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Itineraries
The Christological itinerary
The church is dedicated to Santo Salvatore (the Saviour Saint), Jesus Christ. In fact he is portrayed in many of the works of sculpture and painting. From such a wealth of artistic forms, in which Christian faith has expressed itself in San Salvador, three great paintings set the pace and guide the way along an evocative iconographic itinerary.
1. The AnnunciationThe Saviour is God made man > • Understanding the Painting > • Voices from the Past |
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· The Event seen through the Gospel
In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God." "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her. - (from the Gospel according Luke 1: 26-38 NIV)
· Understanding the Painting
On the first step the artist signed his name and wrote a phrase from the bible: "Fire that burns but does not consume " (Ex 3:2) In the same way that Moses saw the burning bush that did not consume itself, we can see in Mary, blazing in the divine fire, the miracle of the Incarnation. She became the mother of the Son of God without losing her virginity. In fact we can see the Holy Spirit descending from above in an explosion of lights amongst a joyous multitude of angels. Everything in the scene seems to shimmer in a red blaze. Even the stems that emerge from the glass vase appear to blossom into flames, The Archangel Gabriel, divine messenger, places his arms on his chest as a sign of adoration of the mystery he his announcing. Mary turns round. In one hand she holds a small open book; on a page are written, barely visible to the eye, some words of the prophet Isaiah: behold, a virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel" (Is 7:14). With her other hand she removes her veil and devoutly listens, receiving the Verb that in her becomes flesh. Theological wisdom and artistic genius combine in this masterpiece, painted by Tiziano Vecellio near the end of his artistic career.
· Voices from the Past
How can such a fragile nature survive in so fiery a furnace? With reason, you are astonished, O holy Moses, and attempt to explain it to yourself better. Yet if you wish to draw nearer, "remove the sandals from your feet" and free your mind from any wordly thought. "I must go over to look at this remarkable sight…" he said (Ex 3:5.3). Yes, it is a remarkable sight the bush that burns and is not consumed; but it is also a great sign that a woman clothed in the flames of the sun is not destroyed. It is not the nature of a bush not to burn when in flames; nor is it in a woman's power to bear unscathed a robe of sun. It is beyond the power of human nature and also that of the angels'; a greater power is needed. "The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee" (Lk 1:36) said the angel. I can almost hear Mary's answer: For the Spirit is God, and our God is fire that consumes. And the angel added: "and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee". Not mine, not your power, but that of the Most High. It should not surprise us then if, covered by such a shadow, a woman was able to bear such a robe. - (St. Bernard of Clairvaux)
Top of page2. The Transfiguration
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· The Event seen through the Gospel
After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters - one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!" When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. But Jesus came and touched them. "Get up," he said. "Don't be afraid." When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus. - (from the Gospel according Matthew 17: 1-8 NIV)
· Understanding the Painting
It should be remembered that Santo Salvatore is celebrated on 6 August, feast of the Lord's Transfiguration. Such is the central scene shown in this ancient gilded silver altar-piece placed on the 16th century altar and exhibited on occasion of the Saint's annual feast. On non festive days, in its place Tiziano's painting was used and is still used to cover it, as it depicts the same subject. In the centre stands out the figure of Jesus absorbed in prayer to his Father. He is illuminated, or rather is the source of the light which shines from him. In the scene Moses and Elijah are enraptured by their Saviour; and within the luminous cloud the three disciples move about, revealing both their fragility and deep longing . Each one of them, following the allegorical interpretation of that time, appears to personify one of the three theological virtues. Peter, who must cover his eyes to bear the vision of divine glory, represents faith. James, who in fear shelters behind his hand, indicates hope. And John, kneeling as he keenly beholds the love of God, is wearing a red robe as a sign of charity. Tiziano not only gave to the painting a very strong didactic theatrical effect, which attracts the visitor as soon as he enters the church, but effectively expressed the drama of the event on Mount Tabor: Jesus, who will soon die on the cross, gives to his confused and uncertain disciples a sign of the glory that will shine from him upon his resurrection.
