Orthodox Byzantine Icons of the Lord

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Pantocrator (Moscow)

35 Pantocrator (Moscow).JPG

Date: 17th c. (Mid) / Style: Pantocrator / Heritage: Russian


A most striking icon of the Lord Jesus Christ from 1670 made in the Armory School in Moscow which was started and headed by the famous and influential Russian iconographer Simon Ushakov. The term Pantocrator is Greek and means the “Ruler of All” for Christ is set to rule over all of Heaven and Earth, for as it says in the Acts of the Apostles, “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is my footstool.” (Acts 7:49)

We pray as the Lord Himself taught us that “Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven....” for the Will of God is perfectly expressed and loved without hesitation in the Heavenly Realms as it is the perfection of Love and is Grace-filled towards all those who dwell there. Our life on earth is the preparation to learn to love that perfect and blessed Will which only does that which is truly Good and Holy, even if our limited worldly understanding cannot fully understand this now. As we are remade into His image and likeness, becoming “partakers of the Divine nature” (2 Pet 1:4) then all contrary will will bow down in love of Christ and the Holy Trinity, and towards all who have worshiped Him in faith and love

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Deisis (Novgorod)

36 Deisis (Novgorod).JPG

Date: 18th c. (Early) / Style: Deisis / Heritage: Russian

Here is a Russian icon from Novgorod that was painted in 1700 and shows the Lord seated on His Throne surrounded by many Saints whose hands are raised in supplication to Him to hear the prayers of the Faithful who are ardently asking for help, for the word Deisis means supplication. The Lord Jesus Christ holds in His left hand a book of the Holy Gospels, which is a written icon of His Life and Teachings and which is venerated in Church during Divine Services. It is open to show that He is teaching us through His words and life how we ought to live.

His right hand is raised in blessing as He most especially blesses all who come to Him and ask for a blessing. Too often we ourselves forget to ask earnestly for such blessings. On His right hand stands the Virgin Theotokos and on His left hand stands St. John the Baptist, as these places have been prepared for them by God’s express Will and their most active cooperation. To the Virgin’s right stands St. Peter and the St. John’s left stands St. Paul, who as the chief Apostles also supplicate for us all. Behind the Throne are two angels, and two other Saints stand on the far sides

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Christ "of the Burning Eye" (Moscow, 17th c.)

37 Christ of the Burning Eye (Moscow, 17th c.).JPG

Date: 17th c. (Mid) / Style: Of the Burning Eye / Heritage: Russian

There is an old Orthodox Christian saying that “in the icon the body is simply the support of the face, the face but a setting for the gaze.” This is definitely true in the case of this icon. In Russia icons that portray Christ as He appears from on high, with His Face threatening and severe as He is the Lord and Judge of the Universe, have been called the “Saviour of the Burning Eye.”

In Christ’s halo or nimbus, in the faded cross are the words in Slavonic for “I AM” as He is the same Lord Who spoke to Moses and told him to tell the Israelites when they asked what is God’s name, “I AM THAT I AM” and He said, “Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.” God is not just wise, eternal, and all-powerful as we understand these things from our own human point of view, but the Ever-Existent One, and the very ground of existence itself. It is this existence that God Himself invites us to participate in more fully in our loving relationship with Him and the Truth that He shines forth.

We see both justice and Divine Mercy in His Face as He is both human and Divine in nature. May we be filled with both

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Deisis (Russian)

38 Deisis (Russian).JPG

Style: Deisis / Heritage: Russian

This Russian icon shows a vision of Heaven as do all icons in the Orthodox Church, for they are called “windows into Heaven” in that they show us how things will be at the end of chronological time in the New Heaven and New Earth of the Resurrection and subsequent restoration of all things. Many of the elements of Heaven have been revealed to us in the ongoing revelation by God to men which is the foundation and bedrock of the Church. These revelations are not fables or theories, the result of the man’s imagination, but the consistent vision of men and women across all time and various cultures, and also in direct accordance with God’s Life and Teaching on earth recorded in the Holy Gospels during His Incarnation.

Among those revelations is the subject of this icon called Deisis, which means “Supplication”, for we see the Virgin Theotokos and St. John the Forerunner standing next to Christ on His right and His left for their great love and fidelity to the Lord. This is why the sons of Zebedee could not be promised these places which were already prepared for those ordained as seen in this icon

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Rublev's Christ (Svenigorod)

39 Rublev's Christ (Svenigorod).JPG

Date: 15th c. (Early) / L ocation: Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow / Style: Deisis / Heritage: Russian

This very famous icon of Christ is called Spas or Saviour and was painted by the most renowned iconographer of Russia St. Andrei Rublev in 1410 for the Monastery of Svenigorod near Moscow. Originally from the Deisis or Supplicating tier of the iconostasis or icon altar screen just above the Royal Doors, Christ here as Saviour expresses great love and compassion for us sinners in a face filled with light, kindness, and gentleness. The story of this icon is also quite unusual, showing God’s great Providence.

In 1918 experts of Russian iconography, knowing that this celebrated icon painter of the 14th-15th century had lived in this ancient town, went to look if somehow one of his icons had lain there unknown over the centuries. After a careful search in the Cathedral of the Annunciation when nothing was found, the search widened to the surrounding annexes around the church. There in a timber store under a firewood pile they found three blackened icon boards with paint peeling. When they were cleaned this icon appeared with icons of the Archangel Michael and St. Paul. Later a d ocument was found to confirm the truth of this wonderful find

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Christ Blessing

40 Christ Blessing.JPG

Date: 20th c. (Late) / Heritage: Greek

Christ blesses us with His right hand, His fingers formed into the shape of the Greek letters "IC XC," the abbreviation in Greek for Jesus Christ, and He holds in His left arm a jewel-studded Book of the Gospels. From the prototype of the first icon of Christ, miraculously made by the Saviour Himself, He is traditionally shown with a short beard and long dark hair with reddish highlights, parted in the middle. His expression is serious but merciful, to evoke from us a serious and loving response, as the Truth is both sober and yet hopeful for us.

