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Anti-Christ Image in Orvieto Cathedral: Archetype For Our Times? 06/26/2024 |
The
Orvieto Cathedral has been called “a masterpiece of Italian Gothic architecture” and “the most beautiful church in the world.” Its façade, carved in the 1320s, has been called “The Bible in Stone.” One of the most amazing accomplishments among the many art pieces in the Orvieto Cathedral spanning three centuries is the the Apocalypse of Luca Signorelli. |
In a chapel depicting “The Final Times” is a large painting of “The Preaching of the Antichrist” which spoke deeply to me. A commentary says: While he will seem to bring salvation to the world by promoting himself as an enlightened leader and guide, in reality he is |
“Sermon and Deeds of the Antichrist.” Fresco by Luca Signorelli, Duomo di Orvieto. Wikimedia Commons. |
simply the animated puppet used by Satan to carry out his plan. Placed on a pedestal, the features of the Antichrist are a semblance of Christ, but his gaze appears sinister and disturbing, his eyes crossed. The curls of his hair suggest horns, like those of a meek
lamb before becoming a warlike ram. His left arm points weakly downward, merging with the arm of the demon whispering in his ear; with this right arm he points to himself as though proclaiming himself God and calling me to follow him (Thess 2:4). Thus, behind a false appearance, he will be the bearer of a diabolical machination aimed at overthrowing the world, confirming himself and, with the charm of his charism and the grandiosity of his work, convincing many to become his disciples.
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Luca Signorelli’s 1501 depiction of the face of antichrist, from the Orvieto Cathedral. Wikimedia Commons | When I first stared at this very large painting, and caught its title, my
first response was: “It reminds me of Trump.” This fellow has lots of people listening to him while he listens to the devil whispering in his ear. There is violence in the crowd and menacing forces slinking about in the background. Above all, he is pointing to himself, “only I can |
save you,” only I can “be your revenge,” he seems to be saying. Chaos is on the horizon. Sigmund Freud was so taken by this painting that he actually moved to Orvieto to live there in order to study the painting in greater depth. In doing so, he was also taken with the other large
paintings in the chapel, one of them begun by Fra Angelico called “The Resurrection of the Flesh” and another of “The Judgment Day.” These paintings also inspired Michelangelo and were themselves inspired by Dante’s depiction of heaven, hell and purgatory. |
*The Duomo of Orvieto and the Apocalypse of Luca Signorelli by Mirabilia Orvieto, 2023, pp. 10, 8, 59.
See Matthew Fox, Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society.
Banner Image: Duomo di Orvieto. Photo by Matthew Fox, used with
permission. |
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Responses are welcomed. To add
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Queries for Contemplation |
The Anti-Christ archetype arises at various moments in history. Do you see it relevant to our times and to an upcoming presidential election? |
Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society
Visionary theologian and best-selling author Matthew Fox offers a new theology of evil
that fundamentally changes the traditional perception of good and evil and points the way to a more enlightened treatment of ourselves, one another, and all of nature. In comparing the Eastern tradition of the 7 chakras to the Western tradition of the 7 capital sins, Fox allows us to think creatively about our capacity for personal and institutional evil and what we can do about them.
“A scholarly
masterpiece embodying a better vision and depth of perception far beyond the grasp of any one single science. A breath-taking analysis.” — Diarmuid O’Murchu, author of Quantum Theology: Spiritual Implications of the New Physics |
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In the Beginning There Was Joy: A Cosmic Celebration for Kids of All Ages
The first book in the Father Fox’s Fantastical Fables series tells the story of the big bang and how humans fit into the awesome, fantastical,
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