{"id":6408,"date":"2025-12-18T12:47:58","date_gmt":"2025-12-18T10:47:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vb.vpba.edu.ua\/?p=6408"},"modified":"2026-04-30T23:41:07","modified_gmt":"2026-04-30T20:41:07","slug":"symbolism-of-the-cross-nimbus-of-jesus-christ-in-ukrainian-iconography-byzantine-canon-and-its-modifications","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vb.vpba.edu.ua\/uk\/symbolism-of-the-cross-nimbus-of-jesus-christ-in-ukrainian-iconography-byzantine-canon-and-its-modifications\/","title":{"rendered":"\u0421\u0438\u043c\u0432\u043e\u043b\u0456\u043a\u0430 \u0445\u0440\u0435\u0449\u0430\u0442\u043e\u0433\u043e \u043d\u0456\u043c\u0431\u0443 \u0406\u0441\u0443\u0441\u0430 \u0425\u0440\u0438\u0441\u0442\u0430 \u0432 \u0443\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0457\u043d\u0441\u044c\u043a\u0456\u0439 \u0456\u043a\u043e\u043d\u0456 (\u0432\u0456\u0437\u0430\u043d\u0442\u0456\u0439\u0441\u044c\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u043a\u0430\u043d\u043e\u043d \u0442\u0430 \u0439\u043e\u0433\u043e \u043c\u043e\u0434\u0438\u0444\u0456\u043a\u0430\u0446\u0456\u0457)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n
Mariia Chikarkova<\/strong><\/summary>\n

Doctor of Philosophy, Professor of the Department of philosophy and culturology, Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ORCID: orcid.org\/0000-0001-9664-8132 | chikarkova@ukr.net<\/a><\/p>\n<\/details>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Number DOI: http:\/\/doi.org\/10.33209\/2519-4348-2707-9627-2025-13-181<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Volynskyi Blahovisnyk. \u2116 13. 2025. P. 279-292.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Summary<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The purpose of this article is to examine the specifics of the use and symbolism of the cross halo in Ukrainian iconography.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The study is based on a combination of axiological, functional, cultural, and comparative methods. The evolution of the cross halo in Ukrainian icons has not yet attracted significant scholarly attention. While Ukrainian researchers have produced substantial studies on the nation\u2019s iconographic tradition, these works typically focus either on individual icon painters (or specific regions) or on the broader historical development of icon painting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article traces the origins of the so-called cross halo in depictions of Jesus Christ. The author argues that its genesis should not be attributed solely to ancient sources, as the sacred radiant circle has been present in art since the Paleolithic era. At the same time, the halo phenomenon is not exclusively linked to solar worship but has deeper roots in ancient Eastern traditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christian dogmatic tradition introduced the Greek-rendered Old Testament title “He Who Is” (\u1f41 \u1f62\u03bd) into Christ\u2019s cross halo, emphasizing the inseparable unity of the Son and the Father, a feature that became canonical in Byzantine iconography. However, starting in the Renaissance period, Ukrainian iconography began to depart from this canon, replacing the cross halo with a radiant circle or rays in the spirit of Western artistic traditions. In Orthodox Ukrainian iconography, a simple circular glow gradually supplanted the traditional cross halo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the Modern period, the fusion of Orthodox and Byzantine traditions resulted in experimental artistic variations, including halos painted with ordinary colors rather than gold, sometimes blending into the background. In the Baroque era, the Greek letters inscribed in the halo could partially disappear, often replaced by a crown. These trends reflect modifications of the Byzantine canon under the influence of Western iconography and Ukrainian artistic preferences. Consequently, multiple types of Christ\u2019s halo emerged in icons of the Modern period, a phenomenon that continues to this day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key words:<\/strong> cross nimbus, iconography, Byzantine tradition, modification of the canon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

References:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Aleksandrovych, V. (1995). Ukrainian painting of the 13th-15th centuries<\/em>. Lviv: [b.v.] [in Ukrainian].<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Helitovych, M. (2005). Ukrainian icons “Christ in Glory”<\/em>. Lviv: Drukarski kunshty [in Ukrainian].<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Kosiv, R. (2018). The image of Christ in the iconostases of 1670\u20131760 by masters from the town of Rybotychi in Nadsiannia. Narodoznavchi zoshyty, 6(144) <\/em>[in Ukrainian].<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Lazor-Skop, L. (1997). New data on the artistic life of the Drohobych icon painters of the 16th-18th centuries.<\/em> Sakralne mystetstvo Boikivshchyny. Naukovi chytannia pamiati Mykhaila Drahana<\/em>. Drohobych: Vidrodzhennia [in Ukrainian].<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Markovych, K. (2017). Icon painting of Western Ukraine in the 16th \u2013 early 17th centuries<\/em>. Lviv: Drukarski kunshty [in Ukrainian].