While most Catholics are aware of the split between the Orthodox and Roman churches, few know that there are at least seventeen Eastern churches that have reunited with Rome. These churches have maintained their rich traditions including music and art as well as a distinctively Eastern form of the liturgy.
The Language of Sacred Symbols
The symbolism found in icons has not changed for hundreds of years. Every color, gesture and object included in an icon is present for a specific reason. Because the icon is meant to be a link between earth and heaven, it does not contain the common scenery and shadows that we expect in classical Western art. The background in icons is usually gold, symbolizing the light of God shining on the subject to reveal its theological significance.
Other symbols can be found that are common to different icons: Images of Mary usually contain two stars representing her virginity before and after the birth of Christ. Images of St. Anna, the mother of Mary, usually depict her holding Mary who is holding a flower, which symbolizes Christ. Martyrs are depicted wearing red robes or holding a cross.
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A Long and Glorious History
Because of the rarity of Eastern rite churches in the United States, especially once you get away from the east coast, most Catholics never have the opportunity to attend the Divine Liturgy. However, Catholics can easily learn more about the Eastern churches through the art of the icon.
Tradition holds that St. Luke the Evangelist painted the first icon, the Theotokos of Vladimir, which is still in existence although only the faces are original.
Icons began to appear in churches near the end of the third century and by the end of the fifth century were found throughout Eastern Christendom.
During the eighth century a movement to ban icons from the Church grew, partly because of abuses in the veneration of icons and partly in response to the growing influence of Islam which prohibited the use of any images in worship.
The controversy was resolved at the 7th Ecumenical Council in 787 where the Church declared that icons were legitimate expressions of religious art and that icons were not to be worshipped but only venerated because of the images they portrayed.
Not Just a Picture
Unlike Western Catholic art, which has taken many forms depending on the age and artist, icons have maintained the same look and symbolism for two thousand years. An icon is not just a picture; it is a theological statement about the subject being portrayed. If an iconographer changes the basic structure of the icon, he changes the theological meaning of the icon as well. The Seventh Ecumenical Council, which addressed the iconoclast heresies, decreed that the manner and form of icons must follow strict rules to maintain the theological purity that they were supposed to portray.
In the Eastern tradition, the iconographer is actually a conduit for the Holy Spirit who uses the iconographer to” write” an icon. Making a true icon involves fasting, prayer and meditation upon the subject both before and during the writing process. The iconographer does not attempt to create a realistic scene as in the Western tradition; instead he attempts to create a work of art that will move the viewer closer to God when he meditates upon the icon. The simplicity of the icon and the obvious symbolism portrayed in the picture helps the viewer to see the holiness and mystery of the scene instead of being distracted by non-essential details or embellishments as in Western painting.
