For more than a thousand years the Eastern Church has used icons (“images”) to visually communicate the profound theological truths that underlie each of the key moments in the life of Christ as recounted in the Gospels. This session will examine this rich “visual theology,” from the Angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary that she was to be the mother of the Word Incarnate to the Lord’s return to the Father forty days following his resurrection.

1. Saturday, May 4, 2013
Icons of the Life of Christ

2. Our approach
 Background
 What is an icon?
 Development
 Basic conventions
 Traditional use in the Eastern Church
 Icons of the life of Christ
 The church calendar
 Festal icons
 Conventions of each
 Theology of each

3. Background

4. What is an icon?

5. Origin and meaning of term
 Greek = “image”
 Specialized meaning = images used in the
worship and life of the Eastern Church

6. Image vs. idol
 Two different Hebrew words translated as “image”
 Tselem
 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God
he created him (Genesis 1:28)
 Greek translation (Septuagint) = icon
 Fesel
 You shall not make for yourself a carved image (Exodus
20:4)
 Greek translation (Septuagint) = idolon
 Distinction
 Icon = true image
 Idol = false image

7. Usage: East vs. West
 West = instructional
 Open to artistic innovation
 East = liturgical
 Subject to stringent rules

8. Development

9. Earliest Christian images
 Pagan images subject to Christian interpretation
 Hermes the patron of shepherds = good shepherd
 Old Testament scenes
 Jonah

10. Hermes the shepherd

11. Jonah

12. Later early Christian images
 Symbols
 Vine
 Fish
 New Testament scenes
 Magi
 Multiplication of loaves

13. Loaves and fish

14. Magi

15. Images after Constantine
 Traditional imperial motifs reinvested with
Christian meanings
 The philosopher
 The apotheosis of the emperor
 The royal entrance
 The emperor in his court

16. Philosopher

17. Christ the teacher

18. Apotheosis

19. Ascension

20. Triumphal entry

21. Palm Sunday

22. Imperial court

23. Deisis (supplication)

24. Profusion of images in 6th and 7th
centuries
 On model of use of imperial image for legal
purposes

25. Iconoclastic controversy (726-
843)
 Arguments against images
 Idolatry
 Christological argument
 Any image of Christ is necessarily false
 We can see only his human nature
o His divine nature cannot be circumscribed

26. Iconoclastic controversy (cont.)
 Arguments for images
 Not idolatrous
 Old Testament prohibits false images and all images of God
were false prior to the incarnation
 Christological
 To see the human nature of Christ is to see his divine nature
since the two are distinct, but inseparable
 Witness of the Church (universal practice)
 Practical value for the illiterate
 “Books in pictures”

27. Nicaea II
 Occurs midway through controversy
 Adopted in East in 843
 Feast of Orthodoxy, (March 11)
 Theology (quasi-sacramental)
 Key writers
 John Damascene
 Nicephoros of Constantinople
 Theodore the Studite
 Not fully accepted in West

28. Subsequent history of images in the
Church
 East
 Quasi-sacramental
 Part of liturgy
 Highly regulated
 West
 Purely instructional
 Decorative
 Open to artistic interpretation

29. Basic conventions

30. Theoretical anti-naturalism
 Goal: transcend the natural to the supernatural
 Specifics
 Two dimensional
 Inverted perspective
 Avoid decorative detail

31. Inverted perspective
Table perspective
reversed

32. Primacy of doctrine over history
 Presentation of events that occurred at different
times
 Symbolic alternations of historical scene
 Psychological perspective

33. Events that occurred at different
times
Journey of
magi
Announcement
to shepherds
Joseph’s
doubts
Washing of
baby

34. Symbolic alterations of history
Fish on Holy
Thursday

35. Psychological perspective
Size of other
Figures

36. Other conventions
 No natural light sources or shadows
 Halos represent saving knowledge =
righteousness
 “then the righteous will shine like the sun in the
kingdom of their Father” (Matthew 13:43)
 Not present prior to understanding
 Apostles prior to Pentecost
 Features stylized
 Always both eyes for saints
 High forehead = intelligence
 Tight lips = asceticism

37. High forehead = knowledge

38. Apostles: No halos prior to
Pentecost

39. Apostles: Halos after Pentecost

40. Traditional Use in the Eastern
Church

41. Location of icons
 Primarily for use in liturgy
 Best understood in context of their placement

42. Floor Plan of Eastern Church
Modeled on Old Testament tabernacle/temple

43. Outer court
Holy place
Holy of holies
Tabernacle/temple
Pattern
Veil

44. Looking out toward the Narthex

45. Looking in toward the sanctuary and
the altar

46. In the sanctuary

47. Looking through the iconostasis to
the Altar

48. Altar proper

49. Christ the Teacher/Door
Entry to Nave

51. Abbreviation for “Jesus Christ”
Jesus (IC) Christ (XC)

52. Cross within halo

53. “The one who is” (‘O WN) = “I
AM”

