Darkness into Light

 The symbolism of darkness transformed into light has universal appeal for people of all faiths and none. It is an image that evokes hope and better times ahead. Thousands of years ago, our pagan ancestors built incredibly precise passage tombs that were designed to capture the sun’s rays on the shortest and darkest day of the year. The best known of these is Newgrange. The winter sun sheds a beam of light into the dark inner chamber, perhaps an example of pre-Christian hope in Resurrection.

In recent years in May, a dawn walk has been organised by Pieta House, entitled “Darkness into Light” to offer support to those bereaved by suicide, and to raise funds for suicide prevention.  Thousands of people gather in the darkness to walk together until the sunrise brightens the sky. This year the event takes place on 6th May and there are now over 200 venues across 15 countries. It certainly is an event that stirs the heart and imagination of many, and some years ago when a friend of mine died by suicide, I did my own “Darkness into Light” walk around the monastery garden early one morning and found the ritual incredibly healing and calming.

There is a difference I noticed, however, when we consider the images of the empty tomb at Easter. I notice that often the tomb is portrayed with the strongest light shining from inside what should be a dark tomb. In the Resurrection, the light emanates from the darkest place; we do not have to wait for sunrise or some external light source from outside. What does this mean for us? The Resurrection of Christ was a totally new event in our world, a unique occurrence that was of God and cannot be replicated. Because of Christ’s Resurrection, hope and new life can come about and be created even in the darkest situation we find ourselves.

The icon-writers in the East use this Christ-centred approach when creating sacred icons. Most  ordinary artists start with light colours and add darker shades as they progress in their work. In icon-writing, however, darkness is the foundation. The light that is portrayed in icons, is not common daylight or lamplight, but rather the more subtle light of Christ’s resurrection shining from within the figure in the icon.

This Easter, let us remember that our lives are not “passage tombs” waiting for the sun to shine on a specific day or time. Rather, we are icons already filled with the light of Christ’s Resurrection. May we allow His Light to gradually emerge and shine in our faces and our lives.


Images:   shadowsandstone.com (with thanks to Ken Williams for permission) and freepik.com

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