139-509: The Clonmacnoise Crozier is a late-11th-century Insular crozier that would have been used as a ceremonial staff for bishops and mitred abbots . Its origins and medieval provenance are unknown. It was likely discovered in the late 18th or early 19th century in the monastery of Clonmacnoise in County Offaly , Ireland. The crozier has two main parts: a long shaft and a curved crook . Its style reflects elements of Viking art , especially
278-486: A 4.2 cm (1.7 in) crest which has been trimmed to hold the base of the crook. The crest below the upper knop is made of copper alloy and contains two pairs of large cat-like animals facing or confronting each other. The animals are rendered in relief and decorated with niello and inlaid silver. They have lion-like manes , upright ears, long necks and taloned tails. Their intertwined legs begin from spirals which develop or knot into triquetra arcs before merging with
417-648: A father, he will respond to humanity, his children, acting in their best interests. Many believe they can communicate with God and come closer to him through prayer – a key element of achieving communion with God. In general, the title Father (capitalized) signifies God's role as the life-giver, the authority , and powerful protector, often viewed as immense, omnipotent , omniscient , omnipresent with infinite power and charity that goes beyond human understanding. For instance, after completing his monumental work Summa Theologica , Catholic St. Thomas Aquinas concluded that he had not yet begun to understand "God
556-419: A ferrule and the crook. The drop is lined with decorations of glass and champlevé enamel. The drop contains a modern inscription, probably 18th or 19th century, recording that it was once owned by St. Mary's Abbey, Dublin , although there is no archival evidence to support this claim. The crest is decorated with profiles of birds at the top, and a human head at its lower end, just above the drop plate. It
695-523: A fire. In the aftermath, over 200 recovered objects, including stained glass windows by Harry Clarke and St. Mel's Crozier, were taken to the National Museum of Ireland for assessment and restoration, although such was the extent of devastation that many were "beyond help". Although somewhat corroded in parts, the River Laune Crozier (or Innisfallen ) is fully intact and considered one of
834-864: A hymn of praise Isa 42:14 , Isa 49:14–15 or Isa 66:12–13 . In the New Testament , the Christian concept of God the Father may be seen as a continuation of the Jewish concept, but with specific additions and changes, which over time made the Christian concept become even more distinct by the start of the Middle Ages . The conformity to the Old Testament concepts is shown in Matthew 4:10 and Luke 4:8 where in response to temptation Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:13 and states: "It
973-473: A number of examples retain their precious metal jewels, in general most of the Insular crozier have lost their drops, presumably through plunder. This led to theories in the 19th century that the drops acted as containers for smaller relics of saints while the metal casing held the saint's original wooden staffs. However, these claims have been in doubt since the mid-20th century, and there is no evidence to support
1112-432: A plain metal strip. At its top is a looming, grotesque human head in champlevé enamel . Set into the cavity below is a figure added in the 14th or 15th century, who appears to be a bishop or cleric wearing a mitre (a type of bishop's headgear). He has one hand raised in blessing while the other holds a long crozier with a spiral crook, which he uses to impale an animal, probably a dragon, at his feet. De Paor describes
1251-527: A possible origination in Dublin. The shaft has three richly decorated knopes, the largest of which contains a crest and measures 7.5 cm. The collar below the upper knope is made of copper alloy and contains relief designs of two large cat-like animals facing each other. The central knope is less decorated compared to the other two but has inlay bands and silver lining. The lower knope contains decorations, including blue glass studs. The monastery at Clonmacnoise
1390-527: A slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. In Christianity the concept of God as the Father of Jesus is distinct from the concept of God as the creator and Father of all people, as indicated in the Apostles' Creed . The profession in the creed begins with expressing belief in the "Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth" and then immediately, but separately, in "Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord", thus expressing both senses of fatherhood within
1529-626: A talisman in a 918 battle between native picts and Viking invaders. In addition fragments have been found in Galloway , Loch Shiel and in a bishop's grave at Whithorn . God the Father God the Father is a title given to God in Christianity . In mainstream trinitarian Christianity , God the Father is regarded as the first Person of the Trinity , followed by the second person, Jesus Christ
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#17328594854621668-457: A thousand years, no attempt was made to portray God the Father in human form, because early Christians believed that the words of Exodus 33:20 "Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see Me and live" and of the Gospel of John 1:18: "No man hath seen God at any time" were meant to apply not only to the Father, but to all attempts at the depiction of the Father. Typically only a small part of
1807-495: Is "physical evidence for at least thirty-one Insular-type crosiers from Ireland", and around 20 other fragments composed of shafts, knops and base (ferrule). In addition there are fragments of four eighth-century Insular crosiers in Scandinavia. This late 9th or early 10 century crozier was found fully intact by turf cutters in 1831 near Prosperous, County Kildare , but did not receive attention from antiquarians until 1851. It
1946-509: Is 13.5 cm (5.3 in) high, 15.5 cm (6.1 in) wide and has a maximum circumference of 3.7 cm (1.5 in). It is composed of a single piece of wood, encased in copper alloy, with an inner binding and plates for the crest and drop. Each side of the crook is decorated with four or five silver cast zoomorphic snake-like animals in rows of tightly bound figure-eight knots and ribbon-shaped pale coloured bodies that intertwine and loop over each other. Designed in an Irish adaption of
2085-473: Is a type of processional bishop 's staff ( crozier ) produced in Ireland and Scotland between 800 and 1200. Such items can be distinguished from mainland European types by their curved and open crooks, and drop (that is, the hollow box-like extension at the end of the crook). By the end of the 12th century, production of Irish croziers had largely ended, but examples continued to be reworked and added to throughout
2224-550: Is also the location where the 8th century Stowe Missal and 10th or 11th century Clonmacnoise Crucifixion Plaque were discovered. While a number of Scottish Insular croziers ("quigrichs") survive, there are only six extant early Christian examples (the Bachul Mor fragment, the crosier of St Fillan, two drops found at Hoddom , Dumfriesshire , and two unidentified drops now in the British Museum. Their likeness to Irish examples
2363-508: Is based in part on its stylistic resemblance to the Bell Shrine of St. Cuileáin and the early 12th-century Shrine of Saint Lachtin's Arm , as well as the Romanesque elements sometimes found on Insular art of the period. Lucas places it shortly after 1125. Some historians suggest that the crozier was produced in Dublin, based on the so-called " Dublin school " Hiberno- Ringerike patterns on
