Cherubim and Seraphim


Isaiah 6, 1 - 3

In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

Ezekiel 1, 4 - 9

And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire. Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man. And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings. And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf' foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass. And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings. Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.

Ezekiel 10, 1 - 22

Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne. And he spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the city. And he went in in my sight. Now the cherubims stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court. Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD' glory. And the sound of the cherubims'wings was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty God when he speaketh. And it came to pass, that when he had commanded the man clothed with linen, saying, Take fire from between the wheels, from between the cherubims; then he went in, and stood beside the wheels. And one cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubims unto the fire that was between the cherubims, and took thereof , and put it into the hands of him that was clothed with linen: who took it , and went out. And there appeared in the cherubims the form of a man' hand under their wings. And when I looked, behold the four wheels by the cherubims, one wheel by one cherub, and another wheel by another cherub: and the appearance of the wheels was as the colour of a beryl stone. And as for their appearances, they four had one likeness, as if a wheel had been in the midst of a wheel. When they went, they went upon their four sides; they turned not as they went, but to the place whither the head looked they followed it; they turned not as they went. And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even the wheels that they four had. As for the wheels, it was cried unto them in my hearing, O wheel. And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle. And the cherubims were lifted up. This is the living creature that I saw by the river of Chebar. And when the cherubims went, the wheels went by them: and when the cherubims lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the same wheels also turned not from beside them. When they stood, these stood; and when they were lifted up, these lifted up themselves also : for the spirit of the living creature was in them. Then the glory of the LORD departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubims. And the cherubims lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight: when they went out, the wheels also were beside them, and every one stood at the door of the east gate of the LORD' house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above. This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they were the cherubims. Every one had four faces apiece, and every one four wings; and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings. And the likeness of their faces was the same faces which I saw by the river of Chebar, their appearances and themselves: they went every one straight forward.





27 photos
Church of the Holy Cross on the island of Achthamar,   
Lake Van, Turkey. The church was built 915-921 for     
Armenian King Gagik by his master builder Manuel.      
Reliefs on outer walls walls are typical of the        
Byzantine style in Armenia.
#15030944

Church of the Holy Cross on the island of Achthamar, Lake Van, Turkey. The ch...

Three apostles, Matthew, James and Peter. Remains of   
frescos on the north side of the apse of the Church    
of the Holy Cross, Achthamar Island, Van Lake,Turkey.  
The church was built 915-921 for Armenian King Gagik   
by his master builder Manuel.
#15030945

Three apostles, Matthew, James and Peter. Remains of frescos on the north sid...

Seraph; sculpture from the facade of the Holy Cross    
church on Achthamar island in Lake Van. The church was 
built 915-921 for Armenian King Gagik, by his master   
builder Manuel.
#15030946

Seraph; sculpture from the facade of the Holy Cross church on Achthamar isla...

Abraham preparing to sacrifice his son Isaac (left),
Moses carrying the tablets of the law (right).
Relief from the facade of the Holy Cross church on
Achthamar Island, Van Lake, Turkey. The church was
for Armenian King Gagik, by his master builder Manuel.
#15030947

Abraham preparing to sacrifice his son Isaac (left), Moses carrying the tablets...

Moses carrying the tablets of law, relief from the     
Holy Cross church on Achthamar Island,Van Lake,Turkey. 
The church was built 915-921 for Armenian King Gagik   
by his master builder Manuel.
#15030948

Moses carrying the tablets of law, relief from the Holy Cross church on Ach...

Madonna and child and two angels, from the facade      
of the Holy Cross church on Achthamar island in        
Van Lake, Torkey. The church was built 915-921 for     
Armenian King Gagik by his master builder Manuel.
#15030949

Madonna and child and two angels, from the facade of the Holy Cross church...

The three youths in the fiery furnace (left)           
and Daniel in the lions' den (right). Relief from the  
facade of Holy Cross Church on the Island of Achthamar,
Van Lake, Turkey. The church was built 915-921 for     
Armenian King Gagik by his master builder Manuel.
#15030950

The three youths in the fiery furnace (left) and Daniel in the lions'...

Jonah and the whale. From the facade of the Holy Cross 
church on Achthamar Island,Van Lake,Turkey.The church  
was built 915-921 for Armenian King Gigak by his       
master builder Manuel.
#15030951

Jonah and the whale. From the facade of the Holy Cross church on Achthamar Isla...

Eve asleep in Paradise. Sculpture from the facade      
of Holy Cross church on Achthamar Island in Van Lake,  
Turkey. The church was built 915-921 for Armenian King 
Gagik by his master builder Manuel.
#15030952

Eve asleep in Paradise. Sculpture from the facade of Holy Cross church on...

Saint and fabulous animals from the facade of the      
Church of the Holy Cross on Achthamar Island, Van Lake,
Turkey. The church was built 915-921 for Armenian King 
Gagik, by his master builder Manuel.
#15030953

Saint and fabulous animals from the facade of the Church of the Holy Cross...

Armenian King Gagik, from the facade of Holy Cross     
Church on Achthamar Island, Van Lake, Turkey. The      
king had the church built by his master builder        
Manuel, 915-921.
#15030954

Armenian King Gagik, from the facade of Holy Cross Church on Achthamar Isla...

Warrior-Saint. From the facade of the Holy Cross Church
on Achthamar Island, Van Lake, Turkey. The church was  
built 915-921 for Armenian King Gagik by his master    
builder Manuel.
#15030955

Warrior-Saint. From the facade of the Holy Cross Church on Achthamar Island, Van...