Icons

Orthodox Icon of Isaiah the Prophet. Copy of 13 cent. icon.

Commemorated May 9th.

The Holy Prophet Isaiah lived 700 years before the birth of Christ, and was of royal lineage. Isaiah's father Amos raised his son in the fear of God and in the law of the Lord. Having attained the age of maturity, the Prophet Isaiah entered into marriage with a pious prophetess (Is 8:3) and had a son Jashub (Is 8:18). St Isaiah was called to prophetic service during the reign of Oziah [Uzziah], king of Judea, and he prophesied for 60 years during the reign of kings Joatham, Achaz [Ahaz], Hezekiah and Manasseh.

The start of his service was marked by the following vision: he beheld the Lord God, sitting in a majestic heavenly temple upon a high throne. Six-winged Seraphim encircled Him. With two wings they covered their faces, and with two wings they covered their feet, and with two wings they flew about crying out one to another, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord Sabaoth, heaven and earth are filled with His glory!

The pillars of the heavenly temple shook from their shouts, and in the temple arose the smoke of incense. The prophet cried out in terror, Oh, an accursed man am I, granted to behold the Lord Sabaoth, and having impure lips and living amidst an impure people! Then was sent him one of the Seraphim, having in hand a red-hot coal, which he took with tongs from the altar of the Lord. He touched it to the mouth of the Prophet Isaiah and said, Lo, this has touched thy lips, and will take away with thine iniquities, and will cleanse thy sins.

After this Isaiah heard the voice of the Lord, directed towards him, Whom shall I send, and who will go to this people? Isaiah answered, Here am I, send me (Is 6:1 ff). And the Lord sent him to the Jews to exhort them to turn from the ways of impiety and idol worship, and to offer repentance. To those that repent and turn to the true God, the Lord promised mercy and forgiveness, but punishment and the judgment of God are appointed for the unrepentant. Then Isaiah asked the Lord, how long would the falling away of the Jewish nation from God continue.

The Lord answered, Until the cities be deserted, by reason of there being no people, and the land shall be made desolate. Just as when a tree be felled and from the stump come forth new shoots, so also from the destruction of the nation a holy remnant will remain, from which will emerge a new tribe. Isaiah left behind him a book of prophecy in which he denounces the Jews for their unfaithfulness to the God of their Fathers.

He predicted the captivity of the Jews and their return from captivity during the time of the emperor Cyrus, the destruction and renewal of Jerusalem and of the Temple. Together with this he predicts the historical fate also of the other nations bordering the Jews. But what is most important of all for us, the Prophet Isaiah with particular clarity and detail prophesies about the coming of the Messiah, Christ the Savior. The prophet names the Messiah as God and Man, teacher of all the nations, founder of the Kingdom of peace and love. The prophet foretells the birth of the Messiah from a Virgin, and with particular clarity he describes the Suffering of the Messiah for the sins of the world.

He foresees His Resurrection and the universal spreading of His Church. By his clear foretelling of Christ the Savior, the Prophet Isaiah deserves to be called an Old Testament Evangelist. To him belong the words, He beareth our sins and is smitten for us.... He was wounded for our sins and tortured for our transgressions. The chastisement of our world was upon Him, and by His wounds we were healed.... (Is 53:4-5. Vide Isaiah: 7:14, 11:1, 9:6, 53:4, 60:13, etc.). The holy Prophet Isaiah had also a gift of wonderworking. And so, when during the time of a siege of Jerusalem by enemies the besieged had become exhausted with thirst, he by his prayer drew out from beneath Mount Sion a spring of water, which was called Siloam, i.e. sent from God.  It was to this spring afterwards that the Savior sent the man blind from birth to wash, and He restored his sight.

By the prayer of the Prophet Isaiah, the Lord prolonged the life of Hezekiah for 15 years. The Prophet Isaiah died a martyr's death. By order of the Jewish king Manasseh he was sawn through by a wood-saw. The prophet was buried not far from the Pool of Siloam. The relics of the holy Prophet Isaiah were afterwards transferred by the emperor Theodosius the Younger to Constantinople and installed in the church of St Laurence at Blachernae. At the present time part of the head of the Prophet Isaiah is preserved at Athos in the Hilandar monastery. For the times and the events which occurred during the life of the Prophet Isaiah, see the 4th Book of Kings [alt. 2 Kings] (Ch 16, 17, 19, 20, 23, etc.), and likewise 2 Chr: 26-32).

