Icons

Orthodox icon of Theotokos with Prophets. Contemporary icon.

In this icon we have Theotokos holding Christ and be surrounding by all the Prophets of the Old Testament that they prophesied about her. From the left counter and clockwise are: Prophet Daniel, Prophet Jacob, Prophet Isaiah, Prophet Aaron, Prophet Solomon, Prophet Jeremiah, Prophet Abbakoum, Prophet Gideon, Prophet Ezekiel and Prophet Moses.

Orthodox icon of our Most Holy Theotokos surrounded by Prophets (2).

The Prophets are : Moses, Aaron, Jacob and Isaiah. Icon of the 17 cent. Monastery of Saint Catherine, Sinai.

Orthodox icon of the 3rd Finding of the Haed of Saint John the Baptist. Icon of 14th cent., Monastery of Megisti Lavra Mount Athos.

Commemorated May 25th.

The Third Discovery of the Venerable Head of the Holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John occurred in about the year 850 (see the account of the First and Second Discoveries on February 24). The head of St John the Forerunner was found in the city of Emesia during a time of unrest at Constantinople connected with the exile of St John Chrysostom (November 13).

It was transferred to Komana during the Saracen raids (about 820-820) and it was hidden in the ground during a period of iconoclastic persecution. When the veneration of icons was restored, Patriarch Ignatius (847-857) saw in a vision the place where the head of St John the Forerunner was hidden. The patriarch communicated this to the emperor, who sent a delegation to Komana.

There the head was found a third time arond the year 850. Afterwards the head was again transferred to Constantinople, and here on May 25 it was placed in a church at the court. Part of the head is on Mt. Athos. The Third Discovery of the Head of John the Baptist is commemorated on May 25.

Orthodox icon of Three Hierarchs (Hierarchs) (1): Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom.

Commemorated January 30.

The Icon of the Three Holy Hierarchs shows a meeting together of three of the greatest theologians in the Church's history: Ss Basil the Great, John Chyrstostom, and Gregory the Theologian. The icon show all three in unity vested in there vestments as Bishops. Saint Basil has dark hair with a long, pointed beard; Saint John is recognized by his high forehead and tuft of hair in the centre of his head; Saint Gregory is bearded with white hair.

This celebration stems from a dispute about who was the the greatest of the Orthodox teachers: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom. One night in te midst of this dispute the three holy Hierarchs appeared in a dream to Saint John Mauropus, the Metropolitan of Euchaïta speaking with a single voice, they said: As you see, the three of us are with God and no discord or rivalry divides us. Each of us, according to the circumstances and according to the inspiration that he received from the Holy Spirit, wrote and taught what befits the salvation of mankind.

There is not among us a first, a second or a third, and if you invoke one of us the other two are immediately present with him. Therefore, tell those who are quarreling not to create divisions in the Church because of us, for when we were on earth we spared no effort to re-establish unity and concord in the world. You can conjoin our three commemorations in one feast and compose a service for it, inserting the hymns dedicated to each of us according to the skill and knowledge that God has given you. "

This common feast of these three teachers was instituted a little before the year 1100.

Orthodox icon of Thee Hierarchs Saint Basil, Saint John the Chrysostom and Saint Gregory the Theologian (2). Icon of 14th cent.

Commemorated January 30.

Orthodox icon of Three Hierarchs (Hierarchs) (3): Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom.

Commemorated January 30.

The Icon of the Three Holy Hierarchs shows a meeting together of three of the greatest theologians in the Church's history: Ss Basil the Great, John Chyrstostom, and Gregory the Theologian. The icon show all three in unity vested in there vestments as Bishops. Saint Basil has dark hair with a long, pointed beard; Saint John is recognized by his high forehead and tuft of hair in the centre of his head; Saint Gregory is bearded with white hair.

This celebration stems from a dispute about who was the the greatest of the Orthodox teachers: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom. One night in te midst of this dispute the three holy Hierarchs appeared in a dream to Saint John Mauropus, the Metropolitan of Euchaïta speaking with a single voice, they said: As you see, the three of us are with God and no discord or rivalry divides us. Each of us, according to the circumstances and according to the inspiration that he received from the Holy Spirit, wrote and taught what befits the salvation of mankind.

There is not among us a first, a second or a third, and if you invoke one of us the other two are immediately present with him. Therefore, tell those who are quarreling not to create divisions in the Church because of us, for when we were on earth we spared no effort to re-establish unity and concord in the world. You can conjoin our three commemorations in one feast and compose a service for it, inserting the hymns dedicated to each of us according to the skill and knowledge that God has given you. "

This common feast of these three teachers was instituted a little before the year 1100.

Contemporary orthodox icon of the Transfiguration of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ.

Commemorated August 6th.

The event portrayed in this Orthodox icon is recorded in Scripture (Matthew 17:1,  Mark 9:2 , Luke 9:28 ). Jesus took three of His trusted disciples, Peter, James, and John, to the top of Mount Tabor. There the full glory of His divinity was revealed to them. Jesus was transfigured. His face shone like the sun, and His garments became glistening white. Moses and Elijah appeared with Christ.

