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Icons occupy one of the key places in the life of an Orthodox Christian. They accompany him at birth, on holidays, in important life events and the transition to a better world. Holy Images are very diverse in their plot. Some of them are dedicated to Orthodox holidays, others to great saints, and still others generally try to comprehend and express theological allegories and abstract concepts. But one type of icon stands out and rises above its counterparts - these are Images that depict the main figure of all Christianity. The iconography of the Savior is complex and extensive, so in this article we will break it down into the main types that are presented in our online store Fama.
Icons for a gift
1. Lord Almighty. The Greek name "Pantocrator" is often found. Icons of this type present us with Jesus Christ as the King of kings, the ruler of the whole world. And also the One who can literally do everything. The One who is subject to the physical laws of our world, so that He walks on water as on land. But there is another more subtle point here. In addition to the fact that icons of this type tell us about Jesus Christ as the ruler of the Universe, they also depict one of the main dogmas of Christianity - the Incarnation. After all, the title of Almighty in the Old Testament belonged only to God the Father. And in the New it began to be applied to His Son, Who is both Man and God. One of the beautiful examples of the icon of Jesus Almighty is this rare icon from 1812. It is written on gold and made in silver.
2. Savior Not Made by Hands. Another popular image of Jesus Christ. According to tradition, it is the very first icon in history. Because it appeared due to the fact that Jesus once wiped His wet Face with a towel and handed it to an artist who could not capture the Face of the Savior. Therefore, according to tradition, on the icons of the "Savior Not Made by Hands" Jesus is depicted either on a clay tablet or on canvas. As on this Holy Image, inscribed in gold. The Savior on such icons turns out to be more human, and his image is less formal. Why is it so valued by Orthodox believers?
3. Prayer for the Chalice. The following types of icons are some of the plots that are included in the cycle of the Passion of Christ - the events of the last and especially suffering-filled week of His life. The first of these episodes is the prayer for the chalice, when Jesus asked His Heavenly Father to save Him from martyrdom. As you can see in this icon, the Savior prays to God about this, an Angel strengthens Him, but Jesus' closest disciples are asleep. This is one of the sufferings that ordinary people go through and that Christ is experiencing now: some friends let Him down when He needed them most, and others betrayed Him to His enemies.
4. The Savior in a crown of thorns. The next episode of the Passion of Christ is when He has already been condemned, tortured and is now being led to execution. Or another option is possible, as in this icon, which depicts the moment when Roman soldiers mocked the King of Kings, putting a crown of thorns on His head instead of a crown.
5. The Crucifixion of Christ. Icons, the focus of the plots of which is what Jesus Christ came to our Earth for. A good example of such icons is the silver holy Icon with John the Theologian and the Mother of God standing side by side, which you can purchase in our online store. They are depicted on the right and left sides of Jesus, respectively, according to the canon. When the Savior was dying on the cross, feeling his imminent death, he entrusted his widowed Mother to the care of his beloved disciple. This plot also symbolizes intercessory prayer for us before God.
Holy Icons, which are dedicated directly to the Lord, like icons of the Virgin Mary, occupy a central place in all Orthodox iconography. Whether they tell of His miraculous birth, baptism, miracles, death or resurrection - any of these icons will occupy a central place in the church or home. Therefore, a gifted icon with Christ will always be received with respect when given for a christening, wedding, any Orthodox holiday or simply for no reason.
