The Halo: From Khvarenah to Christian Art
The Divine Glow You See in Every Church Walk into any church, museum, or art gallery with religious paintings. You'll see it immediately: The halo — a circle of light around the heads of holy figures. Christ has one. Mary has one. Saints have them. Angels have them. Enlightened figures across traditions have them. This symbol is so universal that no one questions it. But where did it come from? Persia. The halo is the visual representation of Khvarenah — the divine glory/radiance in Zoroastrian theology.
What this resource contributes
The Divine Glow You See in Every Church Walk into any church, museum, or art gallery with religious paintings. You'll see it immediately: The halo — a circle of light around the heads of holy figures. Christ has one. Mary has one. Saints have them. Angels have them. Enlightened figures across traditions have them. This symbol is so universal that no one questions it. But where did it come from? Persia. The halo is the visual representation of Khvarenah — the divine glory/radiance in Zoroastrian theology. The most recognizable symbol in religious art is Persian.
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Primary sources detected
Avesta