Easter, the feast of feasts
Icon of the Resurrection: the Anastasis
The Gospels do not describe the moment of the Resurrection. This is why the Eastern Easter icon does not show Christ coming out of the tomb, but what the Resurrection accomplishes: Christ descends into Hades, breaks the gates of death and takes Adam and Eve by the hand to bring them back to life.
How to read the icon
- At the centre, Christ in luminous garments, within a mandorla of light, in movement.
- Under his feet the gates of Hades, broken and crossed; around them keys, nails and chains now useless. Sometimes, in the black abyss, Satan bound.
- With his hands Christ grasps Adam and Eve by the wrists: it is not they who hold on to him, it is he who snatches them from death.
- At the sides the righteous of the Old Testament awaiting salvation: kings David and Solomon, Saint John the Baptist, Abel, the prophets.
The Myrrh-bearers and Easter
The other traditional Easter icon shows the myrrh-bearing women at the empty tomb: the angel seated on the stone points to the folded grave clothes. The two icons can be commissioned together, as a diptych.
The Anastasis is the icon of hope: it is given at Easter, in bereavement, for an anniversary, for someone who has come through a trial. It is also the icon best suited to a funerary chapel. Like every icon by Concetta Basile, it is fully gilded with 23¾ karat gold, with inscriptions in Greek or Latin, and is commissioned with an offering proportionate to the time and materials of the work.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the Resurrection icon show Christ in Hades?
Because it expresses the meaning of Easter: Christ has conquered death for all, beginning with the first man. It is what the Church professes in the Creed, «he descended into hell», and sings in the Easter troparion: «Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death».
How do I commission a feast icon?
In the configurator choose «Liturgical feast» and enter the name of the feast; the number of figures can be changed. In the conversation with Concetta Basile you agree together on composition, size and inscriptions.