Icon of the Entry Into Jerusalem (Dionysiou) – F98

Description

This 16th century icon is a part of a celebrated set of festal icons showing important events in the life of Jesus plus a few other renowned feasts of the year.  It was painted by George the Cretan for the Holy Monastery of Dionysiou on Mount Athos, and together they are known to be great examples of Post-Byzantine Greek iconographic art.  This icon is the seventh of that set of icons.

Christ makes a triumphal entry into the Holy City of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olive seated on the foal of an ass, as the children and a multitude of people throw branches and garments on the way calling out, “Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest” (Matthew 21:9).  Christ could always have chosen an earthly kingdom, but His Everlasting Kingdom was already established, yet not on earth, but in Heaven.  Often we are looking for a worldly kingdom, even in religious terms, without thinking why Christ Himself always avoided that very thing in His work here on earth.  He calls us to continuously look beyond our limited awareness to seek that which is from above and Heavenly, not from just below, and earthly.