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Our Church Iconography
Holy Icons — Theology in Color
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strikes a non-Orthodox visitor to an Orthodox church is the prominent place
assigned to Holy Icons. The Iconostasis is covered with them, while others are
placed in prominent places throughout the church building. The walls and ceiling
may be covered with iconic murals. The Orthodox faithful prostrate themselves
before Icons, kiss them, and burn candles before them. They are censed by the
clergy and carried in processions. Considering the obvious importance of the
Holy Icons, then, questions may certainly be raised concerning them: What do
these gestures and actions mean? What is the significance of Icons? Are they not
idols or the like, prohibited by the Old Testament? |
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| Icons have been used for prayer from the first centuries of Christianity.
Sacred Tradition tells us, for example, of the existence of an Icon of the
Savior during His lifetime (the “Icon-Made-Without-Hands") and of Icons of
the Most Holy Theotokos immediately after Him. Sacred Tradition witnesses
that the Orthodox Church had a clear understanding of the importance of
Icons right from the beginning; and this understanding never changed, for
it is derived from the teachings concerning the Incarnation of the Second
Person of the Holy Trinity — Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The use of
Icons is grounded in the very essence of Christianity, since Christianity
is the revelation by God-Man not only of the Word of God, but also of the
Image of God; for, as St. John the Evangelist tells us, “the Word became
flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). |
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Interior of church with tomb constructed for Good
Friday (2005) |
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"No one has ever seen God;
only the Son, Who is in the bosom of the Father, He has made Him known” (John
1:18), the Evangelist proclaims. That is, He has revealed the Image or Icon of
God. For being the brightness of [God's] glory, and the express image of [God's]
person (Hebrews 1:3), the Word of God in the Incarnation revealed to the world,
in His own Divinity, the Image of the Father. When St. Philip asks Jesus,
“'Lord, show us the Father,' He answered him: 'Have I been with you so long, and
yet you do not know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father'”
(John 14:8-9). Thus as the Son is in the bosom of the Father, likewise after the
Incarnation He is constubstantial with the Father, according to His divinity
being the Father's Image, equal in honor to Him.
The truth expressed above,
which is revealed in Christianity, thus forms the foundations of Christian
pictorial art. The Image (or Icon) not only does not contradict the essence of
Christianity, but is unfailingly connected with it; and this is the foundation
of the tradition that from the very beginning the Good News was brought to the
world by the Church both in word and image.
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All of the icons included in our iconostasis were hand
painted by Dmitry Shkolnik. You can read more about Mr. Shkolnik and
his work by going to his
website.
View larger images of our iconography by clicking on
the links below:
Our Parish Icon:
Exaltation of the Holy Cross
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click to enlarge - |
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The Main Iconostasis Icons and
Doorway Icons |
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Christ the Teacher |
Theotokos (Mary,
Mother of God) with Christ child |
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St John the
Forerunner |
Mary Magdalen, Myrrh-bearer and Equal to the Apostles |
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St. Stephen, the
first christian martyr (deacon's door) |
St.
Philip (deacon's
door) |
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Sts. Constantine
and Helen, with the Cross of Christ |
Sts. Herman and
Innocent of Alaska |
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Second Tier
Iconostasis Icons |
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Sts.
Andre Rublev and Nectarios |
Sts. Seraphim and Juliana |
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Sts. Nina and Katherine |
Sts. Vladimir and Olga |
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Sts. Ignatius and Nicholas |
Sts. Paul and John Chrysostem |
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The Last Supper |
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Mosaic of the Resurrection
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click to enlarge -
This beautiful large
mosaic was created by George Walowen from Walker Valley, NY. The work depicts Christ harrowing the gates of
hell and releasing Adam and Eve from the bondage of death. It is
placed on the rear wall of our church to be viewed as the faithful return
either from receiving the Eucharist or venerating the cross at the end of
liturgy.
Mr. Walowen was the brother
of Longtime church member Nellie Kuzmenchuk. In spring of 1987 ,while
visiting Nellie and her family for Pascha , he attended the Good Friday
afternoon service at Holy Cross. He told the family that he was taken by
great emotion during the service. That was when he received the spiritual
guidance to create the icon of the resurrection. He did so that
following summer, completely by hand, piece by piece. When completed, he
donated the icon to our church. George's fine artistic background and his
great faith combined to create the lovely mosaic as it hangs today. George
was a devout Orthodox Christian and a faithful visitor to our church. He
fell asleep in the Lord in July of 2006. May his memory be eternal. |
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text excerpted from Missionary
Leaflet E2b, Holy Trinity Orthodox Mission, Editor: Bishop Alexander (Mileant)
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