54. English adaptation
I
AM

55. Open book (teacher)

56. Blue (divinity) over red (humanity)
(his immortality covers our mortality)
RED
BLUE

57. Christ the Almighty (Pantocrator)
Inside top of dome (rising from East)

58. Somewhat stern aspect
(we see the Father through the Son)

59. Rainbow (Revelation 4: 1-3)

60. Closed book
(to avoid superfluous detail)

65. Alternate position (if no dome)

66. Iconostasis
Reminder of our participation in the heavenly liturgy

67. Developed from chancel screen
(practical barrier)

68. West: Rood (cross) screen
ROOD

69. East: Addition of images

70. East: Reach up to 5 levels

71. “Wider than the Heavens”
(Platytera)
Apse
Mary as image of the Church (between heaven and
earth)

73. Initials for “Mother of God”
MR = Mother
OY =
of
God

74. Hands in “orans” (prayer) position

75. Three stars = perpetual virginity

76. Quasi-adult features

80. Overall arrangement

81. Logic
 We approach the Father only through Jesus
 Entry = Christ the Teacher
 The Church militant joins with the Church
triumphant
 Iconostasis
 And as one Church we transcend this world
 “Wider than the Heavens”
 Praying to the Father through the Son
 Christ the “Ruler of All”

82. Ruler of All
Wider than the Heavens
Iconostasis
Directional logic

84. Dormition (Mary’s “falling
asleep”)
Exit to Narthex

85. Christ carries away Mary’s soul at
her death (baby = birth to new life)

86. The Second Coming
Exit from Narthex

87. Resurrection on the Last Day

88. Detail of iconostasis

89. Number of levels varies
 Less for Greeks than Russians
 Desire not to block view of “Wider than the
Heavens”

90. Levels (bottom to top)
 “Sovereign level”
 Include royal doors (middle)
 Include deacons doors (both sides)
 Deesis (“intercession”) or Festal Icons
 Deesis or Festal Icons
 Prophets/Central = Mary of the “Sign”
 Patriarchs/Central = Old Testament Trinity

91. Royal doors = Annunciation (first
proclamation of Gospel)

92. Royal doors (Expanded to
include the Evangelists)
Annunciati
on
= first
proclamatio
n of Gospel
Evangelis
ts =
Gospel
proclaime
d to world

93. Deacon’s doors (angels or saints
who were deacons)

94. Jesus and Mary in center
positions

95. John the Precursor and patron
saint
Patron saint John the
Precursor

96. Deacon’s doors (angels, saints
who were deacons, or soldier
saints)

97. Annunciation
Evangelists

98. Annunciation
Evangelists

100. Holy hierarchs instead of Evangelists
(wrote Eastern Eucharistic Prayers)
Basil John Chrysostom

101. John the Precursor (with wings =
“messenger”= “angel”

102. Deesis
“Intercession”

103. Core= Mary/Christ/John the
Precursor

106. Add archangels + Peter/Paul
Paul
Gabriel
Peter
Michael

108. Add hierarchs (Basil and John
Chrysostom)
Basil
John
Chrysostom

109. Basic
Apostles
Other
Saints

110. Development of the Church Year

111. Seasonal calendar
 Earliest church
 Each Sunday = celebration of the death and
resurrection of Jesus
 Stage 1
 Addition of Easter
 Special annual celebration of death and resurrection of
Jesus
 Rooted in Passover
 Stage 2
 Addition of Christmas/Epiphany
 Christmas – Developed in Western Church
 Epiphany – Developed in Eastern Church

112. Natural expansion
 Annunciation (Christmas – 9 months)
 Presentation (Christmas + 40 days) = February 2
 Holy Week (Week before Easter)
 Ascension (Easter + 40 days)
 Pentecost (Easter + 50 days)

113. Seasonal feasts with “festal”
icons
 Annunciation (March 25)
 Nativity (December 25)
 Presentation (February 2)
 Baptism (January 6)
 Transfiguration (August 6)
 Raising of Lazarus (Saturday prior to Palm
Sunday)

114. “Festal” icons
 Palm Sunday
 Good Friday
 Resurrection
 Ascension (40 days after Easter)
 Pentecost (50 days after Easter)
 Dormition (August 15)