Christ is shown with an outer blue robe, symbolizing the Humanity that He put on at His Incarnation, and with an inner red robe, representing His Divinity that remains for all eternity. In the cross in the nimbus or halo around His head are the Greek letters for "I AM" to remind us that although Incarnate in time, Jesus Christ is God before the ages, before Abraham, and is the God Who spoke with Moses face to face.

We too are icons of Christ, as yet still being formed, so we can be more like Christ if we see blessings as our greatest good

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Holy Napkin

41 Holy Napkin.JPG

Date: 20th c. (Late) / Style: Holy Napkin / Heritage: Greek

The original Holy Napkin, or the icon “Not Made By Hands”, was the very first icon ever made, and it was made in a miraculous way by Christ. King Abgar of Edessa, from his kingdom neighboring Israel, had sent his court artist to invite Christ to come to Edessa when he heard that the Lord was being persecuted in Israel. The artist was also asked to bring back a portrait of Christ because the king, who had leprosy, felt that if he could only see the likeness of this Man that he had heard so much of, that he would be made well. The artist tried many times to capture His Face, but was unable, so the Lord Who loves man, knowing all things, took a cloth and brought it to His Face, and a true likeness was impressed on the cloth, which was sent to King Abgar and healed him. Thus this first icon was not made by human hands.

Later the Apostle Jude Thaddeus was sent to preach to this kingdom, and they converted to become one of the first Christian states. The original Holy Napkin cloth was kept in Edessa until 944 when it was brought to Constantinople, and it is the pattern from which all subsequent icons of Christ are made

[Mayda]

Icon "Not Made By Hands"

42 Icon Not Made By Hands.JPG

Style: Holy Napkin / Heritage: Russian

The Holy Napkin, or the icon “Not Made By Hands”, is the very first icon ever made, and it was made in a miraculous way by Christ. King Abgar of Edessa, from his kingdom neighboring Israel, had sent his court artist to invite Christ to come to Edessa when he heard that the Lord was being persecuted in Israel. The artist was also asked to bring back a portrait of Christ, because the king, who had leprosy, felt that if he could only see the likeness of this Man that he had heard so much of, that he would be made well. The artist tried many times to capture His Face, but was unable, so the Lord Who loves man, knowing all things, took a cloth and brought it to His Face, and a true likeness was impressed on the cloth, which was sent to King Abgar and healed him. Thus this first icon was not made by human hands.

Later the Apostle Jude Thaddeus was sent to preach to this kingdom, and they converted to become one of the first Christian states. The original Holy Napkin cloth was kept in Edessa until 944 when it was brought to Constantinople, and it is the pattern from which all subsequent icons of Christ are made.

[Mayda]

Great Deisis

43 Great Deisis.JPG

Date: 20th c. (Late) / L ocation: Holy Iviron Monastery, Mt. Athos / Style: Deisis / Heritage: Greek

In the upper center of this icon is the Lord Almighty, the Ruler of the universe. In His left hand He holds an opened Gospel Book, and with His right hand He blesses with the Orthodox priestly blessing having the fingers of His hand form the Greek letters “IC XC”, the abbreviation for Jesus Christ. This is the King of Kings as spoken of in Revelation, “I am the Alpha and the Omega says the Lord, Which Is, Which Was, and Which Is to Come, the Almighty.” (Rev 1:8)

As during His humiliation and Crucifixion, His Holy Mother stands to His right now in His Glory and Honor. Her arms are outstretched as she supplicates her Son. St. John the Forerunner is on His left. Deisis icons portray the tradition that on the Day of Judgment, the Virgin will appear with St. John to intercede on behalf of us sinners and implore the Lord to forgive and have mercy. In this icon of Great Supplication, two angels and Ss. Peter and Paul are in the top row also supplicating. In the second row are more Apostles, and in the remaining rows are the great Saints and leaders of the Church, all asking mercy from the Lord for us

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Deisis (Nea Skiti)

44 Deisis (Nea Skiti).JPG

Date: 20th c. (Late) / L ocation: Nea Skiti, Mt. Athos / Heritage: Greek

This brightly colored contemporary icon of the Deisis (from the Greek word for Supplication) was painted in 1992 and is from the Nea Skiti on Mount Athos. This monastery follows the Skete or middle form of monastic life, part way between the ascetic eremetic life and the all things in common cenobitic life. This is the form of monastic life most praised at the beginning of St. John of the Ladder’s 7th century instructions on monasticism.

The Lord sits on His Throne in Glory as He will appear on the Day of Judgment to separate the sheep from the goats. He has an open Gospel Book signifying that His message has gone out over all the earth and this message has given the standard by which all men will be judged. His right hand is raised in blessing.

“Upon Thy right hand did stand the Queen in gold of Ophir” (Ps. 45:9) says the Psalmist King David. She stands now in His Glory as she did on His right hand at His Crucifixion, supplicating with St. John the Forerunner who stands on Christ’s left, interceding on behalf of us sinners to implore Christ to forgive and have mercy on us. May we also find great mercy today