2502-450: Is built from 14 separate metallic parts, with the wooden core lined with silver, gilding, glass and coral . Today, the wooden core can be divided into three parts now lined with nail holes. The collar knope is designed to hold eight decorative stones, of which three survive: two red coral and one blue glass stone. The staff contains a number of secondary nail holes, indicating that it may have been "dismantled and repaired several times in
2641-524: Is dated to 1100 AD and was rediscovered, along with the 15th century Book of Lismore , in a blocked doorway in Lismore castle in 1814. It is 115 cm high and built from wood, silver, gold, niello and glass. It is almost fully intact and in good condition with little modern reworking. Its crest contains a procession of animals that continues to a head at the end of the crook. The crook has three small, probably secondary (i.e. added later) reliquaries located in
2780-633: Is described as an "ancient" and ornamental crozier, which once belonged to the Abbots of Clonmacnoise, in an 1841 catalogue for an exhibition of Sirr's collection at the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin, held shortly after his death. It was acquired at that exhibition by the Royal Irish Academy , and transferred to the National Museum of Ireland , Kildare Street , Dublin, on its founding in 1890. Today it
2919-482: Is designed in the Insular style, and contains animal ornament , interlace and Celtic art patterns. Several of the decorations are influenced by the late 10th-century Ringerike and 11th-century Urnes styles of Viking art , both of which are characterised by band-shaped animals (often snakes, dogs and birds), acanthus-leaf foliage, crosses and spirals, and was adapted in Ireland via direct contact and contemporary Anglo-Saxon art from Southern England. Moss describes
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#17328594854623058-407: Is fitted with an inner binding strip, crest and drop-plate, each of which was independently made and, having no structural function, are purely decorative. It was built in two phases: the early 11th-century structure was added to and refurbished in the 14th century, the later additions including the bishop and dragon in the drop-plate, and some of the ornamentation on the upper knop. The first phase
3197-456: Is indicative of the close contact between Scottish and Irish craftsmen, and it is known that a number of Irish metalworkers settled in Scotland. The similarities include methods of construction and their style and decoration. The Scottish croziers are characterised by their angular crook shape with separate (attached) drops, with most dated to before the mid-11th century. The designs and patterns on
3336-462: Is known to have been in operation at Clonmacnoise in the 11th century, and the crozier contains design elements and motifs unique to contemporary objects found on or near the monastery's grounds. These include the confronted lions with intertwined legs on the collar below the top-most knop, which are also present on a high cross in Temple Ciarán. The crozier is 97 cm (38 in) long (about
3475-406: Is made from copper, zinc , and tin alloy and contains traces of inscriptions, but they are too worn to read. The crozier is in relatively good condition but was split in half during the late Middle Ages and recombined in the nineteenth century. It is the longest intact example at a height of 1.34m. Its wooden core is supported by three tubular copper-alloy shaft casings, which hold four shaft knops,
3614-555: Is not cast into the lower knop but is a separate piece. The location and year of the crozier's rediscovery is uncertain. Writing in 1821 in his Notes on the history of Clonmacnoise , Petrie said that it had been found "some 30 years ago [...] [in] the tomb of St. Ciaran", placing its finding c. 1790 . He continued that other objects discovered in the tomb included a chalice and wine vessel which, according to Petrie "fell into ignorant hands, and were probably deemed unworthy of preservation", indicating that their precious metal
3753-496: Is of especially fine workmanship and unusual in that its metalwork is mostly of silver rather than the more typical copper alloy. Four panels contain elaborate gilded filigree. It is 111.5 cm in length, while the hook is 17 cm wide. The crook is from a single casting, onto which the drop-plate and openwork crest were attached. The crest panels contain both zoomorphic and abstract patterns and are bordered by bands of niello with inlaid with gilt wire. The Lismore crozier
3892-665: Is on permanent display in the Treasury Room, next to the Lismore and River Laune Croziers, where it is catalogued as R 2988. An early 20th-century replica is in the Met Cloisters in New York. Widely considered the most lavish and ornate of the surviving early medieval croziers, it appeared in 2011 in The Irish Times and Royal Irish Academy's list of " A History of Ireland in 100 Objects ". Insular crozier An Insular crozier
4031-462: Is one of the earliest known European croziers and was extensively cleaned and refurbished in the late 20th century. The remains of the badly damaged and incomplete St. Columba ’s (also known as St. Colmcille (d. 597)) Crozier consist of highly decorated four-foot wooden shaft, now broken in two, that is covered with sheet bronze tubes decorated with a bronze knope lined with silver and gilt. Its foot and crook are both missing. The staff originates from
4170-450: Is written, you shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve." 1 Corinthians 8:6 shows the distinct Christian teaching about the agency of Christ by first stating: "there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him" and immediately continuing with "and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him." This passage clearly acknowledges
4309-491: The Romanesque and Gothic periods. Although many of the croziers are associated with 5th- and 6th-century saints, the objects were not made until long after the saints had died. A majority originate from around the 9th century, with a number further embellished between the 11th and 13th centuries. Croziers were symbols of office for bishops or abbots. Their form is based on the idea of the shepherd as pastor of his flock and
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4448-564: The Absolute Oneness of God, and totally separates him from other beings (whether humans, angel or any other holy figure), and rejects any form of dualism or Trinitarianism. Chapter 112 of the Quran states: Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “He is God—One ˹and Indivisible˺; God—the Sustainer ˹needed by all˺. He has never had offspring, nor was He born. And there is none comparable to Him.” In Judaism, the use of
4587-468: The Apostles' Creed where the expression of belief in the "Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth" is immediately, but separately followed by in "Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord", thus expressing both senses of fatherhood. In much of modern Christianity, God is addressed as the Father, in part because of his active interest in human affairs on the earth, in the way that a father would take an interest in his children who are dependent on him and as
4726-514: The Archiepiscopal Museum, Ravenna . The distinctive shape of Irish croziers evokes the function of shepherds' crooks in restraining wayward sheep, and according to the art historian Rachel Moss is similar to the crook-headed sticks used by cherubs to grasp vine branches in Bacchic iconography. Croziers became symbols of status for bishops and abbots when Pope Celestine I linked them to
4865-643: The British Museum . It is unknown exactly what their function in Irish medieval society was, but they were probably of ceremonial use, and some may have held relics in their drops. As the art historian Anthony T. Lucas points out, at the time the "most prestigious of all Irish relics and the one most frequently mentioned down the years was ... the Bachall Iosa or Staff of Jesus ... [said ] to have been received directly from Heaven by St. Patrick ." Although
