Description
The Pantocrator icon stands at the heart of Coptic iconography and occupies the central place in the Holy of Holies, serving not only as a depiction of Christ but also as a powerful sign to the viewer that this is truly the dwelling place of the Lord. The image of Christ in Glory, often portrayed in this icon, has remained largely unchanged in content since at least the 6th century—and likely even earlier. It reflects the vision described by St. John the Beloved in Revelation 5:5, with Christ enthroned in an elliptical mandorla and the Earth beneath His feet, echoing Isaiah 66:1: “Heaven is my throne, and the Earth is my footstool.”
While the surrounding elements in the Christ in Glory icon may vary, the traditional Pantocrator often draws from segments of the Book of Revelation. However, our icon at Holy Cross is uniquely special. It is based on the vision of the prophet Ezekiel in chapters 1–3. Beginning at Ezekiel 1:5, the prophet describes the four living creatures, each with distinct, symbolic faces. In verses 1:26 and onward, he details the awe-inspiring throne and the One seated upon it.
In this vision, after Ezekiel receives and eats the scroll given by the Lord—symbolizing his mission to preach to Israel—the Lord tells him, “Son of man, receive into your heart all My words that I speak to you, and hear with your ears…” (Ezekiel 3:10). This very verse is inscribed on the scroll in the hand of our Lord in the icon. Surrounding angels hold banners that echo the thunderous voice Ezekiel hears as he is lifted by the Spirit: “Blessed is the Glory of the Lord” (Ezekiel 3:12).
Ezekiel describes a brilliant radiance: “brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber.” In our icon, Christ is the source of this divine radiance—He is the brightest figure, clothed in luminous amber. The four living creatures, each with four faces (of a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle), four wings, and human hands beneath their wings, are present, along with the mysterious wheels beside them—each wheel within another, their rims covered in eyes.
The icon also features amber fire below and a green circle under Christ’s feet representing the Earth. Like ancient Egyptian iconography, our depiction simplifies highly complex spiritual visions into abstract forms to communicate their deep meaning. Even the sun and moon are given faces—not because they are alive, but because they, too, are participants in God’s will.
Colors are rich in symbolism: blue represents divinity, while darker shades of blue signify mystery—the deeper, hidden truths of God that remain beyond our understanding. Just as the depths of the sea or the vastness of space evoke awe and wonder, the darker tones in the icon remind us that, although Ezekiel revealed much, the fullness of divine mystery still lies beyond human grasp.
CitationsHoly Cross Coptic Orthodox Church. “Explaining the Iconostasis and Apse of Holy Cross w/ Fadi Mikhail of UK CopticIcons.” YouTube, 24 Nov. 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgWU5xrgmn0