ABOUT THE ART
Wall Painting of a Male Saint. Byzantine. 12th century, modern restoration. Fresco. 6 x 6 7/8 x 1 7/16 in. Gift of Torkom Demirjian, in honor of Mary and Michael Jaharis. New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The fragment of the fresco that is the most extensive in size could possibly portray John Chrysostom, a saint who lived during the late fourth century. John Chrysostom is often depicted in art with certain physical features, such as a pointed beard, sunken cheeks, and a high forehead.
St. John Chrysostom – September 13th
Chrysostom (347-407) was a fiery preacher who became the Archbishop of Constantinople. Though raised a pagan and trained in pagan rhetoric at a young age, when he converted to Christianity he became a firebrand of orthodoxy. His sermons often motivated crowds in powerful ways, such as tearing down pagan temples and statues or revolting against the government. He was such a skilled preacher that he became known by his nickname “Golden Mouth” or Chrysostom in Greek.
When he first converted to Christianity, he became a hermit and practiced severe fasting, which left his internal organs damaged and his body sickly for the rest of his life. His spirit had to compensate for his physical weakness by being extra strong. He was chosen, against his knowledge, to be the archbishop. However, when he assumed the office, he assumed the authority, preaching to hold the rich and powerful accountable, like no one had done in centuries. He canceled the lavish parties and reformed the church.
Obviously, this was not popular with the powers-that-be, and when he criticized the emperor’s wife and the statue of her erected near his church as paganism, he found himself pushed out. He was sent to exile. However, even from exile, the saint wrote powerful letters and held a huge sway in the church.
Chrysostom is given credit for pioneering a straightforward way of interpreting Scripture that used less allegory and metaphor, and led the way to today’s primary method. The Golden-Mouthed preacher is remembered for his love of the poor and needy and his powerful preaching.
We are celebrating the Golden-Mouthed preacher with melt-in-your-mouth golden baklava. This Greek dessert is still common in Istanbul (modern-day Constantinople), and while Chrysostom probably would have considered it too decadent, the golden delight reminds us how the word of God is sweet like honey on our lips.