Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
- Romans 15:7
Iconography
Iconostasis
Icons have always been very important in the history of the Orthodox Church. Orthodox theology teaches that icons are like windows to heaven, and that the honor shown to the icon passes to that which it depicts. This means that we do not honor the wood and paint which comprise the icon, but rather the saint depicted in it. It is also important to distinguish that icons are venerated, which means honored, but never worshiped. Worship is due to God alone.
In the past most people were illiterate, so the icons were also important because they were similar to a picture book. They taught various events described by scripture and Church tradition so that people could look around in the Church to learn about these events, or at least to serve as a starting point for people to ask clarifying questions.
The icons along the top row of the iconostasis summarize the earthly life of Christ.
- Six months after John the Forerunner’s conception, the Archangel Gabriel was sent by God to Nazareth, a town of Galilee, unto Mary the Virgin, who had come forth from the Temple a mature maiden. He announced to her that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and she would bear a child. This is called The Annunciation of the Theotokos, because “Theotokos” means “God bearer”.
- The nativity is the birth of Christ which we celebrate at Christmas. In this icon we see the shepherds, who came from the field to see Jesus on the night of his birth. Some people may wonder why the magi are not depicted here. The magi were not present at Christ’s birth, but rather arrived some time later when he was a small child in a house.
- The presentation of Christ in the Temple took place 40 days after His birth in accordance with the commandments of the Torah. His parents went there to make the required sacrifices. They met a man named Symeon, who had been told of the coming of Christ by the Holy Spirit. He prophesied about Christ “Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed.”
- Jesus was Baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. The Holy Spirit descended upon Him in a form like a dove, as we see in this icon. Baptism is the sacrament by which a person enters into the Church and gains access to the other sacraments. It is normally accompanied by Chrismation, which is the giving of the Holy Spirit through anointing with holy oil.
- In accordance with the prophecy Zachariah, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a Donkey. People received Him joyfully and laid palm fronds down in His path. It was there in Jerusalem that His death and resurrection would take place.
- The Transfiguration was an event in Jesus’ life where His divine glory was revealed to Sts. Peter, James, and John. He was arrayed in light and accompanied by Moses and Elijah, who represent the Law and the Prophets. A voice from heaven recognized Him as the Son of God.
- The Last Supper icon is typically located in the middle of the iconostasis so that it is above the altar table from the perspective of the congregation. This is because the sacrament of the Eucharist re-lives this event in the life of Christ; this is the primary purpose of the Divine Liturgy. Here Jesus told the apostles that the bread and wine are His body and blood given to them in the New Covenant.
- The Bridegroom Icon, also known as Extreme Humility, shows Christ in a crown of thorns, holding a reed and dressed in a scarlet robe. This icon comes before the Crucifixion icon because it shows how He was mocked prior to his execution.
- The Crucifixion icon depicts Christ on the cross with His mother and St. John the Theologian looking on. Out of the 12 apostles, only St. John stayed with Christ through His crucifixion and never fled.
- The Resurrection occurred on Sunday. His resurrection is remembered every Sunday, but most fully on Pascha. Pascha is the same word for Passover in Greek, as Pascha occurred on Passover. It is synonymous with Easter, although due to calendar differences it is typically held on a different day in the Orthodox Church as opposed to the Catholic and Protestant churches.
- In the Touching of Thomas icon we can see Jesus presenting Himself to the apostles after His resurrection. Because the apostle Thomas refused to believe He had risen, he is invited to see and feel the wounds of Christ from the nails and spear which pierced Him at the crucifixion. St. Thomas then proclaims “my Lord and my God!”
- The Ascension occurred when Jesus went up into Heaven in front of His apostles. Before Ascending into heaven, He told them to go and baptize, making disciples of all nations. The Orthodox Church today is one Church, with names like “Russian”, “Antiochian”, or “Greek” only specifying administrative jurisdictions, not separate churches.
- 50 days after His resurrection, the Holy Spirit came down onto His disciples, bestowing many spiritual gifts. “Pentecost” means “fiftieth”, because it is 49 days after Pascha, or 50 days when we include Pascha. It occurred as the apostles were celebrating Shavuot, a Jewish holiday which was already called Pentecost in Greek because it was 50 days after Passover.
A. This is a variation of the Annunciation icon as also seen on the top row of the Iconostasis.
B. The Dormition icon remembers the repose of the Theotokos. Church tradition tells us that the apostles were miraculously transported to be with Christ’s mother just before she passed away. After her passing, the disciples laid her in a tomb, but after three days it was found to be empty. This is also referred to as the Assumption of the Theotokos.
C. The Archangel Gabriel guards one of the deacon’s doors, which are the doors the altar boys and deacons use to come and go from the altar during services.
D. This is an icon of the Holy Trinity. Here on the left side of the iconostasis, between the Archangel and the Theotokos, an icon of the patron saint of the church is placed.
E. The Theotokos is always placed left of center in the iconostasis because she is second in honor only to Christ, who is placed right of center.
F. This icon is called “Platytera” which means “wider than the heavens”, because the Theotokos contained God within herself. Her open body language is meant to invite all into the Church. This icon is normally found in the back of the altar. In our church it can be viewed through the royal gate.
G. Christ is always right of center in the iconostasis as it is the most honored placement.
H. St. John the Baptist is always the second placement on the right, as he is the most honored saint after the Theotokos.
I. The Archangel Michael guards the other deacon’s door.
J. St. Athanasios was a critically important saint in the early Church. He helped to uphold the Orthodox view of Christ as being coeternal with the father and of one essence with the trinity.
K. This tapestry icon of St. John the Baptist shows him receiving a vision of the New Jerusalem as he wrote the Book of Revelation.
- Saint Basil is one of the four hierarchs typically found on the walls of the altar space. He codified a liturgy now practiced 10 times a year called The Liturgy of St. Basil.
- Saint John Chrysostom – Saint John was surnamed Chrysostom (“Golden-mouth”) because of his eloquence. He made exhaustive commentaries on the divine Scriptures and was the author of more works than any other Church Father, leaving us complete commentaries on the Book of Genesis, the Gospels of Saints Matthew and John, the Acts, and all the Epistles of Saint Paul. His extant works are 1,447 sermons and 240 epistles. He also codified a liturgy, but it is this liturgy which is typically celebrated on most Sundays, called The Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom.
- Saint Gregory the Theologian – His extant writings, both prose and poems in every type of metre, demonstrate his lofty eloquence and his wondrous breadth of learning. In the beauty of his writings, he is considered to have surpassed the Greek writers of antiquity, and because of his God-inspired theological thought, he received the surname “Theologian.” Although he is sometimes called Gregory of Nazianzus, this title belongs properly to his father; he himself is known by the Church only as Gregory the Theologian. He is especially called “Trinitarian Theologian,” since in virtually every homily he refers to the Trinity and the one essence and nature of the Godhead.
- St. Iakovos, or James, was called “brother of the Lord”. This could either mean a cousin or a half brother from a previous marriage of St. Joseph.
