromeo, arzobispo de Milán y héroe de la epidemia de peste de 1576. Al año siguiente de la epidemia se anunció un concurso para el proyecto de la iglesia que fue adjudicado a Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. Los fondos que permitieron sufragar la construcción de la iglesia fueron aportados forzosamente por los judíos de Viena. La iglesia es un símbolo de poder religioso y político de la dinastía imperial de los Habsburgo.
Las obras se iniciaron en 1716, y tras la muerte del arquitecto en 1723, las obras fueron continuadas, hasta su terminación en 1737, por su hijo Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach.
La iglesia constituye una obra maestra del eclecticismo barroco, en el que se combinan diferentes estilos: la fachada central representa un pórtico griego, las columnas a su lado son de inspiración barroca y sobre la entrada domina una gigantesca cúpula. Los dos pabellones laterales muestran influencias del barroco romano y decoración oriental. El edificio tiene una altura de 80 metros por unos 60 de ancho y constituye el segundo templo más amplio de la capital después de la catedral de San Esteban
En el exterior destaca el frontis en el que se incluyen las dos columnas citadas, con relieves que muestran periodos de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. Están inspiradas en la columna Trajana de Roma y su decoración espiral presenta escenas de la vida de San Carlos Borromeo. El tema que se representa en la columna izquierda es la constancia y el valor en la de la derecha.
En el frontón se encuentran relieves obra de Giovanni Stanetti, que describen los sufrimientos de la ciudad durante la peste de 1713, la estatua del santo patrón corona el frontón. Las escaleras de la entrada se encuentra flanqueada por ángeles que representan el antiguo y el nuevo testamento.
El interior alberga tallas y retablos realizados por los artistas más famosos de la época como Daniel Gran y Altomonte. Destaca la cúpula en la que se pueden contemplar un fresco pintado por Johann Michael Rottmayr de Salzburgo, realizado entre 1725 y 1730, denominado "La apoteosis de san Carlos Borromeo" y que sería el último encargo que cumplió el artista. En él se representa la intercesión de Carlos Borromeo, con el apoyo de la Virgen María, y en torno a ellos las virtudes cardinales.
El altar mayor en el que participaron Alberto Camesina y Ferdinand Maxmilián Brokoff, presenta un relieve de estuco con San Carlos sobre una nube, ascendiendo a los cielos.
Los pabellones que conducen a las entradas laterales tienen decoración de influencia china.
Los frescos de las capillas laterales fueron pintados por Daniel Gran.
La iglesia está cerca de la estación Karlsplatz del Metro de Viena, por la que pasan las líneas U1, U2 y U4; también se puede llegar desde las estaciones de tranvía Gußhausstrasse (línea D) o Wien Resselgasse (líneas 1 y 62).
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iglesia_de_San_Carlos_Borromeo_(Viena)
The Rektoratskirche St. Karl Borromäus, commonly called the Karlskirche (English: St. Charles Church), is a Baroque church located on the south side of Karlsplatz in Vienna, Austria. Widely considered the most outstanding baroque church in Vienna, as well as one of the city's greatest buildings, the church is dedicated to Saint Charles Borromeo, one of the great counter-reformers of the sixteenth century.
Located on the edge of the Innere Stadt, approximately 200 meters outside the Ringstraße, the church contains a dome in the form of an elongated ellipsoid.
In 1713, one year after the last great plague epidemic, Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, pledged to build a church for his namesake patron saint, Charles Borromeo, who was revered as a healer for plague sufferers. An architectural competition was announced, in which Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach prevailed over, among others, Ferdinando Galli-Bibiena and Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt. Construction began in 1716 under the supervision of Anton Erhard Martinelli. After J.B. Fischer's death in 1723, his son, Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, completed the construction in 1737 using partially altered plans. The church originally possessed a direct line of sight to the Hofburg and was also, until 1918, the imperial patron parish church.
