Calling all angels or Sinaxis of the Nine orders icon
Calling all angels or The Theory behind Sinaxis of the Nine orders icon. The byzantine icon depicts the moment where Satan, Lucifer, fell away from God (and drew a part of the angels with him). At this moment Archangel Michael stood up and cried out before the faithful angels:
Let us attend! Let us stand aright! Let us stand with fear!” and all of the faithful angelic heavenly hosts cried out: “Holy! Holy! Holy! Lord God of Sabaoth! Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory!’
(Στώμεν καλώς, στώμεν μετά φοβου Θεού!Άγιος, Άγιος, Άγιος Κύριος Σαβαώθ· πλήρης ο ουρανός και η γη της δόξης σου.)
The inscription is in Greek: Synaxis ton ennea tagmaton- Sinaxis (assembly) of the 9 orders. On the top a triangle and a circle – geometrically representing the Holy Trinity on the rest of the icons all the bodiless powers divided as follows (top to bottom, left to right):
- 1st rank Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones,
- 2nd, Dominions, Powers, Authorities/ Virtues,
- 3rd rank Principalities, Archangels, and Angels.
The leader of all the angelic hosts is the Archangel Michael. (Bottom row, right in the middle) .
The painting was inspired icon of the 19th century. It was executed on a special type of gessoed canvas which was cracked and applied with a brownish plant dye that gives to the gold the so called “antique craquelure look”.
