Catastrophes and heavenly signs
Disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and epidemics have been interpreted in ancient and medieval cultures as punishments applied by God or by beings from the unseen world to those who violate the laws of social and moral life. Regarding exceptional astronomical events, such as comets and shooting stars, these were usually included in the category of “celestial signs” with prophetic meanings. Eclipses, especially solar eclipses, were also considered signs with important messages. Visible in extensive areas of different lands, it was natural for such events to arouse interest. Indeed, everything that happens in the celestial and aerial realm has always been viewed with curiosity and fear, fear and curiosity.
Around eclipses, all sorts of fantastical stories were woven, such as those about werewolves or demons who steal – and in other versions, even eat – celestial bodies. Ancient tales as well as those by well-known writers like Nikolai Gogol contain such fantastic episodes. However, there has also been a moral connotation associated with them. For example, in a story recorded by a Romanian folklorist, Ion Otescu, when an eclipse occurs, “the sun darkens because, seeing the wickedness of men and unable to bear it, it hides its face or turns its face out of disgust.” The diminishing of light from the most important celestial body could only be interpreted as a sign meant to indicate the moral darkness of certain historical moments. The most well-known such episode in humanity’s turbulent history was, is, and will forever be the one during the crucifixion of the Savior, Jesus Christ.
Although, like the apostles, we are affected by the darkness, we are not left in it: the sun of our faith will shine again – at least for some.
The great darkness
The three synoptic evangelists, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, mention the darkness that fell from the sixth hour until the ninth hour during the Crucifixion. The first two evangelists relate that “the whole earth” was covered in darkness:
“Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over the whole earth, until the ninth hour” (Matthew 27:45).
“And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole earth until the ninth hour” (Mark 15:33).
The detail regarding the magnitude of the event is important. It is not accidental that some commentators from ancient times attempted to find sources in different countries to see if it was recorded there as well. However, since written texts were rare during that period, they met with limited success. Additionally, it must be noted that neither Matthew nor Mark mention just the consequence – darkness – but not the celestial body whose obscuration caused it. As Saint Augustine notes, only Luke explicitly affirms this:
“And it was almost the sixth hour; and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened” (Luke 23:44-45).
The fact that the “eclipse” of the sun is distinctly mentioned apart from the darkness represented a clear clue for some interpreters regarding the moral nature of this sign. Saint Cyril of Alexandria (who refers to a verse from the prophet Amos) is quite clear on this matter:
“As soon as the Lord of all had been given up to be crucified, the whole framework of the world bewailed its rightful Master, and the light was darkened at mid-day (Amos 8:9), which was a manifest token that the souls of those who crucified Him would suffer darkness.”
Therefore, all those who participated in the crucifixion of the divine Savior suffered a darkening of their souls, of their minds, which prevented them from recognizing the gravity of the act they committed. Therefore – because of the darkness who blinded those who participated in the crucifixion found themselves – the Savior prayed on the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).
Therefore, without exception, all traditional commentaries on the darkening of the sun during the crucifixion of the Savior point towards the spiritual significance of an astronomical event of certain supernatural origin.
Asserting that “the sun also is eclipsed to the sacrilegious, that it may overshadow the scene of their awful wickedness; darkness was spread over the eyes of the unbelieving, that the light of faith might rise again,” Saint Ambrose of Milan follows the same line of interpretation that emphasizes the moral and spiritual consequences of the deicide. This point deserves our attention, especially when we see how in the context of the Novus Ordo liturgy endless sacrileges are committed: all these bear witness, for those who have eyes to see, to the darkening of the souls of those who participate in the installation of the “abomination of desolation” in holy places. However, the most disturbing thing refers to the influence of darkness on everyone: even the apostles, like Saint Peter who denied three times, are severely affected. We can deduce this from the commentary of the same saint, Ambrose:
“The sun also is eclipsed to the sacrilegious, that it may overshadow the scene of their awful wickedness; darkness was spread over the eyes of the unbelieving, that the light of faith might rise again.”
Although, like the apostles, we are affected by the darkness, we are not left in it: the sun of our faith will shine again – at least for some. Without a doubt, in this interpretation lies one of the most profound lessons of the darkness during the crucifixion of the Savior Christ: the “eclipse” of faith. There is no more terrible test, for any of us, than the Cross. Saint Peter was so terrified by the prophecies of his beloved master, Jesus of Nazareth, that he tried to prevent Him from going to Jerusalem. When, as Matthew tells us, Jesus “began to show to his disciples, that he must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the ancients and scribes and chief priests, and be put to death” (Matthew 16:21), we remember that “Peter taking him, began to rebuke him, saying: Lord, be it far from thee, this shall not be unto thee.” What followed, we all know: Peter was sharply rebuked, showing him that the source of his thoughts was demonic. What he did not understand, terrified by his own fear of death, was that the Cross was necessarily part of the economy of our salvation.
