 The
Nativity
Russian Icon
School of Novgorod
XVth century |
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It is surprising to see how the representation of the event of
the birth of the Savior in the Orthodox Church differs from the one in the
West. In the West we see the birth of the little Child and the goodness and
humanity of God who is born to us.
The
Orthodox Church puts the emphasis more on the great mystery of God's coming
amongst men, on the realisation of the promise of the arrival of the Messiah.
There is one central character : it isn't the Child but it is Mary. Larger than
the other characters, she is shown in the center resting on a red pillow.
This signifies first and foremost that she is
the One who gives us God, the Theotokos, the God Bearer, the Mother of God.
Often, she isn't turned towards the child but towards us, because she is Mother
of all men.
A triple ray reaches us from
heaven, representing the Holy Trinity. Joseph is seated below on the left. The
apocryphs tell us that Satan has come to tell him that it is impossible that a
child is born from a virgin.
Bibl.: Watté M., Reading and understanding icons, 1991, pp.
36-39 |
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