Why is Jesus of Nazareth the most painted man of all time?
A journey through depictions of Christ in art... 🧵
In Christianity's infancy, depictions of Jesus were scarce. Like other religions, early Christians were hesitant to be accused of idolatry.
Only once the Incarnation doctrine took hold, acknowledging that God had himself taken on finite, human form, did depictions flourish.
Early icons like the Christ Pantocrator (right hand raised, Bible in the left) established his now-conventional appearance over time - bearded and long-haired.
One famous Byzantine example has lived in a small monastery on Mount Sinai since the 6th century:
Reminder that The Lord of the Rings is a Christian story.
Tolkien was forthcoming on this: “The Lord of the Rings is of course a fundamentally religious and Catholic work.”
These are some of its (many) theological themes... 🧵
1. The One Ring was destroyed on March 25th
This is the traditional date of the Crucifixion of Christ, and the Feast of the Annunciation (marking the archangel Gabriel's announcement of Mary's pregnancy).
The quest to destroy the ring also began in Rivendell on December 25th.
2. Sacraments
One stark example is Lembas bread - Tolkien's symbol for the Eucharist.
It provides not just sustenance but spiritual nourishment, similar to the act of partaking in the body and blood of Christ through Holy Communion.
15 of the most unusual and spectacular churches around the world ⬇️
1. Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavík, Iceland (1986)
A towering church built to mimic shapes formed by cooling lava. It raised eyebrows when unveiled, for mixing Gothic principles with a modern, Expressionist design. At 244 feet, it can be seen from virtually anywhere in the capital.
2. The Sanctuary of Las Lajas, Ipiales, Colombia (1949)
A neo-Gothic church hanging 150 feet above a dizzying canyon of the Guáitara River - at the site where the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared before a woman and her daughter, caught here in a violent storm.