Veneration of Icons

How to Venerate Icons In venerating an icon, we make the sign of the Cross, then kiss the icon, and once more make the sign of the Cross with a metanoia.or 3x for Christ! We should kiss the feet or hand of Christ or, in the case of the popular icon "Not-made-by-hands" (Mandylion), the hair (never the face). Icons of the Theotokos and saints are reverenced on their hands. During lenten seasons, metanias are replaced by prostrations. Out of respect for the Commandment against graven images, Orthodox Icons avoid strongly three dimensional effects. The Perspective is flattened or even inversed. Hagiographers who write the Icons do so in a prayerful state.



According to Tradition, as most Orthodox Christians know, the first "images" or icons were painted by St. Luke--and some of these (of the Mother of God holding Christ as a Child) survive to this day and are greatly venerated. In addition, the walls of the Roman catacombs provide a dazzling and moving display of sacred art: these fresco-icons depict Christ and the truths of our Faith from Scripture and Tradition; not surprisingly ,they also show the Mother of God holding the Christ-child, certain early martyrs, and various Sacraments (such as the Eucharist, Baptism, etc.). Some of these date from the end of the first century, when certain Apostles and disciples were still living. It is said that it would be possible for a non-Christian to understand many deep things about Christianity simply by walking through these wonderful underground passageways. One modern scholar has made the interesting observation that these early icons show how the first Christians "were accustomed to consider themselves not so much as individuals but rather as members of the Church." (The Roman Catacombs and Their Martyrs).



The veneration of icons is not directed at the physical icon but at the prototype of which the image was a symbol. With regards to the representation of Christ, St. John of Damascus the defender of Images, argued that it was right to represent Christ in human form because He became incarnate, He "became visible in the flesh.



Romans 1:19-20 understand the invisible through the visible

Through the incarnation of Christ the invisible God was made visible.

Christians do not honor their images as "living things or gods" but as ‘types and signs of God and his beloved saints"

Images help people remember Christ just as the cross helps us to remember why jesus died for us

Images were given to people by the apostles and St. Luke

Being seen daily the people will more frequently serve and offer thanks to God

Images serve as a reminder of their great lives

Images in churches help to distinguish the buildings from other buildings

Christ created the first image, therefore validating the use of such images in church

Images aid devotion and they serve as stimulation for a life of devotion

Images help instruct the laity and direct them to the saints

I mages help people who are unable to read or attend church and are an extension of the church

The physical presence of images acts as a signifier to people giving them the opportunity to engage God

Icons can help a person to stay focused on thier prayers

Eusebius, Augustine, Jerome and Ambrose include the use of images in their writings and make them a costume of the church.

Prayer by the saints will help people gain the end reward

God and the saints will be greatly honored by the people if they are seen daily

For people’s spiritual comfort and salvation

The more people are devoted to the saints the more people will pray

Images receive praise because they "challenge the faithful to imitation…They invite and challenge the faithful to live chastely, piously, and in a truly Christian way in imitation of what they see"

Images of the serpent (Numbers 21:8) does not argue against images but for images