As a creator of historic architecture, the elder Fischer von Erlach united the most diverse of elements. The façade in the center, which leads to the porch, corresponds to a Greek temple portico. The neighboring two columns, crafted by Lorenzo Mattielli, found a model in Trajan's Column in Rome. Next to those, two tower pavilions extend out and show the influence of the Roman baroque (Bernini and Borromini). Above the entrance, a dome rises up above a high drum, which the younger J.E. Fischer shortened and partly altered.
Next to the Church was the Spitaler Gottesacker. The composer Antonio Vivaldi died in Vienna and was buried there on July 28, 1741 but his tomb has been lost over time. The church hosts regular Vivaldi concerts in his honour.
Hedwig Kiesler (age 19), later American movie actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr, married Friedrich Mandl (age 32), businessman and Austrofascist, in the tiny chapel of this elaborate church on 10 August 1933. With over 200 prominent guests attending, Kiesler wore “a black-and-white print dress” and carried “a bouquet of white orchids.”
Since Karlsplatz was restored as an ensemble in the late 1980s, the church has garnered fame because of its dome and its two flanking columns of bas-reliefs, as well as its role as an architectural counterweight to the buildings of the Musikverein and of the Vienna University of Technology. The church is cared for by a religious order, the Knights of the Cross with the Red Star, and has long been the parish church as well as the seat of the Catholic student ministry of the Vienna University of Technology.
The iconographical program of the church originated from the imperial official Carl Gustav Heraeus and connects Saint Charles Borromeo with his imperial benefactor. The relief on the pediment above the entrance with the cardinal virtues and the figure of the patron on its apex point to the motivation of the donation. This sculpture group continues onto the attic story as well. The attic is also one of the elements which the younger Fischer introduced. The columns display scenes from the life of Charles Borromeo in a spiral relief and are intended to recall the two columns, Boaz and Jachim, that stood in front of the Temple at Jerusalem. They also recall the Pillars of Hercules and act as symbols of imperial power. The entrance is flanked by angels from the Old and New Testaments.
This program continues in the interior as well, above all in the dome fresco by Johann Michael Rottmayr of Salzburg and Gaetano Fanti, which displays an intercession of Charles Borromeo, supported by the Virgin Mary. Surrounding this scene are the cardinal virtues. The frescos in a number of side chapels are attributed to Daniel Gran.
The high altarpiece portraying the ascension of the saint was conceptualized by the elder Fischer and executed by Ferdinand Maxmilian Brokoff. The altar paintings in the side chapels are by various artists, including Daniel Gran, Sebastiano Ricci, Martino Altomonte and Jakob van Schuppen. A wooden statue of St. Anthony by Josef Josephu is also on display.
As strong effect emanates from the directing of light and architectural grouping, in particular the arch openings of the main axis. The color scheme is characterized by marble with sparring and conscious use of gold leaf. The large round glass window high above the main altar with the Hebrew Tetragrammaton/Yahweh symbolizes God's omnipotence and simultaneously, through its warm yellow tone, God's love. Below is a representation of Apotheosis of Saint Charles Borromeo.
Next to the structures at Schönbrunn Palace, which maintain this form but are more fragmented, the church is Fischer's greatest work. It is also an expression of the Austrian joie de vivre stemming from the victorious end of the Turkish Wars.
The pulpit of the church was probably designed by Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, and his plans might have been executed by a French furniture maker, Claude Le Fort du Plessy in 1735 although there are no surviving documents attesting their authorship or the manufacturing of the church furniture. It is a wooden structure with rich floral, vegetal, rosette and rocaille ornaments, the finer carvings made of hard walnut, in a gold and brown colour scheme. The abat-voix forms a theatrical canopy with two putti holding a cross and a chalice with host; there is a flaming urn on the top. Around 1860 the abat-voix was enlarged. A wide rim was added distorting the original proportions, obscuring the elegant, swirling lines and creating a top-heavy effect. In 2006-2007 this rim was removed after a long debate and the pulpit was restored. The missing carvings of the canopy decorations were reconstructed and the original appearance of the structure was re-established.
