Nexus Mysteriorum

TO THE POOR he is showing his manger,

TO THE SICK his bruised face

TO THE PERSECUTED his reeds, his crown and his cross.

Nexus Mysteriorum

The First Vatican Council (1869-1870) recommended the theological method of nexus mysteriorum inter se in which 'reason illuminated by faith' is helped by 'the connection of mysteries with one another and with man's last end' (DS 3016) The term Nexus Mysteriorum means simply that the Mysteries are inter-related. We can not, for example, understand the Mystery of the Immaculate Conception apart from the Mystery of the Assumption, the Nativity apart from Good Friday, Good Friday apart from Pentecost, Easter apart from The Ascension, The Ascension apart from Corpus Christ, and on it goes.

The artists of the holy cards of the late 19th Century were influenced by this teaching that came from the First Vatican Council, and we see this particularly in the inter-relatedness of Mystery of the Incarnation (Christmas), the mysteries of Holy Week and the Resurrection (Easter), and the institution of the Eucharist. Not only in the Mystery of Pentecost, but in all the Mysteries, the holy cards remind us of the action of the Holy Spirit.

The Orthodox and the Eastern Rite Churches illustrate the idea that all theological topics are inter-related by displaying icons for the 12 major feasts side by side on the iconostasis, the large screen that divides and unites the Church in Heaven and the Church on Earth. Holy of Holies. The Church continues the ancient practice of using leavened bread for the Lamb (Host), and the altar where the heavenly consecration takes place is sheilded from the eyes of the faithful by a large screen called the iconostasis. As they stand in prayer in the sanctuary, the faithful can gaze on the iconostasis where icons for the 12 major feasts are presented together in order and form a majestic border for the central rite of the Eucharist. Christ Pantocrator, the Theotokos, and the Archangels are given their own special places. In this way the Eastern Church quietly holds up to the eyes of the faithful the inter-relatedness of the Mysteries during each Divine Liturgy.

Nexus Mysteriorum

Monday, January 28, 2013

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