When christianity 1st arose it was without images it had only words only scriptures images were 1st introduced into the Christians Assembly rooms where they were concentrated at the far end of the simple hole coldly at clays yes but once the walls were adorned with images they told a story. How did these images arise how did these stories come a badge and what role did angels play in the stories of conflict between power and order heaven and. Angels on the messengers of the one god of whom no image exists and upon whom no human will ever set eyes people worship gods words words that were brought by angels who were closest to him. They are spiritual beings just like him beams of light. The angels proclaim what god wishes to tell people. That is their calling. They were imagined to be all new president always talking guiding advising and judging people and so they became a central theme of the pictorial history of the week old western alt. Christianity became the state religion of the roman empire at a time when it was already beginning to collapse the city of rome the capital was a civilized metropolis of millions whose standards of living and represented the pinnacle of human history. The Roman Emperor has placed themselves on the same level as the gods even today we talk of their buildings and legacies as monumental which also means overwhelming. Different baptists because 2 of the christianity whether at life it or not is also an add to the roman empire they were temporally contagious the roman empire had a claim to universality in christianity also claims universality and translated it into the commandment to go into the world and preach the gospel to all creation because the condition. Of the 1st images the 1st pictorial symbols arose alongside the script when the christian or a trees in rome was still Hidden Underground in the catholic or. These pictures were different from those of prechristian im ticketing and portrayed angels wearing halos instead of winged messengers with laurel reeds but in the beginning there were very few specifically christian images. And take all measure your hats can it doesnt matter the antique roman religion didnt develop any dogma and for that reason provided no order to order 1st becomes apparent in christianity for instance in the hierarchy of the angels who we can see as the successor to the mynah functional gods of the romans one of those by the continuity and transformation volatile. But what were the models for the superhuman images in christendom where they the heroes of antiquity early christian imagery has its roots in the assyrian babylonian period with its anthropomorphic creatures for example the firy and winged cherub. But this isnt because if lets take. The concept of demons which in a greek hero were neither good nor bad the morning demons were only intermediaries between the dead his and humanity in christianity they are rico defined as unclean spirits the new testament teaches us that they are the repudiated and resentful gods of the greeks for rick give us an incomplete lightish didnt get a christian. Instead of adopting the pictorial world of antiquity christianity chose to take a detour through demonic beings which took on an idealized human form copied from the n. T. Gods angels are based on models taken from antiquity and the babylonian demons even their name reflects these roots anger loss is greek for messenger and the chair of bears a resemblance to the early demons. So dont you see this is the pseudo dionysius is the ideal author because he imagines the angels heaven as a world organized according to 3 sets of 3 its made up of spheres nested in each other until they reach the highest mystery whos gotten is that hes got. In front is a person behind and from his highest mystery perceived only as a sea of light divine glory is radiated to the world below so now it consists not just a visible light but also of the knowledge of who god actually is this is based on the 1st level of angels the seris from them to the cherubs who pass it on via an almost visible Spiritual Connection to the throne of the political masters and self identified. And thus the portrayal of angels in the late middle ages is above all an indication of the primary thing communicated by christian images. Yes and leslie through one of these a reflections on. Last chance how can i portray god how can i portray what is holy and purely spiritual without it becoming sensible and being dragged down to the level of antiquity which the christians termed paganism. Thus and because. The picture of a hierarchical order in heaven is the keen to christian imagery order is the prerequisite for perfection. The 1st step towards a selfcontained christian iconography of angels didnt take place in rome in the 4th century a. D. The roman empire collapsed into 2 hobs rome and the western part of the empire was overrun by the goths then reconquered by eastern roman by xantia in the mid 6 century rome became a provincial city of the buys on time empire with rivera as its capital. This is where the 1st systematic pictorial history of the still young christendom as a synthesis of greek philosophy and the Christian Doctrine of salvation was developed. To drive that love as it is of youths as a simple word that british targets of the hour number 3 is normally reserved as a symbol of the day it is this but in the Old Testament we also have angel often it is silent and the prophet easy kill or eyes are allowed to look up to heaven they see being surrounding god or think they are either ordered in groups of 4 or have 4 facets for example eagle like a lion like all human like beings and all of figures. Are few it is something that was imported from the babylonian iconography and integrated into christendom god is surrounded by groups of 4 figures when seated on. Is throne and thats why alongside the number 3 which symbolizes gaunt there is a number for an extension symbolizing his rule in all 4 worldly speeches and eras and i fear since that is also why the derivatives of 341224 or so endowed with a holy systematic significance high systematically toy to. The oldest mosaics of christian iconography out to be found in the sacred buildings of ravenna opposite a series of martyrs theres a series of holy Virgin Islands that individual expressions are not important but the series and the number. 