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[[Image:Luke first icon.jpg|right|frame|The [[Apostle Luke]] painting the first icon]]
'''''Iconography''''' (from {{Lang-el|εικoνογραφία}}) refers to the making and [[liturgics|liturgical]] use of '''icons''', pictorial representations of [[Holy Scripture|Biblical]] scenes from the life of [[Jesus Christ]], historical events in the life of the Church, and portraits of the [[saint]]s. Icons are usually two-dimensional images and may be made of paint, mosaic, embroidery, weaving, carving, engraving, or other methods. A person who practices the art of iconography is called an [[iconographer]].
==Theology==
==History==
[[Image:Icons restoration.jpg|right|frame|Restoration of the Icons]]
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]]. ===Icon made by Jesus===During the time of the earthly ministry of the Savior, Abgar, ruler in the Syrian city of Edessa, was afflicted with leprosy. Reports of the 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 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 the Divine Teacher. Ananias was not able go to near Christ because of the great many people listening to his preaching. He attempted to produce an image of 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 towel. He wiped His face with the towel, and on it was His Divine Image.The Savior sent the 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 disciple Thaddeus, Apostle of the 70. The Apostle preached the Gospel and baptized the Abgar and all living in Edessa.The story is recorded by the 4th century Church historian, Eusebius of Cesarea. ===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)
=== Egyptian death masksIcons in The Old Testament===HistoricallyPictures of cherubim on temple door, the icon is thought to be a descendant of the Egyptian death masks that were painted on mummies wrapped temple walls are mentioned in strips of glue and powered gypsum soaked linenOld Testament in III Kings 6:29. This led to the traditional icon painting technique If there would be an interdiction of gluing linen on a boardall images, gessoing itthe groups claiming this interdiction would not use any images, photos or movies and painting on it. The Christian icon also inherited the cultic task of the ritual mask and exalted this task. The task that revealed the deified spirit of Old Testament would probably not describe the deceased resting in eternity. The spiritual essence Temple as having images of the old Cult was transfigured into a new cultural image manifesting itself more perfectly than the oldcherubim.
===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.
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.
{{stub}}
=="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 '{{Lang-el|γραφή}}' (''graphi''), and the art of painting itself is called ζωγραφική (''zographiki'') while any drawing or painting can be referred to as {{Lang-el|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" '{{lang-el|(ζωγραφιά}}' ) or "painting icons" '{{lang-el|(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.
==See also==
==Published works==
* [[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/academic/liberal_arts/foreign~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 ===
[[ar:الأيقونة]]
[[fr:Iconographie]]
[[ro:Icoană]]