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THE P I C T O R I A L CYCLE OF THE LIEE OF ST.
JOHN
THE EVANGELIST IN CRETE
IOANNIS SPATHARAK1S AND EMANUEL K L I N K E N B E R G / L E I D E N
With 31 figures on plates XV-XXVIII
Depictions from the Life of St. John the Evangelist are rare in Byzantine art. We con-
sider, therefore, the publication of the cycles that appear in three churches in Rethym-
non, which have not s yet been studied, a useful contribution to Byzantine icono-
graphy and a Stimulation for further investigation on this pratically unknown subject.
We have not been able to find more cycles of the Life of St. John the Evangelist in By-
zantinisches Kreta,1 nor in the index of the churches in Chania, published by Lassithio-
takis;2 we know of no other cycles in Byzantine art proper,3 which at least means that
they are not many. All three churches in Rethymnon are dedicated to this saint and by
a lucky coincidence all three are dated by means of dedicatory inscriptions. The earliest
one is that in Spilios, outside the village Kalogerou, Amari, dating from 1347 A.D. and
containing six scenes. Next in date comes the church in Margarites, Mylopotamos,
painted in 1383 A.D. Five scenes from the life of St. John have survived here, but there
may have been more. Last in date, with four scenes, is the church in Selli, Rethymnon,
the paintings of which were executed in 1411 A.D. Before investigating the cycle of
St. John the Evangelist, we shall present the paintings of the church in Spilios only, be-
cause the other two churches will be included in a forthcoming publication. A few re-
productions from Spilios will illustrate the style in which these paintings were executed.
Since they are dated, they will add to our knowledge about the style of this period in
Crete and will help to date by comparison other undated fescoes in Crete and else-
where, especially in the provinces.
The church of St. John the Evangelist at Spilios is a simple one-nave chapel, measuring approxirnately
7 X 5 m.4 (Fig. 1). 1t is covered by a tiled, saddled roof on the exterior and a pointed barrel-vault in the
interior. It is divided in two bays by one transverse arch. The partially damaged dedicatory inscription
with the year 1347 A.D. appears on the western wall of the church (Fig. 2). The word ΕΠΙζΕΙΘΕΙΟΥ
can be read with certainty. Gerola correctly observed that the epithet επιστήθιος is an adjective for
We are thankf ul to Ms. Gale Bartholf for improving the English of this paper and to Ms. Julia Gerasi-
mova for helping us with the bibliography in Russian.
1
K. Gallas, K. Wessel, M. Bourboudakis, Byzantinisches Kreta [Studium und Reise] (M nchen
1983).
2
K. E. Lassithiotakes, Εκκλησίες της Δυτικής Κρήτης, Kretika Chronika 21 (1969) 177-233,
459-493; 22 (1970) 133-210, 347-388; 23 (1971) 95-177.
<?
A few Post-Byzantine examples will be discussed further on in this paper.
4
G. Gerola, Elenco topografico delle chiese affrescate di Greta, Atti del Reale Istituto Veneto di
Scienze, Lettere ed Arti 94 (1934-35) 139-216, translated into Greek by K. Lassithiotakes: Τοπογρα-
φικός κατάλογος των τοιχογραφημένων εκκλησιών της Κρήτης. Μετάφραση, πρόλογος, σημειώ-
σεις Κ. Ε. Λασσιθιωτάκη (Herakleion 1961) no. 397. G. Gerola, Monumenti Veneti nelP isola di
Greta, I-IV (Venezia 1905-1932) IV, 496 no. 9. K, Kalokyres, Αι βυζαντινά! τοιχογραφίαι της Κρή-
της (Athens 1955) 101, pls. LIII, LVI-LVII. K. Kalokyris, The Byzantine Wall Paintings of Crete (New
York 1973) 36, 44, figs. BW 61 and 106 (the apse and St. Romanos). Byzantinisches Kreta ( s in
note 1) 273, fig. 230 (St. Romanos).
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Ιο. Spatharakis/E. Klinkenberg, The Life of St. John 421
St. John, the belovciJ disciple of Christ.1' The ruune of the priest who is mentioned in the second rovv of
the inscription has not survived; a second name here is that of John Aspromoures, a name homony-
mous to the patron saint of this church. The disposition of the paintings in the chureh is shown in
Scheine 1. A list of the theines decorating the church follows here below:b
SANTUARY
SEM1-DOME OFTHK APSE NORTH WALL
1. Deesis with St. John the Evangelist l 12. Cherub 2
(Figs. 3-5) 13. St. Eleutherios l-3 (Fig. 11)
14. St.Blasios l-2 (Fig. 11)
TRIUMPHALARCH(Fig.3)
15. St. John the Baptist 2-3
2. Mandylion 2-3
3. Gabriel from Annunciation l -2 SOUTH WALL
4. Virgin from Annunciation 3 16. St. Gregory of Nazianzus 1-3
17. Cretan bishop 1-3
HALF-CYLINDER OF THE APSE 18. Bishop Polykarpos 1-2
5. St. Athanasios 1-2 (Figs. 3 and 7) 19. St. Onouphrios 2
6. St. John Chrysostom 1-2 (Figs. 3 and 7)
BARREL VAULT
7. Altar l-2 (Fig. 3)
20. Presentation of the Virgin 2-3
8. St.Basil l-2 (Figs. 3 and 8)
9. St. Nicholas 1-2 (Figs. 3 and 8) 21. Nativity of Christ 2-3
22. Flight into Egypt 2-3
E AST WALL 23. Hypapante 2-3
10. Deacon Stephen l -2 (Figs. 3 and 9) 24. Anastasis 2-3
l 1. Deacon Romanos l (Figs. 3 and 10) 25. Christ appearing to two Marys 2
26. Ascension of Christ 2-3
N AUS
BARREL-VAULT 44. St. Blasios Boukolos 2
27. Shipwreckof St.John l (Fig. 17) 45. St. Paraskevi 2
28. Reunion of St. John and Prochoros l
NORTH WALL
(Fig. 18)
46. St. Ceorge killing the dragon 2
29. St.John beaten by Moniana 2 (Fig. 19)
47. St. Dometrios 2
30. Baptism of Christ 2
18. St. Theodore Teron 2
31. Transfiguration 2-3
32. Resurrection of La/arus 2 WEST WALL
33. Entry into Jerusalem 3 49. Archangel Michael 2-3
34. The Betraya! of Judas 2-3 50. Archangel Cabriel 3
35. Crucifixion 2-3 ARCH
36. Lamentation 3 (Figs. l 2-13) 51. St. Euporos 2-3
37. Empty sepulchre 3 52. St. Basileides 1-2 (Fig. 14)
38. St. John baptising Dioskorides 2 (Fig. 20) 53. St. Pompios l (Fig. 14)
39. St. John defeating Kynops 2-3 (Fig. 22) 54. Saint 1-2
40. St. John at the temple of Artemis 2-3 55. St. Satorninos 2-3
(Fig. 21) 56. Saint 2
SOUTH WALL 57. Saint 2-3
4L St. Anthony 2 58. St. Gelasios 2-3
42. Deesis with St. Nicholas l -3 (Figs. 6 and 16) 59. St. Theodoulos 1-2 (Fig. 15)
43. St. Mamas 2-3
·' Cerola, Monumenti Veneti op. cit. IV, 196 no. 9; he wrongly deciphered the first word s
|ετ]ελειοθυ (see our fig. 2).
()
Tho numbers 1-3 after each subject denote the state of preservation of the paintings: l — slightly
damaged: 2 = partially damaged; 3 = badly damaged.

Authenticated
I. Abteilung
48 47 46 15 14 13 12
38 39 40 59 20 25 JO
PRESE:\TATK)N CHRIST APPEARS
50 34 58
\
36 F THE VI KG l Λ ΊΌΤλΧΌ MARYS 3
BKTRAYAL T RENOS .-> i
OK .11 DAS
^^. '
37 56 24
35 ΕΜΙΊΎ ANASTAS1S 6
\
CIUCIHXION
* ) 1
SEPULCIIRE 26
ASCESNSION
J
33
32 55 21
Κ.ΥΓΚΥ liVTO
EAZARIS
7<s
J K Kl 'SALEM 54 NATIVITY
31 30 53
}
THANSFK; ι RATION RAPTISM
52 23 22 ^4
49 ΗΥΡΑΡΑΛΤΕ FLICHT
29 28 27 51 ENTOEGYPT 11
45 44 43 42 41 19 18 17 16
Scheme 1. St..John the Lvangelist. Spilios, Amari, 1317 A.D.
The half-dorne l the apse l the ehureh of St. John the Kvangelist in Spilios is deeo-
rated with a Deesis' composilion, consisting of Christ. Pantokrator, the Virgin and
St. John the Evangelist (Figs. 3-5). Christ is shown w i t h a broad face and even broader
neck. The eharaeteristics of his fae( 4 lack subtlety and result in a ralher sevei-e a[)f>ear-
ance. l lis garments are highlighted with ght yellow lines suggesting gold. This kind l
garment modelling does not represent the rathcir voluminous style l' the [)eriod in
which Ihe paintings in this ehnrch are ( 4 \ecnted, bnt follow an earlier tradition, that l
the sec(>nd hall of the twelfth ('(Mitnry, It was, however, often used in the Paleolopran era
for the lignres l (Christ, e.g. the Pantokrator or Christ IVoin tlie Anastasis, espeeially in
provineial works of art. The faee of Ihe Virgin from the Deesis in this chureh is, how-
ever, rendered in a niore plastie manner and is rnore sneeesslully painted ihan tliat l
the Pantokrator (trig. 5). Charaeteristie are the large eyes, j)laeed high on the faee. This
plaeing resnlted in an even mor elongated nose and cheek than what we usnally find in
Byzantine art. That this elongation is intentional can he seen in the ehin of the Virgin s
weil, w h i e h is also broad. The halo of the Virgin is deeorated with several t h i n yellow
stripes, iniitating email eloisonne, a featnre whieh appears in the haloes l several other
saints in this chureh and natnrally in other ehurehes. l'he third figure of the Deesis,
St. John the Baptist, has been here replaeed by the homonymous evangelist, beeanse
' Th. v. o^yay, in Lexikon der christlichen Ikonographie (LCI) l, 194-499, s.v. Deesis. I). Mou-
riki, A l)(M ; sis Icon in the Art Museum, Heeord of the Art Museum. Princeton University 27.1 (19()8)
1 .'Uf. S. Papadako, 01 τοιχογραφίες της Αγίας Άννας στο Αμάρι. Παρατηρήσεις σε μία παραλ-
λαγή της Δέησης, Dcltion tes (^hristianikes Archaiologikes lletaireias (DChAH) Series IV, 7
(1973-1974) :Π-Γ>7, pls. 7-10. A. Cutler, I n d e r the Sign of the Deesis: On the Question oi the He-
presentativeness in Meclieval Art and Literature, DOP 41 (1987) 145-154, both with biblio^raphy.

