tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786565.post2239390800628737455..comments2023-12-17T16:13:06.670-05:00Comments on In a Godward direction: Saint James of JerusalemTobias Stanislas Haller BSGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047429477181560685noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786565.post-29235923530939768572008-11-05T13:18:00.000-05:002008-11-05T13:18:00.000-05:00Oh thank you so much for such a beautiful sermon. ...Oh thank you so much for such a beautiful sermon. You so eloquently set out the things we should be thinking about. I never fail to find inspiration from your reflections. This one was especially good.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786565.post-605136116786843742008-10-24T18:12:00.000-05:002008-10-24T18:12:00.000-05:00Tobias you are no doubt in MD already.I am late he...Tobias you are no doubt in MD already.<BR/><BR/>I am late here- but here and thanks to Mimi.<BR/><BR/>This is extraordinary and I will likely use it on my church blog with all due credit.<BR/><BR/>I love what you say about art and prayer. When I was in Athens in 2002 my friends and I happened upon a small shop that was the workshop of an iconographer. <BR/><BR/>We spent about 2 hours with him as he discussed his work and his spiritual life. It was extraordinary and I treasure my St. Helena that I got there.<BR/><BR/>I am sure that you will have a blessed and beautiful time this weekend.Franhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07181529277715646835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786565.post-39479396852990819462008-10-24T09:19:00.000-05:002008-10-24T09:19:00.000-05:00Thanks for the kind words. I'm in Baltimore now wi...Thanks for the kind words. I'm in Baltimore now with limited access to Ye Olde Internet. Please do anyone feel free to link to or otherwise use the icon. Anything that advances better knowledge of this sometimes neglected saint is all to the good.Tobias Stanislas Haller BSGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08047429477181560685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786565.post-41612462283850181122008-10-23T20:24:00.000-05:002008-10-23T20:24:00.000-05:00Tobias,May I use your icon in my blog for my entry...Tobias,<BR/><BR/>May I use your icon in my blog for my entry for Oct. 23 (which is up, but currently uses a different icon)?<BR/><BR/>RFSJRFSJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15164772153139719659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786565.post-63425520725360039352008-10-23T11:48:00.000-05:002008-10-23T11:48:00.000-05:00Tobias, how exciting! If I'm back from a conferenc...Tobias, how exciting! If I'm back from a conference in time to get my car out of the shop Saturday evening, I'll drive up to Parkton for the service and celebration. Anyhow, congratulations and welcome home to Merlin, hon!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786565.post-89089692131259557792008-10-23T10:28:00.000-05:002008-10-23T10:28:00.000-05:00It's really a beautiful piece. Toby, I think you'...It's really a beautiful piece. Toby, I think you've finally posted something I can't criticise!rick allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07612435616018593956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786565.post-10671343334543714702008-10-23T10:05:00.000-05:002008-10-23T10:05:00.000-05:00Have a safe and enjoyable trip, mon cher.Have a safe and enjoyable trip, mon cher.June Butlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01723016934182800437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786565.post-17353485982596736922008-10-23T10:01:00.000-05:002008-10-23T10:01:00.000-05:00Thanks, P.M. The earlier icon was tiny (about 4x5)...Thanks, P.M. The earlier icon was tiny (about 4x5) while this one is 11 x 14. I'm about to pack up to depart for Maryland....Tobias Stanislas Haller BSGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08047429477181560685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786565.post-34553317492362272972008-10-23T09:45:00.000-05:002008-10-23T09:45:00.000-05:00A beautiful icon and a great post, Tobias.I found ...A beautiful icon and a great post, Tobias.<BR/>I found another icon of James of Jersualem which you wrote back in 1998 and used it to illustrate my James of Jerusalem post.Padre Mickeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07580459577853346369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786565.post-48482672848501481452008-10-23T08:59:00.000-05:002008-10-23T08:59:00.000-05:00Thanks for the comments and kind words. To answer ...Thanks for the comments and kind words. To answer Mimi first, as it relates to the writing, the text says, "Ho hagios Iakobos ho adelphos tou kyriou" -- Holy Jacob (i.e., James) the brother of the Lord. There is a long O (omega) in the middle of his name.<BR/><BR/>The halo is gold leaf, as is the "stole" -- laid down over clay bole, which I 'distressed' to give it a more textured appearance, rather than raking it smooth as in the stole. That way it catches light from more angles. "Flat" gold leaf looks dark from certain angles.