5004-759: The Clonmacnoise Crozier (thought to be amongst the first examples of Irish metalwork of the medieval period), the Kells Crozier (9th to 11th centuries), St Mel 's Crozier (10th and 12th century), the River Laune Crozier (late 10th century), the Lismore Crozier (c. 1100), and the Scottish Coigreach and St Fillan’s Crozier . The majority of surviving Insular croziers are held in the National Museum of Ireland , National Museum of Scotland and
5143-556: The Eastern Church (known to have come from a later date) began with an affirmation of faith in "one God" and almost always expanded this by adding "the Father Almighty, Maker of all things visible and invisible" or words to that effect. By the end of the first century, Clement of Rome had repeatedly referred to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and linked the Father to creation, 1 Clement 19.2 stating: "let us look steadfastly to
5282-453: The Hebrew Bible , Isaiah 63:16 (JP) reads: "For You are our father, for Abraham did not know us, neither did Israel recognize us; You, O [YHWH], are our father; our redeemer of old is your name." To God, according to Judaism, is attributed the fatherly role of protector. He is titled the Father of the poor, of the orphan and the widow, their guarantor of justice. He is also titled the Father of
5421-451: The Kaddish ). According to Ariela Pelaia, in a prayer of Rosh Hashanah , Areshet Sfateinu, an ambivalent attitude toward God is demonstrated, due to his role as a father and as a king. Free translation of the relevant sentence may be: "today every creature is judged, either as sons or as slaves. If as sons, forgive us like a father forgives his son. If as slaves, we wait, hoping for good, until
5560-502: The River Shannon . This strategic location helped it become a thriving centre of religion, learning, craftsmanship and trade by the 9th century, and many of the high kings of Tara ( Ard Rí ) and of Connacht were buried here. Clonmacnoise was largely abandoned by the end of the 13th century. Today the site includes nine ruined churches, a castle, two round towers and many carved stone crosses. The crozier's late 11th-century dating
5699-505: The Son , and the third person, God the Holy Spirit . Since the second century, Christian creeds included affirmation of belief in "God the Father ( Almighty )", primarily in his capacity as "Father and creator of the universe". Christians take the concept of God as the father of Jesus Christ metaphysically further than the concept of God as the creator and father of all people, as indicated in
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5838-825: The Viking invasions. A number of examples, such as the Cath Bhuaidh, found in Iona , are known to have been carried into battle against the Vikings as talismans . Insular croziers tend to be around 1.2 meters in length, the same size as a large walking stick. Most have an inner wooden core onto which tubular copper alloy ( bronze ) plates were attached. The crooks tend to be highly decorated with elements such as openwork and animal designs. As of 2014, fewer than 20 surviving fully intact examples were known, in addition to 60 fragments in various states of completeness. The major extant examples include
5977-447: The episcopal office in a 431 letter to bishops in Gaul . By tradition, the first Irish example (lost since 1538) was the " Bachal Isu " (Staff of Jesus) given by God to Saint Patrick . According to the archaeologist A. T. Lucas , the croziers thus acted as "the principal vehicle of [Patrick's] power, a kind of spiritual electrode through which he conveyed the holy energy by which he wrought
6116-443: The "Father" title is generally a metaphor , referring to the role as Life-giver and Law-giver, and is one of many titles by which Jews speak of and to God. The Jewish concept of God is that God is non-corporeal, transcendent and immanent, the ultimate source of love, and a metaphorical "Father". The Aramaic term for father ( Hebrew : אבא , abba ) appears in traditional Jewish liturgy and Jewish prayers to God (e.g. in
6255-437: The 10th or 11th centuries. The shaft is 84 cm long. The crook is made from oak , while the drop has a willow core. The drop's metal casting is secondary and has an inset (or cavity) to hold a reliquary box, which is now filled with a small block of wood. However the reliquary box is slightly too small for the drop, and was probably also a later addition, likely to replace a similar, slightly larger fitting. The crozier
6394-462: The 11th century. The Kells Crozier, at 133 cm, is unusually long, however some of this is due to later additions. The art historian Rachel Moss suggests that because so many parts were replaced, the crozier may "have suffered 'profanation' ( sárugud ), which is sometimes reported of insignia." Rediscovered in London in 1851, it is associated with Kells, County Meath based on inscriptions under
6533-627: The 14th century the illustrated Naples Bible had a depiction of God the Father in the Burning bush . By the 15th century, the Rohan Book of Hours included depictions of God the Father in human form or anthropomorphic imagery. Though the depiction remains rare and often controversial in Eastern Orthodox art, by the time of the Renaissance artistic representations of God the Father were freely used in
6672-404: The 19th century that the drops acted as containers for smaller relics of saints, while the metal casing held the saint's original wooden staffs; these claims have been in doubt since the mid-20th century, and there is no evidence to support the theories. An exception is the Lismore Crozier , where two small relics and a linen cloth were found inside the crook during a 1966 refurbishment. The crook
6811-676: The Clonmacnoise crozier is in the shape of an open shepherd's crook , a symbol of Jesus as the Good Shepherd leading his flock. Psalm 23 mentions a "rod" and a "staff", and from the 3rd century onwards Christian art often shows the shepherd holding a staff, including the 4th-century Sarcophagus of the Three Shepherds in the Vatican Museums in Rome, and the 6th-century Throne of Maximian at
6950-631: The Coigreach are in the collection of the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh , where they are displayed in the Kingdom of the Scots gallery and described as an "object-pair". The Bachul Mor (English: "Great Staff", sometimes known as "The Crozier of St Moluagh ") dates from c. 730 and is in very poor condition having lost most of its metal casing and suffered damage to both its crook and ferrule. It remains in
7089-650: The Farewell Discourse are John 14:20 as Jesus addresses the disciples: "I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you" and in John 17:22 as he prays to the Father: "I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one." A number of Christian groups and communities reject the doctrine of a co-equal Trinity, and generally teach that God the Father is supreme, but nontrinitarian Christian groups differ somewhat from one another in their views regarding God
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#17328594854627228-770: The Father and Christ the Son. In Mormonism , including its largest denomination the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), the most prominent conception of "the Godhead" is as a divine council of three distinct beings: the Father (who is also referred to as Elohim ), the Son Jesus (who is identified with Jehovah of the Old Testament), and the Holy Spirit . The Father and Son are considered to have perfected, physical bodies, while
