Orthodox icon, medium and the mystical way of communion of man with God through the Holy Spirit. Part I: In the beginning was the Icon
Orthodox icon, medium and the mystical way of communion of man with God through the Holy Spirit. Part I: In the beginning was the Icon

Summary/Abstract: The icon is a common heritage of the western and eastern church. In the western and Protestant church it does not play a special role, but only an aesthetic one. The icon is and represents a complex theology because in the eastern church the meaning of the icon is not limited to the historical or aesthetic aspects. People should understand that an icon doesn’t have an ornamental role because it reveals us the truth of God. The eastern tradition confirms that the icon was from the beginning an important part of our former confession and even apostle Lukas has painted an icon. Many other deliverances mention the existence of a former cult of the Christians also including the icons. The gospel of Jesus had to be proclaimed. But how? We should now think of the people who were not able to read because for them the icons played a special role. When someone looks at an orthodox icon he can easily recognize that the most important task of the painter was not the color or the appearance of the image but the proclamation of the word of God and his true teachings. An orthodox icon does not show how great, beautiful or powerful the body of a Saint was, also not what kind of colors the painter has used but the faith, the humility and holiness of the Saint. Therefore there are no statues in the cult of the orthodox church. The early Christians who went to a church or had an icon at home had the best opportunity to get to know the real life of the depicted Saints and to take them as a model and to follow them in faith. In the orthodox church there are several essential functions of the icon. The most important functions of an icon in the orthodox church are: liturgical, pedagogical, theological and artistic. Most orthodox believers have icons at home often arranged in a corner in the living room at the eastern wall. One day God will appear in the East to judge the world.

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