Authenticated
Ιο. Spatharakis/K. Klinkenberg, The Life of Sl. John 123
the church is dedicated lo the lauer (Fig. (i). Another example l a Deesis, in vvhich
St. John the Baptist has been replaced by St. John the Iwangelist, is l'ound in the half-
dorne of the apse in the c.hurr.h of St. John the Kvangelist in .Vlargarites; only a tew rem-
nants of t h i s l'igure have survived liiere, which, iogether vvith a partially visible inscTip-
tion, identify it s St. J o h n the Kvangelist. The tigure of St. John the Evangelist in
Spilios, with its expressiveness and serenity, is one of the best in the church. 1t is
painted in detail and is even more plastically rendered than the other two figures from
the Deesis. The volinninous style of the artist is clearly seen in the garments, which
make St. John look like a man with a protruding abdomen. It is. moreover, obvious in
the portra.it of this tigure, especially the forehead and the right cheekbone. The raised
right eyebrow i s also a feature which adds plasticity, s are the Highlights on the fore-
head, which end lo two roundels at the upper part of it. The hair, moustache and beard
of the saint are decoraled with similar fine, white Highlights.
The triumphal are h of our church in Spilios is decoraled with the Mandylion (Kig. 3).
It is badly damaged, but one can clearly see that it is of the type vvhich ends in two
knots. 8 Its placing in the sanctuary. vvhere the sacrifiee of (Christ is celebrated, ernpha-
si/es rather its eucharistic meaning than that of the incarnation. A most impressive vis-
ual evidence of the connection hetween the Mandylion and the Passion of Christ can be
seen in the s perb double-sided icon from Novgorod, variously dated from 1130 to
l 200.9 One side shows the Mandyiion and the other the Anna Christi (τα σύμβολα του
πάθους του κυρίου), Instruments from the Passion. 10 The relation between the Mandy-
lion and the Kucharist is clearly expressed in a i'resco in Poganovo, 1500 A.D. In the
!!
On the Mandylion see: A. Grabar, La Sainte Kare de Laon, le Mandylion dans Pari orthodoxe
(Prague, 1931). K. Weil/mann. The M a n d y l i o n and Constantine Porphyrogennetos, Cahiers Archeolo-
giques 11 (1900) 163-181. reprinled in: Ideni. Studies in Classical and yzantine Manuseript I l l u m i -
n a t i o n (Chicago, l..ondon 1 9 7 1 ) 2 2 ! 2 ! ( > . S. Der \ersessian, La lebende (FAhgar d'apres un rouleaii
illustre cie la l)ihliothe(|iie Pierpont Morgan a N( x vv York, in: Ades du IV Congres internationale des
Kindes by/antines = B u l l e t i n de P i n s t i t u t .\reheologi(|u<' Bulgare 10 (li).'J(i) 10Γ>ΙΪ. (]. Berteli, Storia e
\ieende d e l l h n a g i n e Ldissena di San Silveslro in C^apite a Koma, Paragorie 207 (11)()8) 311. J. Seibert,
in LCI ( s in note 7) l, 18-1 i), s. v. Abgar(-Legende). K. Wessel, in KbK 1,22-28, s. v. Aeheiropoietos.
T. Velmans, L'eglise de Khe en Oeorgie, /ograf 10 (1979) 74-78. N. Thierry, Deux notes a propos du
M a n d y i i o n , /ograf l l (1980) l h'-1 9. S. Papadake-Oekland, To 'Ayiov Μανδήλιον ως το νέο σύμβολο
σε ένα αρχαίο εικονογραφικό σχήμα. D C h A H ( s in note 7) Series IV. 14 (1987-1988) 283-294,
w i t h a summary in Knglish on pp. 295-29(>.
!)
Moseow, 'Pretjakov (jallery, 7 0 X 7 1 cm. tetnpera on wood. K. Onasch, Icons (London 1963)
3741'., pls. 10-1 1. V.N.Laxarev, Novgorodian Icon Painting (Moseow 1969) pls. 8-9. H. Belting, Das
Bild und sein P u b l i k u m im Mittelalter. Form und Funktion Fr her Bildtafeln der Passion (Berlin 1981)
180-182, figs. 68-69. A good colour reprodudion in N. Salko, Early Kussian Painting. l l t h to Karly
I 3 t h Centurit^s. Mosaics, Frescoes, Icons (Leningrad 1982) fig. 188. (/. Galavaris, The Icon in the Lite
l the Church. Dodrine, Liturgy, Devotion |Icoriography of Keligions, Sedion XXIV: Christianity,
Fase. 8] (Leiden 1981) pl. X X X ib-c: he ascribed the Mandylion to Vladimir-Suzdal with a (juestion
mark and the "Adoration of the (JOSS* to Novgorod; he mentioned that the two sides of the icon were
not painted at the same time or at the same plaee. Fven if the two sides were painted at a different date
and place, the eucharistic meaning of the Mandylion on this icon does not change.
10
On the Anna Christi see: 11. Berliner, Anna Christi, M nchner Jahrbuch der Bildenden Kunst,
Series 3, Vol. 6 (1955) 33-152. with 42 figures and bibliography. LCI ( s in note 7) l, 183-187, with
hihliography. C. Schiller. Ikonographie der christlichen Kunst. 5 vols. (C tersloh 1966-1991) 11,
198-210.

Authenticated
424 I. Abteilung
scene of the Communion of the Apostles the Mandylion is painted on the aliar, on both
sides of which the figure of Christ is shown to administer the sacramerits.11
The archangel Gabriel frorn the Annunciation, painted δs is usual below and to the
left of the Mandylion, is in a good state of preservation in our church (Flg. 3). His gar-
ments are again flattened with straight yellow Highlights, but the whole figure still gives
a voluminous impression, which is unmistakable on the rounded soft face of the archan-
gel. Only a few remnants are visible from the standing Virgin from the Annunciation on
the right side of the triumphal arch.
In the half-cylinder of the apse we see the church fathers, St. Athanasios of Alexan-
dria, St. John Chrysostom, St. Basil of Caesaria and St. Nicholas of Myra, flanking an al-
tar (Figs. 3 and 7-8). They are all painted according to the Byzantine iconography and
are easily recognisable from their facial features, even without the aid of the inscriptions
accompanying them. The artist also took care to paint the epigonatia, studded with pre-
cious stones. On the left of the eastern wall we find a frontal depiction of the deacon
Stephen and on the right, that of the deacon Romanos (Figs. 3 and 9-10). They both
are tonsured and contrast each other, St. Stephen being represented δs a sweet child
and St. Romanos δs a man with an austere expression.
On the North wall of the sanctuary a cherub is depicted above the original prothesis
which is carved in this wall. The bishops St. Eleutherios and St. Blasios of Sebasteia are
represented next (Fig. 11). St. Eleutherios, usually depicted δs a young man, is shown
here with sparse moustache and beard. Successfully rendered is the portrait of St. Bla-
sios, who gives the impression of a noble, sorrowful intellectual. Broader strokes of
more conlrasting colours than those applied in the portrait of St. John the Evangelist
(Fig. 4) have been used here, creating a higher relief, especially on the forehead; one
wonders if this and some other similar portraits in this church should be ascribed to a
different artist. The next figure to the West of St. Blasios has disappeared and we see
only cemerit in this place, used in abundance in this church. St. John the Baptist fol-
lows, but his standing figure is badly darnaged. The appearance of St. John the Baptist
on one of the lateral walls of a church 5s not unusual, but his presence here is all the
more justified because he has been omitted from the Dee'sis in the half-dome of the
apse, δs well δs from another Dee'sis Komposition in this church, δs we shall see below
(Fig. 16). On the South wall of the sanctuary we see St. Gregory of Nazianzus, who
usually appears in the half-cylinder of the apse. His face is badly damaged, but he can
be identified by mscription. Totally damaged is the face of the next bishop and from the
inscription accompanying him we only read tes Kretes. IJnlike the other bishops, he
holds his elaborately studded gospel book with both hands in front of this ehest. Better
preserved is the unidentified bishop painted next to the Greta n bishop. He has a dark,
forked beard, highlighted with thin white lines. St. Onouphrios is the next figure that
has survived on this wall. He is depicted in his usual nakedness and he gestures in the
direction of St. Anthony. The latter is depicted δs a considerably smaller figure than
St. Onouphrios, because he is placed under the transverse arch.
The Christological cycle begins δs is usual in the barrel-vault of the sanctuary. 1t is in-
troduced here with the Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple, which is not an un-
usual phenomenon; it appears on the northern part of the barrel-vault. It is badly da-
maged and does not seem to show any particularities. The same is valid for the Nativity
of Christ, depicted on the southern part of the barrel-vault of the Sanctuary. Below it we
Grabar, La sainle face (δs in note 8) pl. V1.2.

