Icons are the special Christian paintings (writings) that go back to the earliest visual images of the biblical stories and saints, preserving the theology of the Church in lines and colors.

In the Orthodox tradition the justification for icons over against the Old Testament prohibition of making any image in God in the likeness of anything in this world (Exodus 20.4) is found in Jesus’ words, “He who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14.9) and in Saint Paul who sees Jesus as the “image” (literally, icon) of the invisible God (Colossians 1.15). The representation of the Lord’s saints is supported by such readings as 2 Corinthians 3.18, “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

The Old Testament Trinity

This icon depicts the three angels to Abraham, announcing that Sarah will give birth to the promised son. The three angels appear in perfect harmony and oneness, yet each remains unique. From left to right, the angel symbolizing God the Father wears a robe of pale pink, almost with a white glow, with his right hand raised as though blessing the second angel’s mission. Burning with love, the Father gives the Son for the world. The central angel, the Son, in dark purple expressive of kingly majesty looks at the Father submitting to his will. His right hand extends over the chalice placed on the table and the two fingers are expressive of his dual nature: truly God and truly man. The Father also looks toward the third angel symbolizing the Holy Spirit, dressed in a robe of green, expressive of His being the Life-giver and of the green of the Pentecost season in which the faithful are called to grow in sanctification. The Spirit’s right hand is shaped in the form of a descending dove. Behind the left angel is a building symbolizing the One who created the world. Behind the middle angel is a tree, symbolizing the Son’s Cross. Behind the right angel is a mountain, symbolizing the presence of the Lord God. In the center is a chalice with a calf’s or lamb’s head resting on it, symbolizing Christ as the Lamb who takes away the world’s sin, giving his Body and Blood for the faithful to eat and drink.

Christ The Ruler Of All

This is the oldest known image of Our Lord. His eyes are active because they have seen the great things of the Holy Trinity. The left eye appears larger, symbolizing His being both truly God and truly man. His nose is long and narrow, symbolizing lack of anger. Linked with His eyebrows it forms the shape of a palm tree, symbol of eternal life. His ears are unusually large, symbolizing His listening to the Lord’s Word and not to the world’s sounds. His mouth is closed and His lips are small, symbolic of non-sensuality and of not thinking of what to eat or drink. The right hand is positioned with the first two fingers symbolizing His dual nature and the other two joined to the thumb symbolizing the Trinity. He holds the Scriptures in His left hand because they witness to who He is.

The Nativity

The central focus of the icon is on Mary, the Mother of God, and on the Christ, who is placed beside her in a dark area symbolizing a cave or abyss of the world. A closer look shows that He really lies in a tomb and is wrapped in grave clothing, pointing both to the humiliation of His Birth and His Death. In the cave are an ox and an ass. The angels sign praises to the Lord God for the Birth of this Child and announce the message to the shepherds which they make known. The icon shows that some people come directly to the Lord through the proclaimed Word while others come indirectly such as the Three Kings. Women on the lower right are depicted assisting Mary after Christ’s Birth. Joseph sits in the lower corner with his head lowered in doubt and despair. Mary looks in his direction, gazing on him in understanding and love as she does on all who doubt that she has conceived in her womb the Word of God made flesh.

The Crucifixion

The Cross is the central focus of the icon. Christ does not so much hang on the Cross as appear to be welded to it, becoming a part of the Cross and the Cross a part of him. His arms are raised and His hands opened upward in an attitude of supplication. Jesus seems weightless and calm, appearing even to support the Cross. While Christ’s head is bowed and His eyes closed as in death, he appears more as though asleep. Under the Cross is a cave which according to tradition opens at the moment of Christ’s death to reveal a skull, reminding the viewer of the ancient legend that under Golgotha (the place of the skull and the center of the earth) the bones of the first man, Adam, were buried. Behind the Cross is the wall of the city of Jerusalem. It reminds us that as Christ suffered outside the walls, the faithful must follow him as witnesses outside the walls of the Church. On either side of the Cross are Mary and John. Mary reminds us that, while many did not believe, we are not to hold in contempt the heritage which is Israel. John reminds us that Israel’s fulfillment is found in Christ within tthe Church’s fellowship. The outer figures are Mary Magdalene, the repentant sinner and the one to whom Christ first appeared after the Resurrection. The other is Longinus, the centurion in Mark’s Gospel, who is the first to truly confess Jesus as the Son of God.

The Resurrection

This icon, rather than depicting Christ’s emergence from the tomb, shows Him descending into the abyss (underworld, hell) where He frees all the righteous who lived before He conquered death on the Cross. The focus is the risen Christ, wearing a robe of dazzling white. Christ stands upon the Cross, the means of His death but also the means of life for all believers. In the abyss are locks and chains, binding humanity to the slavery of sin and death. The icon shows one hand of Christ reaching out to grasp the hand of Adam, drawing him to the life he and Eve had lost. In the other hand He holds a scroll symbolizing the words of life he speaks. In the background on one side stand those in the Old Testament who had put their faith and hope in the Lord’s promises (David, Solomon, patriarchs and prophets). On the other side are the righteous individuals who died after the Incarnation, but before Christ’s Crucifixion and Resurrection (John the Baptist, Joseph the Guardian of Jesus, and others). The icon makes vivid that we are delivered by Christ from darkness, reminding us that we who die with Christ in Baptism will also be raised with Him.