7367-514: The Father and Creator of the universe". Around AD 213 in Adversus Praxeas ( chapter 3 ) Tertullian is believed to have provided a formal representation of the concept of the Trinity , i.e. that God exists as one "substance" but three 'Persons': The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and with God the Father being the Head. Tertullian also discussed how the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and
7506-544: The Father highlights the importance of the distinct yet unified natures of Jesus and the Father, building to the unity of Father and Son in the Trinity. The paternal view of God as the Father extends beyond Jesus to his disciples, and the entire Church, as reflected in the petitions Jesus submitted to the Father for his followers at the end of the Farewell Discourse , the night before his crucifixion . Instances of this in
7645-558: The Father in early Christianity was based on two key ideas: first the shared identity of the Yahweh of the Old Testament and the God of Jesus in the New Testament , and then the self-distinction and yet the unity between Jesus and his Father. An example of the unity of Son and Father is Matthew 11:27 : "No one knows the Son except the Father and no one knows the Father except the Son", asserting
7784-409: The Father is greater than the Son in all things, and that the Holy Spirit is not equal to the Father, and is not an actual person, but is God's "power" or "character" in action. They refer to God the Father as " Yahweh ". The Yahweh Assemblies and other Sacred Name groups generally teach that Christ the Son was God's first and prime creation, and was used to create everything else. They believe that
7923-443: The Father is not pantheistic in that he is not viewed as identical to the universe or a vague notion that persists in it, but exists fully outside of creation, as its creator. He is viewed as a loving and caring God, a Heavenly Father who is active both in the world and in people's lives. He created all things visible and invisible in love and wisdom, and created man for his own sake. The emergence of Trinitarian theology of God
8062-476: The Father is not a separate God from God the Son (of whom Jesus is the incarnation ) and the Holy Spirit , the other hypostases of the Christian Godhead . In Eastern Orthodox theology , God the Father is the arche or principium ("beginning"), the "source" or "origin" of both the Son and the Holy Spirit, and is considered the eternal source of the Godhead. The Father is the one who eternally begets
8201-547: The Father". Although the term "Father" implies masculine characteristics , God is usually defined as having the form of a spirit without any human biological gender, e.g. the Catechism of the Catholic Church No. 239 specifically states that " God is neither man nor woman: he is God ". Although God is never directly addressed as "Mother", at times motherly attributes may be interpreted in Old Testament references such as
8340-578: The Holy Spirit has a body of spirit. LDS Church members believe God the Father presides over both the Son and Holy Spirit, where God the Father is greater than both, but they are one in the sense that they have a unity of purpose. Most denominations in the Latter Day Saint movement also believe God (often referred to as Heavenly Father) has at least one spouse referred to as Heavenly Mother , and together they are called Heavenly Parents . The Assemblies of Yahweh are nontrinitarian , believing that
8479-571: The Jewish teachings on the uniqueness of God, yet also states the role of Jesus as an agent in creation. Over time, the Christian doctrine began to fully diverge from Judaism through the teachings of the Church Fathers in the second century and by the fourth century belief in the Trinity was formalized. According to Mary Rose D'Angelo and James Barr, the Aramaic term Abba was in the early times of
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#17328594854628618-569: The Logos had an essential role in creation and redemption, and is the Messiah, they believe that only the Father is without beginning. They say that the Son was the Father's only direct creation, before all ages. While both Persons are highly honored, taught, and preached, in their interpretations of John 17:3 and John 14:28 , God the Father is emphasized in Jehovah's Witness meetings and services more than Christ
8757-404: The Logos is God's Only-begotten Son, and that the Holy Spirit is God's active force (projected energy). They believe that the Father and the Son are united in divine purpose, administration, legislation , and man's salvation , but are not one being and are not equal in power. While the Witnesses acknowledge Jesus’ pre-existence, perfection, and unique "Sonship" from God the Father, and believe that
8896-440: The Messiah, whom they call " Yahshua " or " Yeshua " or " Yehoshua ", died for man's sins, and is to be honored as the Anointed Lord, but that God the Father (Yahweh) is the True God that all "true worshippers" ultimately serve and worship. They teach that the Father is the only eternal one. In Jehovah's Witness theology, only God the Father ( Jehovah ) is the one true almighty God, even over his Son Jesus Christ. They teach that
9035-417: The New Testament neither markedly a term of endearment , nor a formal word; but the word normally used by sons and daughters, throughout their lives, in the family context. According to Marianne Thompson , in the Old Testament , God is called "Father" with a unique sense of familiarity. In addition to the sense in which God is "Father" to all men because he created the world (and in that sense "fathered"
9174-507: The Ringerike style, they are outlined with thin strips of niello that appear as decorative flaps that, according to the archaeologist and art historian Griffin Murray , "spring from their heads and bodies forming knotted vegetal-like designs around them" before terminating in spiral patterns. The crest is attached to the top of the crook by rivets and nails. Around half of it has broken away, but what remains consists of an openwork row of five crouching dog-like animals that extends from above
9313-437: The Son, and the Father through the Son eternally breathes the Holy Spirit. As a member of the Trinity, God the Father is one with, co-equal to, co-eternal, and consubstantial with the Son and the Holy Spirit, each Person being the one eternal God and in no way separated: all alike are uncreated and omnipotent. Because of this, the Trinity is beyond reason and can only be known by revelation. The Trinitarian concept of God
9452-453: The Son, as they teach that the Father is greater than the Son. Oneness Pentecostalism teaches that God is a singular spirit who is one person, not three divine persons, individuals or minds. God the Father is the title of the supreme creator. The titles of the Son and Holy Spirit are merely titles reflecting the different personal manifestations of the One True God the Father in the universe. Although similarities exist among religions,
9591-500: The Son. While the expression "from the Father through the Son" is also found among them. The Nicene Creed , which dates to 325, states that the Son (Jesus Christ) is "born of the Father before all ages", indicating that their divine Father-Son relationship is seen as not tied to an event within time or human history. To Trinitarian Christians (which include Roman Catholics , Eastern Orthodox , Oriental Orthodox , Anglicans , and most but not all Protestant denominations ), God
9730-469: The South Kensington Museum) in 1869, on loan from Dr John Coffey , Bishop of Kerry . It is dated to the late 11th century and is not thought to have been reworked. Its origin is uncertain; it is likely to have been made at Aghadoe Cathedral (e. 939 AD by Finian Lobhar ( St. Finian the Leper )), but was held on the nearby abbey on Innisfallen ("Faithlinn's island"). The art historian Griffin Murray describes it as "probably broadly contemporary with