16 prophet stand above them which signifies 12 plus 4 and the fact that they are placed above the virgins and the martyrs expresses their place in the hierarchy and theyre all foraging within christendom. Even higher up scenes portraying christs passion even this position denotes hierarchy order here in revenge or the hierarchy is formulated and translated into a system of images. The beginning and the end of this mural are reserved for the key figures of holy scripture mary and christ they are positioned formally alongside each of them are 2 angels that look out directly on the view of. The angels all the courtiers whole body guards of mary and jesus christ her here on. This simple picture oriel system became a canon upon which Everything Else was based from then on the churches became larger and the at ces and jones expressed the unity and perfection of the christian cosmos. In the way it. Ranged its images the christian pictorial system took over and transcended the buys and time court order and its portrayal of power and representation. Dies you know you read the 38 jubilee eulogy on constantine the great we can discern a formula for order in the wild one god one empire one Emperor Constantine was an advocate of an eagle a tarion god but a clear hierarchy order this system of subservience this reflected socio political relationships is an. Inch by far. Was where the synthesis between the systematic thinking of the greeks and the Christian Doctrine of salvation became translated into imagery. Amidst the ruins of rome new churches were built into ancient roman buildings repurposed by christian. The pictorial canon of ravenna made itself felt in santa maria in trust a very large of the church was the more imagery could be depicted. Here for the 1st time mary was depicted directly alongside jesus christ as his companion the mosaic still expresses representation directly but the angels are missing. Thus the picture clearly indicates that the central figure of the new testament jesus christ the redeemer is superior to the angels in the hierarchy even though he was a human being. The up a bazillion coast san clemente in rome was built at the beginning of the 12th century in the buys and time courtly order is abandoned the Christian Cross dominates the ordering of the spheres still expresses numba and order but more important is the concentration on the christian visual symbols they signify the opposite of kaila christ as the holy land in the center of his flock. A little of this is god as the angel of peace among us a full god its a different pictorial message from those of antiquity all the buys and time empire. All. Around the turn of the millennium the church order as expressed in images went through a profound crisis of increasing worldliness and corruption the authority of the pope and with it the message of salvation through the one church was substantially shaken. The radical return of the liturgy to the original message of salvation took place not initially not in france i am in a small chapel near only all the founding motifs of that message of salvation are represented on its by sand timers zanders. Above 2 small 6 winged chairs 2 other angels dominate the done. They represent the old and the new testament which in the language of the mosaic were delivered by angels to humankind. The suggestion of a hand tells us that they have delivered the scripture upon gods command im not the path to salvation can only lie in following gods will. This new system of christian liturgy and message of salvation comes from cluny abbey founded in 1910 by the juco back retain as a benedictine Abbey Clooney was not only the center of the christian cosmos during the middle ages but the largest and most powerful church of the christian world it was only supposed later by st peters basilica during the french revolution almost 900 years later clooney was destroyed as being a symbol of an absolute monarchy that claimed divine legitimation. But today even amid the ruins the pattern significance of this order with its many of the churches and ministries throughout burgundy is still palpable its no accident that burgundy was home to the most significant monastic orders and of the biggest cathedrals of the 11th and 12th centuries the most important pilgrims way to Santiago De Compostela took them through here. Tun cathedral house is the most significant pictorial example of the transformation of christian iconography joining that period it was carved in stone by give back to a spittoon 11201135. The main portal through which millions of pilgrims entered the church no longer depicted the power of god but the last judgment christ and the elders the angels that gods throne sits and judge over human souls which in line with the general understanding of this period threatened by evil more than ever. In order to uphold order and the perfection of salvation christ and the angels have to demonstrate that they can differentiate between good and evil from this point on the rank of the angels changes dramatically in the imagery from now on they become the most important representatives of the ruler of old things a god that rewards good behavior. As christ companions the angels are lot