115. Annunciation
March 25

117. Text =
Announceme
nt of the good
news to the
God bearer

118. Text =
Archangel
Gabriel

119. Initials =
“Mother of
God”

120. Drapery =
indoors

121. Angel’s rod
= authority

122. Separated
feet =
movement

123. Vault of
heaven

124. Ray =
action of
the Holy
Spirit

125. Halo =
enlightene
d

126. Mary’s
humanity
(red)
covers
Christ’s
divinity
(blue)

127. Theology of annunciation
 Essence of “good news” = God, in Christ, has
taken on our humanity
 Born of the Virgin Mary
 Inseparably joined to us = Immanuel (God with us)
 Image on royal doors
 In Jesus, our humanity has entered into the
heavenly places (Ascension)

128. December 25
Nativity

131. Text = The Birth
of Christ”

132. Initials = “Mother
of God”

133. Initials = Jesus Chr

134. Basic elements
 Central = Mother and child
 Peripheral
 Angels
 Magi
 Announcement to shepherds
 Washing of Jesus
 Joseph

135. Mother and child
Angels
Magi
Announceme
nt to the
shepherds
Joseph tested
Washing of
Jesus

136. Central Scene
Mother and child

137. Cave

138. Mary
reclining, at
peace

139. Baby in
swaddling
clothes in
stone
manger

140. Ox and
ass of
Isaiah 1:3

141. Miraculous
star from
heaven

142. Theology - Mary
 Mother reclining and at peace
 Pain of childbirth associated with sin in Genesis
 No sin associated with birth of Christ (new Adam)
 Completely separate from Joseph = virgin birth
 Halo = enlightened
 Red/blue = her humanity covered his divinity

143. Theology - Jesus
 Christ was born to die for us
 Swaddling clothes = burial wrapping
 Manger = sepulcher
 Cave = tomb
 Will be rejected by his own
 Unlike ox and donkey
 Isaiah 1:3 = The ox knows its owner,
and the donkey its master's crib,
but Israel does not know,
my people do not understand.”

144. Peripheral scenes

145. Angels
Magi
Announceme
nt to the
shepherds
Joseph tested
Washing of
Jesus

146. Angels
 Sometimes trinity = humanity added to divinity
 Joy in both heaven and earth (cosmic event)

147. Magi
 Hope for the Gentiles
 Type of myrrh-bearing women

148. Shepherds
 Hope for Israel
 Hope for outcasts

149. Washing
 Unbelief/rejection
 Compare Thomas

150. Testing of Joseph
 Virgin birth
 Halo = enlightened (Bible = “just man”)

151. What’s wrong with this icon?

152. Wise men
at scene
rather
than
travellingMary kneeling
Joseph with
Mary

153. February 2
Presentation (Meeting)

156. “The meeting”

157. Details
Drapery = inside
“This child made firm
Heaven and earth”
All have halos =
Described as
righteous or filled
with Holy Spirit

158. Theology – fulfillment
 God comes in person into His temple
 Fulfillment of the Law
 Same Holy Spirit at work in Old and New
Covenants

159. Baptism (or Theophany)
January 6 (Eastern Church)
Following Sunday (Western Church)

161. Surrounded by water (to emphasize
immersion)

162. “You broke the heads of the sea
monsters on the waters” (Psalm
74:13)

163. “The sea looked and fled, Jordan
turned back” (Psalm 114:3)
Woman with scepter = s
Man with water
pot = river

164. Theophany - Trinity
Father = vault of
heaven
Dove = Holy Spirit

165. John looks up at Holy Spirit
(John 1:32)

166. “Even now the axe is laid to the root
of the trees.” (Matthew 3:10)

167. Ministering angels to accompany
Jesus

168. Theology
 Anointing as “anointed one” (Messiah/Christ)
 Reversal
 Others
 Bring sins to waters
 Cleansed by waters
 Relieved of burden of sins
 Jesus
 Brings righteousness to waters
 Cleanses the waters themselves (sanctifies them for
baptism)
 Takes on burden of sins
o Lamb of God , who takes away the sin of the world
(John 1:29)

169. August 6
(Gospel of last Sunday before Lent by
Anglicans)
Transfiguration (Transformation)

171. Christ of Resurrection
(anticipation)
White robes rather
Than blue over red
Mandorla

172. Theophany - Trinity
Pink geometric shape =
Cloud = Holy Spirit

173. Moses and Elijah
Moses (with book)
Elijah

174. Halos for Moses and Elijah but
not apostles

175. Shoe off = holy ground

176. Theology
 Fulfillment of Law and Prophets
 Halos = Moses and Elijah discuss Jesus’ “exodus”
(Greek)
 Two theophanies as “bookends”
 Start of public ministry (baptism)
 Preceding temptation in desert
 End of public ministry (transfiguration)
 Preceding Passion
 Message of “bookends”
 What it truly means to be the “anointed one”
 Context for all that follows – victory vs. defeat