The narcissistic manager will have two main sources of narcissistic supply: inanimate (status symbols like cars, gadgets or office views); and animate (flattery and attention from colleagues and subordinates).,Teammates may find everyday offers of support swiftly turn them into enabling sources of permanent supply, unless they are very careful to maintain proper boundaries.[The narcissistic manager's need to protect such supply networks will prevent objective decision-making.. Such a manager will evaluate long-term strategies according to their potential for gaining personal attention. "the will," in echoism. In contrast to the feeling of perfection.This is the place for two remarks. First, how do we differentiate between the concepts of narcissism and egoism? Well, narcissism, I believe, is the libidinal complement to egoism. When we speak of egoism, we have in view only the individual's advantage; when we talk of narcissism we are also taking his libidinal satisfaction into account. As practical motives the two can be traced separately for quite a distance. It is possible to be absolutely egoistic and yet maintain powerful object-cathexes, in so far as libidinal satisfaction in relation to the object forms part of the ego's needs. In that case, egoism will see to it that striving for the object involves no damage to the ego. It is possible to be egoistic and at the same time to be excessively narcissistic—that is to say, to have very little need for an object, whether, once more, for the purpose of direct sexual satisfaction, or in connection with the higher aspirations, derived from sexual need, which we are occasionally in the habit of contrasting with ‘sensuality’ under the name of ‘love’. In all these connections egoism is what is self-evident and constant, while narcissism is the variable element. The opposite to egoism, altruism, does not, as a concept, coincide with libidinal object-cathexis, but is distinguished from it by the absence of longings for sexual satisfaction. When someone is completely in love, however, altruism converges with libidinal object-cathexis. As a rule the sexual object attracts a portion of the ego's narcissism to itself, and this becomes noticeable as what is known as the ‘sexual overvaluation’ of the object. If in addition there is an altruistic transposition of egoism on to the sexual object, the object becomes supremely powerful; it has, as it were, absorbed the ego." (Freud, Introductory Lectures (1919), pp. 417–18).Narcissism is the pursuit of gratification from vanity or egotistic admiration of one's own attributes. The term originated from Greek mythology, where the young Narcissus fell in love with his own image reflected in a pool of water. Narcissism is a concept in psychoanalytic theory, which was popularly introduced in Sigmund Freud's essay On Narcissism (1914). The American Psychiatric Association has had the classification narcissistic personality disorder in its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) since 1968, drawing on the historical concept of megalomania.Narcissism is also considered a social or cultural problem. It is a factor in trait theory used in various self-report inventories of personality[ such as the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory. It is one of the three dark triadic personality traits (the others being psychopathy and Machiavellianism). Except in the sense of primary narcissism or healthy self-love, narcissism is usually considered a problem in a person's or group's relationships with self and others. Narcissism is not the same as egocentrism.Narcissistic personality disorder affects an estimated 1% of the general population. Although most individuals have some narcissistic traits, high levels of narcissism can manifest themselves in a pathological form as narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), whereby the patient overestimates his or her abilities and has an excessive need for admiration and affirmation. A revision of NPD took place in the DSM-5. In this revision, NPD saw dramatic changes to its definition. The general move towards a dimensional (personality trait-based) view of the Personality Disorders has been maintained. Some narcissists may have a limited or minimal capability to experience emotions.Healthy narcissism might exist in all individuals. Freud said that this is an original state from which the individual develops the love object.[qualify evidence] He argued that healthy narcissism is an essential part of normal development.According to Freud, the love of the parents for their child and their attitude toward their child could be seen as a revival and reproduction of their own narcissism. The child has an omnipotence of thought; the parents stimulate that feeling because in their child they see the things that they have never reached themselves. Compared to neutral observers, parents tend to overvalue the qualities of their child. When parents act in an extreme opposite style and the child is rejected or inconsistently reinforced depending on the mood of the parent, the self-needs of the child are not met.[citation needed] Freud contrasts the natural development of active-egoistic and passive-altruistic tendencies in the individual with narcissism, in the former, and what Trevor Pederson[ refers to as echoism, in the latter.Healthy narcissism has to do with a strong feeling of "own love" protecting the human being against illness. Eventually, however, the individual must love the other, "the object love to not become ill." The individual becomes ill as a result of the frustration created when he is unable to love the object. In pathological narcissism such as the narcissistic personality disorder, the person’s libido has been withdrawn from objects in the world and produces megalomania. The clinical theorists Kernberg, Kohut and Millon all see pathological narcissism as a possible outcome in response to unempathic and inconsistent early childhood interactions. They suggested that narcissists try to compensate in adult relationships.The pathological condition of narcissism is, as Freud suggested, a magnified, extreme manifestation of healthy narcissism.In developmental terms, two rather different trajectories can be distinguished with respect to egotism – the one individual, the other cultural.