Reference: O.C.A.

Orthodox Icon of Isaiah the Prophet. (2) Copy of an icon of 14 cent. Monastery of Dionysiou, Mount Athos.

NOTICE: the sizes of the icon are NOT exact.

Commemorated May 9th.

The Holy Prophet Isaiah lived 700 years before the birth of Christ, and was of royal lineage. Isaiah's father Amos raised his son in the fear of God and in the law of the Lord. Having attained the age of maturity, the Prophet Isaiah entered into marriage with a pious prophetess (Is 8:3) and had a son Jashub (Is 8:18). St Isaiah was called to prophetic service during the reign of Oziah [Uzziah], king of Judea, and he prophesied for 60 years during the reign of kings Joatham, Achaz [Ahaz], Hezekiah and Manasseh.

The start of his service was marked by the following vision: he beheld the Lord God, sitting in a majestic heavenly temple upon a high throne. Six-winged Seraphim encircled Him. With two wings they covered their faces, and with two wings they covered their feet, and with two wings they flew about crying out one to another, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord Sabaoth, heaven and earth are filled with His glory!

The pillars of the heavenly temple shook from their shouts, and in the temple arose the smoke of incense. The prophet cried out in terror, Oh, an accursed man am I, granted to behold the Lord Sabaoth, and having impure lips and living amidst an impure people! Then was sent him one of the Seraphim, having in hand a red-hot coal, which he took with tongs from the altar of the Lord. He touched it to the mouth of the Prophet Isaiah and said, Lo, this has touched thy lips, and will take away with thine iniquities, and will cleanse thy sins.

After this Isaiah heard the voice of the Lord, directed towards him, Whom shall I send, and who will go to this people? Isaiah answered, Here am I, send me (Is 6:1 ff). And the Lord sent him to the Jews to exhort them to turn from the ways of impiety and idol worship, and to offer repentance. To those that repent and turn to the true God, the Lord promised mercy and forgiveness, but punishment and the judgment of God are appointed for the unrepentant. Then Isaiah asked the Lord, how long would the falling away of the Jewish nation from God continue.

The Lord answered, Until the cities be deserted, by reason of there being no people, and the land shall be made desolate. Just as when a tree be felled and from the stump come forth new shoots, so also from the destruction of the nation a holy remnant will remain, from which will emerge a new tribe. Isaiah left behind him a book of prophecy in which he denounces the Jews for their unfaithfulness to the God of their Fathers.

He predicted the captivity of the Jews and their return from captivity during the time of the emperor Cyrus, the destruction and renewal of Jerusalem and of the Temple. Together with this he predicts the historical fate also of the other nations bordering the Jews. But what is most important of all for us, the Prophet Isaiah with particular clarity and detail prophesies about the coming of the Messiah, Christ the Savior. The prophet names the Messiah as God and Man, teacher of all the nations, founder of the Kingdom of peace and love. The prophet foretells the birth of the Messiah from a Virgin, and with particular clarity he describes the Suffering of the Messiah for the sins of the world.

He foresees His Resurrection and the universal spreading of His Church. By his clear foretelling of Christ the Savior, the Prophet Isaiah deserves to be called an Old Testament Evangelist. To him belong the words, He beareth our sins and is smitten for us.... He was wounded for our sins and tortured for our transgressions. The chastisement of our world was upon Him, and by His wounds we were healed.... (Is 53:4-5. Vide Isaiah: 7:14, 11:1, 9:6, 53:4, 60:13, etc.). The holy Prophet Isaiah had also a gift of wonderworking. And so, when during the time of a siege of Jerusalem by enemies the besieged had become exhausted with thirst, he by his prayer drew out from beneath Mount Sion a spring of water, which was called Siloam, i.e. sent from God. It was to this spring afterwards that the Savior sent the man blind from birth to wash, and He restored his sight.

By the prayer of the Prophet Isaiah, the Lord prolonged the life of Hezekiah for 15 years. The Prophet Isaiah died a martyr's death. By order of the Jewish king Manasseh he was sawn through by a wood-saw. The prophet was buried not far from the Pool of Siloam. The relics of the holy Prophet Isaiah were afterwards transferred by the emperor Theodosius the Younger to Constantinople and installed in the church of St Laurence at Blachernae. At the present time part of the head of the Prophet Isaiah is preserved at Athos in the Hilandar monastery. For the times and the events which occurred during the life of the Prophet Isaiah, see the 4th Book of Kings [alt. 2 Kings] (Ch 16, 17, 19, 20, 23, etc.), and likewise 2 Chr: 26-32).

