👉🏾👉🏾👉🏾How Are #Holy#Icons Described in the #Orthodox Tewahedo Church?
(Part 3)
Beloved, hear the wisdom of the Scriptures and the tradition of the holy Church. For the matter of sacred images is not a thing invented by man’s imagination, nor the vain carving of wood and stone. It is rooted in the divine command, shown forth in the Law and the Prophets, and confirmed by the Holy Fathers in council.
The Origin of Sacred Images in Scripture
From the earliest days, the Lord Himself instructed His servants to fashion images for His glory. Did He not say to His prophet Ezekiel: “And you, son of man, take a brick and lay it before you, and draw a picture of the city of Jerusalem, and surround it” (Ezekiel 4:1)? By this command, God Himself set forth the use of representation for instruction and remembrance.
When the Ark of the Covenant was made, God commanded Moses: “And you shall make one cherub on one side of the mercy seat, and another cherub on the other side… and their wings shall overshadow the mercy seat” (Exodus 25). These were not idols, but living witnesses carved in form, proclaiming that the God who cannot be seen nevertheless allows His servants to use images as shadows and signs of heavenly mysteries.
Likewise, in the building of Solomon’s Temple, two mighty cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits high, were set within the Most Holy Place. Their wings stretched from one wall to another, touching in the midst, covered with gold, and surrounded with palm trees and blossoms (1 Kings 6:23–29).Here we see that even divine worship in ancient times included sacred imagery, not as objects of worship themselves, but as vessels of remembrance and instruction.
Sacred Images in the Early Church
From the beginning, Christians followed this example. In caves and hidden places, they painted the stories of Scripture, showing forth the lives of the saints, the martyrs, and the mighty works of God. By these images, the faithful were instructed and the memory of the righteous preserved.
By the eighth century, a dispute arose among Christians over the use of holy icons. Two extremes appeared:
Iconolatry: those who revered images excessively, treating them almost as gods.
Iconomachy: those who rejected images entirely, wishing to remove them from worship.
The conflict continued until the Second Council of Nicaea in 787,To heal this wound, the Holy Spirit gathered the Fathers at the Second Council of Nicaea in 787. There it was declared that holy icons are to be kept, honored. The images of Christ, the Theotokos, angels, prophets, apostles, martyrs, and righteous people are to be honored, not worshipped, as they reveal God’s glory (Pillar of Faith, ch. 13).
The Canon of Holy Icons
Holy icons are not made at random, nor according to the vain imaginations of men. They are painted by those called by God, following the canonical order of the Church. Tradition holds that the first image of the Crucifixion of Christ was painted by the holy Evangelist John himself for Emperor Tiberius.
The making of an image begins in prayer. The artist, before laying down even a single line, implores God for wisdom and grace. For it is not mere skill but divine gift that fashions a true holy icon.
Even the colors are chosen not by whim, but by sacred meaning:
Red symbolizes the blood of martyrdom, the struggle and sacrifice of the saints.
White proclaims purity and resurrection, fitting for Christ risen and for the Virgin taken up in glory.
Blue declares the eternal divinity of God, seen in the image of the Holy Trinity.
The size of an icon may vary small for prayer books, grand for the walls of a temple but in every place it must be treated with reverence.
Continues 👇🏾