Icoana ortodoxă și taina Întrupării Cuvântului. Însemnări pentru o iconologie misionară
The Orthodox Icon and the Mystery of the Incarnation of the Word: Notes for a Missionary Iconolog

Summary/Abstract: The present study explores the Orthodox icon in relation to the Mystery of the Incarnation of the Word of God, understood as the theological foundation of Christian iconography. The approach integrates both patristic perspectives - especially those of Saint John of Damascus and Saint Theodore the Studite - and contributions of modern Orthodox theologians such as Saint Dumitru Stăniloae, Patriarch Daniel of Romania, Leonid Uspensky, and Serghei Bulgakov. The article highlights the principal theological, liturgical, and symbolic foundations of Orthodox iconography in the context of the Church’s need to respond to contemporary cultural, confessional, and missionary challenges. Particular attention is given to the symbolism and specificity of the traditional Orthodox iconography of Christ and the Theotokos, as well as to its distinction from certain Western religious representations of a naturalistic or sentimentalist type. The study also seeks to offer a concise theological and missionary guide for priests, theology students, religious educators, and believers interested in understanding the significance of the icon within the Orthodox tradition. The analysis is accompanied by relevant iconographic and comparative images mostly selected from publicly available online sources.

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