<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. The oldest icon of Ethiopia may have originated from Italy<\/em> (n.d.). Retrieved from [https:\/\/supportyourart.com\/news\/najstarisha-ikona-efiopiyi-mozhlyvo-pohodyt-z-italiyi\/<\/a>] [in Ukrainian].<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. Skop-Druziuk, H. (1997). Iconographic features of “The Holy Face” icons in the work of Jov Kondzelevych. Volynska ikona: pytannia istorii vyvchennia, doslidzhennia ta restavratsii. Dopovidi ta materialy IV naukovoi konferentsii<\/em>. Lutsk [in Ukrainian].<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  8. Skop, M. (2020). Ukrainian icons “The Holy Face” of the 15th-16th centuries: artistic features and semantics<\/em>. Narodoznavchi zoshyty, 3(153) <\/em>[in Ukrainian].<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  9. Stepovyk, D. (2004). History of Ukrainian icon painting of the 10th-20th centuries<\/em>. Kyiv: Lybid [in Ukrainian].<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  10. How the Ascension of Christ was depicted in ancient Ukrainian icons<\/em>. (n.d.). Retrieved from [https:\/\/galinfo.com.ua\/news\/yak_zobrazhaly_voznesinnya_hrysta_na_davnih_ukrainskyh_ikonah_386054.html<\/a>].<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  11. Didron, A. N. (1851). Christian Iconography: Or, The History of Christian Art in the Middle Ages<\/em>. Transl. by Ellen J. Millington. London: H. G. Bohn, York Street, Covent Garden [in English].<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  12. Magalis, E. (2005). Nimbus. L. Jones (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Religion<\/em>. Thomson Gale, p. 6624 [in English].<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
    \n
    View\/download PDF<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Number DOI: http:\/\/doi.org\/10.33209\/2519-4348-2707-9627-2025-13-181 Volynskyi Blahovisnyk. \u2116 13. 2025. P. 279-292. Summary The purpose of this article is to examine the specifics of the use and symbolism of the cross halo in Ukrainian iconography. The study is based on a combination of axiological, functional, cultural, and comparative methods. The evolution of the cross halo in Ukrainian icons has not yet attracted significant scholarly attention. While Ukrainian researchers have produced substantial studies on the nation\u2019s iconographic tradition, these works typically focus either on individual icon painters (or specific regions) or on the broader historical development of icon painting. This article traces the origins of the so-called cross halo in depictions of Jesus Christ. The author argues that its genesis should not be attributed solely to ancient sources, as the sacred radiant circle has been present in art since the Paleolithic era. At the same time, the halo phenomenon is not exclusively linked to solar worship but has deeper roots in ancient Eastern traditions. Christian dogmatic tradition introduced the Greek-rendered Old Testament title “He Who Is” (\u1f41 \u1f62\u03bd) into Christ\u2019s cross halo, emphasizing the inseparable unity of the Son and the Father, a feature that became canonical in Byzantine iconography. However, starting in the Renaissance period, Ukrainian iconography began to depart from this canon, replacing the cross halo with a radiant circle or rays in the spirit of Western artistic traditions. In Orthodox Ukrainian iconography, a simple circular glow gradually supplanted the traditional cross halo. During the Modern period, the fusion of Orthodox and Byzantine traditions resulted in experimental artistic variations, including halos painted with ordinary colors rather than gold, sometimes blending into the background. In the Baroque era, the Greek letters inscribed in the halo could partially disappear, often replaced by a crown. These trends reflect modifications of the Byzantine canon under the influence of Western iconography and Ukrainian artistic preferences. Consequently, multiple types of Christ\u2019s halo emerged in icons of the Modern period, a phenomenon that continues to this day. Key words: cross nimbus, iconography, Byzantine tradition, modification of the canon. References:<\/p>","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[349],"tags":[372],"class_list":["post-6408","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category--13-2025","tag-mariia-chikarkova","post-no-thumbnail"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vb.vpba.edu.ua\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6408","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vb.vpba.edu.ua\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vb.vpba.edu.ua\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vb.vpba.edu.ua\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vb.vpba.edu.ua\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6408"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/vb.vpba.edu.ua\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6408\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6533,"href":"https:\/\/vb.vpba.edu.ua\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6408\/revisions\/6533"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vb.vpba.edu.ua\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6408"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vb.vpba.edu.ua\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6408"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vb.vpba.edu.ua\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6408"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}