the underlying belief being that this icon is not painted so much with colors, but with the Taboric light and he had to train his eyes to it. In many Eastern icons a blue and white light mandorla may be used. Not all icons of Christ have mandorlas and they are usually used when some special breakthrough of divine light is represented. The mandorla thus represents the "uncreated Light" which in the transfiguration icons shines on the three disciples. During the Feast of the Transfiguration the Orthodox sing a troparion which states that the disciples "beheld the Light as far as they were able to see it" signifying the varying levels of their spiritual progress. Sometimes a star is superimposed on the mandorla. The mandorla represents the "luminuous cloud" and is another symbol of the Light. The luminous cloud, a sign of the Holy Spirit came down on the mountain at the time of the Transfiguration and also covered Christ. The Byzantine iconography of the Transfiguration emphasized light and the manifestation of the glory of God. The introduction of the Transfiguration mandorla intended to convey the luminescence of divine glory. The earliest extant Transfiguration mandorla is at Saint Catherine's Monastery and dates to the sixth century, although such mandorlas may have been depicted even before. The Rabbula Gospels also show a mandorla in its Transfiguration in the late sixth century. These two types of mandorlas became the two standard depictions until the fourteenth century. Byzantine Fathers often relied on highly visual metaphors in their writings, indicating that they may have been influenced by the established iconography. The extensive writings of Maximus the Confessor may have been shaped by his contemplations on the katholikon at Saint Catherine's Monastery – not a unique case of a theological idea appearing in icons long before it appears in writings. Between the 6th and 9th centuries the iconography of the transfiguration in the East influenced the iconography of the resurrection, at times depicting various figures standing next to a glorified Christ. Paintings with articles Transfiguration (Bellini, Venice), 1450s Transfiguration of Christ (Bellini), c. 1480 Transfiguration (Lotto), 1510-1512 The Transfigured Christ, 1513, Andrea Previtali Transfiguration Altarpiece (Perugino), 1517 Transfiguration (Pordenone), c. 1515-16 Transfiguration (Raphael), 1515-20 Transfiguration (Savoldo), c. 1530 Transfiguration (Rubens), 1604-05 See also Ascension of Jesus in Christian art Resurrection of Jesus in Christian art Depictions of Jesus Gallery of art Notes References Schiller, Gertud,