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Another City

A Journal of Orthodox Culture

More Articles by Fr. Stephen De Young

Theophany and River Gods: What Are the Strange Figures on the Theophany Icon?

January 6, 2020 / Fr. Stephen De Young

The Theophany of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

Pagan antiquity, writes Fr. Stephen De Young, often portrayed a world in chaos. Ancient gods were viewed as fighting monstrous creatures of chaos, a kind of primordial being represented by natural forces — the "elemental spirits of the world" as St. Paul put it — against which the battle for order had to be won. Contrast this with the writings of the Old … [Read more...] about Theophany and River Gods: What Are the Strange Figures on the Theophany Icon?

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