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From the first centuries of Christianity, icons have been used for prayer. Orthodox Tradition tells us, for example, of the existence of an icon of the Christ during his lifetime, the [[Image Not-made-by-hands|Icon-Not-Made-With-Hands]], and of the [[icons of the Theotokos]] immediately after him written by the All-laudable [[Apostle Luke|Apostle and Evangelist Luke]].
=== Egyptian death masksIcon made by Jesus===HistoricallyDuring the time of the earthly ministry of the Savior, Abgar, ruler in the icon is thought to be a descendant Syrian city of Edessa, was afflicted with leprosy. Reports of the Egyptian death masks that were painted on mummies wrapped great miracles performed by the Lord extended throughout Syria (Matt. 4:24) and as far as Arabia at this time. Although not having seen the Lord, Abgar believed in strips him and wrote a letter requesting Christ to come and heal him. Abgar sent his court painter, Ananias, with this letter to Palestine telling him to paint an image of glue and powered gypsum soaked linenthe Divine Teacher. This led Ananias was not able go to near Christ because of the traditional icon painting technique great many people listening to his preaching. He attempted to produce an image of gluing linen on the Lord Jesus Christ from afar, but could not. The Lord called Ananias and promised to send his disciple in order to heal Abgar from the leprosy and instruct him in salvation. Then the Lord called for water and a board, gessoing ittowel. He wiped His face with the towel, and painting on itwas His Divine Image. The Christian icon also inherited Savior sent the cultic task towel and a letter to Edessa back with Ananias. With thanksgiving Abgar received the sacred objects and started healing. He continued healing until the arrival of the ritual mask and exalted this taskdisciple Thaddeus, Apostle of the 70. The task that revealed Apostle preached the deified spirit of Gospel and baptized the deceased resting Abgar and all living in eternityEdessa. The spiritual essence story is recorded by the 4th century Church historian, Eusebius of the old Cult was transfigured into a new cultural image manifesting itself more perfectly than the oldCesarea.
===Icons made by Apostle Luke===
Apostle Luke painted icons of the Most-holy Theotokos—not just one, but three—as well as icons of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.
St. Luke wrote the first icon, of the Most Holy Theotokos Directress or Hodigitria, mentioned in the Paraklesis to the Theotokos:
:Your great icon, the sacred one
:Which is called Directress,
:And was depicted for us
:By one of the apostles,
:Luke the Evangelist.
:—The Service of the Small Paraklesis (GOARCH)
===Icons with unknown author===
There are several icons with unknown author that were found done after people were praying. One such example is [http://ro.orthodoxwiki.org/Icoana_Maicii_Domnului_Prodromi%C5%A3a Prodomitra icon.] The first draft was not liked by the icon writer and he prayed for help and he found the icon done.
Another example is the icon of Saint George and in this example several monks did not agree on the patron Saint of their Church. They asked God for decision letting an empty icon support in the Church and praying for God to show the Patron Saint. After several days of prayer they did find an icon of Saint George already painted in the Church.
Third example is the icon done in Pangheo Mountains to saint Gherman. Saint Gherman wanted an icon of Holy Mother of God. So he put several men to make the support of an icon. However the piece of wood had splintered in several parts. The Saint prayed to God so that icon will be made.
Holy Mother of God appeared to Saint Gherman assuring that the icon will be done and the wood parts had united themself and the icon started to be self written in a reddish light.
This icon is doing many miracles , the first one being the healing of a child that was not able to speak and to hear.
Probably these icons are done by angels.
===Miracle performing icons===
As we saw the icon made by Jesus did perform a miracle, helping King Abgar escape partially of leprosy. Today there are many miracle performing icons.
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=="Written" or "painted"?==
The most literal translation of the Greek word {{Lang-el|εικονογραφία}} (''eikonographia'') is "image writing," leading many English-speaking Orthodox Christians to insist that icons are not "painted" but rather "written." From there, further explanations are given that icons are to be understood in a manner similar to [[Holy Scripture]]—that is, they are not simply artistic compositions but rather are witnesses to the truth the way Scripture is. Far from being imaginative creations of the iconographer, they are more like scribal copies of the Bible.
While the explanation of the purpose and nature of icons is certainly true and consistent with the Church's [[Holy Tradition]], there is a linguistic problem with the insistence on the word ''written'' rather than ''painted''. In Greek, a painted portrait of anyone is also a γραφή (''graphi''), and the art of painting itself is called ζωγραφική (''zographiki'') while any drawing or painting can be referred to as ζωγραφιά (''zographia''). Ancient Greek literally uses the same root word to refer to the making of portraits and the making of icons, but distinguishes whether it is "painting from life" (ζωγραφιά) or "painting icons" (εικονογραφία). Thus, from a linguistic point of view, either all paintings—whether icons or simple portraits—are "written" or (more likely) "painted" is a perfectly usable English translation, simply making a distinction between the painting appropriate for icons and that appropriate for other kinds of painting, just as Greek does.
==Modern Styles==
* [[Jim Forest|Forest, Jim]]. ''Praying With Icons''. (ISBN 1570751129)
* Iconostasis, ISBN 0881411175 By [[Pavel Florensky|Pavel Alexandrovich Florensky]] Published 2000, St Vladimir's Seminary Press
* Margaret E. Kenna. ''Icons in Theory and Practice: An Orthodox Christian Example.'' '''History of Religions.''' Vol. 24, No. 4 (May, 1985), pp.345-368.
==Reference==
<references/>
== External links ==
[[Image:Icon studio.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Two icons, one complete and another in process]]
=== General information ===
*[http://iconography-guide.com Iconography Guide- free e-learning site]
*[http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/general/icon_faq.aspx The Icon FAQ]
*[http://www.iconsexplained.com/ Icons Explained]
*[http://archangelsbooks.com/articles/iconography/DiscourseIcon.asp A Discourse in Iconography by St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco]
*[http://en.iconskarakallou.gr/icon-worship/ Icon & worship - Icons of Karakallou Monastery, Mt. Athos]
*[http://www.traditionaliconography.com/theology.asp The Icon: A Manifestation of Theology] - [http://www.traditionaliconography.com Traditional Byzantine Iconography website]
*[http://www.traditionaliconography.com/webgalleryart.html On the Differences of Western Religious Art and Orthodox Iconography] - Traditional Byzantine Iconography website
*[http://www.foulidis.co.uk Eleftherios Foulidis - Greek Orthodox Iconographer]
=== Online icon galleries ===
*[http://www.auburn.edu/~mitrege/russian/icons/index.html Russian Icons Index]
*[http://www.ikonograph.com/painting_murals.html Iconographer Valentin Streltsov]
*[http://www.ikonograph.com/murals.html Iconographer Fr. Theodore Koufos]
*[http://www.window-into-heaven.blogspot.com Icons on wood and glass, Iconoography by the hand of Anna Edelman]
*[http://icons.damascenegallery.com Damascene Gallery's Public Domain collaborative Icon Gallery project]
=== Audio ===