Authenticated
Ιο. Spatharakis/K. Klinkenberg, The Life of St. John 425
see the badly damaged Klight into Kgypt; the Personifikation of Egypt is shovvn s a
black, female iigure at the gates of a walled city. 12 N ext to it the Hypapante, the Presen-
taiion of Christ in the Temple, i s painted. It i s of the iconographic type in which
Symeon holds the Cbild; the latter turns his head in the direction of the Virgin and
points at her.13 To the West of the arch we see the Baptism of Christ. 1t includes the
axe, painted at the root of a tree, and Peter and Andrew standing behind St. John. 14 The
legs of Christ are flanked by the personifications of the river Jordan and the Sea, de-
picted among swimming fish. Dog-like heads of monsters protrude from the banks of
the river. They often appear in Cretan churches e.g. in the church of St. George in Ar-
tos, near the village of Agios Konstantinos, Rethymnon, dated 1401 A.D. and that of
St. John in Selli, Rethymnon, dated 1411 A.D., which also contains scenes from the
Life of St. John the Evangelist, s already mentioned at the beginning of this paper.
Drandakis identified them with dragons and explains their presence in the seene of the
Baptism through passages from the liturgy held during the vespers of the Theophania
(the Baptism of Christ, January 6), in which Christ is exalted s victor of dragons, the
latter associated with water. 10 The Transfiguration is depicted next to the Baptism and
is, s are most of the Christological scenes, badly damaged. The mandorla in which
Christ is shown is curiously enough produced in red and only the outer part of it is light
blue. Above the Baptism of Christ we find the Raising of Lazarus with no iconographic
particularities. To the West of it we see the Entry into Jerusalem. The comparatively
large city of Jerusalem i s depicted on the left instead of on the right of the scene; the lat-
ter arrangement is more common. On the northern part of the barrel-vault the Betrayal
of Judas is depicted and above it the Crucifixion. The body of Christ, who is shown
with closed eyes, is rendered with a certain degree of plasticity.
Further to the East the Lamentation is represented"' (Figs. 12-13). it is of the icono
12
On the iconography o l' the Flight into Egypt see: Schiller, Ikonographie 4 ( s in note 10) I,
127-135. LCl ( s in note 7) 2, 43-51. L. Reau, Iconographie de Part ehrctien (Paris 1955ff.) II,
273-288. J. Lafontaine-Dosogne, Iconography of the Cycle of the Infancy of Christ, in: Kariye Djami.
4 vok, ed. by P.A. Underwood (New York, Princeton 1966-1975) IV, 195-241, esp. 228ff.
11
Oii tlu- iumograph\ o! 11 u.· lYoi -ntatkm of (Christ in the Tcinplr scr. 1). S. Srhorr, The Ironn.gru-
phic Development of the Presentation in the Temple, The Art Bulletin 28 (1946) 17-32. K. Wessel, in
RbK L 1134-1145, s. v. Darstellung Christi im Tempel. E. Lueehesi Palli, in LCI op. cit. l, 473-177,
s.v. Darbringung Jesu im Tempel. Schiller, Ikonographie op. cit., I, 100-104. I I . Maguire, The leorio-
graphy of Symeon with the Christ Child in Byzantine Art, DOP 34-35 (1980-1981) 261-269. II. Ma-
guire, Art and Eloquence in yzantium (Princeton 1981) 84-90. D. Mouriki, The Mosaics of Nea
iVIoni on Chios, 2 vols. (Athens 1985) l, 132-134.
11
On the iconography of the Baptism of Christ see: G. Millet, Recherches sur l'iconographie de
l'Evangile (Paris 1916) 170-215. G. Ristovv, Die Taufe Christi (Recklinghausen 1965). Schiller, Ikono-
graphie op. cit. l, 137-152. LCI op. cit. 4, 247-255, s.v. Taufe Jesu. Mouriki, !Nea Moni op. cit.
1,34-139. F. A. von Metzsch, Johannes der T ufer. Seine Geschichte und seine Darstellung in der
Kunst (M nchen 1989) esp. 73-96, with a few Byzantine examples.
k)
N. Drandakis, Ό εις Αρτόν Ρεθύμνης ναίσκος του Αγίου Γεωργίου, Kretika Chronika 11
(1957) 65-161, esp. 112-1 13, the relevant passages in Greek.
"' On the iconography of the Lamentation see: Millet, Recherehes ( s in note 14) 189-516.
K. Weitzmann, The Origin of the Threnos, De artibus opuscula XL—Essays in Honor of E. Panofsky
(New York 1961) I, 476-490; II, pls. 161-168, reprinted in: klein, yzantinc Book Illumination and
Ivories (London 1980) article no. IX. M. G. Soteriou, Ενταφιασμός - Θρήνος, DChAH ( s in note 7)
Series IV, 7 (1973-1974) 139-148. L. Lueehesi Palli, in LCI op. cit. l, 278-282 (s.v. Beweinung
Christi). C. Schweicher, in LCI, 2, 192-196 (s. v. Grablegung Christi). Schiller, Ikonographie op. cit. 11,

Authenticated
•12H L Abteilung
graphic type which shovvs the Virgin seated on a stool at the head end oi the lithos, the
anointing stone, on which Christ is laid; she 5s Holding her son from the shoulders. Be-
hind Christ the heads oi three figures have survived, but we cannot see if St. John is de-
picted kissing Christ's hand, s he usually does in representations of the Lamentation.
IN o cross is shown on the background, an iconographic feature which appears in Byzan-
tium since the middle of the eleventh Century, sporadically in the Comnenian and regu-
iarly in the Paleologan era. 17 The two hovering, lamenting angels have retained their
place in the upper part of the scene. Of great interest is the iconographic detail showing
Mary Magdalene Holding the feet of Christ in her hands, which are covered with her
rnantle, and presumably kissing them; Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus have been
transferred frorn the feet of Christ to the background, where they are depicted standing
and looking at her. Mary Magdalene Holding the feet of Christ is a western iconographic
feature. It appears since the end of the thirteenth Century in Italy, in accordance with
Western writings, among which are the Meditationes vitae Christi. Written in the seo
ond half of the thirteenth Century in Tuscany by a Franciscan monk, it soon spread to
various European countries and was translated in serveral languages. At the end of
chapter 81 we read: The Lady Supports the head and the shoulders in her lap, the
Magdalen the feet at which she had formerly found so much grace. The others stand
about, all rnaking a great bewailing over Hirn; all most bitterly bewail Hirn, s for a
first-born sonJ8 In the n ext chapter we read: When they came to the legs, near the feet,
the Magdalen said, "l pray you to pennit nie to prepare the feet at which l obtained
mercy." This was permitted, and she held the feet. She seemed to faint with sorrow,
and what she once moistened with the tears of remorse she now washed with niore co-
pioiis tears of sorrow and compassion. She gazed at the feet, so wounded, pierced, dried
out, and bloody; she wept with great bitterness}'] Kxcamples showing Mary Magdalene
Holding the feet of Christ can be seen in a paliotto in Perugia painted by the master of
S. Franceso in the end of the thirteenth Century 20 and in Giotto's Scrovegni chapel,
Padua, execuled in 1305-1307 A.D.21 This western iconographic feature in Crete may
be added to those known till now. 22
The Kmpty Sepulchre, with three women approaehing the angel, is depicted above
the Lamentation scene in the church in Spilios. ΊΌ the Fast of the arch we see the
181-195. T. Vclmans, La printure murale byzantine a la l'in du Moyen- ge (Paris 1978) 102 ff. Ma-
guire, Art und Eloquenre ( s in note l \\) 91-108. I. Spatharakis, The Influence of the Lithos in (he De-
velopment of the Iconography of the Threnos, in: Byzantine K st, Latin West. Art Hislorical Studies in
Ilonor l Kurt Weitzmann. ed. by C. Moss and K. Kiefer (Prineeton 1995) 435-446. I. Spatharakes, Oi
τοιχογραφίες του Ναού της Αγ. Τριάδας στο ομώνυμο χωριό του Ν. Ρεθύμνου και οι εικονογραφι-
κές ιδιαιτερότητες του, in: Αντίφωνον. Αφιέρωμα στον Καθηγητή Ν. Β. Δρανδάκη (Thessaloniki
1994) 282-313, esp. 302-307, with a summary in English on pp. 630-632.
17
Spatharakis, Threnos op. cit. fig. 3: Tetraevangelion in Parma, Palat. 5, fol. 90vo.
18
1. Ragusa, R. B. Green, Meditations on the Life of Christ. An Illustrated Manuseript of the Four-
teenth (Century, Paris, Bibliotheque Nationale, Ms. it. l 15 |Prineeton Monographs in Art and Archaeol-
ogy, 35] (Prineeton 1961) 312.
19
Ragusa and Green, op. cit. 343.
~ () E. Lucchesi Palli, in LCI ( s in note 7) l, fig. on col. 279. Schiller, Ikonographie ( s in note 10) ,
188, fig. 597.
21
Schiller, Ikonographie op. eil. 11, 188, fig. 600.
22
M. Vasilakis-Mavrakakis, Western Influences on the Mth Century Art of Crete, JOB 32.5 (1982)
301-311, gathered the examples cited by previous scholars and added a few of her own.

