Icons play an substantial role in the Eastern Orthodox church, both historically and in the new earth. Icons are images of saints and other devout figures painted in a too particular style. The images themselves and the style of delineation at the end relatively unchanged over the centuries. While there are many contrastive Byzantine icons, distinct of these are exceptionally meaningful in the church.
Christ
The most conspicuous likeness in the Byzantine church is Christ Pantokrator or Christ the Almighty. Establish against a gold background, Christ stands with a substantial round aura carry on his purpose. He carries the Gospels and is typically dressed in a not difficult robe, draped with a Royal glum. The appearance is plentiful frontal in painted icons, however further appears in the dome of many Byzantine churches.
The Virgin Mary
Images of the Colossal of Divine being or Theotokos are one of the leading Byzantine icons. The most accepted of these is the Contemporary Mary holding the baby Christ. She may be pointing toward the minor, embracing him or holding him in her circuit. Mary is further portrayed alone or with the Christ baby in a circle in her womb.
Christ's Contemporaries
Images of the Gospel writers, the apostles and John the Baptist are all among the most Often depicted icons.While images of Christ and other key religious figures decorate churches in the West, in the Eastern Orthodox church images serve as a devotional tool. Icons offer the individual a way to direct their requests for intercession to the saints or Virgin Mary. As such, the images are each created in a prescribed way to serve their function and are more than just decoration.
These include St. Demetrius of Thessalonika, St. George and St. Theodore the Recruit. Each icon is easily recognizable by the armor, actions and details used to portray the saint.
The Function of Icons
These images Often flank the icons of Christ Pantokrator and Theotokos on the iconostasis or screen of a Byzantine or Eastern Orthodox church. Each of these figures has specific attributes and set portrayals that indicate who the icon represents.
