Pantocrátor

Pantocrátor, from the Greek Pantokrátor, meaning "Ruler of All" or "Almighty," is a title of Christ used in Eastern Christian theology and a distinctive iconographic type in Byzantine and Orthodox art. The Pantocrátor image presents Christ as an authoritative, universal ruler, often placed in domes or apses to signify divine presence over creation. In the standard portrayal, Christ is shown in majesty or seated on a throne, with a solemn, otherworldly gaze. His right hand is raised in blessing, while his left hand holds a Gospel book. The halo around His head usually bears a cross and, in Greek inscriptions, may include abbreviations such as IC XC or the word Ho on, identifying Him as Jesus Christ.

Iconographers emphasize both the sovereignty and salvific nature of Christ: the gesture of blessing asserts His authority; the Gospel book points to revelation; the mantle's colors and the imperial garments evoke kingship and divine kingship.

Byzantine art produced countless Pantocrator images from the 6th century onward; famous early examples include mosaics in the Daphni Monastery and the Hagia Sophia. The type spread across the Byzantine world and into Russian, Greek, and other Orthodox traditions, where it remains a central liturgical and devotional image. In Western medieval art, a related scheme known as Christ in Majesty or Christ Pantocrator appeared in the apse images, though the name Pantocrator is primarily used for Eastern Orthodox contexts. In modern times, Pantocrator icons continue to be produced in Orthodox churches and private devotional practice, and the term also appears in theology as a doctrinal title for God in Christ.