The Descent Of The Holy Spirit

One first notices a semi-circular bench around which the Twelve Apostles sit in perfect harmony, reminding us of the icon of the Holy Trinity and the circle of the love and oneness between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. That unity is found in the circle at the top (symbolic of the Father) with twelve rays descending (symbolic of the Spirit), toward each apostle’s head. The rays terminate in tongues or flames of fire. Below the circle is an empty place at the head of the bench between Peter (on the left) and Paul (on the right). This place is occupied by the invisible Head of the Church, Christ, who, through the Holy Spirit, brings the Church into being and sustains it. The icon reveals the peace and calm of all the world’s people united in the Spirit. The diversity of gifts that the Spirit gives to each while uniting them is expressed in the individuality of each apostle. As the upper part of the bench is opened to the heavens and the source of their unity in the Triune God, the bottom part of the bench opens on the world. The figure is a king whose name is Cosmos, personifying the universe held in captivity to the prince of death. Cosmos holds a towel (expressing reverence) which contains the twelve scrolls of the apostles. This symbolizes the Church’s apostolic proclamation and the promise of salvation to all who, through the Spirit, confess Jesus as Lord.

The Baptism Of Our Lord

The circle at the top symbolizes the presence of the Lord God and the opening of heaven. From the circle descends a ray of Light with a dove in the center descending on Jesus’ head. The focus of the icon is on Christ who is seen submerged in the waters of the Jordan River. The river banks also form an area that looks like a cavern (abyss or grave). Jesus appears to be walking, expressing that He, the Master, takes the initiative in coming to His servant, John, to be baptized. The left hand of Jesus is extended down, blessing the water that will not only symbolize his Crucifixion, but also his Resurrection. This points to the daily dying and rising of all who have put on Christ in their Baptisms. Jesus is shown naked, symbolizing that he here clothes the nakedness of Adam and the whole human race in the garments of his glory. John the Baptist’s left hand is raised in prayer and his right hand is resting on Jesus’ head in the ancient baptismal gesture. The Last Days have begun and access to the Kingdom has been opened. The angels express adoration at the revealing of the Triune God. With their hands covered, they appear to clothe Jesus when He comes out of the waters, but they are also showing reverence and respect. In the waters of Jordan one sees a man reaching up to Jesus. This is Elisha who turned back the river Jordan with the mantle passed on to him when Elijah was taken up to heaven.

The Transfiguration Of Our Lord

This icon portrays the Gospel accounts of the fulfillment of what Moses and Elijah on Mount Sinai did not see. Christ stands on top of the mountain in the middle of a perfect circle, symbolic of the transcendent Lord God. The rays of light represent the cloud seen on Mount Sinai, symbolic of the Holy Spirit and the source of divine Light. The Light of the Lord’s glory transfigures Christ, the Word made flesh, as the Light shines through Him. In this Light stands Moses to the right with a book or the tablets of stone in one hand representing the Law, and Elijah to the left, representing the Prophets. They both point to Christ, acknowledging that they have in Him seen the face of the Lord God, and that through His coming Death and Resurrection will begin the New Covenant hinted at and prepared for by the Law and the Prophets. Looking at the three apostles (left to right; they are Peter, John, James) we see three rays of divine Light, symbolic of the Trinity, coming from the circle and overwhelming them. Christ appears to be one with the rocks of the mountain, showing that He is the absolute meeting place between the Lord God and His people.

The Ascension Of Our Lord

Mary, who dominates the icon, stands in the center of the angels and disciples. She is the one who has taken the Lord into herself thus symbolizing the Church, the Body of Christ. She is placed directly beneath her Son. He is leaving her behind on earth, but through the promised descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the Church will receive all the fullness of His being. In this icon the heavenly and the earthly appear to be joined with the finite containing the infinite. Mary’s hands are lifted in prayer, indicating that the Church is to pray for the world, and her stillness expresses the unchanging reality of the Lord’s Word. In contrast, the disciples are animated, their postures expressing awe and dismay. Although Matthias has not yet been chosen, there are Twelve Apostles (Paul appears on Mary’s left). The angels’ hands point to the ascending Christ, reminding the Church to proclaim the Second Coming of Christ. The hilly landscape and presence of olive trees reminds us that the event took place on the Mount of Olives. Christ’s hand is raised in blessing, reminding us of that act as He ascended.

The Lord's Supper

The theme of the Mystical Supper, known as the Lord’s Supper in the West,illustrates two realities: [1] The Meal itself with the disciples the night of Maundy Thursday; and [2] The institution of the Eucharist. In the icon we see the disciples turning to question one another – Christ has just announced that one of them will betray him. They are puzzled and alarmed. But John (the Beloved Disciple) keeps his focus on Christ himself. Drawing near to him. Judas, on the other hand, is reaching his hand towards the platter, not needing to wonder who would be the traitor. In the Supper’s Institution, the bread, the Body of Christ, has already been blessed and distributed; the cup, the Blood of Christ, will soon be passed among the disciples. Our Lord is seen in a majestic pose, turning his face to the world and the death it is bringing him.