Authenticated
Anastasis vvith Christ of the Katahasis type. Then we find the partially flaked scene
showing Christ appearing lo two Marys (το χαίρετε των μυροφόρων), a subject which is
less often induded in the iconographic programme of the churches in. Crete and else-
where. It is of the iconographic type which shows an absolute symmetrical composition,
vvith Christ in the centre while raising both hands at waist height and blessing the two
Marys. 2:] The latter are depicted kneeling at his sides with the upper part of the body
raised, thus, not in deep proskynesis holding the feet of Christ, s seen in other depic-
tions of the theme and s the Gospel wants them (Matthew, 28: 9-10). The Ascension
of Christ is depicted in the summit of the barrel-vault of the Sanctuary.
On the lower parts of the barrel-vault of the naos six scenes from the Life of St. John
the Evangelist are painted. The first three appear on the southern part of the barrel-
vault and the other three on the northern one. They are, according to the chronological
order of the story: 1. The shipwreck of St. John (Fig. 17); 2. The reunion of St. John
with Prochoros (Fig. 18); 3. St. John beaten by Romana (Fig. 19); 4. St. John baptising
Dioskorides (Fig. 20); 5. St. John at the temple of Artemis (Fig. 21), and 6. St. John de-
feating Kynops (Fig. 22). These scenes will be examined in detail further on in this
study, since they form the main subject of this paper.
On the South wall of the naos, to the West of the transverse arch, we find a Deesis, in
which St. John the Baptist has been again omitted (Figs. 6 and 16). It consists of Christ,
the Virgin and St. Nicholas clad in bishop's garments.24 The figure of the Virgin is well
preserved and is one of the best portraits the artist of this church has produced. Com-
pared to the portrait of the Virgin of the Deesis in the half-dome of the apse (Flg. 5), it is
less elongated, has less widely opened eyes, and more red colour on the face; the lower
lip is more plastically rendered. This portrait looks, in conclusion, softer and more natu-
ralistic than t hat in the half-dome. The differences may be ascribed to the difference in
si/e, the portrait in the half-dome being rauch, larger. The figure of St. Mamas is de-
picted further to the West of St. Nicholas with his usual attributes, the shepherd's staff
and a goat in his hands. Next lo him we see another male samt holding a cross in his
right hand and a small (leer in his lelt hand. I l e is consequently another shepherd saint
and may be identified w i t h St. Blasios Boukolos. There are more portraits of this saint
in Crete. e.g. in the church in Selli. A lemale saint follovvs on the South wall. She may
be identified with St. Paraskevi on the basis l the letters BH, the last letters that have
survived Iromt the inscription accompanying her. 2 ' On the North wall of the naos we
find three military sainls on horseback. All three figures are badly preserved. They are
turned in the direction of the sanctuary. St. George is depicted first and larger than the
other two. He is followed by St. Demetrios and St. Theodore Teron, who is chosen here
above the more often depicted St. Theodore Stratelates.
The upper part of the Western wall is damaged, with the exception of a few remnants
2λ
On the iconography of the Chairete see: Millet, Recherche« ( s in note 14) 540ff. K. Weitzmann,
Fine vorikonoklastische Ikone des Sinai mit der Darstellung des Chairete, in: Tortulae, Festschrift f r
Johannes Kollwitz: R mische Quartalschrift, 30 Suppl.-Hefl (Rom—Freiburg—Wien 1966) 317-325.
W. Medding, in LCI ( s in note 7) l, 666-667. s. v. Krscheinung des Auferstandenen. Schiller. Ikono-
graphie op. cit. J1I, 91-95.
21
In Byzantinisches Kreta ( s in note 1) 273, St. Nicholas is wrongly identified with St. John the
Fvangelist, who, needless to say, was never bishop.
2-)
in Byzantinisches Kreta, op. eil. 273. St. Paraskevi is wrongly identified s St. Barbara. The latter
is usually depicted clad in more luxurious garments than the sombre ones the saint in question here is
wearing.

Authenticated
428 I. Abteilung
οη ils northern lower pari. These remnants are, however, not enough in order to ident-
ify with ceiiainly the scene once depicted here. On the right of the entrance the archan-
gel Gabriel has survived in a bad state of preservation. Above him we see a pari of the
afore mentioned dedicatory inscription (Fig. 2). On the left of the entrance, the richly
decorated lower parts of the garments of a figure are visible. It may be identified with
the other archangel, Michael, both archangels flanking the entrance.
The transverse arch of the church i s decorated with the busts of the Ten Martyrs of
Crete.2() On the southern part of the arch, starting from below, we see St. Kuporos, de-
picted s a beardless young man. Above him an elderly saint is painted; the letter B
from the inscription can be read with certainty, by which we may identify him with Ba-
sileides (Fig. 14). St Pompios is shown next, also s a beardless young man (Fig. 14).
Above him we see the figure of a saint with dark beard and hair, the inscription of
which has been effaced. At the top of this row St. Satorninos (or Eunikianos) appears
with dark hair; the lower part of his face has been damaged. On the northern part of the
arch, starting from below, we find St. Theodoulos s an elderly man (Fig. 15). Above
him St. Gelasios is represented; the bad state of preservation of this figure does not al-
low one to deterrnine his facial features with certainty. A saint with dark beard and hair
follows, also in a bad state of preservation, and then a beardless one. The tenth saint
has totaily disappeared and we find cement in its place. The saints Zotikos, Eunikianos,
Agathopus and Euarestos are the candidates for those unidentified here. The Hermen-
eia does not, however, help one to identify them, because it differs from the source
used by the artist of Spilios: Pompios, for instance, depicted here s a beardless young
man, is described in the Hermeneia s an old man with a pointed beard, and Theodou-
los, depicted her s an old man, is described in the Hermeneia s a beardless young
man. 27
Concluding the iconographic programme and the iconography in the church of St. John
the Evangelist in Spilios, we may observe the following: St. John the Evangelist appears
in the place of St. John the Baptist in the Deesis depicted in the half-dome of the apse, a
replacement which we have explained by the fact that the church is dedieated to
St. John the Evangelist (Figs. 3-4). In another Deesis in this church, this time on the
South wall, St. Nicholas is represented instead of St. John the Baptist (Fig. 16). The lat-
ter has been, thus, hvice omitted from a Deesis composition, but is depicted next to the
bishops on the North wall of the sanctuary. The mandorla in which Christ is shown in
the scene of the Transfiguration is curiously in red and only the outer part is light blue.
St. Theodore Teron is chosen among the rnilitary saints above the more lten depicted
St. Theodore Stratelates. More important is the appearance of Mary Magdalene at the
feet of Christ in the Lamentation scene, a place usually reserved in Byzantine icono-
graphy for Joseph of Arimathea and Nikodemos (Figs. 12-13); this western iconogra-
phic feature may be added to those observed till now on Cretan paintings. Concluding
26
On the Ten Martyrs of Crele see the short enlry in LCI op. cit. 8, 637, s.v. Zehn M rtyrer von
Kreta. See also Th. K. Detorakes, Oi Άγιοι της πρώτης βυζαντινής περιόδου της Κρήτης και ή σχε-
τική προς αυτούς φιλολογία (Athens 1970) 53-94.
2ί
Denys de Fourna, Manuel d'iconographie chretienne, accompagne de ses sources principales in-
edites et publie avec preface par A. Papadopoulo-Kerameus (St. Petersbourg 1909) 159-160. See also
P. Hetherington, The 'Painter's Manual' l Dionysius of Fourna. An English Translation, with Com-
mentary of cod. gr. 708 in the Saitykov-Shchedrin State Public Library, Leningrad (London 1974) 58.

Authenticated
our discussion Ihe the style of the painiings we rnay remark that the iigures are plasti-
cally rendered within the provincial abilities of the artisl or artists of this church. In
some cases the average is surpassed and naturalistic or expressive figures are created,
such s the Virgin. St. Blasios, St. Theodoulos and a few more (Figs. 6, l l and l 5-1 6).
The cycle of the vita of St. John the Evangelist in Byzanline art has received little at-
lention till now. Preuss gave a short summary of the Acts of John by Prochoros, but he
did not relate it to Byzantine pictorial cycles.28 Neither of the more recent publications
about St. John the Evangelist, those by Emminghaus and Ilemleben, mention cycles.29
Popov confined himself to cycles appearing in Russian art around 1500 A.D.30 Lechner
mentioned only two eastern monuments with scenes from the life of St. John. 51 One is
an icon in Moscow. studied by Popov, and the other, Cartoons of the painter Theodore
Poulakis, from around 1670. Lechner cited Xyngopoulos, whose intention was not,
however, the study of the iconography of the life of St. John, but to describe and repro-
duce the cartoons by Poulakis and examine their relation to an icon by the same artist,
which is dated 1672 A.D. and kept in Nicosia, Cyprus. 52
Before studying the pictorial cycle of the life of St. John the Evangelist, it is relevant to review the
written sources of the life of this saint. The carliest description is given in the Acts of John, which were
written in Egypt (Alexandria?) between 150 and 200/·5 Apart from later texts which were partially or
totally based on the Acts of John, like the Virtutes lohannis, written in the sixth Century by Pseudo-Ab-
dias,'^ 4 a new Vita was written in Syria or Palestine in the fifth Century, the Acts of John by Procho-
ros.·*0 There is no direct eonnection between the two Acts of John.' U) Junod and Kaestli have examined
the history of the Acts of John and refer to the fact that in 754 A.D. ehapters 27-28 of the Acts of John
2?!
H. Preuss, Johannes in den Jahrhunderten. Wort und Bild (G tersloh 1939) 12-13.
2!l
J. E. Emminghaus. Johannes der Evangelist. Text /u Geschichte und Legende von Leonard K p-
pers (Recklinghausen 1966). J. Remleben, Johannes der Evangelist mit Selbst/eugnissen und Bilddo-
kumenten (Hamburg 1972).
• 5(l G. V. Popov, Illjustracii "Chozdenija loanna Bogoslova' v miniatjure i stankovoj /ivopisi konca
XV v., Trudy Otdela Drevnerusskoj literatury 22 (1906) 207-221.
Π
Μ. Lechuer, in LC1 ( s in note 7), 7, 108-130, esp. 123, s. v. Johannes dei Kvaiigelist (S^ncn hl
Zyklen).
{2
A. Xyngopoulos, Ανθίβολα δύο εικόνοον του Θεοδώρου Πουλάκη, DChAH ( s in note 7)
Series IV, 3 (19K2-1963) 73-85, esp. 75-80, pls. 23-24.
• !<5 E. Junod, J.-D. Kaestli, L'histoire des actes apocryphes des apotres du II1(> au IX1'siede: le cas des
Actes de Jean |Gahiers de la revue de theologie et de philosophie, 7] (Geneva, Lausanne, etc. 1982) 4.
The texts have been published by l·]. Junod. J.-D. Kaestli, Acta lohannis, Tome I: Praefatio, Textus;
Tome II: Textus Alii. Commentarius, Indices [Corpus Christianorum, Series Apocryphorum, l et 2]
(Turnhout 1983).
• 5 1 Junod and Kaestli, Acta lohannis op. cit. 750-795 (commentary) and 795-834 (the Latin text).
The \ irtutes lohannis, s well s the Passio lohannis which was written by Pseudo-Melito in the sixth
Century, are compilations based on the Acts of John.
5<)
For the Greek text of the Acts of John by Prochoros see: Th. Zahn, Acta Joannis (Erlangen, 1880,
l lildesheim. 1975). R. A. Lipsius, M. Bonnet, Acta Apostolorum Apocrypha, 2 vols. (Leipzig
1891-1903) I, 355-408. A forthcoming publication of the Acts of John by Prochoros by Junod and
Kaestli is announced in L. l). Leloir, Ecrits apocryphes sur les apotres. Traduction de l'edition arme-
nienne de Venise. Tome 1: Pierre, Paul, Andre, Jacques, Jean [Corpus Christianorum Series Apocry-
phorum, 3) (Turnhout 1986) 291. For the clate and place of origin of the Acts of John by Prochoros,
see Junod and Kaestli, Acta lohannis op. cit. II, 745-7 19.
' 5I> Junod and Kaestli, Acta lohannis op. cit. II, 718-736.

