Understanding, Taking Care of, and Incorporating Icons Into Your Practice
Before getting into the handling and use of icons, let's touch on a popular question. Are icons idols?
Icons being seen as idols is a common misconception usually among Protestants. At first glance, it is understandable why someone would confuse the two, but they are not the same thing. Idols consist of the worship of an object, usually a statue or picture. This is because of viewing the object as being a god itself. This comes from ancient ritual traditions of trying to summon the divine down from the heavens and getting it to possess a statue. People tried to do this ritual because they thought that if the divine was on earth, prayers could be heard and answered faster. Icons are not connected to this practice or belief.
If icons aren't idols, what are they and what is their history?
Icons consist of depictions of Jesus Christ, the Theotokos (Virgin Mary), biblical scenes, and saints in the Byzantine art style (to differentiate them from other forms of religious art). Traditionally, they were painted by hand, but in modern times, art prints are used as well.
The Church teaches that the first iconographer (someone who creates icons) was St. Luke the Evangelist. The story goes that he painted a panel of the Virgin Mary and brought it to the Mother herself for approval. She said in response, "May the grace of Him Who was born of me, through me, be imparted to these icons." There are five icons of the Virgin Mother said to be painted by St. Luke. He is also said to have painted icons of St. Peter and Paul. Other than this, the start of iconography can also be found in catacomb paintings of the second and third centuries.
Unknown artist, Luke paints the Icon of the Mother of God Hodegetria, early 15th century, Ikonen-Museum.
Iconography was favored in the early Byzantine Empire. Emperor Constantine the Great relieved the taxation of all the artists who made mosaics for churches. Multiple types of iconography flourished in the Empire, such as mosaics, frescoes (wall paintings), and panel icons (portable icons). It became fully developed and widespread in the Empire in the sixth century while under the rule of Justianian the Great.
St. John Chrysostom was known for keeping an icon of St. Paul with him whenever he studied the Epistles of St. Paul in order to gain inspiration and to invoke the Apostle's blessing. Another Church Father, St. Basil the Great, said, "With a soundless voice the icons teach those who behold them." Once when St. John looked up at his icon of St. Paul, it seemed to have come alive and St. Paul spoke to him.
Despite being an integral part of the Christian life, iconography held great controversy. The Iconoclasts ("icon-smashers") had suspicion of any art depicting humans or God, and demanded that icons should be destroyed. The Iconodules (those who venerate icons) defended the use of icons in the Church. It is possible that Iconoclasm was influenced by Jewish and Muslim ideas of viewing images as idolatry.
Inconoclasm continued into the seventh and last Ecumenical Council in Nicaea in 787 A.D. Another attack on icons was committed by Emperor Leo III in the next century but was overturned when Empress Theodora permanently reinstated the veneration of icons in 843. One of the chief champions of icons at that time was St. John of Damascus. He wrote in his "Defense of Icons": "Through the icons of Christ we contemplate His bodily form, His miracles, and His sufferings, and we are sanctified...The icons of the Saints are filled with the Holy Spirit."
After the fall of Constantinople, the Holy Mountain of Athos (also known as Mount Athos) became a great center for iconography. The Byzantine tradition of iconography is also upheld by the Serbian and Russian Christians, whose own styles of iconography have gone under their own evolution over the centuries.
Despite being popularly associated with the East, iconography is also a tradition in the Western Church. Mosaics, frescoes, and paintings can be seen in Rome, Spain, and France with the Byzantine style.
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What is the purpose of icons?
The early Church Fathers described the purpose of icons with the Greek word "anagogic," meaning "leaning one upward." The renowned moder iconographer, Photios Kontoglou, described this as: "Icons raise the soul and mind of the believer who sees the icon to the realm of the spirit, of the incorruptible, of the kingdom of God, as far as this can be achieved with material means." So in order to properly appreciate iconography, you must approach the works of art as being liturgical and having a spiritual function.
Due to the fact that icons are created as a sacred activity, the iconographer must be a person of prayer and fasting in order for the art to reflect the Holy Spirit. Kontoglou explains, "The iconographers painted as they prayed." The stylistic choice of icons need to be different than that of Western religious art (ex. art from the Renaissance). This is because Western art depicts religious works the same way that they would depict secular subjects.
