Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1871-07-22
PORTRAITS OF CHRIST.

interesting subject that the familiar
portraitures of the Savior of man.
kind are not the mere creations 0fre-
Iligious fancy, but in their essential
features have been transmitted by
faithful and loving hands from the
earliest days of the Christian Church.
That the mission of Christ ON earth,
the peculiar circumstances attending
his birth and death, the manner and
matter ofhis teachings, and the effect
which those teachings produced even
during his lifetime, did awaken o
profound and lasting interest, at least
in Judea, none, we presume, will
deny. That very many ofthose who,
through conviction of their truth OF
idle curiosity, attended on his min
istrations, should carry away with
them not only a distinct recollection
of the principles inculcated, but o
vivid memory of the face and form of
Him "who spake as never man
spake," is too self-evident to need sr-
gument. And if strangers and
scofiers remembered the figure a1d
countenancc of the despised Nazarene
how could the twelve apostles, Mar
tina and Mary and the little company
who believed Jesus to be the verita-
Bile Messiah, the incarnate God, for
get his looks when he had passed
from Calvary TO the Throne! And
ifhis outward seeming did stamp it.
self indelibly upon their souls, would
they not cherish it as fond tradi-
ton, convey it from father to son,
generation TO generation, until the
divine lineaments of their risen Lord
were caught by some sympathetic
artist and placed upon canvas or CHS
eled in marble2 Nothing could be
moro natural than this, and we there
fore hold that all of the portraits of
Jesus Christ are based upon some
original: done, no one knows when,
where Or by whom, but certainly
done in accordance with the legend
derived from apostolic times. That
any of them are exactly correct we
are. not sufficiently crcdulous as to
believe, but we do believe that the
world has a better and more truth
full idea of the person ofthe Redeem
or than can be obtained of any other
individual who lived and died eigh-
teen centuries ago.
We propose in this sketch to give
some of the descriptions of Christ
which are to be found in the writings
of the fathers, and follow them with
a brief mention of what are consid.
cred the most authentic portraits,
st. Jerome says that in the face and
eyes of Jesus there "was something
heavenly, 80 that from their glory
and majesty the hidden Godhead
flashed forth" Origen believed that
Christ had no fixed appearance, but
was manifested to every person in
accordance with that PERSONS idea of
personal beauty. Theophanes says
that some historians described him
as having curled and scanty hair.
st. John of Damascus, writing to the
Emperor Theophilus, declares that
Christ was tall and stately, had
brows uniting over the nose, which
WIS large; beautiful eyes, hair Of
golden brown shade inclined to curl
like his mothers, and black beard.
His head was always somewhat bow
ed forward. Lentulus, who is said
to have lived while the Savior was
on earth, and to have held q position
among theretainers ofPilate--though
both statements are probably ticti-
tious-wrotc letter which is quoted
by st. Anselm of Canterbury in ll07'
We extract a single passage: sic
Christ is o man Of tall stature,
comely, having q venerable counte.
nance, which those beholding must
love or fear. His hair is waving and
curled, rolling to his shoulders, hay
| ing parting in the middle of the
head, after the manner of the Naza'
renes. His brow is smooth and Sc
rene, his face without wrinkle OF
blemish of any kind, and rendered
| beautiful, by q moderate color. There
is no fault to be found with the nosC
or mouth; his hair is the color of tho
hazel nut; his beard the same shade
| as his hair; not long but bifurcated
and his eyes grayish blue and full O.
light. His hands and arms arr
beautiful"
| Nicephorus Callistus Zanthepolus
who lived at Constantinople between
| 1926 and 1850, and wrote a volumi
nous ecclesiastical history, sums III
the ancient descriptions in the fol
lowing words:
"Christ was beautiful in body; hi
height seven complete spans; hi
hair yellowish, but not thick, and a
the ends somewhat Curled. His eye
brows were black, only q little arch
ed and without break his eyes wcr
hazel, and of that description know
as bright-eyed-not dim, and in n,
way misformed nor wandering. Hi
nose was prominent, his beard red
dish, not profuse, but the hair of tn
head was abundant, for never ha,
razor Or hand of man shorn it. Iii
! neck was somewhat bent so that h
> he did not walk perfectly upright
the color Of his face was not roun
nor pointed, but like his mother
a little dropping, and slightly blush
ing, His very countenance indicat
ed a man of intelligence, with mar
ners grave, calm, and removed froI
, anger. In ali things he was like hi
! most pure mother"
/ Nicephorus gives this sketch of til
s Virgin Mary:
! "Mary was in everything modes
i and earnest she spake little, an
D then only about necessities she wa
D very courteous, and rendered TO o
honor and respect. She spake to q
T with an engaging trankness, will
0 out laughing, without embarras
8 ment, and especially without rance
J Finally, she was without pride, sin
2 pie, and without guile; she had Il
1 insipidity about her. was unassun
= ing. She was of middle statur
q though some assert her to have bee
\ somewhat taller, She had a pa
n tint, light hair, piercing eyes W.
q yellowish olive-Colored pupils, III
o brows were arched and moderate
y black; her nose moderately lont
/ her lips fresh and full of amiabiliI
y when speaking; her face not rour
or pointed, but lOngish, and b