Original scientific paper
The Cross in the Thinking of Marko Marulić
Mladen Parlov
orcid.org/0000-0002-7248-3959
; Katolički bogoslovni fakultet, Split
Abstract
The history of original Christianity tells that the acceptance of the cross and the Crucified One on the cross was not a problem only for the pagans but also for the Christians themselves. The cross was presented as a scandal because it had to be palliated, made less cruel; indeed, it had to be turned from a means of torture and the most disgraceful death into a symbol of victory. Scandalum crucis was transformed into crux gloriae. The cross became a sign of Christ himself, his flag of victory. From the times of the Fathers, there was a noticeable tendency to epitomise in the mystery of the Cross all the mystery of Christ’s life. Although the cross has from the earliest Christian times been a symbol of Christ, still it was necessary to wait until the 11th century for Christians to begin to address their prayers to the crucifix. At the end of the 12th century a revolution occurred in the interpretation and representation of the Crucified. To the foreground came Christ’s internal condition during the time of the Passion on the cross, in other words, Christ’s suffering and pain and those elements, internal and external, which summoned up this suffering and pain. This kind of representation of the Crucified would prevail until the end of the Middle Ages, but would go on in the next centuries as well. The crucified Christ excites compassion, but not a feeling of triumph. Consideration of His pain became a central theme of Christian ascetic spirituality. In this period numerous forms of devotion to the cross appeared and developed. A great contribution here was made by St Francis, one of the greatest promoters of devotion to the Cross.
The second part of the work shows how Marulić looked at the mystery of the cross in his Latin works. In them we can find all the elements of the tradition so far mentioned. Marulić too attempted to palliate the scandalum crucis: the crucified Christ, although in his death pangs, is represented as victor. The cross becomes the means by which Christ vanquishes Satan; the Cross becomes the Throne. In the second coming, the cross too will appear in glory, as sign of Christ and his ultimate victory. Since the cross is the means of our salvation and redemption, one should, thinks Marulić, pay it honour. At the end there is discussion of Marulić’s Croatian verses dedicated to the mystery of the cross.
Keywords
Christ; cross; Marko Marulić; Christian; theology of cross; scandal of the cross; cross of glory
Hrčak ID:
67377
URI
Publication date:
22.4.2011.
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