Authenticated
430 I. Abteilung
were read in the Council of Iliera in order to justify Iconoclasm.'*' In 787 A.D. these chapters were
rcad again the the Second Council of Nicaea, in combination wilh chapters 93-95 and 97-98, this tirne
in order to prove that the Acts of John were heretical. It is, therefore, not surprising, δs we shall sei;,
that the cycles depicted in the East are mainly based on the Acts of John by Prochoros. The artists in
the West have, on the other hand, made use of compilations based on the Acts of John.
Later writings, e.g., δs the Synaxarium Ecclesiae Constantinopolitanae,'· 8 the Menologium by
Syrneon Metaphrastes and the Menologium of Basil II,1*9 include only parts from St. John's life. but no
fόll vita, δs found in the Acts.40 A part which they always include is the Metastasis, the burial and as-
sumption of St. John. The earliest account of the Metastasis is given in chapters 106-115 of the Acts of
John. It remained a well-known story in the Byzantine Empire, because it had been separated from the
Acts of John and circulated independently since the fourth Century. Later authors based on it their ac-
count on St. John's death.41 It is often found in Menologia, read on September 26.
As regards the pictorial cycle of the life of St. John the Evangelist, the earliest one of the
three that have survived in Crete appears in the church of St. John the Evangelist in
Spilios, dated 1347; it contains six scenes, δs already noted. The first three scenes are
painted on the South wall of the naos and must be read from the East to the West. The
second part of the cycle is painted on the North wall. Its first scene is the westernmost
one.
The first scene on the South wall shows the Shipwreck of St. John (Eig. 17). Eleven
nien swim amidst high waves, while a capsized boat i s depicted on the background. Ten
of them are swimming to the left. The man in the rear is distinguished from the others
by bis halo and must be identified with Prochoros. St. John is shown swimming in the
opposite direction. In the Acts of St. John by Prochoros, we read that St. John and Pro-
choros sailed on a ship from loppe. St. John foretold Prochoros of the shipwreck that
would separate them. 12 Prochoros and forty more rnen were washed u p on the beaeh
near Seleukeia. In that city he was spoken free of an accusation of witchcraft uttered by
those who sailed with him. The Separation of St. John from Prochoros after i he ship-
wreck is visualised in the scene in Spilios by showing them swimming in opposite diree-
tions.
The Reunion of St. John and Prochoros is depicted in the second scene on the South
wall (Eig. 18). The continuatiori of the above rnentioned story states that Prochoros ar-
nveil alter lorty ilays at Marmareon, a place at the seaside. He saw there a wave that
swept St. John ashore with great noise. The latter stood up and both embraced each
other and cried thanking God for bis salvation. St. John told Prochoros that he was wan-
dering forty days on the waves and Prochoros in turn spoke to him about bis adven-
tures in Seleukeia. The painter in Spilios depicted the meeting of St. John and Procho-
ros at Marmareon.
The third scene on the South wall shows St. John beaten by Romana; it is partially
damaged, but cari easily be identified δs such (Eig. 19). The central figure is Romana,
clad in a white robe with long triangulδr sleeves, which is similar to that in which she i s
depicted in Margarites, where she is identified by an inscription (e.g. Eig. 24). A long,
•{7 Junod and Kaestli, L'histoire (δs in note 33) 121-131.

tiφ
II. Delehaye, Synaxarium Ecclesiae Constantinopolitanae (Brόssels 1902) 79, 663.
:5!)
Migne, PG 1 1 7 , 73, 441.
40
Migne, PG, 116, 684-705.
11
Junod and Kaestli, L'histoire op. cit. l 10-111.
12
Zahn, Acta Joannis (δs in note 35) 7-13.
u
Zahn, Acta Joannis op. cit. 13-14.

Authenticated
. Spatharakis/K. Klinkenberg, The Life φl St. John 431
reetangular piece φl cloth decorates her dress ai the front. She holds a cudgel in her
raised right band and grasps the right shoulder of St. John, just δs in Margarites
(Fig. 23). St. John makes a gesture of protest in the direction of Romana. He is not,
however, here clad in chiton and himation, which is bis usual costume, but in a simple,
short dark tunic, bis working clothes, which contrast to the garments of the other figures
in this scene. In the Acts of St. John by Prochoros we read t hat be and Prochoros were
h i red by Romana to work in the baths of Ephesus, after their arrival in that city." Ro-
mana was in service of Dioskorides, the governor of Ephesus. She is described in the
worst words, δs a virago, sterile like a mule and skew-eyed, who used to ill-treat her
workers. She repealedly beat St. John and finally produced false documents claiming
that he and Prochoros were once slaves of her parents, but had escaped. 1t is one of the
several mistreatments of the saint rnentioned in the text, which the artist has brought in
picture in Spilios. Remnants of the baths with one dorne and part of the halo of Procho-
ros can be distinguished with diffieulty behind St. John. The tormenting of St. John by
Romana is watched by a crowd of Ephesians, who are depicted on the left of the scene.
The next scene, depicted on the North wall, is meant to represent the Baptism of Di-
oskorides and bis son Domnos (Fig. 20). It does not show the actual baptism, but
St. John standing in the middle with Prochoros and addressing Dioskorides and Dom-
nos. The latter are depicted together with one or more figures to the right and are clad
in festive garments. Romana, shown in her characteristic white dress, is depicted to the
left of St. John and Prochoros. She turns her head to the figures which seern to enter
the house. They all make gestures of astonishment on the occasion of the happy event.
The artist in Spiiios omitted two important scenes from the life of St. John. One of them
is the resurrection of ihe dead Domnos by the saint, which appears in the ehurches in
Margarites and SellL and the other scene is that of St. John resurrecting Dioskorides,
which is only depicted in the church in Selli, δs we shall see here below (Figs. 24 and
27). He depicted instead the outcome of these two miracles, namely the baptism of Di-
oskorides and bis son. alter a short sermon by the saint. 1 ' Even Romana was baptised,
alter she gave to St. John the false papers of their purchase δs slaves and asked bim to
tear u p her sin s.
The next event in chronological order from the life of St. John is painted δs third and
last scene on the North wall of the church in Spilios. 1t shows St. John at the temple of
Artemis (Fig. 21). A crowd to the left makes rnenacing gestures in the direction of
St. John and Prochoros. St. John is clad in a dark himation; he raises bis right band in a
gesture of Speech and holds a book in the other. A column in front of a rectangular
structure is painted between the two groups. The upper parts of the architectonic eon-
structions are badly damaged and consequently we cannot distinguish the details in Or-
der to relate them with the story that explains the scene. In the Acts of John by Procho-
ros we read, thus, after the above mentioned event, that the Ephesians, wearing white
ciothes, went to the temple of Artemis to celebrate her feast. I(i There they found
St. John in bis clothes blackened from the smoke of the baths, standing to the right of
the statue φl Artemis. They became furious and threw stones at him for about an hour.
None of these stones, however, hit St. John, but all of them landed on the statue of Arte-
mis and damaged it. Since the crowd was not converted by this miracle, nor by the ser
11
Zahn. Ada Joannis op. ('it. 14-21,
->
Zahn. Acta Joannis op. cit. 30-32.
i(>
Zahn. Acta Joannis op. cit. 33-35.

Authenticated
432 I. Abteilung
mon of St. John, the latter prayed to Christ to eonvince them that He was the only true
God. At this prayer an earthquake took place and killed eight hundred men, who, how-
ever, were resurrected by St. John. The first part of the story explains the seene very
well. St. John's position is to the right of the column, on which the statue of Artemis
may have been placed, along with the white clothes of a few Ephesians; the dark hima-
tion of St. John may also be influenced by the text, but he is also clad in similar colours
in the next scene.
The last scene in chronological order, whieh is partially damaged, is placed between
the previous two scenes. It represents St. John defeating Kynops (Fig. 22). Prochoros
and St. John are depicted to the left. St. John Stretches out bis right band in the direc-
tion of Kynops, who dives into the waves of the sea. Many worshippers of Kynops flank
the protagonists of the episode. The story of the magician Kynops is extensively nar-
rated in the Acts of St. John by Prochoros.47 He lived in a cave on the island Patmos, to-
gether with evil spirits. The priests of Apollo, whose temple was deserted because of the
preaching of St. John, asked bis help against the saint. Kynops raised two dead, actually
demons in bis Service, in front of St. John and a great crowd. One of the dead was a
drowned seaman; Kynops raised him from the sea, after spectacularly diving into it.
The impressed crowd and followers of Kynops attacked and killed the saint, who would
not accept the superiority of the magician. After St. John arose from bis simulated
death, Kynops performed once more bis spectacular dive into the sea, again in front of
a great crowd. St. John stretched out bis hands in the sign of the cross and asked Christ
to keep Kynops in the depths of the sea.48 The triumphal victory of St. John over Kyn-
ops is depicted in Spilios by showing the dive of Kynops into the sea.
Next in date comes the cycle of St. John the Evangelist which is painted in the church
dedicated to this saint in Margarites, Mylopotamos, s already stated at the beginning of
this paper.49 The church has one nave, measuring ca. 1 0 X 6 m. It is covered with a
pointed barrel-vault in the interior and a tiled saddle-roof on the exterior. Remnants of
constructions with arcades of a later date are visible on the North and the West sides
outside this church. The sanctuary i s separated from the naos with a stone iconostasis
with three arches. An inscription, accompanying the portrait of the deceased priest
George Klados, gives the date 22 Eebruary 1383 A.D.
Five scenes from the Life of St. John the Evangelist have survived in the West bay of
this church. Four of them appear at the lower zone of the northern part of the barrel-
vault. Remnants of the fifth scene are visible on the southern part. The first scene
shows St. John beaten by Romana (Fig. 23). We have narrated this story when we de-
scribed this scene in the church in Spilios. Romana is depicted to the left, while raising
47
Zahn, Ada Joannis op. cit. 90-105.
48
Zahn, Acta Joannis op. cit. 104-105.
49
On this church see: Gerola, Elenco ( s in note 2) no. 267. Gerola, Monumenti ( s in note 2) IV,
481 no. 7. A. Xyngopoulos, Σχεδίασμα ιστορίας της θρησκευτικής ζωγραφικής μετά την αλωσιν
(Athens 1957) 31. See also: Archaiologikon Deltion 23 (1968) Ghronika, 422; 29 (1973-1974)
Chronika, 936; 30 (1975) Chronika, 352ff. pls. 256c and 158b. Byzantinisches Kreta, ( s in note 1)
123, 124, 263, fig. 72, showing the Presentation of Christ in the Temple from another church in Mar-
garites, that of St. George, and not from the church of St, John the Evangelist, s the caption of this il-
lustration denotes. M. Bissinger, in RbK IV, 1145-1146, s.v. Kreta, about the style of the paintings.
Spatharakis, Agia Trias ( s in note 16), 294 and 306, figs. 8 and 22: the portrait of Georgios Klados
and the Threnos).

