• THE FIRST ECUMENICAL COUNCIL
  • Item ID : 274
  • Collection Name : Holy Metropolis of Servion and Kozani
  • Type : Architrave icon
  • Year : c.1810 AD
  • Place : Kozani
  • Τechnique : Egg tempera on wood
  • Description : The theme of the first Ecumenical Council, which in other images called Sunday Fathers, illustrated with two stacked compositions separated by a band, but also by the depiction of St. Athanasius writing the text of the Creed and represented as a young deacon, sitting on the right side.
    In the upper part attributed concisely, the meeting of the prelates and all the envoys of the church. In the foreground is shown a series of prelates in a bust length, with their heads uncovered, and all having long white beards and white hairs, surrounding the Emperor Constantine which is depicted enthroned frontally facing and centrally located.
    Behind them the presence of other prelates is depicted with five successive tiers halos. The Holy Spirit depicted as a dove in a pink semicircle, surrounded by white clouds, directed to the assembled. Two small pink buildings with golden gabled roofs, are the architectural framework of the composition.
    Over a white marble slab, which probably attributed as an altar, there are two candles in candlesticks and among them an open book in which bears on the first page the inscription: ΒΙΒΛΟs / ΓΕΝΕ / CE ΩC (BOOK OF GENESIS), and in the second I (ησο)V / ΥΟΥ / Δ(αβ)ΙΔ.
    Over the marble on the right side, in minuscule the name of St. Athanasius is written, and he is depicted whith black hair and beard, projected onto the plate.
    He is sitting lower in an inlaid seat , wearing a deacon s garments.
    He is representing completing the writing of the Creed on a wide horizontal scroll, which occupies the upper portion of the bottom composition.
    The text has not been yet completed but terminates at: .... I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
    It is written in five verses , with big letters , but in an uneven writing in black and red for the acrostic .
    The bottom composition presents the protagonists against the heresy of Arius.
    At the left edge, in an ocher like color a prelate with his head uncovered is depicted, which according to St. Dionysios, is Saint Nicholas, painted following the standard type of figurative, prepared with the right hand raised to slap a prelate with rich and long white hair and beard, as illustrated below.
    Inscription over the head of state with small black letters, Arius. The composition is continues by depicting two male figures, standing at the level of St. Nicholas, turned slightly towards each other, with their hands crossed on the chest.
    Left a young man with short black hair and beard, garbed in a gold garment. Above his head is written: the philosopher.
    On the right Bishop Spyridon is depicted, as recognized by his physiognomy type and his characteristic hemispherical miter.
    In the lower left corner, and at a lower level than all others, a group of clergy is depicted characterized as the minuscule inscription the minded Arian heretics.
    The icon frame is double tape with thin black exterior and a wide yellow exterior.
Apostoliki Diakonia