Praxiteles

The final part of the consecration ceremony is the Pontifical High Mass

http://www.gloria.tv/?media=56961

Shrine of the Cathach

The central figure on the cover not dressed as the earlier examples of the appolonian Christ that we have seen.

Rather than the classical toga, the figure wears what looks likes priestly vestments of alb and chasuble of their antecedents.

An ivory of Christ enthroned from c. 800-850

Justinian’s mid 6th century figure of and appolonian Christ in San Vitale in Ravenna:

@Praxiteles wrote:

A line drawing of the cover of the Cathach:

The Cathach was enclosed in a specially made shrine sometime in the 1000’s. This was done by Cathbharr Ó Domhnaill, chief of the O’Donnells and Domhnall Mag Robhartaigh, the Abbot of Kells. The shrine cover consists of a brass box measuring 9 inches long, 8 inches wide and 2 inches thick. The top is heavily decorated with silver, crystals, pearls and other precious stones. It shows an image of the Crucifixion and an image of St Colm Cille.

However, more interesting is the central figure of the cover which I take to be Christ and, if dating from the around the year 1000, must surely be a copy of a representation from the late antique period. This firure is straight out of Classical antiquity with antecedents in the mosaics of Santa Pudentiana and ultimately the Temple of Apollo on the Capitoline hill.

On the Cathach:

http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/cultural-history-of-ireland/cathach-of-st-columba.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathach_of_St._Columba

http://www.unc.edu/celtic/catalogue/manuscripts/StCol.html

Irish iconographic representations

perhaps these might be of interest:

O’HANLON, Lives of the Irish Saints, IV (Dublin, s.d.); HEALY, Ireland’s Ancient Schools and Scholars (4th ed., Dublin, 1902); UA CLERIGH, History of Ireland (London, 1908).

BTW: is the door in the drawing above a modern door? It looks peculiarly at odds with whct appears to be a Gothic or gothicized interior.

@apelles wrote:

Don’t suppose you’d have access to Iconic or indeed any representations of these chaps Prax. .

The Twelve Apostles of Erin

By this designation are meant twelve holy Irishmen of the sixth century who went to study at the Clonard in Meath. About the year 520 St. Finian founded his famous school at Cluain-Eraird (Eraird’s Meadow), now Clonard, and thither flocked saints and learned men from all parts of Ireland. In his Irish life it is said that the average number of scholars under instruction at Clonard was 3,000, and a stanza of the hymn for Lauds in the office of St. Finian runs as follows:

Trium virorum millium,
Sorte fit doctor humilis;
Verbi his fudit fluvium
Ut fons emanans rivulis.

The Twelve Apostles of Erin, who came to study at the feet of St. Finian, at Clonard, on the banks of the Boyne and Kinnegad Rivers, are said to have been St. Ciaran of Saighir (Seir-Kieran) and St. Ciaran of Clonmacnois; St. Brendan of Birr and St. Brendan of Clonfert; St. Columba of Tir-da-glasí (Terryglass) and St. Columba of Iona; St. Mobhí of Glasnevin; St. Ruadhan of Lorrha; St. Senan of Iniscathay (Scattery Island); St. Ninnidh the Saintly of Loch Erne; St. Lasserian mac Nadfraech, and St. Canice of Aghaboe. Though there were many other holy men educated at Clonard who could claim to be veritable apostles, the above twelve are regarded by old Irish writers as “The Twelve Apostles of Erin”. They are not unworthy of the title, for all were indeed apostles, whose studies were founded on the Sacred Scriptures as expounded by St. Finian. In the hymn from St. Finian’s office we read:

Fate would have [him]
the humble teacher of
three thousand men,
[on whom] he poured out the river of the Word,
as a spring [pours warter] into many rivulets

Regressus in Clonardiam
Ad cathedram lecturae
Apponit diligentiam
Ad studium scripturae.

The great founder of Clonard died 12 December 549, according to the “Annals of Ulster”, but the Four Masters give the year as 548, whilst Colgan makes the date 563. His patronal feast is observed on 12 December.

And a translation of the above latin hymns would also be greatly appreciated. . .

An interesting hymn, Appelles. Have you the complete text and Where does it come from? It is not included in the Propria Quorundum Hiberniae Sanctorum published in Dublin in 1792.

A rough translation would run:

Fate would have [him]
the humble teacher of
three thousand men,
[on whom] he poured out the river of the Word,
as a spring [pours warter] into many rivulets

Returning to Clonard,
to his teaching chair,
he diligently applied (himself)
to the study of Scripture.

A search for iconographic descriptions of these saints wouèld require a search of available sources. A challenge.

Iconography of St Barbara (Jan van Eyck)

Iconography of St Catherine of Alexandria (Caravaggio)