(A version of this article originally appeared in the Dubuque Telegraph Herald, Saturday, July 30th, 2016. View that article here.)
OVERWHELMED AT FIRST VISIT
I remember the first time that I visited an Orthodox Church. I knew Orthodox Christianity predated the New Testament – in fact, its first missionaries were the apostles themselves – but what I wasn’t prepared for was the mystical beauty of the worship space.
Like many visitors to Orthodox Churches, the first thing I noticed was the religious pictures.
There were pictures of Christ, of the Virgin Mary, and of the various saints. There were pictures of Old Testament scenes and New Testament scenes. There were even pictures of the invisible world: the angels who surround the throne of God.
And they were everywhere! They were framed hanging on the walls. They were also painted directly on the walls as frescos. They were on doors that lead into the altar. They were even on the ceiling!
But they were more than just pictures, more than images to remind people where they were. There was something more about them – something holy.
MORE THAN SIMPLE PICTURES
People treated these pictures with great reverence. They lit candles before them. They bowed before them. They even kissed them.
I grew up as a Protestant and all this was very new to me. Sure the church I grew up in had the traditional western blue-eyed, blond-haired framed picture of Jesus at the back of the sanctuary, but it was really just decoration.
I didn’t know Christians had ancient Middle-Eastern images of Christ and the saints and gave such reverence to them.
Through my conversion to the Orthodox Church, what I discovered was that these images were called icons, and they weren’t just for decoration.
They have a long history in Christianity. In fact, as I discovered, they are central to the gospel message!
ICONS AND THE GOSPEL
Orthodox Christians used the first icons in the Roman catacombs during the first centuries of Christianity. You can still travel there to see them.
But by the 8th century, some people began to wonder about icons. Were they really necessary?
Those against icons were called Iconoclasts, which means, “icon smashers.” They began to terrorize Christians who used icons as a part of their spiritual practice. In fact, many Christians lost their lives during this period.
However, the whole church pulled together to assert that, yes, icons are essential to Christianity. Bishops from around the world – both east and west – gathered together for a meeting we now call the 7th Ecumenical Council.
What they declared was very bold! They affirmed that the use of icons was the faith that was not only passed down by the apostles, but that it was the faith that established the universe!
But, how?
ICONS SHOW CHRIST’S HUMANITY
The core of the gospel message was that God became human. The God who is outside of time and who created the world now enters into time and creation.
Many modern Christians stress God’s atoning sacrifice on the cross, but the early Christians stressed how God became human. For them the true problem wasn’t sin, but death, because in death we are separated from God.
Only as a human could God die and enter into death. And, by rising on the third day, he transformed death into a birth – a birth into new life, eternal life. Or, to put it another way, by death Christ destroys death.
Those Christians at the 7th Ecumenical Council saw an affirmation of Christ’s humanity, and his victory over death in the icons. Because God took on flesh, he could now be depicted in images.
Icons are a reminder of God’s triumph over death by becoming one of us. In this way, icons are central to the good news of Christianity.
HOW ICONS HELPED MY SPIRITUALITY
I was amazed by all of this. Slowly I started to incorporate icons into my spiritual practice. I set up a prayer corner with icons of Jesus and the saints.
I found that they helped me to focus my prayers. They reminded me of how God so loved the world that he gave His only-begotten Son, in the flesh!
They helped bring the Bible alive, and they helped incorporate me into the story of salvation.
So I encourage you, if you haven’t tried praying with icons, try it. You may be surprised how they can deepen your spiritual life and focus your prayers on Christ!
P.S. Come Pray with Icons
I now invite you to enter deeper into the mystery of Christ with the Orthodox Church!
St. Elias Services
Saturdays, 5 pm (at St. John’s Parish House, 1458 Locust St, Dubuque, IA)
Sundays, 9:30 am (at Hillcrest Chapel, 2001 Asbury Rd, Dubuque, IA)
Or find your nearest Orthodox Church by clicking here.