<BR/><BR/>Thanks Fr J-J for the additional details. I was familiar with the tradition about the resemblance, but didn't know about the details from Voraigne (though I've got the Golden Legend on my bookshelf!)<BR/><BR/>Mimi, iconography is, I think, art and prayer together -- a really good example of the Benedictine ora et labora (pray and work) all in a neat package. I'll be doing a brief talk on icon-writing at the Coffee Hour in Maryland; it is for me a spiritual discipline but also a joy, and as the old Fathers said, it is a reminder of the Incarnation, as matter takes on form to represent something beyond itself. The major defense of icons against the iconoclasts was profoundly theological, and a reminder of that wonderful old phrase of C S Lewis against modern Puritans: "God likes matter. He invented it."Tobias Stanislas Haller BSGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08047429477181560685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786565.post-7229948818747681292008-10-22T23:18:00.000-05:002008-10-22T23:18:00.000-05:00Powerful...thank you.Powerful...thank you.Erinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04851261237969264984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786565.post-79249773283370839482008-10-22T21:53:00.000-05:002008-10-22T21:53:00.000-05:00Tobias, it is beautiful, Oh my! The face, the co...Tobias, it is beautiful, Oh my! The face, the colors, the drape of the fabric, and the textures of golden halo, like applied gold leaf. The more I look, the more I love it. The eyes in the enlarged view are amazing. They seem to pierce through my masks to the inner me. Disconcerting to say the least.<BR/><BR/>I don't mean to gush, but my response to art (is an icon art or prayer?) is very much emotional, and I am emoting madly in response to the icon.<BR/><BR/>What about the words? What do they say?June Butlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01723016934182800437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786565.post-36682977819702448202008-10-22T21:33:00.000-05:002008-10-22T21:33:00.000-05:00Tobias: interesting side notes from my brief bio o...Tobias: interesting side notes from my brief bio of James:<BR/><BR/>'James was said to have such a strong physical resemblance to Jesus that the two could be confused one with the other. (In fact, there are those who claim James was with the Apostles when Jesus was arrested, and that Jesus and James looked so much alike that Judas had to kiss Jesus in order to differentiate between him and his brother.) <BR/><BR/>'One of the pseudo-Ignatian letters says: “I want to come up to Jerusalem to see the venerable James, surnamed the Just, who they say resembled Jesus Christ so closely in his features, his life, and his way with others that he might have been born his twin brother; so that, as they say, if I see James I see Christ Jesus so far as all bodily features are concerned.”<BR/><BR/>'According to de Voragine, James was the first person to celebrate Mass. “In recognition of his superior holiness the apostles awarded him the honor of being the first among them to offer Mass at Jerusalem…This was before he was ordained bishop.”<BR/><BR/>'Jerome tells us that James made a vow on Good Friday that he would not eat until he had seen his brother Jesus. The Lord appeared to him on Easter Day and said to him and those with him, “Lay the table and prepare the bread!” Then he took the bread, blessed it, and gave it to James, saying, “Arise, my brother, and eat, because the Son of Man has risen.”<BR/><BR/>Also, The Gospel of Thomas says that James was appointed bishop of Jerusalem by Jesus himself. But Eusebius says he was "elected" by the Apostles.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786565.post-55433435702738902482008-10-22T20:17:00.000-05:002008-10-22T20:17:00.000-05:00Thank you. I am most impressed that you prayed tha...Thank you. I am most impressed that you prayed that icon into being.Janhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08061517211101084120noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786565.post-37505008913316823952008-10-22T17:47:00.000-05:002008-10-22T17:47:00.000-05:00PS -- did you leave a letter out of his name? Iaka...PS -- did you leave a letter out of his name? Iakavos or Iakvos? I don't see it in the Iconic style writing.Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11622358803103789307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786565.post-43244764582230328892008-10-22T17:43:00.000-05:002008-10-22T17:43:00.000-05:00A very nice "writing," Tobias. You're quite talent...A very nice "writing," Tobias. You're quite talented.Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11622358803103789307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786565.post-40759621828104096302008-10-22T16:30:00.000-05:002008-10-22T16:30:00.000-05:00That's a remarkable view. I like it. Thanks for sh...That's a remarkable view. I like it. Thanks for sharing it!backrowbasshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09503295085109608734noreply@blogger.com