177. Celebrated the Saturday preceding Palm
Sunday
Raising of Lazarus (Awakening)

179. The raising (not resurrection) of
Lazarus

180. Lazarus still bound by death (bound
by burial clothes)

181. Subject to corruption (fourth day in
tomb vs. third day for Jesus)
Witness holding nose

182. Lazarus with halo (belief)

183. Theology
 Christ holds power over death
 Our hope of resurrection is for more than a
continuation of this life

184. Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday (The Bearing of the
Palm Branches)

186. Children = psychological perspective

187. Theology
 The passion will be Jesus’ victory as
Messiah/King
 In Luke’s narrative, Jesus immediately enters in
power into the temple as Messiah/High Priest

188. From Palm Sunday to Holy Thursday
Christ the Bridegroom

190. Theology
 Christ has come for his bride (the church)
 Repeated image of bridegroom
 Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom
is with them? (Matthew 9:15)
 John describes himself as “friend of the bridegroom” (John
3:29)
 Need to be watchful

191. Holy Thursday
Mystical Supper

193. Mystical Supper v.“Last”Supper

194. Fish v. lamb = Food is Christ himself

195. Other details
Drapery =
Indoor scene
Psychological
perspective

196. Theology
 Lord’s Supper is an ongoing reality
 True understanding of what is about to take place
 “I am the living bread that came down from heaven.
If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And
the bread that I will give for the life of the world is
my flesh.” (John 6:51)

197. Good Friday
Crucifixion

199. Inscription = “King of Glory”
(2 Corinthians 2:8)

200. Christ at peace (not suffering)

201. Flesh is healthy color (no corruption)

202. Victory in very place of defeat (“death
defeated by death”)
Adam’s tomb

203. Water from right side = water
from right side of temple (Ezekiel
47:1)

204. Centurion with halo (confession
of true faith despite appearances)

205. Other details
Feet separated in East
Only time sun
and moon
depicted
precisely
because they
are not a
source of light

206. Theology
 Victory (glory) rather than defeat
 Death defeated by death
 Christ as Messiah:
 Victorious king – triumphing over enemy = death
 High priest – Priest and victim
 Birth of Church
 Water (baptism) and blood (Eucharist)
 Like Eve taken from side of Adam
 Bride and “mother of all living”

207. Christ in the tomb – Holy Saturday
Great Humility

209. Theology
 Humbled himself to death on a cross
 And being found in human form, he humbled
himself by becoming obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:8)

210. Resurrection

212. Resurrected Christ
MandorlaResurrection
gold/white
v. blue over
red

213. Dark cave = Hades (death)

214. Gates of death broken down

215. Death itself bound

216. Jesus’ feet apart (= movement)

217. Release of Adam and Eve

218. Others Old Testament figures
John the Precursor
David and Solomon
Abel
Elijah
Moses

219. Theology
 Meaning of resurrection – our liberation from
death
 We share in his resurrection
 Effective across time
 “Saints” of the Old Testament

221. Additional Resurrection Icons

222. Touching of Thomas

223. Myrrh-bearing women
Burial clothes
Left behind

224. Theology
 Real body
 Can be touched
 Same body
 Wounds still present
 Changed body
 No longer limited
 No longer subject to death (burial clothes left behind)
 Rock rolled back after resurrection
 Only to allow disciples to see that the tomb was empty

225. Ascension

227. No halos for apostles (not yet
Pentecost)

228. Theology
 Jesus reigns at the right hand of God
 His reign has already begun
 Evidenced by gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost

229. Pentecost

231. Theme of apostolic mission
Paul present
(prior to
Conversion)
Addition of
non-
Apostle
evangelists
(Mark and
Luke)
“world” holds scrolls o
Gospel to be carried to
nations
Mary not pictured
(not part of apostolic
Mission)

232. Halos on apostles

233. Peter and Paul central
Peter
Paul

234. Other details
Drapery = interior
scene
Rays from vault of heave

235. Theology
 Church is born on Calvary
 Bride taken from side of Christ (like Eve)
 Jesus continues his mission in his Church

236. Level 4 of iconostasis
Prophets (from Moses forward)
Virgin of the Sign

241. Ezekiel

242. Isaiah

243. Jonah

244. Elijah

245. Jeremiah

246. Level 5 of iconostasis
Patriarchs (prior to Moses)
(Old Testament) Trinity

248. Old Testament Trinity (same age =
co-eternal)
Father
Green = Holy Spirit
“Lord and Giver of
Life”
Jesus (blue over
Red)

249. Jacob

250. Patriarchs
(Trinity)
Prophet
s (virgin
of the
Sign)
Deisis
Festal icons
Sovereign
level

251. Other Icons of the Trinity
Common but criticized for theological
reasons