The Pantokrator

Jesus Christ Pantokrator

Since Apostolic times, there have been those who have tried to recreate the likeness of Christ. Even at that time, Roman, Egyptian, and Greek art had reached a high level of expression that portraits could practically be taken as photographs. Those who saw his face may have even made his likeness. Eusebius, a church historian during the time of Constantine, attested that he had seen portraits of Christ that dated to apostolic times. This, unfortunately, cannot be historically verified since the Iconoclasm wreaked so much damage to existing icons. Nevertheless, it is not wrong to assume that likenesses of Christ passed on carefully by iconography may in fact be accurate. There are actually icons that match up well with the Shroud of Turin (which has an incredible amount of scientific evidence indicating that it was the burial shroud of Christ).

Perhaps the most common and oldest icon of Christ is the Pantokrator (or Pantocrator). This title is the Greek translation of the Hebrew name El Shaddai, which means “Almighty” or “All-ruler” in English. The name Pantokrator carries with it the connotation of one who has not only done great deeds but continues to do them in the here and now.

In this icon, Christ faces the viewer. Behind Christ’s head is a halo (a symbol of holiness in iconography) inscribed with a Greek cross. In the Greek cross are three letters- omicron, omega, and nu, which spell HO ON or “Who Am” in English. This is the name that God gave Moses at the Burning Bush in Exodus 3:14. This is the all-holy name of God- YHWH or the Tetragrammaton. This name was so holy that it was rarely spoken in Judaism. To use it flippantly was to ask for death.   There are two sets of letters on each side of his head- IC and XC. This is an abbreviated form of that name of Jesus (IHCOYC) Christ (XPICTOC). The entire background behind Christ is gold- symbolizing glory and the divine presence.

His eyes are looking straight forward into the very soul of the viewer. His forehead is high and convex, signifying a seat of wisdom. His nose is long and slender, contributing to a look of nobility. His mouth is small and closed in the silence of contemplation. His hair flows down behind him in rolls, signifying the endless flow of time. His neck and body are powerful and strong- a sign of his divine power and might.

Jesus is usually wearing a red robe clothed with a blue cloak called a himation. The himation can also be green in other icons. The red represents his divinity, the blue or green represents his humanity. Jesus is thus shown to be divine, but clothed in humanity. The himation is distinct from the cloak, giving expression to the dogma that Christ’s natures do not “inter-mingle” but are distinct. The himation is often shown to be tight near Christ’s waist, or a girdle is used to express the teaching that Christ has not shed his humanity when he ascended to heaven, but will remain man forever.

Detail of the right hand giving a blessing

In Christ’s left hand is a book, embossed with a Cross, which denotes that it is a book of Gospels. If the book is opened the icon is not technically an icon called “Christ the Teacher” and not the Pantokrator. When the book is open, there is usually a scriptural verse for the viewer’s instruction.   Christ’s right hand is raised in an unmistakable blessing. The hand that gives the blessing is shaped so that the fingers form the letters IC XC. The index finger is straight up to form an I. The middle finger is curved to show a C. The ring finger and thumb come together to cross, forming an X and the pinky curves to form another C.

All of these features converge together to give us a very powerful image of Christ, in which he is mystically present, striking us at once with fear of the Lord and with love, assuring us that Christ the “All-Ruler” will be there for us despite any hardships or difficulties.

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See the gallery below for other Pantokrator icons.

Written by a monk of Mount Athos (20th century)

From Chilandar, a Serbian Monastery in Northern Greece

From the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople

Theophanes the Greek: Fresco in the center of the cupola of Spas na Ilyine Church (The Church of Transfiguration of Christ) in Novgorod. 1378

Metropolitian Jovan Zograf. From Transfiguration Church in Zrze (nearby Prilep, Pelagonia). 1384