Reference: O.C.A.

Orthodox icon of Patriarch Jacob.

Commemorated the 2nd Sunday before Christmas.

Orthodox Icon of Prophet Jeremiah, Jeremy.

Commemorated May 1st.

The Holy Prophet Jeremiah, one of the four great Old Testament prophets, was son of the priest Helkiah from the city of Anathoth near Jerusalem, and he lived 600 years before the Birth of Christ, under the Israelite king Josiah and four of his successors. He was called to prophetic service at the age of fifteen, when the Lord revealed to him that even before his birth the Lord had chosen him to be a prophet. Jeremiah refused, citing his youth and lack of skill at speaking, but the Lord promised to be always with him and to watch over him. He touched the mouth of the chosen one and said, Behold, I have put My words into your mouth. Behold, I have appointed you this day over nations and kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, to destroy and to rebuild, and to plant (Jer. 1:9-10).

From that time Jeremiah prophesied for twenty-three years, denouncing the Jews for abandoning the true God and worshipping idols, predicting sorrows and devastating wars. He stood by the gates of the city, and at the entrance to the Temple, everywhere where the people gathered, and he exhorted them with imprecations and often with tears. The people, however, mocked and abused him, and they even tried to kill him.

Depicting for the Jews their impending enslavement to the king of Babylon, Jeremiah first placed on his own neck a wooden, and then an iron yoke, and thus he went about among the people. Enraged at the dire predictions of the prophet, the Jewish elders threw the Prophet Jeremiah into a pit filled with horrid, slimy creatures, where he almost died. Through the intercession of the God-fearing royal official Habdemelek, the prophet was pulled out of the pit, but he did not cease his prophecies, and for this he was carted off to prison.

Under the Jewish king Zedekiah his prophecy was fulfilled. Nebuchadnezzar came, slaughtered many people, carried off a remnant into captivity, and Jerusalem was pillaged and destroyed. Nebuchadnezzar released the prophet from prison and permitted him to live where he wanted. The prophet remained at the ruins of Jerusalem and bewailed his nation's misfortune. According to Tradition, the Prophet Jeremiah took the Ark of the Covenant with the Tablets of the Law and hid it in one of the caves of Mount Nabath (Nebo), so that the Jews could no longer find it (2 Mac. 2).

Afterwards, a new Ark of the Covenant was fashioned, but it lacked the glory of the first. Among the Jews remaining in their fatherland there soon arose internecine clashes: Hodoliah, Nebuchadnezzar's viceroy, was murdered. The Jews, fearing the wrath of Babylon, decided to flee into Egypt. The Prophet Jeremiah disagreed with their intention, predicting that the punishment which they feared would befall them in Egypt. The Jews would not listen to the prophet, however, and taking him along by force, they went into Egypt and settled in the city of Tathnis. There the prophet lived for four years and was respected by the Egyptians, because by his prayers he killed crocodiles and other creatures infesting these parts.

When Jeremiah prophesied that the King of Babylon would invade Egypt and annihilate the Jews living there, the Jews murdered him. In that very same year the saint's prophecy was fulfilled. There is a tradition that 250 years later, Alexander the Great transported the relics of the holy Prophet Jeremiah to Alexandria.

The Prophet Jeremiah wrote his Book of Prophecies and also the Book of Lamentations about the desolation of Jerusalem and the Exile. The times in which he lived and prophesied are described in 4/2 Kings (Ch. 23-25) and in the Second Book of Chronicles (36:12) and in 2 Maccabbees (Ch. 2). In the Gospel of Matthew it is said that the betrayal of Judas was foretold by the Prophet Jeremiah,

And they took thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom the sons of Israel had set a price, and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord directed me(Mt. 27:9-10). Perhaps Jeremiah 32:6-15 is meant. Even after his death, the Prophet Jeremiah was regarded as a wonderworker. Dust from his tomb was believed to cure snake-bite, and many Christians pray to him for this purpose.

Reference: O.C.A.

Orthodox icon of the "Extreme Humility"(1).  Copy of an icon of 17 cent. Monastery of St. Stephan, Greece.

Commemorated on Holy Friday.