Due to iconographers having a different goal than the average painter, so are the techniques that they use. The goal is not to depict saints the way they were in actual life, but the way they are in eternity. This depiction of the heavenly world is achieved through mystical forms and colors. Kontoglou stated, "Iconography expresses with spiritualized forms abstracted from natural phenomena, a world which is beyond phenomena, a spiritual world." This is described as "theology in line and color," Iconography traditionally uses particular artistic devices and stylization to communicate the spiritual world to the viewer. One of the first things the viewer will notice is the standardization of the forms of the holy person, meaning you can immediately recognize who is being depicted.
Another thing that can be noticed is the non-natural form that the clothing takes. The folds form different shapes like ovals, rectangles, and triangles. This demonstrates a heavenly order. As stated before, color also is intentional. Blue is for Christ's mantle or outer garment, red for the tunnic or inner garment; deep wine-red for the Virgin Mary's outer garment; etc.
From the Mount Athos website
The features of the face and body also has specific stylization. Hands are often thin and expressive, usually in gestures of blessing. The halos around the heads of Christ, Mary, and the saints are painted as a delineated circle, signifying their sanctity and to draw attention to their faces. By having these types of stylization, these people are not shown as regular human beings, but as humans that have been transformed into the divine. Even nature is not depicted in a realistic way.
Iconographers also use a non-natural perspective by making objects smaller in the foreground than spiritually more significant objects or persons behind them. They also sometimes include multiple scenes in one to show different events as though they happened all at the same time.
Symbolism is also very important in these works of art. Icons depicting saints show important reference to their life or words. For example, St. Christopher holds a staff that miraculously blossomed into a palm tree, just like the Child Jesus told him in an apparition the day before. In many icons, saints hold a scroll that quotes their own words or a scriptural quote that highlights a feature in their life and struggle.
Now that the history and purpose of icons is out of the way, here is how to incorporate them into your practice through veneration and how to respectfully decorate with them:
Icons can be used around your room and/or house, but they are typically set up in a prayer corner/altar. It is best to not set them up in direct sunlight as this can fade them if they are made with paint. If you have icons of both Christ and the Virgin Mary, tradition goes that Christ is placed on the right while Mary goes on the left. If you are incorporating a cross, place it above or in between these icons. Saint icons can be placed around them. People typically set up flowers, candles, bibles, and other decorations with the icons if they are placed on a surface. When it comes to needing to move icons, it is best to be careful so that you don't bump it into things and damage it. Also, do not set anything on top of the icons.
When it comes to veneration at home and within a church, you make the sign of the cross and bow before kissing the hand, foot, Gospel, or scroll of the icon. Once you are done, make the sign of the cross and bow again. Never kiss the face of an icon and never wear any lip balm or makeup on your lips while doing so. This is to show respect and honor for the one being depicted, not the icon itself.
How to care for and travel with icons:
Like all items in the home, icons require some cleaning every now and then, but not like any other decoration. Most times icons require only some gentle dusting, it is suggested that you use a microfiber cloth or soft bristle paintbrush (or a clean makeup brush if you don't have any paintbrushes on hand). Liquid cleaners and wipes are highly warned about as they can damage the icon, especially if it is hand painted. If there is a spot on an icon that requires more than dusting, a drop of water (some use holy water) on a cloth is enough. Wipe the spot as gently as you can to avoid scrubbing.
When it comes to traveling with small icons as devotionals or needing to bring big icons with you for situations like moving, it is best to stay careful and respectful. It is suggested that each icon should be individually wrapped up or kept in fabric bags. Carrying pocket icons with you is a great simple devotional that you can do to always have a reminder of divine presence and to honor the saints. I personally own two miniature icons, one of Christ and one of Mary, that I keep in my purse. I keep them in their own separate zipped up section along with my other small devotional items that I carry with me. Not only do I do this to avoid damage, I do it out of respect for those that they depict as I feel that art of Jesus and Mary shouldn't be tossed in with the rest of my stuff.
Sources: The History & Symbolism of Iconography, How do I care for icons?, How to display and care for your icon
