Yin Yang at Santa Sofia

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oldburkes

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What does the yin yang type painting mean on the wall of the Santa Sofia Church in Rome?
 
There was a facebook post by Roaming Catholics that shows a moveable view of the interior of the Church, and I saw it painted on one of the walls.
 
Ahhhhh FaceBook, the Source of all things Catholic. Just kidding.

Good and evil?
Darlness and light?
What does it normally mean?
 
I tried to do some research, but only found that the Greek philosophy of yin and yang differed somewhat from the Chinese. They saw it as hot and cold, and wet and dry.
 
Yes, I admit I spend a few minutes a day checking what’s new . It just caught my eye and I wondered if there was an easy answer for it.😊
 
I am looking at the ChurchPop post on Facebook you describe. Edited because I now see the symbol. It appears to be a sun and moon painting arranged in a yin-yang type layout.

I am not Eastern Catholic, so perhaps there is some Eastern Catholic on here who can better explain the symbology. However, I note that the Vatican Christmas Tree had yin-yang symbols on it last month, according to LifeSite News, so maybe we shouldn’t get overexcited about this very old painting in Santa Sofia.

www.lifesitenews.com

Catholics shocked that Vatican Christmas tree has no Christian symbols - LifeSite

'There are peace signs, and the oriental yin-yang signs, but no angels, no depictions of the Magi, no images of Mary.'
www.lifesitenews.com www.lifesitenews.com
 
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If the Altar is facing East, it would be high on the South wall.
 
Thanks, Tls. Not excited, just curious. I’ll check out that link.
 
I suspect this symbology at the time the Church was painted had a different meaning to those using the Church than we associate it with nowadays. I don’t get all excited over the symbol, but from what I have read some Catholics find it really offensive because of the association with Taoism.
 
Yes, I had read about the “nearly nude” statue in the Vatican Nativity scene. 😀 I just thought there was a Greek Orthodox tradition that might explain the symbol. Things are often not what they first appear.
 
Tis_Bearself said:
I am looking at the ChurchPop post on Facebook you describe. Edited because I now see the symbol. It appears to be a sun and moon painting arranged in a yin-yang type layout.

I am not Eastern Catholic, so perhaps there is some Eastern Catholic on here who can better explain the symbology. However, I note that the Vatican Christmas Tree had yin-yang symbols on it last month, according to LifeSite News, so maybe we shouldn’t get overexcited about this very old painting in Santa Sofia.
Click to expand...
Maybe @Mary888 can help
 
Tis_Bearself said:
some Catholics find it really offensive because of the association with Taoism.
Click to expand...
I’d just like to say yin yang does not equal to Taoism.
Yin yang is the oldest and source of Chinese philosophy. I don’t think there is anything in it which contradicts Catholicism. In fact I think it may help explain God even more.
Just as St Thomas Aquinas use Aristoltelian philosphy to enrich Catholic theology, I’m hopeing one day someone will tie yin yang and Catholicism together. A subject where Im not aware anyone has seriously attempted.
 
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