9869-524: The animal heads and in the drop. The crook is further decorated on both sides with blue glass studs set in set in gold collars, and holding white and red millefiori glass insets. It is now in the collection of the NMI. Inscriptions on the metalwork record that it was produced by "Nechtain the craftsman" and commissioned by Niall mac Meic Aeducain, a bishop of Lismore who died in 1113. The inscription read "OR DON IAL MC MEICC AEDUCAIN LASAN[D]ERNAD I GRESA" ("Pray for Nial Mc Meicc Aeducain for whom this
10008-482: The art historian Máire de Paor , as "grasping with [their] jaws the buttocks of the preceding animal". Similarly, the Frazer Crozier-head contains dog-tooth patterns on the upper part of the crook, but these are thought to be 16th-century additions. The shaft is formed from a wooden core plated with two copper alloy tubes and narrows after the lowest knop. The tubing was originally sealed by two binding strips on
10147-643: The back) copper-alloy plates, a feature only otherwise found on the Prosperous Crozier. The largest and uppermost knop is 7.5 cm (3.0 in) high and has a diameter of 4.8 cm (1.9 in). It is centred by a horizontal band of interlace and champlevé enamelling containing geometric and foliage patterns. It is lined with inserted triangular and rectangular plaques (some of which are missing) between which are blue glass studs. The plaques are in copper and decorated with interlace and have borders lined with strips of twisted copper and silver wire. It contains
10286-517: The body of Father would be represented, usually the hand, or sometimes the face, but rarely the whole person, and in many images, the figure of the Son supplants the Father, so a smaller portion of the person of the Father is depicted. In the early medieval period God was often represented by Christ as the Logos , which continued to be very common even after the separate figure of God the Father appeared. Western art eventually required some way to illustrate
10425-494: The chalice. The objects would have been deposited individually at the burial site during the centuries after Ciarán's death. However there is no surviving documentary evidence to support Petrie's account of the find spot. The claim seems based on accounts from 1684 and 1739 which mention that a relic of Ciarán's hand had been found there, while the crozier's style and production technique closely resembles two other contemporary fragmentary croziers sometimes associated with Clonmacnoise;
10564-440: The cleric as a generic late-period Insular figure, with " pierced eyes , small ears, a large nose, and [a] heavy mustache and beard". The positioning of the human figures is similar to the late 9th-century Prosperous Crozier. The only other surviving example of such a figure is in the drop of the River Laune Crozier ; presumably other croziers once held similar figures but the components were damaged or removed. It seems likely that
10703-530: The cleric is intended to represent the commemorated saint, thus "making the body of the founder saint visible and active", and conferring the saint's authority to the crozier's current bearer. The copper plate underneath the drop contain enamel double-spiral designs rendered in blue, green and yellows. As the most visible portion of the crozier, the drops were the obvious focus point for figure art , an element that is, apart from zoomorphism, otherwise almost entirely absent in Insular metalwork. This led to theories in
10842-549: The common language and the shared concepts about God and his title Father among the Abrahamic religions is quite limited, and each religion has very specific belief structures and religious nomenclature with respect to the subject. While a religious teacher in one faith may be able to explain the concepts to his own audience with ease, significant barriers remain in communicating those concepts across religious boundaries. Greco-Roman pagans believed in an original triad . Over time,
10981-512: The corresponding animal on the opposite side. Although usually identified as lions, the figures also bear a resemblance to griffins in an 8th-century Insular knop from Setnes in Norway. The central knop is 8.8 cm (3.5 in) in height and less decorated than the other two, but has bands of open Ringerike-style interlace made of inlaid silver that form series of knotted patterns. The lower knop measures 6.8 cm (2.7 in) in height and, like
11120-740: The creator as "He" and "Father". This is because the Granth is written in north Indian Indo-Aryan languages (mixture of Punjabi and dialects of Hindi) which have no neutral gender. Since the Granth says that the God is indescribable, God has no gender according to Sikhism. God in the Sikh scriptures has been referred to by several names, picked from Indian and Semitic traditions. He is called in terms of human relations as father, mother, brother, relation, friend, lover, beloved, husband. Other names, expressive of his supremacy, are thakur , prabhu , svami , sah , patsah , sahib , sain (Lord, Master). For about
11259-543: The creed. Since the second century, creeds in the Western Church have included affirmation of belief in "God the Father (Almighty)", the primary reference being to "God in his capacity as Father and creator of the universe". This did not exclude either the fact the "eternal father of the universe was also the Father of Jesus the Christ" or that he had even "vouchsafed to adopt [the believer] as his son by grace". Creeds in
11398-488: The crest contains a series of "gripping dogs". The Lismore Crozier contains three open-mouthed animals "connected in an Urnes-style mesh." The majority of Insular crozier's crooks terminate with a flat drop, typically formed from an inserted and functional metal plaque, and a highly ornate openwork drop plate, studded with jewels, as with the Lismore Crook. The plaques often have an animal (or, less often human) head at
11537-531: The crest on the crook ( ordo conduilis ocius do mel finnen ), which, roughly translated, asks for prayers for Cúduilig (or Cū Duilig) and Maelfinnén (or Máel Finnén). However, as neither have been conclusively associated with historical figures, there is some doubt as to the location of origin. It is in the collection of the British Museum . Found in the mid-19th century on the grounds of an early medieval church in Ardagh, County Longford , Saint Mel's Crozier dates from
11676-628: The crook, knop and ferrule being the most decorated elements. Only five croziers have inscriptions. Of these, only the Kells and Lismore Croziers have the lettering that is still legible. The Lismore Crozier contains both the name of the smith (Nechtan), and the name of the Bishop of Lismore who commissioned it, while the Kells Crozier names the smith as Conduilig, and its commissioner as Malfinnen, Archbishop of Leinster. The crooks are positioned on top of
11815-510: The crook. The Clonmacnoise Crozieris is often described as the finest of the surviving examples in both craftmanship and design. Thought to be associated with Saint Ciarán , it is dated to the late 11th century. It is 97 cm long, and is formed from wood, copper-alloy, silver, niello, glass and enamel . The crozier is 13.5 cm high and 15.5 cm wide, and decorated with round blue glass studs and white and red millefiori insets. Snake-like animals are arranged in interlocked rows along
11954-532: The crook. It also has zoomorphic designs similar those on the Dublin-manufactured Prosperous Crozier , on the shrine of the Cathach of Saint Columba , which also contains stylistic resemblances to Dublin metalwork, in particular with those found during excavations at High Street, Dublin , during 1962 and 1963. None of these links are definitive nor widely accepted. A significant metal workshop
12093-524: The crooks are typical of the Irish or West Highland type. St. Fillan's Crozier dates from the 8th century, with additions in the Romanesque period. It is s traditionally associated with the Irish monk St. Fillan (Gaelic: Fáelán or "little wolf"), who lived in the eighth century at Glendochart in Perthshire , central Scotland. Only the crook survives; the staff was lost at an unknown date. Sometime around