Just like the Savior’s sleep in the boat, when the apostles, terrified by the storm, woke him up frightened saying, “Master, we perish!,” the cross is the culmination of the storm unleashed by the presence in the world of the Great King who came to save his subjects. What is terrible, however, is the fact that the apostles do not see the happy end of the light beyond the terrible darkness in which humanity is engulfed.
The same goes for us today: no matter how much we talk, no matter how much we lament, no matter how much we react, no matter how much we resist, we must admit that we are covered by darkness: we do not see the end of the most terrible crisis of the Church and faith in the entire history of the world. Everything seems lost, just as everything seemed lost to the apostles seeing Jesus crucified. In the midst of the storm, seeing the violent waves rising against the ship of the Church, we find ourselves unable to truly do something significant to change the situation. The supernatural light of faith is eclipsed and God seems to be asleep. Or, as the modernity’s philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche cries out, “God is dead.” Undoubtedly, this is the most difficult and the most exhausting test a Christian can go through in his earthly life: the supreme test of faith. Without seeing, walking through the darkness, we are asked to believe that in the end God will prevail. That His Most Holy Heart will triumph together with the Immaculate Heart of Virgin Mary. Even more: we must believe that He has already won. This is the lesson about the importance of faith that we receive when we read the Savior’s question to the frightened apostles: “Where is your faith?” (Luke 8:25).
Although it lasted for three hours, the darkening of the sun has an end. After which the light – the light of the victory of the Resurrection and the “sun” of our salvation, God himself – will shine as no one among us can imagine.
It was not a solar eclipse
From all that I have said so far, it is clear that the interpretation of the darkness of the earth during the crucifixion of the Savior is of a spiritual nature. Why is that? Because, as the most important Holy Fathers have shown, this event was not a solar eclipse. Even though the darkening of the sun did indeed occur, it was not an astronomical event. The learned Alexandrian Origen explains why:
“Some take occasion from this text to cavil against the truth of the Gospel. For indeed from the beginning eclipses of the sun have happened in their proper seasons; but such an eclipse as would be brought about by the ordinary course of the seasons could only be at such time as the sun and moon come together, when the moon passing beneath intercepts the sun’s rays. But at the time of Christ’s passion it is clear that this was not the case, because it was the paschal feast, which it was customary to celebrate when the moon was full.”
Saint Augustine proposes, independently of Origen, exactly the same interpretation to show that it was a supernatural act of God:
“This darkening of the sun it is quite plain did not happen in the regular and fixed course of the heavenly bodies, because it was then the Passover, which is always celebrated at the full moon. But a regular eclipse of the sun does not take place except at new moon.”
Other holy Fathers have followed the same interpretation, possibly adding further details, as Saint John Chrysostom does, who draws our attention to the fact that the event was supernatural because no solar eclipse can last for three hours. Therefore, without exception, all traditional commentaries on the darkening of the sun during the crucifixion of the Savior point towards the spiritual significance of an astronomical event of certain supernatural origin.
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The Holy Light of the Resurrection
If Saint Ambrose, whose interpretation I mentioned above, speaks of the darkening of the eyes of the unbelievers, we recall that he also speaks of the fact that, in the end, “the light of faith might rise again.” In other words, what will follow after the passion and death of the Savior will be the Resurrection – when God, the “sun,” will shine again. This is our consolation. This is the hope that must animate us in such dark times. Especially in these days, after celebrating the Resurrection, this conviction must be the main subject of our meditations.
Always, in a world absorbed in the tsunami of doctrinal and practical heresies as in a vortex, prayer must always remain unextinguished like an unpearishable flame. Just as the apostles cried out in the boat, we too must cry out – day and night – to God: “Master, we perish!” However, this must be done with full confidence: when the moment deemed appropriate by God comes, He himself will be the one to calm the storm, rebuking the sea and the waves. Although it lasted for three hours, the darkening of the sun has an end. After which the light – the light of the victory of the Resurrection and the “sun” of our salvation, God himself – will shine as no one among us can imagine. This, after all, is the meaning of that ancient Paschal greeting which I address to you now, from the bottom of my heart:
“Christ is risen!”
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