Unspent Visions of the Church

Orpheus, Greek wine-bowl-painting, 2nd - 3rd century

Orpheus and Christ

An ancient myth

A myth expresses through a unique story something that fits everywhere and always. Through inspiring stories those questions are considered that have always affected people. Perhaps this is the oldest question of mankind: What is stronger at the end, death or love?

Contemporary thinking is split on this question. Death is stronger some say. Everything ends with it. And the dream of immortality of the beloved person too. Others, however, hope for love beyond death. They are not able to imagine that the beloved person would no longer exist. And more and more people doubt. They regard both as being possible. But their hope is too faint for building their life on it. Yet their doubt is not strong enough to abandon all hope for a victory of love over death.

The ancient Orpheus myth could serve as a mirror for the growing number of contemporary sceptics. And this is the ancient tale.

The Greek Orpheus

Orpheus loves Eurydice. The beloved is bitten by a poisonous snake and she is snatched by death. Eurydice must go down to the netherworld.

This destiny does not let the loving minstrel rest idly. He sets off on his way to the netherworld. Thanks to his song on a lyre he passes Cerberus safely who refuses the mortal one's access to the netherworld. Charon takes him over the Styx (Acheron), the river of death. He reaches Hades and Persephone who rule the netherworld.

These are so touched by his love that they allow him to lead Eurydice back to the land of laughter, life and love. But they imposed a seemingly easy condition: He mustn't look around during the long journey back to the world of the living.

Eurydice follows Orpheus as he continues on his way. He does not hear any steps of the silent shadowy Eurydice. His doubts whether she is following really grow with every step. So the doubting lover finally turns round: And Eurydice he loses forever.

Look at the tragic message this myth brings! Not love over death, but death over love wins at the end. The dark fears of so many people are fed. Instead of being reduced they are multiplied.

The Christ-Orpheus

Since 175 AD the young Clement, born in 150 AD in Athens, taught at the Catechetical School of Alexandria - that is where the Nile flows into the Mediterranean Sea. In the Eastern Church tradition, he is regarded as a respected Church Father. The myth of the Greek Orpheus was known by the early Christian Church in Rome too. In the Catacombs of Domitilla or this one of Saints Marcellinus and Peter there are mural paintings of the myth in a Christian variation.

Christ-Orpheus. Fresco in the Catacombs of Saint Marcellino and Peter, Rome, 4th century

The similarity of the two Orpheuses - the Greek Orpheus and the Christian Orpheus - is captivating. Both wear a Phrygian cap. Both are minstrels. Both holding a lyre.

The early Christians apparently were convinced that the topic of the Greek myth is also the innermost topic of the Gospel. Whether death is stronger than love occupied primarily Eastern theology. Not only Eurydice as a single person suffers the destiny of being wrested to the netherworld, it is the destiny of everyone who has "human nature". The whole of mankind suffers from a mortal wound.

Christ, the minstrel of God, loves "Eurydice", i.e. mankind, which became a slave to death. Love forces Christ, as happened to the Greek Orpheus, to descend to the netherworld - he became a human being and died. In the Eastern Church tradition, the key event of Easter is the "Descent of Christ into Hades". What Christ risen from death did first was to descend into Hades. Until the reform of the Roman Liturgy by the Second Vatican Council the Apostles Creed stated: "He descended into hell." It is exactly the same process which is told in the Greek myth.

The Greek Orpheus nevertheless is different from the Christ Orpheus. Christ Orpheus does not look back. Looking back doesn't fit either with his life or with following him: "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God." (Lk 9:62) Christ Orpheus goes his way without looking back, without self-absorption, he is obedient only to the will of his God. Whereas the Greek Orpheus failed, this new Orpheus is able through song to bring back his beloved Eurydice, i.e. mankind, back to the land of laughter, hope and resurrection. Clement from Alexandria taught this analogy.

The unique struggle

This was the basic conviction of the early Christians. And it is to this day. Death may have the last word from the human view and experience: From God's view, Love - which is God - has the last word. That the Christ-Orpheus descended for Eurydice-mankind is the basis of this conviction: God became a human and out of love for humanity he entered death. Descending into hell he broke hell's power over mankind. Mankind was cured of its mortal wound. It is not by chance that we find the painting of the Christ Orpheus in the Roman burial grounds of the Christians. The Christians say just at the place of death - at the graves - that death does not have the last word.

The so-called Easter sequence "Victimae Paschali Laudes" is one of the most wonderful songs of Christianity in which this basic hope of the Christians is sung joyfully. It is an Easter hymn praising the "slaughtered lamb". The melodies of this Gregorian chant bestow on the hymn power and solemn dignity:

Victimae paschali laudes

Immolent Christiani.

To the Paschal Victim let Christians

offer a sacrifice of praise.

Agnus redemit oves;

Christus innocens Patri

Reconciliavit Peccatores.

The Lamb redeemed the sheep.

Christ, sinless,

reconciles sinners to the Father.

Mors et Vita duello

Conflixere mirando;

Dux vitae mortuus

Regnat vivus.

Death and life were locked together in a unique struggle.

Life's captain died;

now he reigns, never more to die.

Dic nobis, Maria.

Quid vidisti in via?

Sepulchrum Christi viventis

Et gloriam vidi resurgentis.

Tell us Mary, "What did you see on the way?"

"I saw the tomb of the now living Christ.

I saw the glory of Christ, now risen."

Angelicos testes.

Sudarium et vestes.

Surrexit Christus spes mea;

Praecedet suos in Galilaeam.

"I saw angels who gave witness;

the cloths too which once had covered head and limbs."

"Christ my hope has arisen.

He will go before his own into Galilee."

Scimus Christum surrexisse

A mortuis vere.

Tu nobis victor Rex

miserere.

We know that Christ has indeed risen

from the dead.

Do you, conqueror and king,

have mercy on us.

Amen. Alleluia.

Amen. Alleluia.

The lyre

Orpheus is a minstrel. He accompanies his songs on a lyre, one of the oldest stringed instruments. God's loving minstrel Christ Orpheus also carries a lyre in his left hand. According to Clement, the young director of the catechetical school in Alexandria, the lyre is the Church. The loving minstrel makes its strings sing. Thus the salvific song of laughter, hope and resurrection can resound for Eurydice-humanity.

Christ-Orpheus. Fresco in the Catacombs of Saint Marcellino and Peter, Rome, 4th century. Detail

This picture is very instructive for our sense of Church today. Far too often today we place the Church in the...