With respect to the developing individual, a movement takes place from egocentricity to sociality during the process of growing up.[8] It is normal for an infant to have an inflated – almost a majestic – sense of egotism. The over-evaluation of one's own ego regularly appears in childish forms of love – in large part because the baby is to himself everything, omnipotent to the best of their own knowledge.[Optimal development allows a gradual reconciliation to a more realistic view of one's own place in the world – a lessening of the egotistical swollen head.[12] Less adequate adjustment may later lead to what has been called defensive egotism, serving to overcompensate for the fragility of the underlying concept of self..Robin Skynner however considered that in the main growing up leads to a state where "your ego is still there, but it's taking its proper limited place among all the other egos".However, alongside such a positive trajectory of diminishing individual egotism, a rather different arc of development can be noted in cultural terms, linked to what has been seen as the increasing infantilism of (post)modern society..Whereas in the nineteenth century egotism was still widely regarded as a traditional vice – for Nathaniel Hawthorne egotism was a sort of diseased self-contemplation – Romanticism had already set in motion a countervailing current, what Richard Eldridge described as a kind of "cultural egotism, substituting the individual imagination for vanishing social tradition". The romantic idea of the self-creating individual – of a self-authorizing, artistic egotism[18] – then took on broader social dimensions in the following century. Keats might still attack Wordsworth for the regressive nature of his retreat into the egotistical sublime;[19] but by the close of the twentieth century egotism had been naturalized much more widely by the Me generation into the Culture of Narcissism.In the 21st century, romantic egotism has been seen as feeding into techno-capitalism in two complementary ways: on the one hand, through the self-centred consumer, focused on their own self-fashioning through brand 'identity'; on the other through the equally egotistical voices of 'authentic' protest, as they rage against the machine, only to produce new commodity forms that serve to fuel the system for further consumption.With regard to the condition of healthy narcissism, it is suggested that this is correlated with good psychological health. Self-esteem works as a mediator between narcissism and psychological health. Therefore, because of their elevated self-esteem, deriving from self-perceptions of competence and likability, high narcissists are relatively free of worry and gloom.Other researchers suggested that healthy narcissism cannot be seen as ‘good’ or ‘bad’; however, it depends on the contexts and outcomes being measured. In certain social contexts such as initiating social relationships, and with certain outcome variables, such as feeling good about oneself, healthy narcissism can be helpful. In other contexts, such as maintaining long-term relationships and with other outcome variables, such as accurate self-knowledge, healthy narcissism can be unhelpful.People with narcissistic personality disorder are characterized by their persistent grandiosity, excessive need for admiration, and a disdain and lack of empathy for others. These individuals often display arrogance, a sense of superiority, and power-seeking behaviors.Narcissistic personality disorder is different from having a strong sense of self-confidence; people with NPD typically value themselves over others to the extent that they disregard the feelings and wishes of others and expect to be treated as superior regardless of their actual status or achievements.In addition, people with NPD may exhibit fragile egos, an inability to tolerate criticism, and a tendency to belittle others in an attempt to validate their own superiority.People with NPD tend to exaggerate their skills and accomplishments as well as their level of intimacy with people they consider to be high-status. Their sense of superiority may cause them to monopolize conversations and to become impatient or disdainful when others talk about themselves. In the course of a conversation, they may purposefully or unknowingly disparage or devalue the other person by overemphasizing their own success. When they are aware that their statements have hurt someone else, they tend to react with contempt and to view it as a sign of weakness.