A bright cloud overshadowed them and a voice came from the cloud saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him." Hearing this the disciples fell on their faces filled with awe. Jesus came to them and told them to not be afraid. This divine light that the disciples witnessed is the divine light of which we all can become partakers. We are to strive to purify ourselves so we will become worthy of God's grace to be united with Him like the disciples were on Mount Tabor.

Gregory Palamas says: "Let us, considering the Mystery of the Transfiguration of the Lord in accord with their teaching, strive to be illumined by this Light ourselves and encourage in ourselves love and striving towards the Unfading Glory and Beauty, purifying our spiritual eyes of worldly thoughts and refraining from perishable and quickly passing delights and beauty which darken the garb of the soul and lead to the fire of Gehenna and everlasting darkness. Let us be freed from these by the illumination and knowledge of the incorporeal and ever-existing Light of our Savior transfigured on Tabor, in His Glory, and of His Father from all eternity, and His Life-Creating Spirit, Whom are One Radiance, One Godhead, and Glory, and Kingdom, and Power now and ever and unto ages of ages." 

Orthodox icon the Transfiguration of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2). This is a copy of an icon painted by Theophanes the Cretan around 1535, Monastery of Sravronikita Mount Athos.

Celebrated on the 6th of August.

This event is one of the twelve major feast days of the Orthodox Church. It is recounted in the Synoptic Gospels, (Matthew 17:1, Mark 9:2 , Luke 9:28 ) In this icon Christ is the center and focus of the image, his hand held in a blessing, eyes directed at us. His clothes are depicted white as light as the Gospel writers describe, and the glory of God overshadowing the scene is shown by the mandorla around his body. From His body, shafts of light are shown radiating out from Christ.

Elijah (2.) and Moses (3.) stand at the top of separate mountain peaks to the left and right of Christ. They are bowing toward Christ with their right hands raised in a gesture of intercession towards Him. Saint John Chrysostom explains the presence of these two fathers of the faith from the Old Testament in three ways. He states that they represent the Law and the Prophets (Moses received the Law from God, and Elijah was a great prophet); they both experienced visions of God (Moses on Mount Sinai and Elijah on Mount Carmel); and they represent the living and the dead (Elijah, the living, because he was taken up into heaven by a chariot of fire, and Moses, the dead, because he did experience death).

Below Christ are the three Apostles, who by their posture in the icon show their response to the transfiguration of Christ (4.). James has fallen over backwards with his hands over his eyes. John in the center has fallen prostrate. Peter is kneeling and raises his right hand toward Christ in a gesture expressing his desire to build the three booths. The garments of the Apostles are in a state of disarray as to indicate the dramatic impact the vision has had on them. This event shows forth the divinity of Christ, so that the disciples would understand after his Ascension that He was truly the radiant splendor of the Father, and that his Passion was voluntary (Mark 9:2-9). It also shows the possibility of our own theosis.

Contemporary orthodox icon of the Transfiguration of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ (3). Copy if an icon of Theophanis, Mount Athos 16 cent.

Commemorated August 6th.

The event portrayed in this Orthodox icon is recorded in Scripture (Matthew 17:1,  Mark 9:2 , Luke 9:28 ). Jesus took three of His trusted disciples, Peter, James, and John, to the top of Mount Tabor. There the full glory of His divinity was revealed to them. Jesus was transfigured. His face shone like the sun, and His garments became glistening white. Moses and Elijah appeared with Christ.

A bright cloud overshadowed them and a voice came from the cloud saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him." Hearing this the disciples fell on their faces filled with awe. Jesus came to them and told them to not be afraid. This divine light that the disciples witnessed is the divine light of which we all can become partakers. We are to strive to purify ourselves so we will become worthy of God's grace to be united with Him like the disciples were on Mount Tabor.

Gregory Palamas says: "Let us, considering the Mystery of the Transfiguration of the Lord in accord with their teaching, strive to be illumined by this Light ourselves and encourage in ourselves love and striving towards the Unfading Glory and Beauty, purifying our spiritual eyes of worldly thoughts and refraining from perishable and quickly passing delights and beauty which darken the garb of the soul and lead to the fire of Gehenna and everlasting darkness. Let us be freed from these by the illumination and knowledge of the incorporeal and ever-existing Light of our Savior transfigured on Tabor, in His Glory, and of His Father from all eternity, and His Life-Creating Spirit, Whom are One Radiance, One Godhead, and Glory, and Kingdom, and Power now and ever and unto ages of ages." 

Orthodox icon of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ in gold foil (GF)

Please note that because of the gold in the icon and the reflexion, the photos are NOT so good. 

Medium Diptych, with the icons of Christ and Theotokos, 5" X 2"3/4

Icon Diptych, with icon and Filakto, 4" X 1"5/8.