The predominant feature ascribed to saints by the Church is light. If the icon is to make this visible, it must have its own language. Forms and colors must show the metaphysical luminosity of the represented. They must manifest what the eye has not seen,but without suppressing all that is human. For this purpose, everything is represented in its relation to the Divine. Naturalism is put aside and man and landscape are shown in a transfigured state.
The icons were painted on the walls of the naos, after an iconography scheme. Later they were attracted in the iconostasis. The subjects painted are diverse: Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, holy angels, or events from the New Testament that are commemorated as feasts in the calendar. The most important part of iconography is made by the icons from the 'Dogmatic Cycle': Jesus Christ as teacher, at the entrance in the Church; the Pantocrator, that is Jesus Christ in the fullness of Glory, clothed in white and golden color, in the center of the cupola; the Mother of God ?(Isaia 7:14), that represents the plenitude of holiness and the image of the Church, in the niche of the altar; the icon called Deisis, on the iconostasis, that represents Jesus Christ somehow having his right hand on the Virgin Mary, the symbol of the New Testament, in an attitude of intercession, and at His left Saint John the Baptist, 'the friend of the Bride,' the symbol of the Old Testament. Painted from the profile, both faces are directed towards Christ. In the altar, over the throne, that will judge the Church (Matt. 19:28). Also in the altar are painted the figures of the three Fathers that have made Liturgies, Saint John Chrysostome, Saint Basil the Great and Saint Gregory Dialogos.
The iconostasis is a wall of icons that separates the naos from the altar, or the people from the servants, a symbol of a temporary separation. Before the second century, the iconostasis was a simple demarcation in the space reserved for the movement and procession of the liturgy. Until the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, the iconostasis did not impeach the visual access towards the altar of those from the naos. Its architecture has evolved continuously from the sixteenth century. On the royal doors are represented the Annunciation or the four Evangelists. Over the royal doors is painted the Mystical Supper. On the iconostasis, the icons are arranged on rows. On the first row, on the right of the royal doors, the icon of Christ, with the right hand blessing and with the Book of the Gospel open, kept in the left hand. Beside it is the icon of the saint or of the feast of the Church. On the left, the icon of the Mother of God, on the most known version, Deisis. And next is Saint John the Baptist. Follows, on the vertical direction, the icons of the twelve great feasts (dodekaortion), 'royal', and of the twelve Apostles. The Cross and the All Seeing Eye of the Father closes the superior part of the iconostasis.
Go To Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
| Here's the follow-up discussion on this article: | View all related messages |
For a complete listing of article comments, questions, and other discussions related to Stefan Crisbasan's Orthodox Christianity topic, please visit the Discussions page.