12232-575: The crozier as among the finest of the Irish Ringerike-influenced objects, along with the Shrine of Miosach and the Cathach (both 11th-century cumdaigh ). Although it has suffered some losses, damage and detrimental repair work, it is in excellent condition overall. The original drop-plate was replaced in the late medieval period. The wood at the end of the crest is decayed, likely due to one of
12371-500: The crozier until his collection was acquired by the Royal Irish Academy on his death in 1841. It was transferred to the archaeology branch of the National Museum of Ireland on Kildare Street on the branch's foundation in 1890. The archaeologist Griffin Murray has described the crozier as "one of [the] finest examples of early medieval metalwork from Ireland". Like all Insular croziers produced between c. 800 and 1200 CE,
12510-407: The croziers (Irish: Baculus) were built in single phases, while others were first built in the 9th century and added to or reworked across the 10th and 11th centuries. Many of the croziers were held over the centuries by hereditary keepers, usually generations of a local family, until re-discovered by antiquarians in the early 19th century. The art historian Griffith Murray estimates that there
12649-643: The croziers are often associated with early Christian Irish saints from the 600-800 era, it is not thought that the wooden cores of the staffs date from that period, although some (but not all) historians think that the drops may have been constructed as containers for relics . As undoubted symbols of wealth and power, the croziers may have at times been used for solemnising treaties, swearing oaths, or even as battle talismans . The antiquarian George Petrie noted how, in Ireland, relics of saints "used to be carried to distant places on solemn occasions, in order that rival chieftains might be sworn upon them, so much that
12788-694: The drop as a separate attachment. The shaft gets progressively narrower after the lowest knope before tapering to spike or ferrule. The shafts of the extant croziers are lined with between three and five decorative knops; that is separately cast, protruding barrel-shaped metal fittings. They all cast in bronze and are either cylindrical or biconical and fully wrap around the shaft. Typical decorative elements include inserted triangular and rectangular plaques ornamented with inlaid silver, interlace, glass studs, and enamel. The individual knopes are usually placed equally distant from each other and separated by lengths of open, plain copper-alloy. Four seems to have been
12927-425: The earliest stone church on the island and obviously relates a period of wealth and investment in the monastery at the time. It was of great significance to the community, as...the staff of office of the abbot and handed on from one abbot to the next. It symbolised the power of the founding saint of the monastery, St Finian, and by association the power of the abbot and the monastery itself," The River Laune Crozier
13066-475: The early 11th and early 12th centuries. The first phase is represented by the wooden core, and copper lined tubing, four closing strips, three copper alloy knopes, the crook, openwork crest and zoomorphic ornamentation. Later embellishments include the silver plates lining the crook, the drop (10th century), and the semi-precious stones (since lost) and niello-inlaid spirals influenced by the Ringerike style added in
13205-477: The eternal relationship of Father and Son, through Jesus Christ. Christians call themselves adopted children of God: But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!” So you are no longer
13344-540: The family of its hereditary keepers" (a local family who would have looked after and protected the object over centuries), but there is no documentary evidence for this. In 1826, a lithograph representation appeared in Picturesque Views of the Antiquities of Ireland , compiled in 1830 by the architect and draughtsman Robert O'Callaghan Newenham, where it was described as having been "dug up 100 years ago". The crozier
13483-528: The finest croziers, and a relic of one of Ireland's patron saints , it did not receive extensive scholarly examination until its inclusion in Column Burke's 1997 "Studies in the Cult of Saint Columba". The barrel shaped knope on the upper shaft is decorated with knotted interlace, and holds now empty settings that once contained studs, most likely of amber. Although this section is the earliest metalwork component, it
13622-659: The finest surviving Irish examples, alongside those found at Clonmacnoise and Lismore. It was discovered in 1867 deposited in the bed of the Launein the River Laune , one of the Lakes of Killarney in County Kerry by a fisherman who initially mistook it as either a salmon or a gun, before establishing it as a "curious handstick." It was first exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum (then
13761-458: The front which were probably of leather but are now lost, although a portion of a leather membrane between the wood and metal still exists. The shaft contains three large and ornately decorated barrel-shaped and individually cast knops, each of which fully wraps around the staff. They are positioned equally distant on the staff, separated by lengths of bare tubing. Each contains openwork patterns and chased or repoussé (i.e. relief hammered from
13900-474: The grounds of Clonmacnoise monastery , County Offaly . The oratory is said to contain the tomb of the monastery's founder Saint Ciarán of Clonmacnoise ( d. c. 549 ), and he is recorded as having appeared centuries after his death "to smite a would-be raider with his crozier". Petrie recorded that it was found alongside a hoard including a silver chalice dated to 1647, a wine vessel and an arm-shrine or relic of Ciarán's hand, all now lost except for
14039-468: The innumerable miracles attributed to him". In a 2004 survey, the Clonmacnoise Crozier was one of an estimated twenty (or fewer) largely intact Insular croziers in addition to some sixty fragments. The Irish antiquarian George Petrie ( d. 1866) was the first to write about the crozier's discovery, and based on his sources placed the find-spot as in the "Temple Ciarán", a now ruined oratory on
14178-462: The joining with the staff to just before the top of the crook – presumably the row once extended to the top of the drop, especially since the lead animal is the most badly damaged and missing its head, while those nearest are also damaged and have missing parts. The animals are forward-looking and positioned end-to-end, and rendered in the Oseberg Style of Viking art. They each appear, in the words of
14317-419: The king, as the teacher and helper over the judge of Israel. According to Alon Goshen-Gottstein, in the Old Testament "Father" is generally a metaphor ; it is not a proper name for God but rather one of many titles by which Jews speak of and to God. According to Mark Sameth, references to God the Father convulsing in labor, giving birth, and suckling (Deuteronomy 32:13, 18) hint to a priestly belief, noted in
14456-452: The late 13th century the crook was encased in the Coigreach (or Quigrich), a crosier-shrine of similar size and form built as a protective case for the crook, and made from silver, gold and rock crystal and dates from the late 13th century, with additions from the 14th or 15th centuries. The Coigreach was rediscovered in the mid-19th century by the archaeologist Daniel Wilson , who opened it and found St. Fillan’s Crozier inside. The crozier
