By Bridget Spinks
An icon depicting Christ’s Descent into Hades was unveiled at the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Maylands on 2 May.
n Maylands on 2 May.
This ‘Icon of the Resurrection’ expresses what occurred after Christ’s death and before his Resurrection – Christ’s visit to Hades to restore life to those who had been denied Heaven up to that point.
“Byzantine art never presents the actual Resurrection. Instead, it shows what happened before or after the Resurrection. This icon is one of the icons of the Resurrection,” says Perth iconographer Richard Charlwood, who worked on the icon as his ‘Lenten project’.
Unlike other icons of the Resurrection, which also include images of Solomon and David, this icon focuses on our first parents, Adam and Eve, whom Christ pulls out of Hades and into eternal life.
It is a reflection of the Sixth Ode in the Resurrection Matins: “You have descended into the realm of Death, O Christ, and have broken the ancient bonds which held the captives; and, like Jonah from the whale, on the third day You rose from the tomb”. The colour of the raiment and the symbols included in the icon add meaning to the image.
Traditional Eastern representations of the Descent into Hades depict Christ’s garments as brilliant and illuminating the darkness of Hades.
Christ’s presence fills the darkness with the light of His divine presence. He stands upon the broken gate of the kingdom of Death, indicating His victory over Death by His own death and resurrection.
The bolts, broken chains, and keys are scattered about to signify the freeing of those held captive and the breaking of Death’s hold over men.
In the Eastern Catholic Churches, a troparion (Greek) or ‘repeated phrase’ is sung to remember the Resurrection. This Resurrection troparion is the subject of this icon – “Christ is risen from the dead. Trampling death by death, and to those in the tombs giving life”.