THE TRANSFIGURATION
THE ICON OF THE TRANSFIGURATION
Elijah and Moses stand at the top of separate mountain peaks to the left and right of Christ. Moses stands on Mt. Sinai holding the 10 commandments; Elijah stands on Mt. Carmel holding the scroll of a prophet. They bow towards Him.
Both Elijah and Moses are positioned slightly within the outer edge of the mandorla. The right hand of Elijah is stretched out towards Christ with the fingertips just touching the outer edge of the inner circle of the mandorla.
Why Moses and Elijah? St. John Chrysostom gives three possible reasons: they represent the law and the prophets; they both experienced visions of God; they represent the living and the dead (Elijah, the living, because he was taken up to heaven by a chariot of fire, and Moses, the dead, because he experienced death.) Christ is the Lord of the living and the dead.
The icon shows the historical event, and through the symbolism of light and colour, shows the divine indwelling of the Holy Spirit in each person.
Humanity and nature can be transfigured. The glory of God is seen in nature, in Holy Scripture, and in the personal incarnation of the Son of God.
The brilliant white figure of Christ stands within a circular mandorla on the central mountain peak. His right hand is raised in blessing; his left hand holds the scroll. His halo is inscribed with a cross. His dominant position within the circular mandorla makes him the visual and theological centre of the icon.
Only Christ stands totally within the mandorla. The dark blue of the mandorla indicates the depths and mystery of God which only Christ, as God, can penetrate.
The circular design of the mandorla includes Elijah and Moses in the divine glory which is why the upper section of the icon is more radiant than the lower section of the icon.
The Transfiguration is seen as a theophany, a manifestation of the Holy Trinity: of the Son in the person of Jesus; the Spirit in the bright, overshadowing cloud; and the Father in the voice from the cloud.
There is a link between the Feasts of Christ’s Baptism and his Transfiguration, for both involve the activity and manifestation of the Trinity.
Christ is transfigured, shining, white. Three rays of light point down from Christ and touch the apostles showing the Trinitarian source of the Light. His divinity and perfect humanity are manifested.
The rocks, the trees, the whole earth is filled with light. The uncreated light of the Trinity transfigures the earth.
Light from Christ’s glory on the top of Mt. Tabor is reflected from the bodies of the disoriented apostles and from the rocks.
Peter, James, and John, present at the transfiguration, would later be present at the agony in the Garden of Olives.
The apostles are in various positions reeling from the impact of the vision:
On the left, St. Peter, kneeling, raises his left hand towards Christ in a gesture expressing his desire to build three tents to accommodate Christ, Moses and Elijah.
St. John, always in the centre, is shown as fallen, his back turned to the light.
St. James, on the right, is portrayed as fleeing from the light.
READINGS FOR THE FEAST
Great Vespers
Exodus 24:12-18; 33:11-23; 34:4-6
God calls Moses to come to Him on Mt. Sinai and gives him the Law. In the second reading, Moses speaks with God face to face, asking to see His glory. The Lord descends in the cloud and reveals His name.
1 Kings 19:3-9; 11-13; 15-16
Elijah is fleeing for his life after defending the God of Israel against the pagan gods of Queen Jezebel. In his despair, Elijah asks to die but the angel of the Lord comforts him with food and water. God speaks to Elijah in the still small voice.
Matins
Luke 9:23-36
St. Luke’s account of the transfiguration stresses that the apostles were awake, saw His glory, and saw the two men who stood with Him.
Divine Liturgy
Epistle Reading: 2 Peter 1:10-19
St. Peter was so deeply impressed by Christ’s transfiguration that years later he wrote about it in his letter.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 17:1-9
The public career of Christ is now nearing its end. Soon his suffering and death will take place. Although the apostles believe that Jesus is the Messiah, He wants to strengthen their faith for what is to come. He takes them to Mt. Tabor and reveals to them a glimpse of His divinity.
WHAT CAN I DO AT HOME OR IN MY CLASSROOM?
Put an icon of the Transfiguration in the icon corner and venerate it. Explain the icon to the children.
Prepare a basket of fruit and take to the Church to be blessed.
Prepare a basket of fruit and offer a prayer of thanksgiving in the icon corner. Share the fruit.
Take the children outside and clean/pick up garbage around the yard. Explain to them that all creation is sacred and is to be respected.
HISTORY OF THE FEAST
Transfiguration is celebrated on August 6 in commemoration of the dedication of the first church on Mt. Tabor in the 4th century.
This feast began to be observed in the Eastern Church under the title “The Lord’s Transfiguration” in the 6th century.
By the early 8th century the feast was observed in Constantinople.
At the end of the 11th century, the crusaders found several churches and monasteries on Mt. Tabor. In the 13th century, the Muslims came and destroyed them.
In the 19th century, a new church was built over the ruins of the ancient church.
In 1923 a magnificent basilica in honour of the Transfiguration was built on Mt. Tabor.
The feast moved to the West around the 7th and 8th centuries. It was extended to the whole Western Church in the 15th century and was celebrated on August 6th.
Originally, the feast was observed in February because it historically took place before the passion and crucifixion of the Lord. However, since it fell during the Great Fast (Lent), and its celebration was not in keeping with the spirit of fasting and penance, it was moved to August 6th.
Why August 6th? Forty days later, September 14, is the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross—the commemoration of the passion and death of Christ.
TROPAR (Tone 7)
You were transfigured on the mountain, O Christ our God, * revealing as much of your glory to your disciples as they could behold.* Through the prayers of the Mother of God,* let your everlasting light also shine upon us sinners.* O Giver of Light, glory be to You!
KONDAK (Tone 7)
You were transfigured on the mountain, O Christ our God, * and your disciples beheld as much as they could of your glory, * so that when they would see You crucified, * they would understand that You suffered willingly;* and they would preach to the world * that You are truly the reflection of the Father.
THE BLESSING OF FRUIT
The feast falls during the time when the fruits of the earth reach maturity. From the earliest times in the Eastern Church, fruit is blessed on this day to thank God for the first-fruits of the earth.
This custom was adopted by the Christian Church from the Jewish custom of bringing fruit to the Temple of the Lord: “You shall carry the first fruits of the corn of your ground to the house of the Lord your God” (Ex. 23:19).
Over the centuries, countries adapted what first-fruits were to be offered. Greece blessed grapes and wheat. In Ukraine, grapes were replaced by apples and other fruits.
THREE THEMES OF THE FEAST
Vision of God
This is the goal of our longing for God: to see God.
“Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God” (Mt. 5:8).
“Now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face” (1 Cor. 13:12)
Glory of God
One way of talking about a visible manifestation of the invisible God, a way of describing an experience of the God who is holy, transcendent (above and beyond us), and yet present to us.
“The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork” (Ps 19:1)
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father” (John 1:14).
“And we all, with unveiled faces, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2Cor. 3:18).
Divine Energies
There is a distinction between the essence of God and the energies of God.
The essence of God is God’s otherness and transcendence, God’s inner life and being which will always remain hidden from us. No one has ever seen the essence of God.
God’s energies are the ways in which God is present to his world, makes himself known to His creation. The energies are God Himself manifesting himself to his created beings. They are not separate “things” that God uses.