In the icon of the Extreme Humility, the nakedness of the body, the closed eyes, the open sarcophagus, the Cross, the instruments of the Passion, the wounds in the hands and the ribs and the hair down, consist the inclusion of the Holy Passion and forewarn the Resurrection.The Cross comprises the symbol of triumph of the Extreme Humility, the victory of immortality and life, and hope and salvation for the orthodox Christian.

The Theological Interpretation: The composition, while it is connected with the element of glory in a way that one illumines and completes the other one. The Humility of Christ is not meant in pietisitic, psychological or moral terms. Christ is not humbled to reach a moral perfection or for His own benefit. • His humility is emptiness, it is the pouring out of Himself and it is understood under the existential terms. He freely takes the human nature, except sin, and reaches the edge of death to heal it and deify it.

The icon of The Extreme Humility is the symbol of the Passion, which leads to the ultimate humility of Christ, with the ignominious death on the Cross, which He endured for the sake of human kind. He thus reaches at perfect condescension, into the absolute self-denial. Death is the ultimate enemy, who entered the life of man because of sin, because of his separation from God. Therefore, Christ comes as the Savior and gives his battle on the Cross as a King. His rule can only be nothing but servitude, since the king has become a servant out of love: "just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20: 28)

Orthodox icon of Jesus Christ "The Holy Vine" (1). Contemporary icon

Christ said to His disciples, "I am the vine and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that bears no fruit he takes away, and every branch of mine that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit." (John 15:1-2).

This Orthodox icon first appeared in the 15th century. Christ sits as though He is enthroned at the bifurcation point of the vine's branches. He has an open Gospel on His knees. His arms are raised high giving a benediction with both hands. Branching out from the trunk of the vine are twelve shoots where the Apostles sit on the branches. Peter and Paul are closest to Christ. They hold either a book or a scroll.

Orthodox icon of Jesus Christ "The Holy Vine" (2). Copy of an icon of 16th cent.

Orthodox icon of Jesus Christ "The Vine" or the "Tree of Life" (3). Copy of an icon of 13 cent. Benaki Museum Athens

Christ said to His disciples, "I am the vine and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that bears no fruit he takes away, and every branch of mine that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit." (John 15:1-2).

This Orthodox icon first appeared in the 15th century. Christ sits as though He is enthroned at the bifurcation point of the vine's branches. He has an open Gospel on His knees. His arms are raised high giving a benediction with both hands. Branching out from the trunk of the vine are twelve shoots where the Apostles sit on the branches. Peter and Paul are closest to Christ. They hold either a book or a scroll.

Orthodox icon of Jesus Christ "The Vine" or the "Tree of Life" (4). Copy of an icon of 1664, Venice Italy

Christ said to His disciples, "I am the vine and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that bears no fruit he takes away, and every branch of mine that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit." (John 15:1-2).

This Orthodox icon first appeared in the 15th century. Christ sits as though He is enthroned at the bifurcation point of the vine's branches. He has an open Gospel on His knees. His arms are raised high giving a benediction with both hands. Branching out from the trunk of the vine are twelve shoots where the Apostles sit on the branches. 

Orthodox icon of Jesus Christ "Blessing" Painted by Theophanis the Cretan, 16th cent., Iviron Monastery, Mount Athos. by Theophanis the Cretan.

Icon of Christ Pantocrator depicts Christ in a full frontal image holding a book in His left hand (the Gospels or the Book of Life). His right hand is raised in blessing or teaching. In some versions the Greek letters IC and XC are present, representing the Christogram "Jesus Christ." Some say his fingers form those letters.

Orthodox icon of Jesus Christ "Blessing" (1-2)

Orthodox icon of our Savior Jesus Christ "Blessing" (10). Copy of a contemporary icon.

Orthodox Icon of Christ "Blessing"(2).

In this icon our Jesus Christ is giving benediction and holding a Gospel book is one of the oldest iconographic types of Orthodox Icons of Christ. The dark red gown with a golden band around the shoulder indicates Christ's divine royalty. His human nature is symbolized by the dark blue color of the outergarment whose folds shine with gleams of light.

Orthodox Icon of Christ "Blessing"(2).

In this icon our Jesus Christ is giving benediction and holding a Gospel book is one of the oldest iconographic types of Orthodox Icons of Christ. The dark red gown with a golden band around the shoulder indicates Christ's divine royalty. His human nature is symbolized by the dark blue color of the outergarment whose folds shine with gleams of light.