14595-447: The later examples bear influence from both the Ringerike and later Urnes styles of Viking art . Some of the Ringerike style animals bear close resemblance to figures on the margins of ninth-century Insular brooches . The designs on the crook of the Clonmacnoise Crozier are in the Ringerike style and include snake-like animals with ribbon-shaped bodies arranged, according to art historian Patrick Wallace, "in tightly woven knots", while
14734-414: The length of a walking stick) and the crook 13.5 cm (5.3 in) wide. It was probably once 20 cm longer and had four knops, as with most other intact examples; the losses seem to result from its having been broken apart to make it easier to fold and thus hide from Viking and later Norman invaders . The staff is formed from a wooden core overlaid by metal tubes, and comprises two main sections:
14873-415: The long shaft and the crook. The crook ends in a vertical section called the drop , with a drop-plate on the outward-facing side. The casing on the shaft is attached by binding strips connected to each other by three knops, while a protective copper alloy ferrule comprises the tip of the shaft's base. The shaft and crook cores are made from separate pieces of timber but date from the same period. The crook
15012-403: The master craftsman behind the Clonmacnoise Crozier may also be responsible for two other extant examples. The croziers vary in size, material, and amount and quality of decoration. A typical length is 1.2 meters, with the Prosperous Crozier from County Kildare being both the oldest and 1.33 meters the longest. The major components are the shaft or staff and attached base, crook, and knop, with
15151-576: The mutual knowledge of Father and Son. The concept of fatherhood of God does appear in the Old Testament, but is not a major theme. While the view of God as the Father is used in the Old Testament, it only became a focus in the New Testament, as Jesus frequently referred to it. This is manifested in the Lord's Prayer which combines the earthly needs of daily bread with the reciprocal concept of forgiveness. And Jesus' emphasis on his special relationship with
15290-547: The names and gods of the triad were changed—except for Jupiter , which means "Father Jove" and comes from Proto-Italic Djous Patēr , from Djous (“day, sky”) + Patēr (“father”), from Proto-Indo-European Dyḗws (literally “the bright one”), root nomen agentis from Dyew - (“to be bright, day sky”), and Ph₂tḗr (“father”). A syncretic sect created by Hong Xiuquan , founder of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom , that mixed Protestantism and Chinese folk religion ,
15429-560: The ninth century and a number of (often poor and crude) refurbishments date from the 12th century onwards. It is associated with Durrow Abbey in County Meath , founded by Columba in the 6th century, and following the dissolution of the abbey, was kept by its hereditary keepers, the Mac Geoghegan family, until the mid-19th century, and was in the ownership of the Royal Irish Academy before 1850. Although considered to have once been one of
15568-812: The objective of this sect was to overthrow the Manchus and restore power to the Han . God consisted of a triad made up of Shangdi (the Supreme Emperor in ancient Chinese worship), Christ as the eldest son and Hong as the youngest son. In Hinduism , Bhagavan Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita , chapter 9, verse 17, stated: "I am the Father of this world, the Mother, the Dispenser and the Grandfather", one commentator adding: "God being
15707-403: The past". St. Mel's Crozier is dated based on the style of the zoomorphic designs, which are similar to those on the Kells Crozier. While well preserved (a number of the plates were damaged, and its last major cleaning and refurbishment was carried out between 1971 and 1972) and studied to that point, the crozier was "almost entirely destroyed" in 2009 when St Mel's Cathedral was decimated in
15846-610: The possession of the Duke of Argyll, its hereditary keeper, on the Isle of Lismore , and is thus understudied. Other well-preserved Scottish Insular croziers include the St. Donnan's crozier ( Eigg ), and the Kilvarie Bar-a-Goan ( Kilmore, Skye ). The Cath Bhuaidh ("Yellow Battler" or "battle victory") found in Iona , is traditionally associated with St. Colmcille and thought to have been used as
15985-606: The presence of the Father, so through successive representations a set of artistic styles for the depiction of the Father in human form gradually emerged around the tenth century AD. By the twelfth century depictions of a figure of God the Father, essentially based on the Ancient of Days in the Book of Daniel had started to appear in French manuscripts and in stained glass church windows in England. In
16124-415: The rivets being exposed, which in turn led to further damage to the structure. The original drop was presumably as highly decorated as the knops, but is lost and was replaced sometime during the 14th or 15th centuries. The current plate, like the original, forms a hollow box-like extension that was fixed to the end of the crook. It is cast from copper alloy and consists of a cast figurative insert attached to
16263-477: The shaft and are typically highly decorated with silver, gold, glass, and niello -style inlay and openwork crests, while the crook of the Aghadoe crozier is crafted from walrus ivory . They ornamented may include interlace designs, geometric patterns and zoomorphic (portraying humans as non-human animals) figures. The animal designs in the earliest example are depicted in a naturalistic manner, while many of
16402-540: The sides, and there are large animal heads in high relief at either side of the base of the crook. The openwork crest was cast and contains a row of five crouched dog-like animals. The zoomorphic and interlace patterns are in the Irish Ringerike style and bear a strong resemblance to late 11th century additions to the Bearnan Chulain bell shrine, and the early 12th century Shrine of Saint Lachtin's Arm , suggesting
16541-519: The sixteenth and nineteenth centuries by Guillaume Postel and Michelangelo Lanci respectively, that “God the Father” is a dual-gendered deity. In Christianity fatherhood is taken in a more literal and substantive sense, and is explicit about the need for the Son as a means of accessing the Father, making for a more metaphysical rather than metaphorical interpretation. There is a deep sense in which Christians believe that they are made participants in
16680-503: The snake-like animals in figure-of-eight patterns running on the sides of the body of the crook, and the ribbon of dog-like animals in openwork (ornamentation with openings or holes) that form the crest at its top. Apart from a shortening to the staff length and the loss of some inserted gems, it is largely intact and is one of the best-preserved surviving pieces of Insular metalwork . The crozier may have been associated with Saint Ciarán of Clonmacnoise (died c. 549 CE), and
16819-619: The source of the universe and the beings in it, He is held as the Father, the Mother and the Grandfather". A genderless Brahman is also considered the creator and Life-giver, and the Shakta goddess is viewed as the divine mother and life-bearer. Unlike in Judaism, the term "father" is not formally applied to God by Muslims, and the Christian notion of the Trinity is rejected in Islam. Even though traditional Islamic teaching does not formally prohibit using
16958-477: The term "Father" in reference to God, it does not propagate or encourage it. There are some narratives of the Islamic prophet Muhammad in which he compares the mercy of God toward his worshipers to that of a mother to her infant child. Islamic teaching rejects the Christian father-son relationship of God and Jesus , and states that Jesus is a prophet of God, not the Son of God. Islamic theology strictly reiterates
