, 1870-12-11
Portraits OF Chrtae.

HIT 1AEntl1&f pffIfAtIufet OF Inc AF1Df OF Ha1l~
kiLd ate not the mere creatinns OF Eelieloua
faucy, lut, in their essential textures, hkve
been t1antmitted by faithful and loving hands
from the earliest daysof he Christian Church.
That The mission OF Christ on earth, the pecu-
liar circumstances attending his birth and
death, the manner and matter Of his teach
iues, and The eject which those teachings pro-
duced, tytn during his life time, did awaken
profound and lasting interest, at 1east within
the borders Of Jndex. none, we presume. will
d. ny. That very many Of those who, through
conviction Of their truth Of idle curiosity, at
tcLded bis mipietkstlons. should carry away
with them not OF 1y distinct recollection Of
tire principles iucu1cated. but = vivid memory
OF tile face aud form OF Him 's who spike as
never man srake," il too self-svident to need
argument. And il strangers and scofera re-
mttube1ed the figure and counteuauce Of the
1esp,eed Nazsreue. how could the Twelve
Apostles, Martha and Mary. and tue little
company who believed Jesus to be the verits-
be Messiah, the incar2ate GOD, forget his
looks when he hnd passed from Calvary to the
Throne! And il his outward seeming did
stamp itself ipdelihly upon their so1ls, would
thoy not cherish it "a fond tradition. con-
sey it frcm father to kon, from generation to
generation. unit! tie divine lineAusents Of
their riseD Lord were caught bT some sympa-
thetic artiHt. and placed upon CANVAS or
cbiselled in marble: Nothing could bs more
natural than this, Ard We therefore hold that
Ill Of the portraits ct Jesus Christ are based
when. where, or BY whom, but certainly done
in accordance with the legend derived from
npos olic times. That any Of them are exact
" CORE ct We arc not sufficiently credu!ous
TO believe, but We do believe that the world
has tetter and moro truthful idea Of the
perr On Of it Nedecmer than eau be obtaiued
Of any other individual wLo lived and died
eip1iteeu centuries ago.
We topot In this sketch to give somo Of
the descriptions Of Christ whteh are to be
found in the writings Of the fa:here, aud fol-
low them with brief mention OF what are
considered the most authentic portraits st.
Jerome says that IN the face and eyes Of Jesus
there - Was something heavenly, 90 that from
their E'ory and maientT the hidden GodheAd
tlaehtd fotl." Origen believed that Christ
lad no fixed appearance. but was mauifeated
to every pereon in accordance with that per
sons idea OF human beauty. Theophanea says
that eonae historians describe him as having
curled and scaEtv hair. st. John, OF Damas-
Gus. writing to tie Emperor Theophllus, de-
clares thai Cbrist was tall and stately, had
brows uniting over the nose, which WAS large
beautiful eyes. hair OF golden broTn shade
inclined 10 curl like his mothers, and a
black beard. His head WAS always como
NLat bowed forward. Lentulu.t xho il said
to hase lived while the Savior waa on
Garth, ard to have held position among tho
Eetainetb Of Ti]atc-thouEh both statements
are probably fctlsiouA-wrote a letter which
is quoted by 81. Auselm, Of Canterbury, in
1107. We extract = single passage: "Ha
(Chrsst) Is man Of tail stature, comAly, hav-
ing venerable counttnance. which thoee be.
and curled. rolling to his shoulders, having i
pattiug i'll the middle OF the head. after the
mannct Of tic SazaTeneH. His brow le
smooth and eerene, hts face without blemisb
OF wrl1 kte Of any kind, and rendered beautiful
by moderate Color There il no fault to be
found With the uore or mouth: hts hair IL The
colur Of tie hazel Ius; his beard the same
ard his ewes gra5ish blne and full Of light. Hi:
hart1s and arnls are beautiful.
NiceFLorus C1llistua NAnthnpolus. who liyel
II Coustan'inopls between 1926 and 1854. aot
w1ote : vohlm,nous ecclesiastical history
snms mp the ancient descriptions in the follow
ing words;
"Chri-t WAS beautiful in body; his heigh
sevtn complete srans: his hair velfouiah, bu
rot thick, and at the ends somewhat cuEfed
HIS eyebrows wers black, oplv little arched
and althout break: his eyes were hazel ani
of thst description called bnght-ered-no
dim. aid in no way mi-forme.l, or wandering
IIls noee uaa prominent his beard reddish
not profuee: but the hair Of the head M
abundant: for never had razor or baud O
TNAU tuGEu IL. l&ES AFCk war rtluNNH&1 DENt
eo tha, he did not walk perfectly upright; th
cr lor Of bis face WIS yellow brown. ike rip.
wheat; his face vas not rouud nor pointed
hut. like his mothers, little dropping aut
tl;ehtly bIufhipg. His very countenAnce in
1icsted man OF intelligence. with manner
grave. calm, and removed from anger. 1u Al
things lie was like his most pure mother"
Sictphnrus gires this sketch OF the viEsi!