[7] When their own ego is wounded by a real or perceived criticism, their anger can be disproportionate to the situation,but typically, their actions and responses are deliberate and calculated.Despite occasional flare-ups of insecurity, their self-image is primarily stable (i.e., overinflated).To the extent that people are pathologically narcissistic, they can be controlling, blaming, self-absorbed, intolerant of others' views, unaware of others' needs, the effects of their behavior on others, and insist that others see them as they wish to be seen.Narcissistic individuals use various strategies to protect the self at the expense of others. They tend to devalue, derogate, insult, blame others and they often respond to threatening feedback with anger and hostility.Since the fragile ego of individuals with NPD is hypersensitive to perceived criticism or defeat, they are prone to feelings of shame, humiliation and worthlessness over minor or even imagined incidents. They usually mask these feelings from others with feigned humility, isolating socially or they may react with outbursts of rage, defiance, or by seeking revenge. The merging of the "inflated self-concept" and the "actual self" is seen in the inherent grandiosity of narcissistic personality disorder. Also inherent in this process are the defense mechanisms of denial, idealization and devaluation..According to the DSM-5, "Many highly successful individuals display personality traits that might be considered narcissistic. Only when these traits are inflexible, maladaptive, and persisting and cause significant functional impairment or subjective distress do they constitute narcissistic personality disorder."Although overconfidence tends to make individuals with NPD ambitious, it does not necessarily lead to success and high achievement professionally. These individuals may be unwilling to compete or may refuse to take any risks in order to avoid appearing like a failure. In addition, their inability to tolerate setbacks, disagreements or criticism, along with lack of empathy, make it difficult for such individuals to work cooperatively with others or to maintain long-term professional relationships with superiors and colleagues.There is evidence that narcissistic personality disorder is heritable, and individuals are much more likely to develop NPD if they have a family history of the disorder.[Studies on the occurrence of personality disorders in twins determined that there is a moderate to high heritability for narcissistic personality disorder. However the specific genes and gene interactions that contribute to its cause, and how they may influence the developmental and physiological processes underlying this condition, have yet to be determined.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissism
Crème de la société, une pommade pour les malades de selfies, ça pique les yeux, ou bien c'est jeter la poudre aux yeux, pour si peu, un sois même qui s'auto-aime sans gène pour ceux qui n'ont rien d'autre que leurs yeux qui piquent de honte et de larmesC'est beau comme on s'aime devant,
c'est beaucoup qu'on sème derrière
Chanson de gestes pour l'amour physique de son apparence, c'est un tube de l'été🌞, il est serré, yeux ....contre Dieu. Le profane se passe de la pommade, jaillissante comme le génie de la lampe 💡d'Aladdin. C'est la crème 🙈de la société, elle est fabriquée 🙊avec de la poudre aux yeux 🙉pour rouler les mécaniques d'une pieuvre, elle nous enlace si bien avec ses petites ventouses, tout ce vent pour séduire sur la plage des apparences trompeuses! 🗿C'est le signe des Têtes inexistantes🎢 et du corps en évolution constante ⛱
8 sided Star in Window: (washed out in this shot, but there)
The Signet of Melchizedic, King of Righteousness and Priest of the most High God. King of Shalaam, which is King of Peace. The Octalpha or 8 fold endless, Triangle, which being a Geometric figure composed of lines continually reproduced to infinity, by Right Angles, Horizontals, Perpendiculars and Diagonals was Hailed by our Ancient Brethren among all Nations, as a Symbol of Divine Omnipotence, Omniscience and Omnipresence; Universal, Infinite and Eternal.
New International Version (©1984)
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
New Living Translation (©2007)
And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.
English Standard Version (©2001)
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
New American Standard Bible (©1995)
"Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. I will remove your stubborn hearts and give you obedient hearts.
King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.
American King James Version
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
American Standard Version
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I will give you a new heart, and put a new spirit within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and will give you a heart of flesh.