Authenticated
Ιο. Spalharakis/K. Klinkenherg, The Life of St. John 433
her right hand in which she holds a cudgel; her outstretched left hand grasps the shoul-
der of St. John, accompanied here with an inscription of his name. Romana wears a
long, white robe, which we have also seen in the same scene in Spilios (Fig. 19).
St. John is clad in short, dark tunic and makes a speaking gesture. Prochoros Stands to
the right, clad in a red tunic. He is also accompanied with an inscription. He is probably
poking up the fire, if we judge from the corresponding scene in Selli (Fig. 26). The
baths are represented s a small building between St. John and Prochoros, having a gate
and a large dorne, flanked by two smaller ones. The domes are crowned with small
crosses, an incorrect detail added by the artist.
The second scene in Margarites, which is missing from the cycle in Spilios, is in-
scribed: St. John resurrecting the son of Dioskorides' 0 (Fig. 24). From the left to the
right we see the baths, Romana, St. John and Prochoros. The remnants of the head of a
reclining person can be, moreover, distinguished to the left, below the baths. This must
be Dioskorides' son, Domnos. Romana points with her right hand to the dead youth
and tears her hair with the other, a gesture which expresses her intense grief. She looks
at St. John, who blesses the deceased. In the Acts of John by Prochoros we read that a
demon, who lived in the baths, strangled three young visitors every year.'1 Dioskorides
had a very handsome son of the age of eighteen, who one day feil victim to the demon.
Romana threw her diadem on the ground at the sight of the dead Domnos and tore her
hair out, a detail which is depicted by the artist of our church. She mourned from the
first to the ninth hour of the day and called in vain for the help of Artemis. When she
saw St. John, she addressed him s a magician, blamed him that since his arrival the
goddess had abandoned her, beat him s usual and finally threatened him that she
would kill him if he would not raise the son of her master. St. John banished the demon
from the baths and raised Domnos. Romana reprented for the injustice she had done to
St. John and after his short sermon she believed in Christ.
The third scene in Margarites is inscribed: St. John baptising Dioskorides (Flg. 25).
St. John is showri standing to the left with Prochoros, while sprinkling water on the
head of Dioskorides. The latter is depicted s a Byzantine emperor. in a purple tunic, a
loros, an embroidered nianlle and a crown. Behind him, rnost probably a female figure
with a crown on her head is depicted, presumably his wii'e, although she is not rnen-
tioned in the text. To the right Domnos and Romana are waiting their turn to be bap-
tised. The same scene also appears in Spilios, s we have already seen, but in a differ-
ent iconography (Fig. 20). The artist in Spilios suggested a baptism, while that in
Margarites depicted the actual baptism. The scene showing the resurrection of the dead
Dioskorides, an event. that took place before his baptism, is not found in Margarites. It
appears, however, in Selli, s we have already stated, and will be cliscussed below, to-
gether with the story related to it.
The fourth scene in Margarites i s in a very bad state of preservation. The outlines of
a figure diving into the water can be distinguished. The figure and the remnants of the
inscription (ΚΑΤΑΒΑΛ..) easily identily the scene with St. John defeating Kynops. We
have seen a similar scene in the church in Spilios (Fig. 22).
Only a very small part of the fifth scene, probably St. John dictating his Gospel, has
been preserved (Fig. 31). We see St. John frontally depicted. An angel is portrayed to
the right, also in a frontal position. It is str nge that the figure of St. John should be par
The Greek inscriptions in this church call him Dieskorides.

Zahn, Acta Joannis ( s in note 35) 24-29.

Authenticated
434 I. Abteilung
tially hidden by Ihe angel, but the problem remains even if we were to identify the
scene with a different one, the Metastasis, i'or instance. Λ band and a scroll are visible
in front of St. John. The band belongs to a person painted to the left of St. John, where
the last letters of the name of Prochoros ean be read. In the Acts of John by Prochoros
we read that St. John dictated bis Gospel to Prochoros.12 No angel is mentioned here,
but lighting and thunder denote the divine presence. The scene showing St. John dictat-
ing to Prochoros does not appear in any other of the cycles of the life of St. John on
Crete, but is a characteristic therne in illuminated manuscripts, in which he appears at
the beginning of bis gospel. It differs iconographically from our scene in Margarites in
that no angel appears in the gospels; the angel is a Symbol of St. Matthew and is, there-
fore, reserved for bis portraits.
The third and last cycle of the life of St. John contains four scenes and is painted in the
church of St. John the Evangelist in Selli, Rethymnon° 5 . The church is simiiar to the
other two churches discussed here, i.e., an one-nave structure, measuring
7.50 X 4.50 m. According to the dedicatory inscription, written on the North wall of the
sanctuary, the church was decorated at the expense of the monk Pankratios, the Kon-
tobaudelas family and the priest Michael Karofilato on 8 October 1411 A. . ) l
The cycle from the Life of St. John appears, s in the other two churches, in the West
bay of the church. 1t is depicted on the lower part of the northern half of the barrel-
vault. It counts four scenes, which are all badly preserved, but can all be identified by
what has survived and by the inscriptions accompanying the scenes. As regards the dis-
position of the scenes, we may observe that the Metastasis has been placed s first
scene from the left, instead of last.
The first scene in chronological order shows St. John beaten by Romana (Fig. 26).
The figure of Romana has almost totally disappeared. St. John wears a short tu nie, s in
the corresponding scene in Spilios and Margarites, by which bis employment in the
baths is again suggested. He seems to roll up bis sleeves, s a labourer of the baths. Pro-
choros is depicted to the left, and the baths with one dorne in the middle. Prochoros
does not have a halo here, nor in the other scenes in this church, in contrast to the
scenes in Ma.rgari.tes and Spilios (Figs. 19 arid 23). He is poking up the lire with a tri-
dent.
The second scene shows St. John resurrecting Domnos (Fig. 27). The composition is
simiiar to the corresponding scene in Margarites. We may distinguish St. John stand!ng
on the right and behind him Prochoros. Domnos, clad in a bluish green tunic, is de-
picted lying in the foreground. The baths are painted in the middle arid the remnants of
1)2
Zahn, Acta Joannis op. cit. 154 ff.
5<5
Gerola, Elenco ( s in note 2) no. 257, ealls the church Archangel Michael. Gerola, Monumenti ( s
in note 2) IV, 477 no. 9. T. Velmans, La peinture murale byzantine a la fin du Moyen- ge, I (Paris
1977) 149-150, also calls the church Archangel Michael. Kalokyres, Toichographiai ( s in note 16)
55. I. Spatharakes, Τεχνοτροπικές παρατηρήσεις στις τοιχογραφίες του Αγίου Ιωάννου του Θε-
ολόγου στο Σελλι Ρεθύμνης, Ariadne. Kpistemonike Epeteris tes Philosophikes Scholes tou Panepis-
temiou Kretes l (1982) 61-75, esp. 74, wrongly thought that seven scenes, which he did not name,
were devoted to the life of St. John. Byzantinisches Kreta ( s in note 1) 124, 125, esp. 270-271; four
scenes from the Synaxarium of the saint are mentioned here, but are not specified. M. Bissinger, in
RbK IV, 1153, s.v. Kreta, discusses the style of the paintings.
1)1
Gerola, Monumenti, IV, 477 no. 9. Spatharakis, Selli op. cit. 63, tig. 2.

