Church Interior and Icons

CHURCH INTERIOR AND ICONOGRAPHY

I WAS GLAD WHEN THEY SAID TO ME,

“LET US GO TO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD”

PSALM 122:1

A distinctive feature of the Orthodox Church is the adornment of the church interior with iconography. These holy images, whether painted on wood, canvas on walls,  or on other objects, direct our thoughts from the everyday and earthly toward the eternal and heavenly. Icons inspire in us an attitude of prayer and an aspiration toward holiness through the example of the holy and divine things they visually represent for us. Icons allow us to peek into the heavenly realm. They remind us that our Lord is ever-present and working in our lives so that His divine love will shine from us as an example to others. Thus, icons remind us of our holy task in life:
to become living icons.

Though we venerate the holy icons by kissing them and offering prayers
before them, it is important to understand that we do not worship them.
The honor given to icons passes on to the image of the one(s) depicted
on the wood or canvas. Worship is due to God alone.
To Him be all Glory!

St. Michael's Orthodox Church is blessed to have beautiful iconography adorning the interior of the church building. Holy images of Christ, The Mother of God and many saints of the Orthodox Church are depicted on the holy icons. Greatly cherished are the icons depicting contemporary American Orthodox saints who labored in this land to spread Orthodoxy throughout the North American continent. One such saint is St. Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and Apostle to America. He spent a relatively short time in America, but through his tireless efforts and leadership many Orthodox churches were founded and consecrated, such as our very own church. His example of Christ-like love strengthened the Orthodox faithful and inspired many to come to the Orthodox faith. It can be said that while here on earth, he truly became a living icon, inspiring the faithful to holiness. His legacy, deeply rooted in Orthodox Tradition, continues to inspire the faithful of our parish as we offer prayers before his icon and holy relics present here in our parish.

The beautiful icons adorning the walls and ceiling are rendered in a more traditional Byzantine style, infused with a slight ‘American’ flavor. The icons on the iconastasis reflect a style made popular in Russia in the 19th century and still seen in many Orthodox churches in this area. Though this style does not reflect the strict techniques followed by more traditional Orthodox iconography, done well, it undoubtedly adds to the beauty of the church and inspires prayerful veneration of those depicted upon the canvas or wood. (For more detailed info. about Iconography click here).

"...the Icon is seen not as simple art,
but that there is a complete correspondence
of the Icon to Holy Scripture,
for if the Icon is shown by Holy Scripture,
Holy Scripture is made incontestably clear by the Icon .

—Acts of the 7th Ecumenical Council, 6

©2007-2009 JS Graphic Design and St. Michael’s Orthodox Church