at the role of completing salvation the angels are once again the mediators between god and humanity they fight for god and for humanity against evil. The pilgrims moved within the great knaves as though they were in a parade and looked up into the capitals with a vivid illustrations of the evil in all its incarnations. The 2nd temptation of christ taken from the gospel of luke makes it clear whats happening here christ determination to resist heresy and damage. The suicide of judas shows what happens when someone turns away from god the monumentally impressive knave signified to the believers that only gods word could help against old these temptations and human weaknesses. Getting at home. Was heading southwards with the mantons just visible on the horizon lies one of the most important cities of the middle ages hes of the modern day said a miracle he was originally a burial place beyond the city wolves the whole complex with its cathedral baptistry and compass some tall was bigger. In 1300. Homes and the campo son toll was the not just symmetry of the christian middle ages and thats a place where death damnation and redemption played a prominent rome here we find a monumental representation of the last judgment. This powerful fresco must have shocked its contemporaries it begins with the last judgment on the ruffle christ who reveals his wounds and flings his outrage like lightning in the direction of how. This anger is offset by the gentle virgin mary to his left. Beneath them is an angel with us at high level with the viewer is the Archangel Michael with his soul. Another an angel hurts frightened citizens of peace or towards damnation the faces up terrified and pleading but no one can escape divine judgment this is a recurring motif in christendom in the face of the minds of the last judgment the wealth and grant of bishops and even the power of mana all to no avail. In the frescoes pictorial arrangement the artist has paid tribute to social status the kings occupy the top 10 even one of the angels reveals its fear in the face of the past and unavoidable ity of the last judgment announced by trumpets on the left we can see the saved these 2 are portraits of real life citizens of pisa their facial expressions are calm and they all look up to the merciful figure of the virgin mary. Before the judge their body language is relaxed the face is a clear although their expressions reveal intense concentration. Pieces pious citizens are expressing their heartfelt gratitude for the victory of good over evil. In the struggle. These angels receive the souls who have already been saved. Its as if in addition to the y. B. Understood concepts of the apocalypse in the last judgment a new orientation is taking place towards the end of the 20th century not far from the russian pass on the edge of the Southern Alps the monastery of muddy and back was established to this day the benedictine monks there assemble in a narrow vaults that are a tree a. One off. The. Marion barry monastery is famous for its roman frescoes in a symbolic series of images they reinterpret human beings path to salvation they are brought closer to the angels by pursuing their battle against evil. The more. Humans can rise in the heavenly hierarchy by successfully overcoming evil that is the message of these frescoes. We see the end jet experiments and cherubs recognizable by their 6 wings that. Alongside them is the Apostle Peter who holds the key to heaven in paradise and on his right is a protective angel. This constellation indicates a new link between apostle and heavenly beings man and angel again come closer to one another despite the evil in the world. Who. Is the most Important Message those communicated in the arrangement of angels above the almighty in the mandorla and jesus christ appears to be standing on his hand. The real focus is this small angel smaller than all the other heavenly figures it represents the new human who are to fighting a lifelong battle against evil is seen by christ to be deserving of redemption and thus as a small angel is taken into the communion of the big angels human beings can rise into the sphere of the heavenly beings and can be redeemed heaven awaits them thats what this fresco expresses the small angel is both messenger and message a new era in the relationship between humanity and the heavenly smear has begun whoa. Further southwards we reach a place of great importance in christian iconography assisi. In burgundy joining the 12th century monasteries have adopted a strictly organized liturgy and had almost completely rejected imagery. In the 13th century new waters arose in central italy this one in assisi was to be a purely mendicant older completely dedicated to charity and neighborly love as the most direct path to redemption. The building of the lower church began in the early 13th century together with Thomas Aquinas francis of assisi was considered the main renewal of the Christian Doctrine of salvation no building from the late middle ages baz great a testament to this spirit of renewal as that of the hyatt church of assisi. Its name is dominated by giottos world famous francescos but the real secret is to be found in the older decorated transepts of the name of what is here translated pictorially is the virgin marys bodily ascension to heaven and her final exultation over the angels. In one of the men dollars held up by for an angels jesus and mary are in friend in loving devotion one of the angels is said to have called out who is she she who is raised up from the desert nestling on her lover. Pain jewels profits on the saints assemble around the heavenly throne on which the virgin mary sits alongside her son as an intercessor on behalf of humanity. What is important here of a protagonist sams st francis