Authenticated
Ιο. Spatharakis/Έ. Klmkenherg, The L 'e of St. John 43.~>
more than one i'igure are visible to the left of it. One of them rnust he Itomana, judging
from the preserved parts of her charar.torist.ic dress.
The third scene shows St. John resurrecting Dioskorides from death (Fig. 27), a
scene which is ahsont from the other two churches discussed above. Dioskorides. who
is elad here in emperor's costume with a crown, lies on a bed in the foreground.
St. John sits to the left and blesses Dioskorides, who has already opened his eyes. Pro-
choros is painted behind St. John. A group of figures looks on from the right, the first
one of which makes a gesture of astonishment. In the Acts of John by Prochoros wo
read that when Dioskorides heard of his son's death, he feil dead.)0 Domnos beseeched
St. John to raise his father. St. John raised the deceased in the name of Jesus Christ in
front of a large crowd. The conversion and the baptism of Dioskorides, his son and Ro-
mana follows: we have described them here above, when discussing the baptism scene
in Spilios.
The fourth and last scene in Selli represents the Metastasis of St. John (Fig. 26). Like
the previous scene, i! is unique among the cycles in the churches discussed here. It is
divided in two parts: The lower part shows St. John laid into a grave by two disciples.
In the upper part of the scene St. John is depicted flanked by two angels. who carry him
to heaven. The Metastasis of St. John is described at the end of the Acts of John by Pro-
choros :oh Twenty-six years alter their return from Patmos to Ephesus, St. John took Pro-
choros and six more of his disciples to a certain place. He ordered them to open a grave
in the shape of a eross and then placed himself in it. He asked his disciples to cover
him with earth, first tu i his knees, then till his neck and finaliy also over his head, after
placing a veil on his face. The disciples returned to Fphesus and announced the event
to their brothers. They all went to the place where St. John was buried, opened the
grave and found it empty. In eomparison with this t ext, we rnay observe that the artist
in Selli depicted symbolically two instead of seven disciples and omitted the cross-
shape of the grave. He added the ascension of St. John, which is not described, but al-
ludod to in the t ex t.
As regards scenes froni tho life of St. John the Evangelist outside Crete, we may refer to
the earliest cycle w h i c h has survived, t h a t in the North donie of San Marco in Venice; it
is executed in mosaic and is ascribed by Demus to the first half of the twellth Century.'"
It eontains live scenes. The first one shows the Hesurrection of Drusiana, who had
chosen death instead of giving up her chastity and yielding to the amorous advances of
Callimachus, a man possessed by Satan. This story is based on chapters b'3-80 of the
Acts of John, J which were proclaimed heretical in the Fast, s already noted, but were
read in the West. The second scene represents the Resurrection of Stacteus, a young
man who died thirty days before he would marry, a story also included in the Virtutes
lohannis, chapter Vll. ) ! ) The third scene depicts the Destruction of the Artemis temple
·'·' Zahn, Ada Joannis ( s in note 35) 29-.'J().

' ) l > Zahn, Acta Joannis op. eil. 162-1()Γ>.
37
O. Demus, The Mosaics of San Marco in Venice, 4 vols. (Washington, D.C. 1984) I, 84-93; II,
pls. 88. 91-98, We do not wish to question here the accuracy of tfie date Demus ascribed to this mo-
saic.
->?{
J. K. Elliot, The Apocryphal New "Feslanienl. A Colleclion of Apocryphal Christian Literature in
an Knglish Translation (Oxford 1993). 333: and in Virtutes lohannis eh. IV: Junot-Kaestli, op. cit. II,
803-814,
ΓϊίΙ
Klliot. op. cit. 312.

Authenticated
436 I.Abteilung
in Ephesus at'ler a prayer by Sl. John, by which it was proven that Artemis was power-
less and Christ the true God; many Ephesians were converted to Christianity after this
miracle. This is described in chapters 38-42 of the Aets of John. (i() The last two scenes
are based on chapter VI11 of the Virtutes lohannis.61 The first scene shows St. John
drinking the poisoned cup without being harmed, after being challenged by Aristode-
mus, the chief priest of the Artemis temple. The latter would believe that Christ was the
true God, if the poison would not kill St. John. He was actually converted to Christian-
ity only after he had raised two criminals, on whom the poison was tested, by casting
the mantle of St. John on them and ordering them to rise in the name of Christ. This is
depicted in the last scene. In all probability it was not the artist of San Marco who un-
ited several textual sources in one pictorial cycle: he presumably used a text which was
already a compilation of various versions of the vitae of St. John. Such a compilation is
also the more recent Legenda Aureal2 We observe, thus, that these scenes are ex-
plained by different texts than the Acts of John by Prochoros, on which the scenes on
Crete are based. The iconography in San Marco is consequently different; it entirely be-
longs to that applied in western Europe.63
There is no other Byzantine cycle of the life of St. John which is known to us outside
Crete. It is true that St. John also appears in seven scenes in the church of the Pantokra-
tor at Decani, dating 1345-1348, but these scenes do not belong to the cycle of his vita;
they are part of the Acts of the Apostles.b4 Although it i s not our purpose to investigate
Post-Byzantine monuments with the life of St. John the Evangelist, which we suspect
will not be many, we consider it necessary to refer to a few representations from this pe-
riod. First of all we should like to mention the wall-paintings in the exonarthex of the
katholikon of the Monastery of St. John the Evangelist on the Island of Patmos. The
scenes represented here are based on the Acts of John by Prochoros, δs are those on
Crete; they have been ascribed to the seventeenth Century.60 Sorne of the scenes do not
correspond with those which we find on Crete, while those which do, are of a dilferent
iconography. In the first category belong the representations which show St. John and
Prochoros working in the baths—without the presence of Romana—and Kynops who
brings a drowned child from the sea. In the second category belong the scenes which
show the death of Domnos, in which Romana is also present, and the death of Kynops.
(i
° Elliot, op. dt. 322-323; and in Virtutes lohannis, eh. V I I I : Junot-Kaestli, op. dt. 823ff.
61
Elliot, op. dt. 343-345; Junot-Kaestli, 1. c..
()2
R.Benz, Die Legenda Aurea des Jacobus de Voragine (Heidelberg 1963) 86-91.
()li
Demus, (δs in note 57) I, 86, did not know whether the cycle belonged to the Western or to By-
zantine iconography.
G4
V. R. Petkovic, Jedan ciklus slika iz Decani, Glasnik Skopskog nauenog drustva, 7-8 (1930),
83-88. On Decani see also: S. Petkovic, D. ίoskovic, Manastir Decani, 2 vols. (Beigrade 1941). P. Mi-
jovic, Decani (Beigrade 1976). We mention here these scenes for the sake of completion: The first
scene in which St. John is depicted shows the healing of the paralytic by St. Peter (Acts 3:1-8). In the
second scene St. Peter and St. John are tried by Annas and Caiaphas, because they had preached about
Christ (Acts 4:5-20). St. Peter and St. John are depicted healing iil and possessed peopie in the third
scene (Acts 5:15-16). This makes the high priest furious; they are arrested and put into the prison
(Acts 5:17-18). These two events are depicted in the fourth and fifth scene. In the sixth scene an angel
frees them from their imprisonment (Acts 5:19-20). The last scene in which St. John is represented,
shows St. Peter and St. John tried by the High Council, after they are arrested again (Acts 5:40). St. Pe-
ter is the most important figure in these passages: he cures, preaches and addresses the high priest.
G J
" A. Maraba-Chatzenikolaou, Patmos (Athens) 15-18, pls. 46-48.

Authenticated
. Spatharakis/K. Klinkenberg, The Life of St. John 437
As regards the above mentioned icon by Poulakis, we may observe the l'ollowing: The
scenes showing the stoning of the saint at the temple of Artemis and the defeat of Kyn-
ops also appear in our Greta n churches. The first scene is shown in a different iconogra-
phy, while the second in a similar one: St. John Stretches out his hands in the direction
of Kynops who is diving into the sea, while a crowd of worshippers of the sorcerer be-
hind St. John is iooking on. ίh
In contrast to the restricted representations of the entire cycle, scenes showing only
the Metastasis of St. John are depicted more often in Byzantine art. Most of them have
survived in illustrated IMenologia. The earliest Illustration of the Metastasis is, however,
found in the Homilies of St. Gregory of Nazianzus, Par. gr. 510, fol. 32vo, dating from
ca. 880H7 (Fig. 30). 1t appears among the scenes showing the Martyrdom of the twelve
Apostles, which is painted in twelve small rectangles. The seventh scene shows St. John
in a long blue tunic, flanked by two angels. They are depicted diagonally ascending to
heaven. This miniature has no relation to the text.68 The dosest visual parallel is the
scene of the Translation of Henoch in a copy of the Homilies of Gregory of Nazianzus
on Mt. Athos, Panteleimon Cod. 6, fol. 152ro, ascribed to the late eleventh Century.09
Here Henoch is ascending to heaven like St. John, but he is accompanied by one in-
stead of two angels. The parallelism of St. John and Henoch in literature is, however, ol-
der than these scenes: Ephraim, the Patriarch of Antioch (527-545), already compared
St. John with Elijah and Henoch, because they all would remain alive till the Second
Advent of Christ.70 The same comparison is found in the Menologium by Symeon Me-
taphrastes.' 1
Another version of depicting the Metastasis of St. John is found in the Menologium
Vat. Gr. 1613, p. 68, executed for Basil II (976-1025). 72 John is depicted standing in
his grave and flanked by two groups, each consisting of i our disciples; the background
is a mouritainous landscape. Shovels, hacks and two baskets are painted in the fore-
ground. The short entry in (his Menologium about the Metastasis of St. John on 26 Sep-
tember mentions (hat the saint ordered his disciple to take with him men who knew
how to dig and let them open a grave in the shape of a cross. He placed himself in it
and was covered by his disciples, who then departed. When they came back to see hirn,
they could not find him.''' The artist of this Menologium has omitted the eross-shape of
the grave.
A similar representation of the Metastasis of St. John is painted in the illustrated,
without text, Menologium Gr. Th. f. 1, fol. llro, in the Bodleian Library in Oxford, il-
()h
Xyngopoulos, Poulakis (δs in note 32) pls. 23.1, 24.1, and 25.
H. Omont. Miniatures des plus ancicns manuscrits grecs de la Bibliotheque Nationale du VIe au
(
XIV 'siede (Paris 1929) 14, pl. XXII. L Spatharakis, Corpus of Dated Illuminated Greek Manuscripts to
l he Year 1453 [Byzantina Neerlandiea, 8j (Leiden 1981) no. 4, fig. 10, with bibliography.
()8
S. Der Nersessian, The illustrations of the Homilies of Gregory of Nazianzus, Paris Gr. 510. A
Study of the Connections between Text and Images, DOP 16 (1962) 196-228, esp. 217 and 221; she
thought that fol. 32v is not bound on the right plaee and that it rnight be related to fol. 126vo, on which
the Mission of the Apostles is represented.
()!)
G. Galavaris, The Illustrations of the Liturgical Homilies of Gregory Nazianzenus (Princeton, N.J.
1969) 134, fig. 163.
7(1
Junot and Kaestli, l/histoire (δs in note 33) 115.
71
Migne, PG 116, 704.
12
II Menologio di Basilio I I (Turin 1907) 20. fig. 68.
7:5
Migne, PG 117, 73.