Darby Bible Translation
And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.
English Revised Version
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you art heart of flesh.
Webster's Bible Translation
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.
World English Bible
I will also give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.
Young's Literal Translation
And I have given to you a new heart, And a new spirit I give in your midst, And I have turned aside the heart of stone out of your flesh, And I have given to you a heart of flesh.
Clarke's Commentary on the Bible
A new heart also will I give you - I will change the whole of your infected nature; and give you new appetites, new passions; or, at least, the old ones purified and refined. The heart is generally understood to mean all the affections and passions.
And a new spirit will I put within you - I will renew your minds, also enlighten your understanding, correct your judgment, and refine your will, so that you shall have a new spirit to actuate your new heart.
I will take away the stony heart - That heart that is hard, impenetrable, and cold; the affections and passions that are unyielding, frozen to good, unaffected by heavenly things; that are slow to credit the words of God. I will entirely remove this heart: it is the opposite to that which I have promised you; and you cannot have the new heart and the old heart at the same time.
And I will give you a heart of flesh - One that can feel, and that can enjoy; that can feel love to God and to all men, and be a proper habitation for the living God.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you,.... A "new heart" and a "new spirit" are one and the same; that is, a renewed one; renewed by the Spirit and grace of God; in which a new principle of life is put; new light is infused; a new will, filled with new purposes and resolutions; where new affections are placed, and new desires are formed; and where there are new delights and joys, as well as new sorrows and troubles; the same which in the New Testament is called the "new man", and the new creature, Ephesians 4:24. The Targum paraphrases it,
"a heart fearing, and a spirit fearing;''
where the true fear of God is, a truly gracious heart; and which is purely the gift of God, and is the fruit of his rich grace, abundant mercy, and great love:
and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh; the Targum is,
"and I will break the heart of the wicked, which is hard as a stone;''
this is a heart hardened by sin, and confirmed in it; destitute of spiritual life and motion; senseless and stupid, stubborn and inflexible; on which no impressions are made; and which remains hard and impenitent: now this is in "the flesh", in corrupt nature; and this hardness of heart is natural to men; and all who have it are after the flesh, or are carnal; and it requires omnipotence to remove it; it cannot be taken out by men of themselves: nor by ministers of the word; nor by the bare mercies and judgments of God; but by the powerful and efficacious grace of God; giving repentance unto life; working faith in the soul, to look to a crucified Christ; and shedding abroad the love of God in the heart, which softens and melts it; all which is done by the Spirit, and frequently by means of the word. This is interpreted, in the Talmud (n), of the evil imagination, or corruption of nature; and is one of the names of it, a stone; and it refers, it is said (o), to the time or world to come, the days of the Messiah:
and I will give you an heart of flesh; a heart sensible of sin and danger; a penitent one, soft and tender, through the love and fear of God; a spiritual and sanctified heart; submissive to the will of God; flexible and obsequious to the commands of Christ; on which impressions are made by the grace of God; where the laws of God are written, the Gospel of Christ is put; where Christ himself is formed; where are the fear of God, faith, hope, and love, and every other grace.
Never fear dying, beloved.
Dying is the last, but the least matter that
a Christian has to be anxious about.
Fear living-- that is a hard battle to fight; a stern discipline
to endure; a rough voyage to undergo. You may well
invoke God's omnipotence to aid you in 'living'.
But to die--
that is to end the strife,
to finish your course,
to enter the calm heaven.
Your Captain, your Leader, your Pilot is with you.
One moment, and it is over--
"A gentle wafting to immortal life."
It is the lingering pulse of life that makes our pains
and groans- Death ends them all.
What a light, oh! what a transparent light it must be
when the spirit immediately passes through the veil
into the glory-land!
In vain the imagination strives to paint
the vision of angels and of disembodied spirits, and,
above all, the brightness of the glory of Christ the
Lamb in the midst of the throne!
Oh! the joy of that first bowing before the Mercy-seat!
Oh! the rapture of that first casting the crown
at his feet who loved us and redeemed us!
