Component 2 Route B: Applied Catholic [theme three] - Artefacts Flashcards
What is meant by the term “sarcophagus”?
A stone coffin.
What is a sarcophagi?
> it was a custom for wealthy people to be buried in stone tombs in Rome.
usually decorated with scenes from mythology and with Roman gods.
first Christian adapted this practice by continuing to use the stone tombs but developed images that would reflect their beliefs about eternal life.
What does the sarcophagus with scenes of Jesus’ passion reinforce?
The belief that Jesus’ death and resurrection was triumph over sin and a sign of hope.
What is the first panel on the sarcophagus with scenes of Jesus’ passion?
An illustration of the scene where Simon of Cyrene was helping to carry Jesus’ cross to the crucifixion.
What is the second panel on the sarcophagus with scenes of Jesus’ passion?
Jesus is being given a crown of thorns by the soldiers guarding him to mock him as he was accused of calling himself king of the Jews however the crown is filled with jewels to symbolise Jesus’ death as a triumph over sin.
What is the third panel on the sarcophagus with scenes of Jesus’ passion?
Shows Jesus being presented for trial before the Roman governor, Pilate.
What is the fourth panel on the sarcophagus with scenes of Jesus’ passion?
Scene of Pilate, who did not want to execute Jesus but gave in to the pressure of the crowd and the Jewish authorities. Him washing his hands symbolise that he wouldn’t take responsibility for crucifying Jesus.
What is the fifth panel on the sarcophagus with scenes of Jesus’ passion?
At the centre, there is a cross with the Chi-Rho, a symbol of the resurrection, standing for Jesus as early Christians did not depict Jesus as either dead or in suffering which is formed from the first two letters of the title ‘Christ’ in Greek.
What is the sixth panel on the sarcophagus with scenes of Jesus’ passion?
Cross sits above two soldiers who are looking up at it in wonder expressing the hope that what happened to Jesus will also happen to those who believe in him.
What is the paschal candle?
A candle used during Easter week in the church which symbolises the fact Jesus’ resurrection was a triumph over death.
How is the paschal candle used?
> lit at the Easter Vigil in remembrance of the resurrection and during baptisms.
❶ outside the church a fire is lit.
❷ the paschal candle is lit from the fire and processed
into the church.
❸ the candle is raised three times with the chant ‘the
light of Christ’ and the people respond, ‘thanks be to God’.
↳ symbolises that ‘light of Christ’ overcoming the
‘darkness of sin’.
❹ the procession is completed with an ancient hymn
called ‘Exultet’ which proclaims Christ’s triumph over sin because his resurrection defeats death.
What do the symbols on the paschal candle represent?
> represents Jesus’ light overcoming sin and death.
the alpha and omega
↳ first and last letters in the Greek alphabet
symbolising Christ as the first and the last, the beginning of all things and the end of all things.
the cross
↳ symbol of Christian faith because it is due to the
crucifixion of Christ that the resurrection was possible.
the five wounds
↳ the candle has five studs representing the five
wounds Jesus received during his crucifixion.
the year
↳ each year the candle is marked with that year
reminding people that Jesus is the same for all the time and that the salvation earned by Jesus is as real now as it was in the past.
