Theophanies of the Ancients

Regarding their origin; "we do not," he says, "assign temples to the Gods for the purpose of shielding them from wet rains, winds, showers, or the sun; but so that we might be able to behold them face to face and hand to hand, to speak to them from close by, and in a sense to join in conversational worship while they are present." Against the Pagans, Book VI. original: "non iccirco, inquit, attribuimus Diis templa, tanquam humidos ab his imbres, uentos, pluuias, arceamus, aut soles; sed ut eos possimus coram & cominus intueri, affari de proximo, & cum praesentibus quodammodo ueneratio- num colloquia miscere." — Arnobius of Sicca argues here that temples were intended as meeting points for intimacy between the human and divine. Meanwhile, entire cities were noble and famous for the appearances of Divine Powers Numinibus. Thus Plutarch, concerning a certain city in Sicily named Engyion, asserts that although it is not large, it is very ancient, and renowned for the manifestation of the Gods, original: "καὶ διὰ Θεῶν ἐπιφάνειαν ἔνδοξος" and noble for the appearances of the Divine Powers, in the Life of Marcellus, page 309. To which Petronius also applauds on page 49: "Certainly," he says, "our region is so full of present Divine Powers that you could more easily find a God than a man." Petronius, Satyricon 17; a satirical comment on the superstitious nature of the town of Croton. Compare on this matter Eusebius, History, Book IX, chapter 7, page 102, where Maximinus writes to the Tyrians: Therefore, your city may deservedly be called the seat and dwelling place of the immortal Gods; for it is evident from many examples that it flourishes by the visitation of the heavenly Gods. original: "Διόπερ ἐπαξίως ἡ ὑμετέρα πόλις Θεῶν ἀθανάτων ἵδρυμά τε καὶ οἰκητήριον ἐπικαλοῖτο· πολλοῖς γοῦν παραδείγμασι καταφαίνεται, τῇ τῶν οὐρανίων Θεῶν ἐπιδημίᾳ αὐτὴν ἀνθεῖν." I had intended to add more, if only it were permitted. But since I see that the allotted and prescribed pages are full, I reach my end, and I pray to You, my Jesus: may You be willing to appear favorably to us—who have been taught better things than the pagan nations knew—when You grant Yourself to be seen in the clouds, and lead us with You into the kingdom of eternal manifestation, and illuminate us with the eternal light of Your Majesty.

These two lines are from Revelation 22:20, representing the Christian "Theophany" or Second Coming.

A small decorative woodcut ornament featuring a central circle flanked by two symmetrical floral and leaf-like scrolls.