A Treasure of the Black Church
At this time of year, as we celebrate the coming of the Magi at Epiphany, we are also mindful of two other events that mark the start of Jesus’ work - the work of God among us. These are the Baptism of the Lord (which the Romanian Orthodox church celebrates on 6th January) and the miracle of turning water into wine at the wedding at Cana.
St John tells us that this miracle at Cana is the first of Jesus’s ‘signs’ (the word John uses for miracles - suggesting the way they point to Jesus’ true identity) and the story recorded in John 2.1-11 is endlessly fascinating.
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I have just been in Brasov for a few days for the first time. It is a wonderful city to explore, and I feel like we only scraped the surface. One of the things I absolutely had to do was see the Black Church - of course for its Gothic marvels - but also for this painting that hangs in the North Transept.
It was painted in 1933 by the Brasov-born artist, Hans Eder - and depicts the Wedding at Cana. In a previous blog-post, I wrote about a crucifixion he painted in 1924 that is in the MNAR in Bucharest. As with that painting, the Biblical scene is painted in the contemporary moment - drawing us into the story, and reminding us that the life of Jesus is part of our lives too.
It is a striking depiction of the Wedding at Cana because we do not see many of the usual elements - there is no wedding couple, and we do not see Mary, who prompts Jesus to action. Instead, our gaze is fixed on the central figure of Jesus and the light emanating from the water-turned-to-wine. Around Jesus stands a motley group of people - young, old, wounded (the First World War had a significant impact on the artist).
This unusual Wedding at Cana is a sign to us of Christ’s power to radically transform our lives - to fill us with the divine light. At the beginning of this New Year, it is a reminder of God’s promise to make all things new.
The Church of England’s collect for the Second Sunday of Epiphany is a prayer that encompasses the themes of this painting beautifully. May Christ renew our lives this Epiphany-tide!
Almighty God, in Christ you make all things new: transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, and in the renewal of our lives make known your heavenly glory; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.