Those who serve at the altar in the holy sanctuary are understood by the tradition of the church as representing the angelic hosts. They are clad in white robes , and sing praises to God like angels, who according to biblical and patristic tradition, fly around the throne of Light unapproachable singing holy, holy, holy. At the service of altar of of Christ the symbol of light is supreme. Angels are luminous and transparent beings because they transmit the uncreated and life- giving light of God to all creation.
It is not like the light of the sun or the moon or the billions of stars. Their light, which is created light, always casts shadows of objects they fall on. But the uncreated light of Triune God has no shadows.
In classical art, the shadow of the object is essential for the three-dimensional effect of the painting of various objects. But in the sacred art of iconography, the artist does not paint any shadow. This is because light comes from within and not from an external source.
The experience of transfiguration of Jesus Christ on Mount Tabor was the manifestation of the glorious uncreated inner light. The three disciples of Christ were ecstatic, having experienced that divine light.
Light is at the core of all creation whether organic or inorganic. Matter at its deepest, sub-nuclear level is pure energy that can be manifested to us as intense heat and light radiation. However, Light is essential for life. That is why a beautiful prayer in the liturgy of Denha or Epiphany says: “ God created light at the beginning of all creation, in order that the whole of creation may be filled with light “.
But the light energy at the heart of our material universe can be misused by us human beings. For example, the nuclear energy released by the atomic bomb explosion in Hiroshima and Nagasaki destroyed life. This is our human problem of sin and fall from grace.
Therefore, serving at the altar of Christ the Light of the world, we aspire to become luminous beings like angels in order to transmit the life-giving light of Christ to the whole world. So every hymn that we sing and every ritual that we perform at the altar of Christ should be for the joy, peace and reconciliation of the world, and for the
Wellbeing of all creation.
Fr K M George. October2024,