· Voices from the Past
"Jesus took with him Peter, James and his brother John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves." (Mt 17:1) He wished to transfigure himself before them, so that what the three disciples had from the very start believed concerning him would settle in their hearts strongly and without any doubts, both for their having contemplated the splendour of his face and for having heard the Father exclaim that he was the Son of God; and, as he soon would have suffered the passion, so that the apostles upon seeing him truly dead as a man, would not doubt that he would be resurrected as the true son of God. To confirm, in that event, the disciples' spirit in view of the passion, he thusly decided to manifest to the disciples the glory irradiating from his body, so as to demonstrate their hope in the future glorification of their bodies. He revealed to them his divine glory, so that, being able to see him also as God through such a vision, they would manifestly know him to be God and in consequence love him as God. - (Pietro de' Natali)
Top of page3.The Banquet in EmmausThe Saviour invites us > • The Event seen through the Gospel |
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· The Event seen through the Gospel
Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him. He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?" They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?" "What things?" he asked. "About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see." He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?" - (from the Gospel according Luke 24: 13-32 NIV)
· Understanding the Painting
Recent studies have demonstrated that this painting was originally in a noble's, Girolamo Priuli, dining hall and was only later placed in the Chapel of the Santissimo, where in 1580 Francesco Sansovino saw it and attributed it to Giovanni Bellini. Up until recent years its real author had always been a question of debate. Today the prevalent hypothesis is that it was painted by Vittore Carpaccio. There is a traditional prayer used to say grace: "To the banquet of eternal life may the King of eternal glory guide us." The person who says it sees himself on the way there, guided by the risen Lord, and expresses his hope to be his banquet guest in the reign of God. The banker Gerolamo Priuli, who had commissioned the painting, is shown wearing the black robe worn during workdays. Opposite is a barefoot figure dressed in oriental clothes; he is perhaps a symbol of that part of humanity which hasn't heard the Gospel yet, but which has also been invited to the Lord's banquet. At the sides, dressed as wayfarers, we can see the two disciples who have arrived in Emmaus in the company of the Unknown Pilgrim, whom they have welcomed as a guest. The Lord captures the guests' attention and beckons to us as well. In one hand he offers bread and with the other blesses it. From this Eucharistic act emanates a new light of hope in the twilight of the evening scene. There are many objects painted on the banquet table they are almost an encrypted language of biblical reminiscences - below on the right we can observe a partridge, meant to represent humanity's journey towards God.
· Voices from the Past
What a mystery, my brethren! He enters their home, becomes their guest and, although he had remained unknown to them all along the journey there, he is recognized as he breaks the bread. Learn to welcome and take in guests, in whose person Christ can be recognized. Do you still not know that each time you welcome a Christian, you welcome Christ? Does he not himself say so?: I was a stranger and you took me in. And if they reply: but when, Lord, did we see you a stranger, he shall answer: every time you did it for one of these, be him the least of my brethren, you did it for me. (Mt 25: 35. 38. 40) Therefore when a Christian welcomes another Christian, he is a member who serves another member, and in doing this gives great joy to the Head, who retains given to him that which is bestowed to one of his members. Therefore, as long as we are here on this earth, be food given to the Christ that hungers, drink given to Him who is thirsty, clothe Him when He is nude, give Him hospitality when He is a pilgrim, and visit Him when He is ill. For such are the things that make the road a difficult and rough one. In such a way must we live this present pilgrimage in which Christ is in need: needs in those who lack, even though in himself lacks no thing. But He who is in need in those who lack, although in himself abounds, will gather around himself all the needy. As far as regards me, I know only one thing, that God, as the apostle said, is able to accomplish all things in a measure far beyond what we ask or conceive (Eph 3:20). He shall lead us to where the scripture is fulfilled: Blessed are those who dwell in thy house, ever singing thy praise (Ps 83:50). Be all our activity a praise to God. And what shall we praise if not that which we shall love? And only that which we shall see shall we love. We shall see the Truth, and that truth shall be God, to whom we shall sing our praise. In his reign above that which today we've sung we shall find: we shall find the Amen, that is "That which is true", and the Alleluia, that is: "Praise the Lord." - (Saint Augustine)
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Images of saints
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