17097-432: The theories. An exception is the Lismore Crozier , where two small relics and a linen cloth were found inside the crook during a 1966 refurbishment. The shaft is generally formed from a wooden core, usually of yew wood , sheeted with metal tubing, and often millefiori discs and inlaid glass bosses. This core was used to support the weight of the hook, given that the metal casing is usually comparatively thin. The tubing
17236-505: The top, below which a separate structure (known as the drop-plate) was attached. Based on carvings on a number of high crosses, including that at Ahenny, County Tipperary , it can be assumed that the clerics held the staffs with both hands at chest height, with the drop facing outward. As thus the most visible portion of the crozier, the drops were the obvious focus point for figurative art , an element that is, apart from zoomorphism, otherwise almost entirely absent in Insular metalwork. While
17375-616: The upper and middle knopes are separately cast, while (excepting the Clonmacnoise Crosier) the lower knope is fused with the ferrule. The designs on the upper knop of the Clonmacnoise and River Laune croziers are similar to those at the lower portion of their crooks. Both the Clonmacnoise and St. Columba’s croziers have decorative collars below their upper knopes. Knops are not unique to Insular croziers and can be found in many contemporary and later European examples. Like many Irish medieval religious objects, particularly shrines, some of
17514-445: The upper knop, is biconical (i.e. of two parts) and contains copper plaques separated by glass studs. After the lower knop the shaft passes through a free ring and tapers (narrows) into the spiked ferrule (a protective metal-cast foot, here of copper alloy) that forms the crozier's basal point. Unlike the other two Insular examples with surviving ferrules (Lismore and River Laune, both of which have more elaborate and complex endings), it
17653-495: The usual number, while those, such as the Clonmacnoise crozier, that have three are usually shorter overall and may have lost some of their length at some stage (probably when they were broken apart to make them easier to fold and thus hide from Viking and later Norman invaders). Knops were some times reused and attached to other croziers, the usual case for those that have five. Examples containing re-used knops include St. Dympna’s and St. Columba’s croziers. In all Insular examples,
17792-464: The verdict, your holy majesty." Another famous prayer emphasizing this dichotomy is called Avinu Malkeinu , which means "Our Father Our King" in Hebrew. Usually the entire congregation will sing the last verse of this prayer in unison, which says: "Our Father, our King, answer us as though we have no deed to plead our cause, save us with mercy and loving-kindness." The Guru Granth consistently refers to
17931-517: The very similar and so-called Frazer Crozier -head (catalogue number NMI 1899:28) and a crozier- knop in the British Museum . The antiquarian William Frazer wrote in 1891 that the Clonmacnoise Crozier was probably revered as holding a relic of Saint Ciarán. Clonmacnoise monastery was founded in 544 by Saint Ciarán in the territory of Uí Maine where an ancient major east–west land route and early medieval political division (the Slighe Mhor) met at
18070-693: The word mionna , which means enshrined relics, came to denote both a relic and an oath." The annuals recounting the life of St. Finnchu of Brigown , County Cork , mentions a battle against a king of Ulaid where the saint approaches the field with a crozier as a talisman. The earliest known Irish crozier, dating to 596 AD and entirely made of wood, was found in a bog at Lemanaghan , County Offaly . Representations of croziers appear in multiple other Insular art formats, including manuscripts, high crosses and stone carvings. Insular croziers were probably made in workshops specialising in metal inlay techniques. The art historian Griffin Murray speculates that
18209-546: The world), the same God is also uniquely the law-giver to his chosen people . He maintains a special, covenantal father–child relationship with the people, giving them the Shabbat , stewardship of his prophecies , and a unique heritage in the things of God, calling Israel 'my son' because he delivered the descendants of Jacob out of slavery in Egypt according to his covenants and oaths to their fathers, Abraham , Isaac and Jacob . In
18348-546: Was at first used for blessings and as a talisman or battle standard: it is recorded as having been brought onto the field at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. Later it was thought to be able to heal people and animals, and under the ownership of its hereditary keepers the Dewars of Glendochart, acted as a ceremonial object for oaths of loyalty and dispute settlement, mostly related to the recovery of stolen cattle. Both St. Fillan’s and
18487-488: Was concurrently but separately constructed before it was placed on top of the staff. The crozier's decorative attachments include the crest and terminal (or " drop ") on the crook, and the knops and ferrule on the staff; these components are made from silver, niello , glass and enamel . The hook is further embellished with round blue glass studs and white and red millefiori (glassware) insets. The antiquarian and collector Henry Charles Sirr , Lord Mayor of Dublin , held
18626-432: Was later filed down to accommodate both later embellishments and repair work. Later additions include the remnants of downwards farcing animal head on the crest positioned as a protruding wing from the main shaft. Formed from copper-alloy, silver, gilding and niello, the Kells Crozier was built in three phases. The earliest metalwork occurred during the late 9th or early 10 century, with further adornment occurring during
18765-429: Was made"), and OR DO NECTAICERD DO RIGNE I GRESA" ("Pray for Nechtain, craftsman, who made this object"). Nechtain placed the inscriptions in a very narrow space and so had to use abbreviations, and in some instances omitted a letter (for example "Niall" is spelled with only one "l", and the central "d" is missing from "Lasandernad"). During a 1966 refurbishment, two small relics and a linen cloth were found inside
18904-516: Was melted and sold for its intrinsic value. The "St Ciaran's tomb" referred to by Petrie is most likely Clonmacnoise's Temple Ciarán, a shrine-chapel on the site. The crozier was for a period in the collection of the Lord Mayor of Dublin and collector Henry Charles Sirr (1764–1841), although the circumstances of his purchase are unknown. In 1970, the archaeologist Françoise Henry speculated that Sirr "might have obtained it directly or indirectly from
19043-458: Was perhaps commissioned by Tigernach Ua Braín (died 1088), Abbot of Clonmacnoise , but little is known of its origin or rediscovery. It was built in two phases: the original 11th-century structure received an addition sometime around the early 15th century. The staff is made from a wooden core wrapped in copper-alloy ( bronze ) tubes, fixed in place by binding strips, and three barrel-shaped knops (protruding decorative metal fittings). The hook
19182-418: Was popular from the early days of Christianity. The first known mention of the attribute in relation to Ireland is from 431 CE, and in the context of the conversion of the Irish population to Christianity. The first Insular staffs were produced in the 9th and 10th centuries during periods of political and religious upheaval in Ireland, when authority was often seen as needing to be made explicit, including during
19321-408: Was typically fitted with metal plating, usually of copper - alloy or silver, and attached by nails and rivets . In earlier examples, the hook was formed from two separate plates fastened by a crest ( coat of arms ) and a binding strip, while the drop (the plate at the front end of the hook) was attached separately. In some Romanesque crosiers, the crest is on the same plate as the crook, with only
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