Oh! the transport of that first folding in Immanuel's bosom,
and that first kiss with the kisses of his mouth, face to
face!
Do you not long for it?
May you not say--
"Drop rapidly, you sands of time!
Fly round, you axles of the running years,
and let his chariot come;
or let my soul soon pass,
and leave her mortal frame behind,
to be for ever with the Lord!"
Spurgeon, "Light at Evening Time"
There Are Wells Of Refreshing Water
"He was sore athirst, and called on the Lord, and said, thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst?" [Judges 15:18]
Samson was thirsty and ready to die. The difficulty was totally different from any which the hero had met before. Merely to get thirst assuaged is nothing like so great a matter as to be delivered from a thousand Philistines! but when the thirst was upon him, Samson felt that little present difficulty more weighty than the great past difficulty out of which he had so specially been delivered. It is very usual for God’s people, when they have enjoyed a great deliverance, to find a little trouble too much for them. Samson slays a thousand Philistines, and piles them up in heaps, and then faints for a little water! Jacob wrestles with God at Peniel [Genesis 32:24-25], and overcomes Omnipotence itself, and then goes “halting on his thigh !” Strange that there must be a shrinking of the sinew whenever we win the day. As if the Lord must teach us our littleness, our nothingness, in order to keep us within bounds. Samson boasted right loudly when he said, “I have slain a thousand men [v16].” His boastful throat soon grew hoarse with thirst, and he betook himself to prayer. God has many ways of humbling his people. Dear child of God, if after great mercy you are laid very low, your case is not an unusual one. When David had mounted the throne of Israel, he said, “I am this day weak, though anointed king [2 Samuel 3-39].” You must expect to feel weakest when you are enjoying your greatest triumph. If God has wrought for you great deliverances in the past, your present difficulty is only like Samson’s thirst, and the Lord will not let you faint, nor suffer the daughter of the uncircumcised to triumph over you. The road of sorrow is the road to heaven, but there are wells of refreshing water all along the route. So, tried brother, cheer your heart with Samson’s words, and rest assured that God will deliver you ere long. Hallelujah God bless
This is a submission for the truly disturbing and entertaining group entitled "Cut Me, Wicked Servant" that was started by jj look. Basically, it's a showcase of signs from local restaurants and hole-in-the-wall food vendors where the delicacy of choice is featured participating in it's own destruction.....the pig eating a bbq sandwich, or a chicken gnawing happily on the leg of it's brethren, etc. You've all seen them around, I am sure. Now there's a place for photos of those unique, cannibalistic advertisements here on flickr.
This shot is one I consider a classic. Yocco's - "The Hot Dog King" is a small establishment near Upper Macungie Park in Pennsylvania where my father's side of the family has their annual reunion picnic. Every year I pass the billboard featuring the thick-eyebrowed king of weiners, resplendent in his golden crown, smiling eagerly at us humans, while he holds the steaming body of one of his subjects impaled on a fork. I am especially taken by the cartoon lines around him that suggest power and glory and delicious omnipotence.
I actually never stopped in to eat there myself, as I felt I'd be contributing to some weird pork-related genocide.
Join up if you have an appropriate pic to share.
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Open your eyes to something new today ::: Taurus655 :::
Possible representation of Gilgamesh as Master of Animals, grasping a lion in his left arm and snake in his right hand, in an Assyrian palace relief (713–706 BC), from Dur-Sharrukin, now held in the Louvre
The figures in Assyrian art were generally shown in profile, so this frontal depiction is unusual: this male figure over 5 meters, (16.5 feet) in height, effortlessly choking a furious lion, is a symbol of the king’s omnipotence. The hero has sometimes been identified with Gilgamesh, king of Uruk, whose legendary exploits are recounted in the oldest known texts and were popular throughout the ancient Middle East.
The epic is regarded as a foundational work in religion and the tradition of heroic sagas, with Gilgamesh forming the prototype for later heroes like Heracles (Hercules) and the epic itself serving as an influence for Homeric epics. It has been translated into many languages and is featured in several works of popular fiction.