MAUSOLEUM OF THE JULII (CHRIST-HELIOS)

Under Saint Peters Basilica in the Vatican 250-275 AD

(More On This Subject)

http://www.iahushua.com/ST-RP/sunday.htm, Sunday:

Indeed, this god was the titulary divinity of Constantine's family, and from the fourth century there is an increasing assimilation of Christ to the Sun-god (as Sun of Righteousness), the Christos Helios (cf. Eusebius Life of Constantine 1.4.18; and the notable mosaic of Christos Helios recently uncovered in the tomb of the Julii under the Vatican)." But this theme of "Christ-the-True- Sun" had already been diffusely proclaimed by Clement of Alexandria (ca. 150-215) in many of his writings.
http://mystic.nazirene.org/SonOfGod.htm, How Did Jesus Become The Son of God?:

In many instances, conversion was the result of Jesus being installed as the replacement for the former Pagan gods. In his book, Jesus, The Evidence, Ian Wilson writes: "A third-century mosaicfrom the Mausoleum of the Julii underneath present-day St. Peters in Rome actually portrays Jesus as Sol Invictus, driving the horses of the suns chariot. That Constantine himself mixed Christianity and the Sol Invictus cult is clear from a second commemorative medallion issued by him within two years of the first, on which he represented himself with a Chi-Rho monogram on his helmet, and with a leaping Los chariot below".
http://www.fenskeart.com/JW/timeline.htm (Fenske Art), Synergy:

In reference to Art in Christianity: "Thus the cross...was at first avoided not only for its direct association with Christs but for its shaveful association with the execution of a common criminal also...Even the solar pantheism introduced by Aurelian (270-75) was turned to account by Christian artists, for a striking mosaic in the Tomb of the Julii in the Vatican depicts Christ in the guise of Helios driving the sun chariot across the sky....
http://www.coloradocollege.edu/Dept/AH/courses/AH208/2lateantique.htm, Formation of Late Antique Style, Christian Art in Rome:

Tomb of the Julii beneath St. Peter's late 3rd, early 4th century
http://forums.lycaeum.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=7&t=000241, How the Church Assumed, Established and Imposed Its Authority: Although in the East there lingered an abhorrence, inspired by the Jews, for representational images, in the West Christians had begun representing Jesus in the guise of the sun god Apollo or Orpheus, the priest of the sun. A third-century mosaic from the

Mausoleum of the Julii underneath present-day St Peters in Rome actually portrays Jesus as Sol Invictus, driving the horses of the suns chariot. http://classics.furman.edu/~rprior/imgs/RCU4/4-137.jpg (via http://classics.furman.edu/~rprior/courses/RA/RAU4.html) (Furman University), Roman Archaeology: Roman Art, Mosaic:

Jesus with the attributes of Apollo and Dionysus: mosaic from the Tomb of the Julii in the cemetery under St. Peter's:

http://classics.furman.edu/~rprior/imgs/RCU4/4-137.htm (via http://classics.furman.edu/~rprior/courses/RC/RCunit2.html) (Coconino Community College), Roman Civilization: Roman Life, Personal Religion:

Jesus with attributes of Apollo and Dionysus:

http://www.catacombsociety.org/vom/135.html, Vaults of Memory:

Mosaic of Christ as Helios 135. In a chariot drawn by four rearing white steeds, Jesus ascends to a celestial vine arbor. This mosaic decorates the vault of the
pagan-Christian mausoleum M in the mixed burial grounds of the Vatican necropolis.

Early Christian Painting, Pierre du Bourguet, 1965, figure 130:

List of Plates | Pre-Constantinian necropolis under the Basilica of St Peter:

Early Christian Art: AD 200-395: From the Rise of Christianity to the Death of Theodosius, Andr Grabar, 1968, p. 80, 2. Christian Painting and Sculpture before the Peace of the Church (before AD 313) | 74. Rome, Cemetery under St Peters. vine-Shoots and Christ as the Sun God:

http://vandyck.anu.edu.au/introduction/earlychristian/L21-09b.htm (via http://vandyck.anu.edu.au/introduction/earlychristian/earlychristian.html), Early Christian Art:

Mausoleum of the Julii, Rome, late 3rd cen. CE, Mosaic: Christ as Sol Invictus (datial of a vault):

http://www.aloha.net/~mikesch/wheel.htm

At right is a similar mosaic found in the Vatican grottoes under St. Peter's Basilica, on the vaulted ceiling of the tomb of the Julii. It depicts Christ as the sun-god Helios / Sol riding in his chariot, and is dated to the 3rd century A.D.:

Mosaics of the Greek and Roman World, Dunbabin, 1999, p. 250, figure 265:

http://www.unf.edu/classes/byzantium/ (University of North Florida), Byzantium, Rome: Ceiling Mosaic From the tomb of the Julii in the necropolis under St. Peter's Mid-3rd century, Grotte Vaticane, Rome [Christ as the Sun God]: http://www.unf.edu/classes/byzantium/image/christassungod-tomboftheJulii-necropolisunderstpetersmid3rdcentury-rome.jpg

Art of the Christian World: A.D. 200-1500: A Handbook of Styles and Forms, Christe / Velmans / Losowska / Recht, 1982, p. 40:

http://academic.udayton.edu/BrianMcconne...nt%20Peter/Vatican%20Christ%20Helios.jpg (8-5-02):

http://www.fpa.ysu.edu/~slsmith/ecbyzwebpage/sol_invictus_room.jpg (via http://www.fpa.ysu.edu/~slsmith/ecbyzwebpage/Christian%20Art%20Before%20the%20Peace.html), Chri stian Art Before the Peace of the Church:

Christ as Sol Invictus, detail of a vault mosaic in the Mausoleum of the Julii, Rome, Italy, mid-late third century The lower vault walls included mosaics of Jonah, fisherman, and Good Shepherd confirming the Christian nature of the mausoleum and the syncretic nature of the Sol Invictus image.

With contrast enhanced:

http://web.archive.org/web/20101125102827/http://goldenrule.name/Dionysus_JuliiHelios/Dionysus_J uliiHelios_--_MORE.htm