Sinai Christ Icon
According to some Christian traditions, the first-century King Abgar of Edessa in Mesopotamia suffered from a disease and sent his servant to return with the famous Miracle Worker or at least a painting of him. Elbowed out by crowds around Jesus, the messenger scrambled up a tree and began drawing the Healer’s face on a cloth. Soon Jesus noticed him and reached up for the linen handkerchief (mandylion). Jesus pressed the cloth against his face and handed it back to the astonished messenger. The messenger hurried the mandylion with the impression of Christ’s face to his king, and Abgar recovered.
Like most word-of-mouth stories, details about the Abgar-Jesus connection varied through the ages. The fourth-century historian Eusebius recorded that the king and the Healer communicated through letters, and after the Resurrection, the apostle Thaddeus visited Abgar and laid healing hands on him. Yet most versions of the tale focused on the Savior’s face, believing in the miraculous so generations could gaze upon his countenance.
In another story about a mystical cloth, Jesus imprinted his face on a woman’s veil. During the Lord’s excruciating struggle toward Golgotha, a resident of Jerusalem named Veronica offered him a cloth to wipe his brow. When Christ handed the fabric back to her, it reflected his face. Veronica took the cloth to Rome where Christains long venerated its image. A pier in Saint Peter’s Basilica honors the veil, and some scholars think the Mandylion of Edessa and the Veil of Veronica form versions of the same story.
Perhaps this was a catalyst for Christian art: wanting to see Christ’s face.
Whether we believe these ancient “face stories” as actual or legendary, they highlight the desire to visually witness the sacred. Consequently, early Christian artists painted images of Jesus to help people accept, follow, and celebrate their newfound beliefs. They also illustrated signs, symbols, saints, biblical stories, liturgical objects, and church furnishings to pass along their spiritual perspective and heritage. Still, they never strayed far from Christ’s face.
If we miss someone, we might say, “I want to see his face.” Gazing at a person’s face, we discern the true personality with thoughts, feelings, and intentions toward us. The face fosters relationships.
Early on, Christian artists grasped the power of a face. Through images, countless Christians found hope and courage, faith and absolution in the Lord’s face. They sought him as Friend, Healer, and Savior. Artists inspired believers to endure until they actually met Christ in glory, face to face. They still do today.
Like most word-of-mouth stories, details about the Abgar-Jesus connection varied through the ages. The fourth-century historian Eusebius recorded that the king and the Healer communicated through letters, and after the Resurrection, the apostle Thaddeus visited Abgar and laid healing hands on him. Yet most versions of the tale focused on the Savior’s face, believing in the miraculous so generations could gaze upon his countenance.
In another story about a mystical cloth, Jesus imprinted his face on a woman’s veil. During the Lord’s excruciating struggle toward Golgotha, a resident of Jerusalem named Veronica offered him a cloth to wipe his brow. When Christ handed the fabric back to her, it reflected his face. Veronica took the cloth to Rome where Christains long venerated its image. A pier in Saint Peter’s Basilica honors the veil, and some scholars think the Mandylion of Edessa and the Veil of Veronica form versions of the same story.
Perhaps this was a catalyst for Christian art: wanting to see Christ’s face.
Whether we believe these ancient “face stories” as actual or legendary, they highlight the desire to visually witness the sacred. Consequently, early Christian artists painted images of Jesus to help people accept, follow, and celebrate their newfound beliefs. They also illustrated signs, symbols, saints, biblical stories, liturgical objects, and church furnishings to pass along their spiritual perspective and heritage. Still, they never strayed far from Christ’s face.
If we miss someone, we might say, “I want to see his face.” Gazing at a person’s face, we discern the true personality with thoughts, feelings, and intentions toward us. The face fosters relationships.
Early on, Christian artists grasped the power of a face. Through images, countless Christians found hope and courage, faith and absolution in the Lord’s face. They sought him as Friend, Healer, and Savior. Artists inspired believers to endure until they actually met Christ in glory, face to face. They still do today.
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