Why do most icons of Christ not depict nail holes?

[Patrick]

I have been wondering this for a few months now, but why do most icons of Christ not depict nail holes. I have only seen two or three icons that do so minus the Crucifixion.

[Andreas Moran]

It would tend to iconographical Nestorianism. Christ is begotten of the Father before all ages, light of light, true God of true God, and of one essence with the Father. He came down from heaven and was made man without change. It is He Who is represented in icons. The marks of scourging and crucifixion borne by His human form are particular to His saving Passion and so only apt to be shown in icons depicting the same. His saving sacrifice is made present in the Eucharist but bloodlessly. No doubt Olga could put it much better.

[Olga]

Adding to Andreas' post, which correctly points out the eternity of the Word of God, yet also fully human upon His incarnation:

Christ should only be shown bearing the marks of His crucifixion in icons of the Resurrection, the encounter with Mary Magdalene at His tomb, and at His appearance to Apostle Thomas; in other words, only in subjects which refer to the historic confirmation of the bodily resurrection of the Lord. Other portrayals of Christ which are not derived from post-Resurrection Gospel history and narrative, should not show the stigmata.

In the same way a saint is not portrayed in his physical imperfection, but as a spiritually transfigured being, then this should be the same for Christ, who is eternal and beyond time. Where Christ is portrayed "in time", i.e. in scenes derived from post-Resurrection, pre-Ascension Gospel narrative, then the wounds may be shown. Where Christ is portrayed "outside of time", as in Pantokrator and its variants, then the wounds should not be present.

[Patrick]

Thank you very much for these insightful replies.

[Michael Astley]

While we're on the subject, why do so many Pantokrator icons depict the Saviour as being angry?

When I was getting together images for our diocesan website, I was looking for a Pantokrator icon for the top left corner. I photographed the one at our cathedral, thinking this to be fitting. Only I got home and uploaded the image, and realised that not only was the Saviour glancing off to one side, but he had this frightening frown on his face. So I did an extensive Google image search to find a circular Pantokrator that had English text. I found a large number of them, almost every single one, in English, Greek or Slavonic, depicting an angry Saviour. There were a few exceptions and, in the end, I found this (http://www.rocor.org.uk/Pantokrator.png) one, which I have used with the kind permission of the iconographer (http://www.nikolaitsai.us/).

I think about how the ceiling icons of the Pantokrator are used liturgically, with the bishop seeking God's blessing on the people while looking up to the icon, saying 'Lord, Lord, look down from heaven and behold, and visit this vineyard, and perfect that which they right hand hath planted'. How does this fit with a depiction of a Saviour who is looking the other way, (out of the window, in the case of our cathedral), or scowling down from the heavens?

Is there a doctrinal reasoning behind this of which I'm perhaps being disrepectfully dismissive? I just don't understand.

[Olga]

Many of the "angry Saviour" icons of recent provenance have been modelled on early versions which attempted to show Christ as the Righteous Judge, the omnipotent Almighty (such as the 12thC mosaic at Daphni - I suspect this is the one which you refer to). In the hands of a less-than-expert artist, Christ can indeed look quite grim and forbidding.

On the other hand, the vast majority of icons I have seen of the Pantokrator, either as ceiling medallions, or as portable icons, attempt to show a duality of expression - that of omnipotence, but also of compassion, reflecting His divinity and humanity; His absolute demands on us as well as His infinite mercy. This difference in the expression in His eyes should be kept subtle, otherwise there is a risk of the image looking grotesque.

Just as Christ is equally divine and human in nature, so an iconographer should strive to show these natures in as balanced a way as possible - not overly censorious and severe, nor too soft and sentimental. Two superb historic examples of icons of Christ which show this delicate balance are the Christ of the Chilandar Monastery (early 13thC), and the Christ of the Deesis at the Dionysiou Monastery (16thC). Truly beautiful, sublime work.

http://slovo-aso.cl.bas.bg/images/Hilandar-Christ_Pantokratoros.jpg

http://www.pravoslavieto.com/manastiri/aton/dionysiou/Deesis_Christ_Dionysiou.jpg

[Paul Cowan]

The Pantocrator icons I ahve seen and we have one in our parish shows this duality. It is as if the iconographer covered half the face when he drew he side so to show a differnt expression depending on which side youlooked at. I mentioned to my priest it made me feel uncomforatble looking at it and he said maybe you should think about why it makes you feel this way. (it was convicting me of my sinfulness)

Paul

[Michael Astley]

Olga and Paul, thank you.

That does make sense and yes, I can undertsand about the dual nature of the depiction. I have looked at some of the others and some are indeed more balanced than others.

I deleted my photograph of the one at our cathedral but have been able to find this (http://www.eventica.co.uk/events/rwf/2007/dinner/i/03.jpg) photograph, which I now realise isn't the traditional Pantokrator at all. What do you think of this?

In Christ,
Michael

[D. W. Dickens]

I was going to say when I first read this post that the Not-Made-With-Hands always looks angrier than the Pantocrators did to me.

http://www.theologyincolor.com/david/genevaicon2.jpg

[Nina]

I was going to say when I first read this post that the Not-Made-With-Hands always looks angrier than the Pantocrators did to me.

http://www.theologyincolor.com/david/genevaicon2.jpg

Maybe because this was from the kerchief that St. Veronica offered to wipe the Face of our Christ during Calvary. Christ was suffering...

Christ is Risen!

[Olga]

The icon in DW's link is not the best example of a Mandylion, it is rather roughly-executed (please, no offence intended to the iconographer!), therefore it shouldn't be seen as a definitive example of the type. From the many, many icons of Christ I have come across, there is no real difference in the proportion of "benign" to "stern" expressions when comparing Mandylion and Pantokrator icons.

[Peter S.]

Maybe because this was from the kerchief that St. Veronica offered to wipe the Face of our Christ during Calvary. Christ was suffering...

Christ is Risen!

Yes.

But on some cruzifiction icons, Jesus is looking down with open eyes while dead, and almost with a little smile saying: "Just wait, I will soon resurrect". :)

We have one icon like that in our church. He doesnt smile though. But he looks at me, and has open eyes. And in my imagination he sometimes smiles at the cross while dead.

He is truly risen!