|
The
Earth and Ocean Byzantine silk was found with the other textiles in the
tomb of St. Cuthbert, Bishop of Lindisfarne, when it was opened in May
1827. It shows the personified Earth emerging from the waters with ducks
and fishes. The Earth holds in its hands a sash filled with fruits. The
rounded frame contains various fruits including grapes and pears (H.Granger-Taylor,
'The Earth and Ocean Silk from the Tomb of St. Cuthbert at Durham' Textile
History, 20.2, (1989).
Discussing
the iconography of the silk fragment Granger-Taylor came to following
conclusions: "In the case of the Earth and Ocean silk, there need
not originally have been Christian overtones, even though it was eventually
put into the grave of western saint. The silk was not made for church
use. This Durham textile would have been considered a fitting gift to
St Cuthbert's shrine, not because of its imagery, but because of its outstanding
quality".
In
my opinion the Earth and Ocean textile could be a part of bishop's vestments,
because in Church tradition waters and fertility are symbols of bishop's
ministry.
The
cosmic symbolism of vestments is mentioned in the Bible. In Psalm 104
the Creator "wrapped in light as with a garment" covers the
earth with deep "as with a garment" (Ps 104. 2, 5-6). The earth
and the heavens are likened to garments: "Long ago you laid the foundation
of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish,
but you endure; they will all wear out like a garment. You change them
like clothing, and they pass away" (Ps. 102. 25-26).
According
to the Wisdom of Solomon "upon Aaron's garment was the whole universe"
(Wis.18. 24).
Philo
of Alexandria and Josephus Flavius compare the high priest's vestments
with the components of the universe (C.T.R.Hayward, The Jewish Temple.
A Non-Biblical Sourcebook, London, 1996; M.Barker, The Gate of Heaven.
The History and Symbolism of the Temple in Jerusalem, SPCK, 1991).
"Now
such was the raiment of the high priest; and both it and its parts have
a meaning which must not be passed over in silence. For the whole is in
fact a representation and copy of the cosmos, and the parts are representations
of its several portions" (Philo, Life of Moses II.117).
"The
tunic of the high priest signifies the earth since it is made of linen,
and the blue color signifies the vault of heaven… And I believe
that the ephod represents the nature of the universe which God thought
good to make of four components; it was woven with gold signifying sunlight
which beams upon all things. And he arranged the breastplate in the midst
of the ephod after the manner of the earth, for it also has the most central
place. And he surrounded it with a girdle, thereby signifying the ocean,
for this too comprehends everything (Josephus, Jewish Antiquities, III.184).
Water
has a double meaning in temple symbolism. As well as being an image of
fertility, it can also be an image of chaos. Having power over these waters
was a sign of the Messiah. Thus Psalm 89.25 (LXX 88.26) 'I will set his
hand on the sea and his right hand on the rivers, and he shall cry "You
are my Father…"'. The power of these chaotic waters was symbolised
by Leviathan, and so the high priest's girdle was said to represent the
skin of a snake, Leviathan defeated. According to Josephus the high priest's
girdle was 'loosely woven so that you would think it was the skin of a
snake…… and the girdle which was around the high priest represented
the ocean.' (Jewish Antiquities III.154,185).
Old
Testament tradition links high priest's vestments with the defeat of the
forces of chaos (C.H.T.Fletcher-Louis, The High Priest as Divine Mediator
in the Hebrew Bible: Dan 7. 13 as a Test Case, Society of Bible Literature
1997 Seminar Papers). According to jewish legends the sacred garments
were made of the skin of Leviathan (L.Ginzberg, The Legends of the Jews).
Interpreting
the Old Testament liturgy, Philo remarks that the high priest takes with
him to the holy of holies the whole cosmos, depicted on his vestments:
"In this way the high priest is adorned and sent forth for his holy
task, so that whenever he enters offering the ancestral prayers and sacrifices
the whole universe may enter with him by means of those copies which he
bears upon himself" (Life of Moses II.133).
The
Church teaches that the salvation of the universe is connected with Lord's
incarnation. Christ saves the universe through his human nature, which
is the microcosm and includes the components of the universe.
Christ
"put on Adam" when he "put on the body" and the whole
aim of the Incarnation is to "reclothe mankind in the robe of glory".
The "robe of glory" is recovered by Christ's baptism in the
Jordan (S.Brock, Clothing Metaphors as a Means of Theological Expression
in Syriac Tradition, Studies in Syriac Christianity: History, Literature
and Theology).
In
Eastern Orthodox liturgy that idea is represented by vesting the bishop
in the church nave and by the bishop's ascent into the sanctuary.
St.
Symeon of Thessalonike wrote that the ceremony of vesting the bishop represents
Christ's incarnation. According to Theodor of Andida in entering the church
and putting on vestments the bishop represents Christ appearing at the
river Jordan for the bishop stands on the patterns in the marble floor
which are called "rivers" ("potamoi").
When
the bishop goes to the episcopal ambo in the center of the church nave,
the protodeacon reads the first vesting prayer:
"Thy
soul shall rejoice in the Lord, for he hath clothed thee with the garment
of salvation, and with the robe of gladness hath he encompassed thee.
As a bridegroom he hath set a crown upon thee, and as a bride hath he
adorned thee with ornament".
As
each vestment is put on, the first deacon says "Let us pray to the
Lord" and the protodeacon recites each appropriate vesting prayer.
The
Bishop bears cosmic symbols. The heaven, the earth and the waters are
depicted on the "great eagle rug" which is used for bishop's
ordination. Bands on orthodox bishop's mantle are called "rivers"
("potamoi").
The
rivers and fertility are biblical messianic symbols of the transfigured
universe (M.Coloe, God Dwells with us. Temple Symbolism in the Fourth
Gospel, 2001).
The
Temple waters in Ezekiel's and Joel's visions produce abundant food. The
Targums emphasize that the Messiah will usher in a time of fruitful abundance:
"How beautiful is the King Messiah who is to arise from the house
of Judah. The mountains will become red from his vines and the vats from
wine: and the hills will become white from the abundance of grain and
flocks of sheep" (Targum Neofiti to Genesis 49. 9-12).
In
John 4 the movement from "living waters" to "the fields
are already white for harvest" symbolize the effectiveness of Jesus'
mission to the world: "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I
shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him
shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life…
Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already
to harvest" (John 4. 14; 35).
Fishes
and fishing are usual symbols in Jewish, Early Christian and Byzantine
art. Discussing the mosaic pavement of the synagogue from Haman Lif in
Tunisia, E.R.Goodenough has identified the two large fishes with ropes
protruding from their mouths as representations of Leviathan, who, according
to Job, could not be caught with a hook, nor could its tongue be pressed
down with a rope (L.Roussin, The Beit Leontis Mosaic: An Eschatological
Interpretation, The Journal of Jewish Art, # 8, 1981):
"Can
you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook, or press down its tongue with
a cord? Can you put a rope in its nose, or pierce its jaw with a hook?
Can
you fill its skin with harpoons, or its head with fishing spears?"
(Job 41. 1-7).
The
fishermen with harpoons are represented at the iconographic parallel to
St. Cuthbert's silk in a Byzantine church floor mosaic at Nikopolis, Greece
(E.Kitzinger, 'Mosaics at Nikopolis', Dumbarton Oaks Papers, # 6, 1951).
In Church art fishing is allegory of apostolic mission of preaching the
Gospel.
|
