Can anyone explain this Christian imagery?

[Ersby]

I was on holiday in Sardinia (in the north, to be exact) when I and my friends wandered into a church in a sort of vaguely touristy manner. In it was this wood carving, of Jesus on the crucifix with two men either side of him on ladders. Now, my Bible knowledge is limited but I've never heard of these people and neither had my (Catholic) girlfriend. Does anyone know the story behind these two men? Is it something local to Sardinia? If anyone can help, then thanks in advance.

[Ian Osborne]

Roman soldiers getting him down after he died?

[Gregor]

I think they were the linemen for that stretch of the telephone line. I suspect the crucifixion damaged one of the insulators, and they were repairing it.

[ceo_esq]

The Descent from the Cross is a fairly common theme, especially in Renaissance art. If you Google for images of "descent from the cross", you'll get a whole array of paintings and sculptures by famous artists.

The identifiable male characters most often present in those depictions (and who might be the men on ladders in the rendition you saw) are Joseph of Arimathea, the disciple John, and Nicodemus.

(And Gregor - LOL. Good thing the Crucifixion didn't actually take place in Sardinia, or the linemen might only be getting around to it now.)

[Ersby]

Very funny, Gregor. :D

Thanks for the help, everyone. I'll search around on those terms suggested. You've saved a lot of headscratching.

[arcticpenguin]

His guardian angels, trying to cover their tracks because they have not been watchful enough.

I'd go with th Roman soldier bit.

[Agammamon]

Originally posted by Ersby
I was on holiday in Sardinia (in the north, to be exact) . .

Where were you in Sardegna? I lived in Palau/La Madelena for 3 years.

[smahon]

Originally posted by Ersby
I was on holiday in Sardinia (in the north, to be exact) when I and my friends wandered into a church in a sort of vaguely touristy manner. In it was this wood carving, of Jesus on the crucifix with two men either side of him on ladders. Now, my Bible knowledge is limited but I've never heard of these people and neither had my (Catholic) girlfriend. Does anyone know the story behind these two men? Is it something local to Sardinia? If anyone can help, then thanks in advance.

Looks like they're hanging up the old INRI sign. The initials stand for Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews (in aramaic).

Of course they could be the builders who are remodelling my house at the moment, and they thought they'd "be finished the cross before Good Friday, but the delivery guy brought the wrong timber, and then the fixtures were metric but their tools were imperial, and then the nails went to the wrong site, but go ahead and use the cross anyway, and we'll just tidy it up over the weekend"

[Sanamas]

At first I thought you were referring to the Cthulu statue in the background there.

[Ersby]

Originally posted by Agammamon


Where were you in Sardegna? I lived in Palau/La Madelena for 3 years.

Castlesardo. I think that's the spelling. It's very nice. Well, the sea's nice. The town's a bit humdrum.

...

Cthulu Who?!

[athon]

Originally posted by smahon


Looks like they're hanging up the old INRI sign. The initials stand for Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews (in aramaic).

Of course they could be the builders who are remodelling my house at the moment, and they thought they'd "be finished the cross before Good Friday, but the delivery guy brought the wrong timber, and then the fixtures were metric but their tools were imperial, and then the nails went to the wrong site, but go ahead and use the cross anyway, and we'll just tidy it up over the weekend"

Wasn't it Latin? Iesu Nazareni Rex Iudaeorum (or something like that...I've got it written somewhere).

The whole Jesus fish thing is similar to this 'acronym' business - Jesus Christ God's Son Saviour, translates to Iesu Christi Theus (something starting with Y...can't remember) Saviour...I-Ch-Th-Y-S, or 'Fish' in Greek.

Athon

Athon

[UnrepentantSinner]

Interesting site on the Ichthys acrostic (http://www.nisbett.com/symbols/fish.htm).