By Miltiadis Afentoulis, iconographer
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.” According to the New Testament (John 15, lyrics 1-8), the Father cleans and prunes each fruitful grapevine, so as to become even more fruitful. Parable, Jesus Christ often is likened to the grapevine. In this case, Jesus Christ as grapevine offers spiritual life to the vineries, namely to the people, when there is a connection to the grapevine, so as to gain fruits. Jesus Christ is depicted at the trunk and the Apostles at the twigs of the grapevine, first with the Apostles Peter and Paul. The Apostles’ hallows are made of 22 gold karat leaves. The leaves and the grapes are decorative, and symbolize the spiritual fruitfulness, which is owed to the union with Jesus Christ.
Published in the Bimonthly Newsletter of Saint Peter the Apostle Church Bronx, New York, U.S.A., “The Kandili”, 03/01/16, Volume 1, Issue 2.