What is the most famous page from the Book of Kells?

the Monogram Chi/Rho page
One of the most sublime examples of medieval painting ever seen, the Monogram Chi/Rho page is the most important page in the late 8th-century Book of Kells, arguably the finest of all illuminated manuscripts of the Middle Ages and famous for the intricate swirling patterns of its Celtic art.

What is a Chi Rho page?

The most famous page is known as Chi Rho, which are the first letters of the word Christ in Ancient Greek. The letters themselves are the centrepiece of the folio. The page is covered in a swirling, almost psychedelic design, with extremely elaborate patterns in minute detail.

What was the Chi Rho monogram from the Book of Kells?

Folio 34r contains the Chi Rho monogram, which serves as the incipit for the narrative of the life of Christ. Chi and rho are the first two letters of the word Christ in Greek. The original Book of Kells is believed to have been created around 800AD on the island of Iona off the coast of Scotland.

What religion uses Chi Rho?

Chi Rho, pronounced as “KEE-roe,” is an old Christian symbol—a Christian monogram or Christogram formed by combining the first two letters of the Greek word Christos, which means “Christ.” The Chi Rho symbol was employed by early Christians to symbolize both Jesus Christ and Christianity.

Is the Book of Kells Catholic?

In 1541, at the height of the English Reformation, the book was taken by the Roman Catholic Church for safekeeping. It was returned to Ireland in the 17th century, and Archbishop James Ussher gave it to Trinity College, Dublin, where it resides today.

Who Wrote Book of Kells?

Columban monks
Something that is known for sure is that the monks who created the Book of Kells were Columban monks, who were originally from Iona, but had relocated to Kells by the early 9th century, the same time that the Book of Kells was known to have first appeared.

What does PX tattoo mean?

PX Monogram The monogram that looks like a combination of a P and an X is actually the first two letters of the Greek word for Christ – Chi (X) and Rho (P). The symbol was used by early Christians and is… DarrylTattoo ideas.

Is the Book of Kells a Bible?

The Book of Kells contains the four Gospels of the Christian scriptures written in black, red, purple, and yellow ink in an insular majuscule script, preceded by prefaces, summaries, and concordances of Gospel passages. Today, it consists of 340 vellum leaves, or folios, totaling 680 pages.

What is Chi Rho in Christianity?

: a Christian monogram and symbol formed from the first two letters X and P of the Greek word for Christ. — called also Christogram.

Was the Book of Kells stolen?

As noted, it most likely came to Kells from Iona in 806 CE following the worst of the Viking raids on the island and is known to have been stolen in 1007 CE when its cover was lost; the text itself was found discarded.

Who stole the Book of Kells?

Kells Abbey was pillaged by Vikings many times in the beginning of the 9th century, and how the book survived is not known.

What does IHS mean on the cross?

Jesus
IHS (also IHC), a monogram or symbol for the name Jesus, is a contraction of the Greek word for Jesus, which in Greek is spelled IHΣΟΥΣ in uncial (majuscule) letters and Iησους in minuscule letters and is transliterated into the Latin alphabet as Iēsus, Jēsus, or Jesus.

Where is the Chi Rho page in the Book of Kells?

The Chi Rho Page, The Book of Kells, TCD MS 58, folio 34r. Opening of St Matthew’s Nativity Account, Matthew 1:18 © Trinity College Dublin The Chi Rho page in the Book of Kells is perhaps the most elaborate and enigmatic illumination in the manuscript.

Who was the first person to use the Chi Rho?

Coins and medallions minted during Emperor Constantine’s reign also bore the Chi-Rho. By the year 350, the Chi-Rho began to be used on Christian sarcophagi and frescoes. The usurper Magnentius appears to have been the first to use the Chi-Rho monogram flanked by Alpha and Omega, on the reverse of some coins minted in 353.

What is the meaning of the Chi Rho symbol?

Constantine’s standard was known as the Labarum. Early symbols similar to the Chi Rho were the Staurogram () and the IX monogram ( ). In pre-Christian times, the Chi-Rho symbol was also to mark a particularly valuable or relevant passage in the margin of a page, abbreviating chrēston (good).

What are the animals on the Chi Rho page?

The animals on the Chi Rho page, according to Suzanne Lewis, can be understood as representing three parts of creation: earth (cats and mice), sea (otter) and sky (moths). Placed around Christ’s initials these animals underline Christ’s role as creator.