Authenticated
438 I. Abteilung
lustrated between 1322 and 1340 A.D. The miniature was executed for 26 Septem-
ber.74 St.. John is shown here between two groups of disciples, while biessing with his
right hand and holding a book in the other. The lower pari of their bodies is hidden be-
hind rocks, depicted in the foreground.
N ext to these illustrations in manuscripts, the Metastasis of St. John is represented in
Menologia scenes which are painted in churehes. One is found in Decani
(1345-1348).75 Two scenes are depicted here for September 26 (Fig. 28). That on the
left shows the burial of St. John: an old and a young disciple place St. John into a sarco-
phagus, represented in front of a rotunda with a cross on its dorne. The other scene on
the right represents the finding of the empty grave: two disciples look at the empty
grave of the saint, which is placed in front of a rocky landscape. They make gestures of
astonishment. St. John appears standing behind these disciples, by which his Metastasis
is suggested. The artist mistakenly painted the old disciple near the sarcophagus in the
second scene with the features of St. John. This clearly suggests that the scene is a copy
and not a creation of the artist of Decani, who did not know the story.
The Menologium appearing in Gracanica, painted ca. 1320 A.D., shows the Assump-
tion of St. John, also for September 26 / G (Fig. 29). The composition here is based on the
Ascension of Christ: John is seated in a mandorla and is carried to heaven by two an-
gels. The empty sarcophagus is painted below the mandorla. From all the Metastasis re-
presentations mentioned here, the scene in Gracanica is the dosest one to that in Selli.
They only differ in that the burial of St. John is depicted below the Assumption in Selli,
while the grave is empty in Gracanica.
The Hermeneia describes the Metastasis δs follows: Earth and a pit, before which
are the seven disciples of the saint, sorne dig with hoes, others with mattocks and
others with spades. The saint is in the pit up to his neck, and two of his disciples cover
his eyes with a veil.n The seven disciples coincide with those described in the Acts of
John by Prochoros, δs well δs the final phase of St. John's burial, in which his face i s
covered with a veil. The saint in the pit recalls the scene painted in the Menologium of
Basil II, mentioned above.
it is worth mentioning that while the churehes in Rethymnon, and other monuments
referred to in this study, include a restricted number of scenes from the life of St. John
the Evangelist, Russian works of art preserved a large number of scenes. A manuscript
in the Archive of the Institute of Russian History in St Petersburg, for instance,
ascribed to around 1500 A.D., has preserved even 103 scenes.78 The text is based on
the Greek Acts of John by Prochoros. A large icon in. the Museum of Old Russian Art
74
I. Hutter, Corpus der byzantinischen Miniaturenhandschriften, II: Oxford Bodleian Library, II
(Stuttgart 1978) 5, fig. 17, with bibliography. Spatharakis, Corpus (δs in note 67) no. 277, with biblio-
graphy.
75
P.Mijovic, Menolog (Beigrade 1973) 320, fig. 192.
' b Mijovic, Menolog op. cit. 289; V. Petcovio, La peinture serbe du Moyen Δge, 2 vols. (Beigrade
1930-1934)1, fig. 58c.
77
Denys de Fourna, Manuel d'iconographie chretienne, accompagne de ses sources principales in-
edites et publie avee preface, par A. Papadopoulos-Kerameus, St. Petersbourg, 1909, 193. See also
P. Hetherington, The 'Painter's Manual' of Dionysius of Fourna. An English Translation, with Com-
mentary, of cod. gr. 708 in the Saltykov-Shchedrin State Public Library, Leningrad/London, 1974, 72.
78
Collection 238, no. 71, fols. l-103vo. It formerly belonged to the collection of N. P. Lichacev,
who also published it: N. P. Lichacev, Chozdenije sv.apostola i evangelista loanna Bogoslova. Po lice-
vym rukopisjam XV i XVI w. (St. Petersburg 1911).

Authenticated
. S|)atha.rakis/E. Klinkenberg, The Life of St. John 439
in Moscow, measuring 155 X 1 22 cm. and dating from about the same time δs the man-
uscript in St. Petersburg, shows 44 scenes from the Life of St. John. According to Po-
pov, the icon was painted by a Muscovite artist, who used the manuscript δs a model.79
It is not unthinkable that the source of the Russian miniatures was a Greek illuminated
manuscript with the Acts of John by Prochoros.
Concluding our investigation on the pictorial cycle of the life of St. John the Evangelist
in Byzantine art, we may observe that the three Cretan churches have rescued ten
scenes from oblivion. They are, in the order they appear in the Acts of John by Procho-
ros, the following: 1. The Shipwreck; 2. The Reunion of St. John with Prochoros; 3.
St. John beaten by Romana; 4. St. John resurrecting Domnos; 5. St. John resurrecting
Dioskorides; 6. St. John baptising Dioskorides; 7. St. John at the temple of Artemis; 8.
St. John defeating Kynops; 9. St. John dictating his Gospel,80 and 10. The Metastasis of
St. John.
The Shipwreck and the Reunion of St. John with Prochoros have survived only in
the church in Spilios (Figs. 17-18). The scene showing St. John beaten by Romana
seems to have been the most populδr among the Cretan artists, since it has survived in
all three churches (Figs. 19, 23 and 26). The iconography of the leading motive of the
scenes is almost identical. Romana, wearing a white robe with wide triangulδr sleeves,
has a cudgel in her raised right hand and grasps St. John's shoulder with her left hand.
St. John i s clad in a short dark tunic. Only the position of his hands differs in the three
representations. He makes gestures expressing his discontent in Spilios and in Marga-
rites, while in Selli he seems to roll back his sleeves, δs a labourer of the baths. Procho-
ros, who is shown poking up the fire, and the domed baths form a consistent element of
the iconography, bul their placing in the cornposition differs. The crowd of Ephesians
looking at the mistreatment of St. John is only found in Spilios. The two protagonists of
this scene in Spilios and Margarites are so similar that a common source may be sug-
gested.
St. John resurrecting Domnos i.s painted in the churches in Margarites and in Selli
{Figs. 24 and 27). The iconography of St. John is almost identical in both churches: he
is slightly bending forward and stretehing out his right hand to the direction of the de-
ceased in a gesture of blessing. Prochoros is standing behind him. In both churches
they are depieted on the right side of the scene. Romana in Margarites is, however,
placed near St. John, while in Selli she has been depieted on the other side of the baths.
Domnos is painted in a difierent way in the two churches: in Selli he is shown lying in
the foreground of the picture with his head to the right, while in Margarites, in which
only a part of his head has survived on the left of the picture, he is obviously lying in
the opposite direction. St. John resurrecting Dioskorides has survived only in Selli
(Fig. 27).
The Baptism scene is found in two churches: in Spilios and in Margarites (Figs. 24
and 29). The disposition of the main figures is similar, but the details differ. St. John in
Spilios is stancling in the rniddle. while raising his right hand, and Prochoros is depieted
behind him. Dioskorides and Domnos, both wearing festive garments, are shown on the
right of the scene. in the scene in Margarites the actual baptism is represented: St. John
7!)
G. V. Popov, Illjustracii "'Chozdenija loanna Bogoslova" v miniatjure i stankovoj zivopisi konca
XV v., Trudy Otdela Drevnerusskoj Hteratury 22 (1966) 207-221.
80
We have already stated above that the Identification of this scene is not certain.

Authenticated
440 i. Abteilung
pours water on the crowned head of Dioskorides. Romana is included in this group and
is even painted protruding above the other figures. in Spilios she is, on the contrary, de-
picted together with three other figures on the left of the scene.
The scene showing St. John attacked by the multitude in front of the temple of Arte-
mis has survived only in Spilios (Fig. 21). St. John defeating Kynops is found in Spilios
and in Margarites (Fig. 22). The scene in the latter church is badly preserved, but we
may conclude from what has survived, that the same event has been chosen to be de-
picted: the spectacular dive of Kynops into the waves of the sea. St. John dictating his
Gospel has partially survived only in the church in Margarites, if we correctly identify
the scene (Fig. 31). The last scene, the Metastasis of St. John, has survived only in the
church in Selli (Figs. 26).
As regards the iconography of the Metastasis, which is the only scene that has sur-
vived outside Crete δs well, we may observe that not even two scenes are exactly the
same. St. John is represented ascending to heaven in the Homilies of Gregory of Naz-
ianzus (Fig. 30), while he is standing in a pit in the Menologium of Basil II. This compo-
sition is also found in the Bodleian manuscript, but here St. John is standing behind a
rocky foreground, which hides the Iower part of his body; no pit is consequently visible.
In the first of the two scenes, with which the Metastasis is represented in Decani, two
disciples are placing St. John into a sarcophagus. while in the second scene they find
the empty grave (Fig. 28). The assumption of St. John is here only suggested by repres-
enting the saint standing on the background. It i s made explicit in the scenes in Graca-
nica and in Selli, the only two representations which show similarities: St. John is car-
ried to heaven by two angels (Figs. 26 and 29). The sarcophagus is depicted below him.
It is empty in Gracanica, but in Selli the saint is buried in it by his two disciples. We
may, therefore, conclude that no consistent iconography has been created for the Metas-
tasis of St. John. This may be explained by the existence of various versions of this
story.
The iconographic study of the cycles in the three churches in Rethymnon leads to
the conclusion that they may derive from a common archetype. It is, however, obvious
that the artists did not use the same model, nor even have copied each other's work.
This means that more than one model was circulating that time in Grete. It is not possi-
ble to establish with certainty what kind of model they used. The Russian illurninated
manuscripi, mentioned above, proves the existence of illurninated manuscripts of the
Acts of John by Prochoros. The models of the Cretan artists may, therefore, have been
manuscripts of this kind, most obviously not luxurious ones with numerous miniatures,
but in an abbreviated form. Even probable is, however, the use of painter's model
books, the ultimate model of which were actually again illurninated manuscripts.

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THE P I C T O R I A L CYCLE OF THE LIEE OF ST.

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Scheme 1. St..John the Lvangelist. Spilios, Amari, 1317 A.D.

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Grabar, La sainle face (δs in note 8) pl. V1.2.

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•{7 Junod and Kaestli, L'histoire (δs in note 33) 121-131.

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The Greek inscriptions in this church call him Dieskorides.

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·'·' Zahn, Ada Joannis ( s in note 35) 29-.'J().

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