Mari: -,
nest ; she erake little. and then only ahou
neceesAriee; she WAS very courteous, and rem
uered TO all honor ard respect She npake Il
alt With an engaging frapkreee, without laugh
ing. without embt1srrment. and eeIeci1l
without rancor. Fi,ally, she Was 9tthou
rEide, timple, and without guile; she hid d
irrpieitv atont her, but VA. unsssumtoG
She vas OF nlddle stature, though some a
scr, her 10 hare been somewhat taller. Sh
bad pale tint, light hair, piercing eyee Wit
yellowirh ollye-colored rupi1r, Her brow
we're arched aud modestly black: her nos
moderately long: her lips fresh. and full G
an,a,ili,y ~hen sre ak,ng: her face not rouu
incers fairly long. In her dress ehe waa fon
Of the natural color"
We Eow turn to the most ancient portrait
Of Christ which painters have left rs and II
yeperxticn Of the Church preserved TIL
/ history connected with theae, however inse.
estiuG. must, in the Grelt nstor1ty Of cases
re received with many graius Of allowances
! TIE Greek monk. Michael Simon Aetapbra:
| tee. 81. Thomas Aqn1nas, and Sicephorus, Il
areert that s.. Luke painted portrait G
| Ctr,rt and the picture itself Is now in th
I,osses.ion Of the Beue .c;ines Of raliau,hroe,
| An examination p1Oves that. Willie it couI
not roeeibly have been done At tha time spec
ded, it is e, Of great antiquity: is painte
| On p1uel OF CYPRESS wood the features a.
/ stronely marked, tue face long. the eyes larG
And brilliant, the eseli3e dropping, and th
hroxs finely arcbei. In the Monastery {
| St. Prsxides Is 4 picture ~bich date
back before the. days Of ConstHntin'
hut it IL enEhfiued in 4 silver case And tn
| Jealous keepers will not permit close e1zul
na'icn- Wuas u known - the sepefse POI
! trsii il Internationally Of remote onEsu. An
| repres~nts Christ With ! trlfurcated beard Al
fulI. rruod Byzantine face. At the pTomn
| ratjcp OF the dcgma OF the lmmlculase Co.
c. ptiop. December S, 1854. there were e1hit
it.fl IN the Chapel OF the Blessed Sacrament 1
| ST. P.t+r'e. number OF relic. OF the pAss'o
ct Christ !; and amopg them the famous Sc
oi St, ye.ouics, on which are satl to be il
p.ert ed the l,neameEt. Of the Savior. Nor
i ut bishops we're allowed to enter the chape
II d to tie cro<d gaz.rG, through the Gra:is
netn,re could be cleAI1y distinguished: I
~ eclal favor, however. u. Barber de SO
,ault. ctnpn o! the HasllicA Of Anagni. VI
t3rmi,tcd 10 approach the shrine and carefr
IL se1u ipize the nysteFiou. picture. y
giyn bis ovn det c1ipsiou,:
-. The holy face Is enclosed in frame
.siver pa,tiaite Gilt. 4 d square. Of seve
character. and Ii tie aeorred. The simple.
Of ,he t.ordtE Eis gives prominence to the
setior OF the taciuFe. which ss pEotec:eu o5
tliu 1late Of crystal. Ctfortunasely. By n
Of sbose customs 70 common in ltalF. she
CT mi ia' covers the field. and ouls lsases =
rsreut the tiGu1e indicating its outline.
! Ills outline one II lid to conjecture doEi
h.is re.c ching to the shoulders. and abe
, | card. blfnIcated acd email. Tha other II
tnre- are 70 vsEuely indicsted OF 20 eomple'
IL fraced that It r. tquifes the liyelieat iruA
. ustlon in tht NO. Id to perceive ttAeea OF eE
. | or upee. In tho1f. one does not zee the Z
, ,eri1l Of the erbetance because o. the u.ele
intervention of 4 metal plate. and the place
, ,n1 reee;on exhibits only blicklsh sarfa'
nci eius 6 sny evidences Of human feature.
But The face Of Christ is not alwavs del
i Gated on wood or canyaa, bat is to be found
+ various shapfs upon the earliest Christi
, .steot hsgi; also conc in euamel and moss
and frescoed on the walls and ceilings OF I
: Reman casxcombs. These sarcogh4g1 us
j 1hite marble. generally highly ornament
: tue care estowed upon their preparation,
i scepect in which the dead we're held ever
e thaf e1A Of corruption, tyranny, and yiolen
d Except IN the nature Of the esnbots car,
j. thereon. thete IL no particular difference
. tween tho Christian and pagan slrcophl
: That ct Juntns Btssus, xho died in the :
J. 3.9 has the free OF the SAyior four t1ues
q ptAtrd. 1t is youthful almost to childishut
j. With dsuirg hair and beardless chin; the
n tprAe arc Of the ordinary cl1ss,o typo. Emit
. ded IN tho mortat OF the tomb OF Eutyl
+ / in the catscombs, whom the inscription
+ clars TO be Is the h1priest Of women"
il f.upd beauti nj glass goblet. On this 6
d let |. portrayed in enamel I represeatafion
st the r. su11ectinp OF LAZARUS. Christ Ia tt
ebo~u 3onng and beautiful. with curiod
v but bear4less whlle IN Another goblet 4