What does a halo overhead mean? What do the saints symbolize the halos above the head?

Nimbus (halo) in Latin means "cloud", "cloud" (nimbus) and represents a brightly shining circle above the head. In form it can be different: triangular, round, hexagonal. But the distinctive feature of the images of Jesus Christ is a round (baptismal) halo, in which a cross is inscribed.

Although his images are most often found on Christian or Catholic icons, as well as paintings, where there are saints, yet the history of its origins goes back to ancient times. Painted nimbuses, illuminating the heads of people, met for centuries in various cultures - ancient Greek, Byzantine, Muslim, Christian. In the East, the glowing aura around the chelas always symbolized the reward for a righteous life and meant Enlightenment.

Nimbus overhead: history of origin

There is not one, but several versions regarding how the symbol of holiness appeared, like a halo. According to some scientists, it was preceded by a Greek meniscus - a metal circle, which was located around the heads of the statues in order to protect them from birds and weather. Other experts claim that the halo around the head arose as a consequence of the tradition, according to which a shield was placed on the back of the heroes.

The most prudent interpretation is still the Greek, based on mythology. According to ancient legends, the Olympic gods often appeared to people in human form. From them emanated a clear blinding light, referring to the luminous ether, the above-ground atmosphere, the dwelling place of the gods. Hence it follows that the glow is a sign of belonging to the gods. A little later, it was awarded to ordinary mortals, who had the honor of becoming one level with heavenly representatives. Over time, the divine glow reduced a little, and only a luminous halo above the head was applied to the images. Later in the Greeks this symbol of holiness was borrowed by Christians, Egyptians, Romans and Buddhists.

Distinctive features

Christians halo around the head and today is a sign of the Holy Trinity, the Mother of God, angels and saints. But on icons it can be depicted in different ways. For example, in the face of God the Father, the halo above the head has a triangular shape or a six-pointed star. Also in the image of a dove with a triangle halo, the Holy Spirit can also be depicted. As for the Savior of Christ, he is painted with a glow, in which a cross is inscribed. Also, Jesus can have a halo, where instead of a cross there are three lines of light or a beam of rays radiating out from the center of the disk.

The Nimbus of the Virgin is round in shape and decorated with twelve stars, a radiant crown or diadem. Angels, martyrs, apostles and saints are depicted with round golden halos around the head. The patriarchs and prophets usually have a silvery glow.

Between the images of the nimbuses of Orthodox and Catholic iconography there are certain differences. In the Christian tradition, a divine halo is drawn around the entire head, and the Catholics are above it in the form of a circle.

What do the saints symbolize the halos above the head?

The nimbus, or solar corona, is considered a sign of a perfect man, a confirmation of his special psychic power. Most often pay attention to the aura of super-personality in the head area. This zone of light in the form of a triangle, square or circle indicates emanations of the soul, spiritual energy of saints or divine persons.

Initially, the luminous halo around the head was compared with the solar disk and was considered a manifestation of the power of the Sun, an attribute of its gods. In the eastern iconography, solar deities were identified as such. The nimbus overhead spoke of empowered power, power or spiritual power. In secular iconography, this attribute was the crown.

The glowing halo sometimes acted as an attribute of the Phoenix, which is a symbol of immortality. In some drawings, a halo is also found in Satan, for example, in Byzantine art. This made it clear that he was also endowed with power.

Color and shape

The Golden Nimbus usually represented Christian art, among the Hindus it is red, with the ancient gods blue. In some cases, there was a rainbow.

A round halo (halo) in Byzantine art was the distinctive sign of the dead, who, during their lifetime, were distinguished by high morality, and the mercy of the heavens descended upon them. For example, the Virgin Mary is always depicted with a round and often exquisitely decorated halo around the head. The divine persons and holy nimbuses are similar, but without ornaments.

A cross inside a circle or a cross-shaped halo is a specific symbol characterizing the Atonement and Crucifixion of Christ. But the halo in the form of an ellipse speaks of spiritual light.

A hexagonal or square halo indicates a saint among living or ordinary people, but, for example, the donor. Here the square is considered inferior and serves as a symbol of the earth, the circle, in turn, is a sign of eternal being, of heaven. The square halo is still interpreted as follows: its three sides are the Trinity, and the one is the whole, the head.

Triangular halo is a sign of the Holy Trinity, or Triune God. A halo having the form of a triangle or a diamond is depicted on the icons of God the Father.

Polygonal nimbuses have always been used to depict persons famous for their virtue, or other allegorical figures. The hexagonal halo spoke of great virtues or, again, emphasized the allegorical character of the icon painting. The double aspect of the deity was made to understand the double halo or rays.

What is the difference between halo of different religions?

It is very informative and interesting to know what the haloes of the saints of different religious confessions mean over their heads. The Buddha, for example, has a red halo and shows the dynamism of solar activity. In Hinduism, Shiva has a flame rim, symbolizing the Cosmos. The Persians had a luminous aura about the might of Ahura Mazda. In ancient and Asian art, the halo was a favorite means of conveying the greatness of kings, rulers and deities of the Roman emperors, deified on money coins. In Mithraism, the halo is a pointer to the light of the Sun, as well as Mithra as its god. Psychology gives the designation of a halo around the head the following: it is a sunny crown.

Nimbus in Christianity

It is believed that the halo came to Christianity from the iconography of Mithraism, which was originally ousted from the Roman Empire. It was borrowed from the images of the rulers and pagan gods of the Sun. There is an opinion that the halo on the head of the saints first appeared in the Roman catacombs of Kalikst in the II century. They were crowned with the head of Christ, then in the same way they identified the special divine status of Mary and the angels.