LIGHT FROM LIGHT
Nicaea 1700 Years Later

Guided tour duration: 45 minutes

Exhibition promoted by the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross and the Patres Association
Curated by Leonardo Lugaresi, Giulio Maspero, Paolo Prosperi, Ilaria Vigorelli
In collaboration with Samuel Fernández

What is the point of organizing an exhibition entitled “Light from Light: Nicaea 1700 Years Later”, dedicated to a gathering of about 300 bishops in the early 4th century on the shores of a lake in what is now Turkey?
The premise behind this proposal is the belief that this event speaks to a very contemporary issue: today, we all feel somewhat flawed, inadequate, never enough. Everyone—young and old, rich and poor—shares this experience.
Yet it was precisely in Nicaea that the Church, in the face of the Arian crisis, was able to formulate for the first time the earth-shattering truth that God is Father—not that He acts as a Father. That is, God cannot choose whether or not to be Father, because Jesus is His eternal Son.
This means that God can do nothing other than love us, and this is liberating news. Perhaps we suffer so much precisely because we have lost this point of reference.
Therefore, this exhibition, on the occasion of the anniversary of Nicaea, is a powerful opportunity to recover that truth.

Thus, the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross and the Patres Association have responded to the Meeting’s invitation by developing a historical, theological, and spiritual journey through the events of the Council of Nicaea in 325.

The exhibition space is designed to reflect the basilica layout of the Roman imperial palace where the Council took place. This symbolizes how the faith has permeated and enlivened the structures of the world, inviting believers to radiate the “Light from Light” of Christ into every area of life.
Indeed, “false interpretations of God produce false interpretations of humanity” (Rowan Williams), while Scripture and the “icon in words” that is the Creed reveal that each person, in themselves and in their relationships, is made in the image of the God who is communion—Father, Son, and Love.

The entire project unfolds as a step-by-step journey in which large visual panels explore the themes that emerged at the Council of Nicaea: beginning with the conflicts that led to its convocation, continuing with the presentation of the Nicene Creed in Greek and Italian alongside a large reproduction of the Christ Pantocrator from Hagia Sophia, and concluding with developments after the Council and their relevance to the present day.

Opposite the Christ Pantocrator will stand Gianluca Bosi’s Biblical Cosmography—a work of art 9 meters long and 1.5 meters wide—where the artist has handwritten the entire Bible on papyrus. This piece will engage with the entire exhibition journey, guiding visitors through the experience.

With the support of ROR – Research in Relational Ontology, Pontifical University of the Holy Cross