Alpha and Omega are the first and the last letters, respectively, of the Greek alphabet. They have been employed from the fourth century as a symbol expressing the confidence of orthodox Christians in the scriptural proofs of Our Lord's divinity. This symbol was suggested by the Apocalypse, where Christ, as well as the Father, is "the First and the Last" (ii, 8); "the Alpha and Omegain Scripture), the first and the last, the beginning and the end" (cf., xxii, 13; i, 8).
9 comments:
Take courage, my children, call on God: he will deliver you from tyranny, from the hands of your enemies; for I look to the Eternal for your rescue, and joy has come to me from the Holy One at the mercy soon to reach you from your saviour, the Eternal. the office for 17.08.09
Fascinating image. It reminds me of the artwork of the poet & artist William Blake.
What a powerful and unusual holy card. Thankyou for sharing it with us, Micki.
Diane S.
Interesting...do you have idea what he is doing with his right hand and what the globe in his left hand signifies?
Are there words on the back of this card?
Tom
diddleymaz - Amen
Ginny - I checked out William Blake and yes, there is a similarity. Especially the one about Cain and Able.
Diane S. - Glad you were moved by the "power".
Tom - Some German words that don't make sense and I think the artist, named Elma Koenig.
Tom - I have no idea to what the symbolism means. Maybe someone else might know?????
i think its creation- the alpha side an open and spreading triangle and completion the omega side a closed circle.
Tom,
The bright designs, that at first appear to be symbols, are actually representations of the Greek letters, Alpha and Omega. (Notice the triangular shape of the "A" and the circular shape of the O.
I think that part of the comment that you quoted, Micki, from a reliable source, www.catholic.org, needs a major supplementary point. The quotation states that Alpha and Omega "have been employed from the fourth century as a symbol expressing the confidence of orthodox Christians in the scriptural proofs of Our Lord's divinity."
There is an even more important and basic reason than what is mentioned in that quotation. As the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, Alpha and Omega have always been used by Catholics (i.e., Christians) just as God used them in Revelation 22:13 -- to refer to the divine "eternity" (the fact that God had no beginning in time, and will have no end). This is explained in the Catholic Encyclopedia's article on "Alpha and Omega."
John
diddleymaz and John - Thank you for the added information. I hope that answers any questions folks might have.
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