whose face can no longer be recognized plates for redemption on behalf of his brothers is he is conveyed by mary to her son who listens and gives his blessing to the franciscans. The virgin marys role in the heavenly hierarchy is in this Franciscan Church newly defined. She is jesus companion and on with the angels at the same time she remains a human being that signifies that she is the 1st human being to be redeemed and raised to heaven. The rose window in the outer wall is like a final symbol of this new order. The shape of the sun can be construed as referring to jesus the rose to the virgin mary both forms are united as part of a circle that has only one center god. At the close of the middle ages towards the end of the 14th century tuscany became a european stronghold of progress the dominican monks and jellicoe came from the area around florence and achieved world renown with his portrayals of angels. There. Than in the conspicuous chapel nicko tona is home to the enunciation a popular motif. The messages depicted in the fall most visible was the virgin mary is face still has a generic madonna like quality but is also individually defined this image symbolizes not only the metaphorical line between the middle ages and the modern era it also makes clear what will become more and more important. Humans are now represented as emotional and individual beings in the story of salvation. d d the lower part of the painting depicts the marriage between mary and joseph. His groundbreaking in this weather and jenny co is the expression with which she has endowed the figure of mary reserve the Archangel Gabriel she is his equal she represents the human striving for salvation the face expresses humility and dignity yet is still powerful she remained selfconscious and had gesture expresses not subservience but surprise and also knowledge awareness of what is happening she has been endowed with an individual soul and it is for that reason that we still describe her as beautiful. The impact of and jellicoe zwerg remained basically limited to tuscany he traveled little his main ambition was to embellish the Sacred Places of worship for the brothers of his own to. Once again the relationship between the history of god. Salvation and the world of the profane changed dramatically. The renaissance emerged 1st in tuscany then in rome it was a blossoming of trade and dot and no since the downfall of the classical world had been so prosperous that of course also influenced the depiction of angels. The vilified in rome was commissioned by the banker i go skiing no cheap and built by. Sea which is seen as the ultimate expression of the high renaissance and with its Perspective School it features a room of tom boy painting. 6 the walls of cupboards the scenes from the life of an example of a great book 1st catches the eye is a riding messenger with flowing cloaks in the form of a white fan giving the impression of wings. The messenger is part of a historical allegorical depiction of the wedding of alexander to the Persian Princess roxana at the Center Alexander appears and hands the princess the crowd the real focus that was the heavenly messenger half and half Archangel Gabriel. Alexander is typical of the newly awakened interest in mythical historical figures during the 16th century the small angels which looked like a rock cupids a borrowed from the pagan classical era. In classical times cupids when love calls to picture this small voice. The author of christendom. Makes them into anonymous angels and and celery figures they reveal the meaning and intention of the mural its aim is to move the view ascension not spiritual. The villa fantasy now is the high point of the renaissance this work shows have images from the classical era survived into christendom the godlike figures in the heroes return an allegorical form complementing the christian images. At the beginning of the 16th century the foundation was laid for the new st peters basilica in rome it was intended as a proof that christendom suppose the classical era. In the mid 17th century a sculpture was made for the church of santa. It had the same aim to illustrate the ultimate triumph of christendom. The sculpture. Was a successor to me. Whose late work marked the end of the renaissance and the beginning of the baroque. The motif of the ecstasy of saint teresa is a variation of the enunciation also depicted by frau angelica but with benny there was a decisive transformation. To reason or is portrayed in dramatic form many attempts to make the ecstasy tangible the myths are grown her eyes are twisted her body is open. From now on the story of salvation and the motifs derived from it were presented theatrically utilizing old visual tools available. That included classical heroes and an agrees. Precisely at the moment when st peters basilica symbolized the victory of christian imagery of a pagan antiquity the latter returned in full force into the christian. In the immense st peters we find the legend of its foundation expressed in the sentence and so i say to you you are peter and upon this rock i will build my church. The new building claim to be nothing less than the greatest monument in the history of the world time and again the builders dishpan it and down to it whether the immense vault would be capable of bearing the enormous. But will. The spirit of the age demanded a massive triumphant. As an old man received a commission from pope clement the 9th to design the entrance to the cast as some tangent of. The building was the most a limb of Emperor Hadrian and the triumphant entrance way over the bridge was lined with statues of the classical gods of victory many replace these with angels converting a pagan monument into christian. The angels hold the instruments of the