“The language of icons must be learned before the beholder can understand and be touched by them. There are no shadows in icons, as there are none in the kingdom of God. There is no attempt to make the person in the icon look "real," as in much Western religious art. Intentionally, the figure is distorted so it cannot be confused with a real person. Thus, the eyes are large and luminous, for they have seen the glory of God. The nose is narrow, the mouth small, because the presence of God has lessened the need for sensual satisfaction. Halos surround the figures, not as the "flat pancakes" of other religious art, but as essential parts of the person.” (Angell-Torosian, 1990)

"Icon" comes from the Greek word meaning image. The icon is an image, a "window to heaven". The worshipper focuses not on what is seen in the icon but what is seen through it: the love of God, expressed through it. (Angell-Torosian, 1990)

According to Eastern tradition, the first iconographer was St. Luke. Icons are painted according to ancient traditional formulas. Iconographers spend time in prayer and fasting in preparation to paint an icon. One of the rules of icon painting is that you can only portray a person or event mentioned in the Bible or held to be true by church doctrine. Mary's death for instance, is not mentioned in the Bible, but Orthodox doctrine holds that Jesus did deliver Mary's immaculate soul to heaven.

“There are also rules about color. Iconographers use a lot of gold because it is the bearer of divine light. It is the eminence of God, it's God's light. Icons are said to project a "bright sadness." Icons are painted with a royal pallet of blue, wine colors, gold and deep green, all very jewel like, strong and vivid colors. In true Byzantine icon painting everything is paint ed dark. And the colors are added - layers get lighter and lighter until the artist adds detail in white.” (Morphew, 1997)

“In the eighth century Orthodox believers were accused of worshipping icons. Emperors and non-Orthodox struck out against icons, which date to the Christian Roman Empire in the fourth century. Demonstrations broke out at Orthodox churches. Icons were taken from churches and destroyed. If officials found icons in homes, they were taken away and destroyed. For 120 years this iconoclastic period continued until a kindly empress, Theodora, reinstated icons as a legitimate object for use in the Divine Liturgy and in private devotions.” (Morphew, 1997)

Icons have risen once again from years of communist suppression. The Eastern Orthodox monks of St. Isaac of Syria Skete at Boscobel, Wisconsin have collected over 500 icon images from around the world. They reproduce the icons and mount them on birch wood. Though they have a policy against marketing and selling unmounted prints, for a donation they will send samples.

The work of modern iconographer Robert Lentz may be obtained through either Bridge Building Images or Trinity Stores. Lentz's contemporary icons are startling in their array of images and symbols from all cultures. The icons come in holy cards, plaques, meditation cards, note cards, poster and photo formats. The holy cards measure 3 1/2" by 5". (Pl. 32-34)   Also in this contemporary style of iconography are the cards created by Jesuit iconographer William Hart McNichols of Albuquerque, New Mexico. (Pl. 35)  Trinity Stores are the exclusive distributor of Fr. William Hart McNichols art.

Today the monks of Holy Protection Monastery in Geneva, Nebraska make holy cards of any of the over 130 icon subjects painted by master iconographer Brother Simeon. The icons may be purchased as unmounted prints. (Pl. 36) Some questions have risen about the orthodoxy of the founder of this monastery but the images remain popular anyhow, even among Catholics.

Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Brookline, MA has what could be considered one of the finest line of traditional icon holy cards on the market. The monks of HTM offer a nice variety of images, many of saints, and the cards come as small paper prints or laminated.