If on one hand the authorities of the Church strove to get rid of the beliefs and practices that did not fit into the new thinking that they were forged, on the other, often had to compromise too entrenched traditions and compromise.
Similarly, in Christian mythology, which would be the basis of the symbolism of Roman art, formed by the two original traditions that compose it, were added to the local peoples and invaders. And the concept of evil, as mythical character, we have a clear example.
From Neoplatonism
come from reflections on the nature of daemons, while early Christian writers give popularity to some apocryphal stories about the fall of the angels, their mating with women on earth and begotten of the race of "giants" that devastated and demonic spirits which still produce the sin and misery. Augustine of Hippo wrote back then, the treaty De divinatanione daemonum, where first is about pacts with the devil, who gave so much to talk about popular culture and Christian official.
--. - So thanks to the mythical-theological treatises of scholars, popular culture over imagining the devil in a grotesque, almost preposterous, with crowbars, with horns and tail. As the figure of a man half animal that seemed to have escaped from a meeting of Dionysian mysteries, a persistent supporter of paganism sinful and cheerful.
obviously ecclesiastical authors and principals did not worry too deny this type of representation because, after all, getting the message that the old pagan gods remain identified with the concept, thereby eliminating any possible could take hold and devotion exist.
. Romanesque iconography, therefore, reflects the popular view. And besides, we got a variety of names associated with evil, and all of them, more popularly known is Lucifer.
But ... why and since when is it? :
* Satan is not Lucifer, but inquisitive and tentative expression of life. We will see reproduced in Romanesque tempting the Son of God, as opposed to the weighing of souls who made Lieutenant Michael angelic.
* Belzebúl Nor is Lucifer, nor Belial. They are the expression of heretical Jewish-Christian message against the pagan gods, not in vain refers to the custom of offering blood sacrifices to Baal (Beel) identified with corruption and the swarm of insects around his body reconciled to sacrifice, so are also known as "The Lord of the Flies.
* Leviathan, the beast from the abyss or the old Dragon, would be rescued by the Romanesque art of Phoenician mythology, Babylonian and Egyptian as primal monster of primeval chaos to embody resistance power of evil against God, serving as a symbolic representation of all the devils and represented as the door of hell. But even he is Lucifer.
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* * LUCIFER *
name Lucifer has a meaning as enigmatic as that of Lightbringer.
to the late fourth century, Lucifer was a name, accepted and used by Christians. The first time this name is mentioned in the Bible, was for work of St. Jerome, translator of the Vulgate.
Apparently, after his strong conceptual disagreements with the Bishop Lucifer, did not hesitate to reciprocate by inserting your name in a passage from Isaiah (14,12). In this passage, the word star was exchanged for lucifer.: " Quomodo cecidisti of CAEL, lucifer, fili aurorae?! .
A perfect allegory for the Bishop Lucifer someone who, being in full force and maturity skills, just being exiled because of his intolerant severity and inability to be tactful.
The subsequent misinterpretation and the innate strength that the very name implies, led to Lucifer became a nickname for "king" of the devil and, paradoxically, all because of discord between two church Christians.
But the great truth is that the Latin name of Lucifer is awarded to the planet Venus when it rises hemisphere as morning star, appearing as the brightest in the sky. Herald the arrival of a new day and therefore, the precursor of a star brighter than her, which, with its warmth gives life, the sun.
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. Known its symbolism, with all that that entails, "by some insiders, who are educated and concerned about spiritual cultivation, there is always somewhere a record of this insight.
example of this, we have found in this tablet lodged in one of the arches of the cloister of the Cathedral of Roda de Isabena where, who with Raimundus memory is an idea that possibly exhibits the deceased shared.
. this life cycle, our life is like Lucifer, the morning star, rising across the sky to become Hesperus, the star of the evening, at the end of our existence.
A life that is just the announcement of a more intense and bright that we get after death, who of course, be prepared for it.
Another striker, the Baptist, spoke similar words (Jn.3-28, 30) "... I am not the Christ, but I am sent before Him So my work is accomplished, it is necessary that I must decrease so that the grow. "
aim this reflection as a way of understanding the role of no Lucifer in Roman art, we will not see their views as symbolic but perhaps to identify with some aspect of the serpent, when the first sample Advocado men to enjoy the freedom of individual self-determination. Eva urging to believe and claim boldly, the need for it.
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* I am the root and offspring of David, the bright morning star. (Ap.22, 16), proclaims Christ in His second coming.
As God of freedom and knowledge , perhaps the battle cry of Lucifer is one of hope as well as the morning star is synonymous with hope for the new dawn.
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