passion. In their hands the road becomes a symbolic way of the cross or via dolorosa like the one walked by the pilgrims in jerusalem. Converted it into a triumphal procession and the angels bear with. As to it with the symbols of christs passion. The angel with a crown of films was sculpted by many himself the newly sculpted angel stood in the sequence of statues with the apostles peter and paul who were on it as martyrs and the here to proclaim the victory of christendom. The mausoleum of cast down sometimes yellow but always dominated the entranceway to run. If people looked around now they saw the miracle of saint peter dedicated to the triumph of the Holy Roman Church but this triumph was soon called into question by knowledge and silence. The battle began for the right to interpret imagery and after bernies death it was no longer 40 in italy but in the hapsburg empire on the other side of the house. Nancy understood how to fire tear. The house for her nephew visit the headquarters of the hapsburgs in piano the hoff org youll see on the left and right a representation of how austria ruled the worlds oceans and much of the wont. Be at the gate and behalf down since they are going to see it as a plagiarized version of the fall of the rebel an Angels Associated with michael for it seemed as though they says austria personified defeating the enemy forces with alarms exactly as we know it from Michael Frost lucifer into the jaws of hell and nowhere is this triumph as clear as in the michael motif of the christian tradition the church is celebrating its own triumph thats why the church directly adjoining the hoff org is dedicated not just to any old saint but to michael the hero the general of the angels with his soldierly demeanor the him haydon dames are dotted in any skin our eyes. This full of the rebel angels was completed in 726. 00 during the reign of the austrian emperor col the 6 the michael motif had become much more than merely a central christian mochi it also signified gongs forgiveness and the emperors grand. The church of st karl has the most significant baroque edifice in vienna makes that very clear. It is a sacred building with imperial aspirations the church was intended to symbolize the connection between rome and by send him between the west and the east roman churches that is why it looks rather like the haga sophia in istanbul and contains its imitation trojan columns this too has to be understood in an allegorical way the absolute monarchs of the modern era wanted to appear as glorious as the Roman Emperors. In the copula is the ecclesia with an allegorical figure representing the one true church she wears a gorgeous cloak as the holy grail in her hand and holds the eucharist over the ground having the last supper positioned at the center of the cocacola in the Patron Church of Emperor Charles the 6 was intended to signify that his empire would uphold the supremacy of the christian world view. As an borg abbey is only one as journey away from vienna towards the end of the reign of calm the 6 the baroque painter paolo talk was commissioned to decorate the central rooms of the abbey with frescos. Even the architecture of the imperial stack case has symbolic significance 2 flights of steps merge into a single one that implies that 2 separate spheres can be seen as a unity. Religion with its halos sits alongside science as allegorical figures on the heavenly. And they are reconciled with one another. All figures on the arched roof have both allegorical and sacred meaning the heavenly virtues of love and hope are depicted as symbolic female figures faith is shown as masculine and posing victoriously. The angels fill this heaven and serve as an order and they seem as though theyre about to applaud the harmonious order the happy dancing. The painting a bump the imperial stack ace tries to illustrate to the viewer the reconciliation between the sacred and the scientific world. Angels have no significant role anymore in this harmony. Thats the end of this history of angels more than one and a half 1000 years of a dominant religious interpretation of the world with a single central god gave way to an age of absolutism succeeded by the age of reason and the era of industrialization. The angels as messengers of an inscrutable god lost their significance but as advocates for and counselors to humanity they are an eternal reminder of humans jani not to be alone and as a perpetual changing motif of alt they are a central aspect of western religious culture. 8 years after the overthrow of the gadhafi regime libya has descended into almost continuous conflict between its rival senses of power my guest this week here in paris it is i made my cheek deputy Prime Minister of the u. S. Backed government of National Accord closely allied for groups of armed militias which are being credited with serious human rights abuses conflicts of. 30 minutes on t. W. X. Staying up to date dont miss our highlights. Program on line d. W. Dot com highlights. 50 years of religions for peace people from many different states are working together toward a common goal the peaceful resolution of religious conflicts. Now female members are for allegiance for peace from the middle east are demanding a larger role for. The female peacemakers stores where we sit on g. W. Cut through. This is the day of you news live from berlin a deadly typhoon batters the central philippines typhoon fan phone tore across a number of popular holiday islands destroying property and killing at least 16 people well bring you the latest on the devastation also coming up. Remembering the 2004 indian ocean tsunami which killed more than 200000 people 15 years on and we meet one woman who lost almost her entire family. And a ring of fire blazes across the middle east