το φως ήρθε στον κόσμο, και οι άνθρωποι αγάπησαν το σκοτάδι

Raphael - Madonna dell Granduca

Κατά Ιωάννην Κεφ. 3, 19-21

Κι αυτή είναι η κρίση, ότι το φως ήρθε στον κόσμο, και οι άνθρωποι αγάπησαν το σκοτάδι περισσότερο παρά το φως· για τον λόγο ότι, τα έργα τους ήσαν πονηρά.
Επειδή, όποιος πράττει τα φαύλα, μισεί το φως, και δεν έρχεται στο φως, για να μη έρθουν σε έλεγχο τα έργα του.
Όποιος, όμως, πράττει την αλήθεια, έρχεται στο φως, για να φανερωθούν τα έργα του, ότι έγιναν σύμφωνα με τον Θεό.

Κατά Ιωάννην Κεφ. 6, 63

Το πνεύμα είναι εκείνο που ζωοποιεί, η σάρκα δεν ωφελεί τίποτε· τα λόγια που εγώ σας μιλάω, είναι πνεύμα και είναι ζωή

Raphael Sanzio (Raffaello) Art

 

Raphael: "The School of Athens"

 

Raphael: "The School of Athens", c.1510/11 , Vatican, Apostolic Palace

"The School of Athens" is not only Raphael's most ambitious work, but also one of the most famous and complex compositions of the Western Painting. The list of portrayed men includes Plato (represented as Leonardo da Vinci), Socrates, Archimedes or Raphael himself (represented as Apelles)

Zoroastrism and Zarathustra

 

Detail from :

The School of Athens by Raphael, 1509,

showing Zoroaster  (left, with star-studded globe)

In Zoroastrism, Ahriman is not considered as born of God, not even as the 'fallen angel', because by that, God would become responsible for evil alone.

Ahriman is considered as entirely independent evil spirit, who wants to destroy the perfection of God's creation. In spite of this seeming dualism, we could consider Zoroastrism as monotheistic religion, because Ormuz is the supreme divinity, the creator of heaven, earth and man, as well as of divine beings, that can be compared with archangels and angels. This god is the principle of truth and good, and beside him there are no other gods.

Prophet Zarathustra taught that this world is good in its essence, but the attacks of Ahriman do corrupt him. People have their personal responsability to choose between good and evil, and according to their free will in choice they make, they will be judged on the other world. In Zoroastrism, there is the cosmic battle between good and evil, which will last for three thousand years, according to the prophecy; after that, the evil will be destroyed, and Ahriman disabled, and then will take place the renewal of the creation. The earth and heaven will be merged then, to create what is best in both worlds.

In the eulogies gatha, Zarathustra points at divine mystical tradition and he yearns for acquirement of the divine knowledge. He teaches that achievement of wholeness and immortality leads to enlightenment, where one can get the knowledge of God alone. The relation between man and God is based upon love. To achieve the pure love of God, it is necessary to have in mind

Zarathustra's words: «I yearn for your figure and union with you, come to me alone and grow inside me». From these quotes, of the sacred book of Zoroastrism, one can see the importance of mysticism for this religion. The purpose of man is, according to that, that he, by good thought, fairness and piety, through the perfection of his being unites himself with God.

Fragment from  the book :

Desiderio Valacco - From Zarathustra to Ken Wilber: Lives and Works of Prominent Mystical Philosophers

 

Raphael Sanzio (1483-1520) The School of Athens (1510 - 11)

Fresco The Vaticanm) Accademia, Venice

Raphael Sanzio (1483 - 1520) - Mond Crucifixion

 

Raphael Sanzio (Italian: Raffaello) (1483 - 1520)
Mond Crucifixion (Crucifixion with the Virgin, Saints and Angels)
Oil on poplar, 1502–1503
283.3 cm × 167.3 cm (111.5 in × 65.9 in)
National Gallery, London, United Kingdom

The Mond Crucifixion (or Crocifissione Gavari; both names are after former owners) is a painting by the Italian renaissance artist Raphael.

An early work influenced by Perugino, it was originally an altarpiece in the church of San Domenico in Città di Castello, near Raphael's hometown of Urbino. The painting shows Jesus on the cross, who is looking peaceful even though he is dying. There are two angels catching his blood in chalices. On Jesus' left kneels Mary Magdalene, with John the Evangelist standing behind her. On his right Mary (mother of Jesus) stands, and St. Jerome, to whom the altar was dedicated, is kneeling. At the foot of the cross is the inscription RAPHAEL/ VRBIN / AS /.P.[INXIT] ("Raphael of Urbino painted this") in silver letters.

The painting was bequeathed to the National Gallery by Ludwig Mond.

Raphael - Transfiguration

Raphael Sanzio (1483-1520)

Transfiguration (1520) 

Pinacoteca Apostolica, Vatican City, Rome

"After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them." (Mark IX.1-10) 

Raphael's Transfiguration painting was his last before he died. The upper part of the painting shows the Transfiguration itself on Mount Tabor, with the transfigured Christ floating in front of softly illuminated clouds, between the prophets Moses and Elijah with whom he is discoursing. 

In the lower part, Raphael depicts the Apostles attempting, unsuccessfully, to free the possessed boy of his demonic possession. 

They are unable to cure the sick child until the arrival of the recently-transfigured Christ, who performs a miracle. 

(Gordon Bendersky medical analysis of painting, New York Times, Dec. 16, 1995)

Jesus carrying the cross, by Raphael, 1516

 

Raphael