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My Icons
To reflect my growing personal connection with two figures from the Early Church period, I commissioned two icons from Aidan Hart in summer 2004 and collected them in January 2005. For a closer look, click on the link beneath each image...

St Gregory of Nazianzus
St Gregory of Nazianzus is portrayed writing in the heart of the city of Constantinople where for a short time he was bishop. He's dressed in monastic robes, as befits this gentleman scholar-monk.

The icon is a copy of an image found on an ancient manuscript illustration (rather than an icon). However, rather than being a straight copy, a number of additional features have been incorporated into the image at my request. Gregory is hard at work writing one of his many speeches ("Orations"). The fragment he's currently writing is one of my favourite passages by Nazianzus and is taken from Oration 45.22 - "Humanity must be sanctified by the humanity of God". This phrase occurs as Gregory is discussing the sacrifice of Christ, and during which he critiques the "ransom theory" of the atonement. Gregory points out that if God did not accept Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac, then how much less would he "require" the sacrifice of his own Son (Christ)? Gregory writes... "Is it not evident that the Father accepts the sacrifice not because He demanded it or because He felt any need for it, but on account of economy: because Humanity must be sanctified by the Humanity of God, that He might deliver us Himself, and overcome the tyrant, and draw us to Himself by the mediation of His Son…?"

The icon also nicely illustrates a constant tension in Gregory's life between the busy city (where he was called as preacher & pastor) vs. a life of solitude and quiet in the country. On a number of occasions, life became too much for him and he fled to the countryside to get away from it all. This tension is symbolised by the city scene in the panel to the left and the hermitage (and tree) in the panel to the right.

Whilst in Constantinople, Gregory composed and delivered his classic Five Theological Orations (on the subject of the Trinity) in the Church of Anastasia ("Resurrection"). This has been depicted by incorporating the scene of the resurrected Christ pulling Adam and Eve from their graves, at the top of the image.

And finally, underneath his writing desk is a book entitled "Peri Archon" which means "On First Principles" in Greek. It's a work by another inspired Early Christian figure, Origen, whose writings influenced both Gregory of Nazianzus and Gregory of Nyssa. The position of the book indicates that it was foundational to Gregory's own writing and is a way of acknowledging the impact of (the not-quite-a-saint) Origen.

St Gregory of Nyssa
The icon of Gregory of Nyssa is based on inspiration from his text "The Life of Moses" in which Gregory provides a "spiritual" interpretation of the biblical exodus story. For example, as Moses leads the people of Israel out of slavery into the promised land, Gregory interprets this as speaking of the freeing of the soul from its enslavement to the things of the world.

This icon is not a copy of a traditional scene but is a new creation, based on a collaboration between myself & the iconographer Aidan Hart. I'm grateful to Aidan for his creativity and ability to "iconically visualise" my personal connection with St Gregory. The body shape of Gregory in the icon is modelled on that of Moses from a traditional icon, whilst the face & beard of Nyssa are taken from traditional depictions. Gregory is straining forward in his ascent of the spiritual mountain, and in the process offers a passage from the Life of Moses which expresses his concept of the spiritual life as one of perpetual ascent ("epektasis") - "He shone with glory and although lifted up through such lofty experiences he is still unsatisfied in his desire" (Life of Moses 2.230). At the top of the icon, Christ responds to Gregory with a passage from John's Gospel "If anyone thirsts let him come to me and drink" (John 7:37). Another biblical passage from the Song of Songs - "Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth" - is also inscribed on the light blue perimeter and echoes the same sentiment. Gregory (following on from Origen) composed a beautiful commentary on the Song of Songs which interprets the love story of a bride and groom in the Song of Songs as speaking of spiritual desire between the soul and Christ.

At the top left of the icon an angel provides assistance, whilst at the bottom left are visible the "bricks of passion" which Gregory has discarded in the process of his ascent. (You'll have to read the text to make sense of that!).

The burning bush can be seen part way up the mountain (which Gregory interprets as speaking of the Incarnation). A line of butterflies accompany Gregory on his journey (pictured between the bush and the scroll in Gregory's hand).

From the base of the mountain flows a stream, which Gregory sees as a suitable metaphor for another of his favourite topics - the Divine infinity...

"It is just as if you could see that spring which Scripture tells us rose from the earth at the beginning in such quantities that it watered the entire face of the earth (Gen.2.10 ff.). As you came near the spring you would marvel, seeing that the water was endless, as it constantly gushed up and poured forth. Yet you could never say that you had seen all the water. How could you see what was still hidden in the bosom of the earth? Hence no matter how long you might stay at the spring, you would always be beginning to see the water. For the water never stops flowing, and it is always beginning to bubble up again.

It is the same with one who fixes his gaze on the infinite beauty of God. It is constantly being discovered anew, and it is always seen as something new and strange in comparison with what the mind has already understood. And as God continues to reveal Himself, man continues to wonder; and he never exhausts his desire to see more, since what he is waiting for is always more magnificent, more divine, than all that he has already seen." (Commentary on the Song of Songs - Homily 11)

Finally, the quote at the top of the icon also comes from his Commentary on the Song of Songs...

"Although he holds all creation in his palm, you can wholly contain him. God dwells in you, penetrates you, and is not confined in you ... you will become what he is by looking at him" (Commentary on the Song of Songs - Homily 2)

This extract is taken from a passage which is a kind of a hymn to the beauty of the divine image-likeness of humanity. Gregory explains how honoured we are, as the pinnacle of God's creation, to be made in the "likeness of that nature which surpasses all understanding". The sun, moon and stars may be beautiful but they lack this precious image-likeness which only humanity possesses.

For more quotes from Gregory's writings and some suggestions on books about Gregory, see the Reading Room section of the website.

© Russell Jefford @ EarlyChurch.co.uk 2003-2010