New-Martyr Sophia Abbess-Confessor of Kiev
Oil and Gold Leaf on Wood Panel
7.25" x 10.25"

Schema-Abbess Sophia is shown wearing a grey tunic and a white veil (as she can be seen in this photograph). In her left hand she is holding the Gospel, the color of which is reflected within the Saint's halo. With her right hand she is guiding the viewer's eye towards the Book. It is well-known that abbesses are considered the deputies of the Mother of God, so a connection can be drawn between this icon of the Saint and an icon of the Virgin with the playing Child, in which Theotokos is holding Jesus with one hand, and with the other, directing our attention towards her son. The dominant colors within the icon, blue, gold and white are expressing detachment from this world and the soaring of the soul toward God as well as His glory.

Abbess Sophia (born in Moscow, 1873) was from a wealthy family. From young age she was noticed to be blessed with great voice and received her education from the musical conservatory. Though she lived a busy worldly life she would often retrieve and visit churches and monasteries to fast and pray.

Late one winter evening, going through the deserted woods, Sophia encountered a wolf, and her death seemed certain. She made the sign of the cross and prayed. As she prayed the wolf remained, as if listening, then turned around and disappeared among the trees. At the moment of great danger Sophia made a vow to become a nun if she remained alive.

This promise was finally fulfilled when Sophia was 22 years old. She became ill and was suggested to rest in Saint-Trinity monastery, but her health deteriorated so sharply that a spiritual father of the community was called to give her the last rites. She could no longer speak and in her dumb confession she wept on the breast of the kind elder, who comforted and encouraged her. After receiving Communion, she fell asleep. On awaking, to the astonishment of all, she began to speak. A service of thanksgiving was served, and she quickly began to recover. After this miracle there could be no question of her returning to the world. (2)

During her life of monastic service she was a shepherdess of several monastic flocks, including that of the large Protection Convent in Kiev. As a highly experienced directress, Abbess Sophia helped hundreds of women and men in choosing the right path on which to serve God. Beginning in the 1920s and for the rest of her life she endured great difficulties and deprivation in prisons and exile. Everywhere she continued to be a courageous confessor, secretly directing a catacomb group of nuns. Finally, her nuns were deported to the Far East while Abbess Sophia was transferred from one prison to another. Worn out from her labors and weakened by the inhuman prison conditions, in 1941 she became very ill and was released to die as a genuine passion-bearer for monastics of the last times.(3)

Prophet David, King of Israel
Acrylic on Wood Panel
8" x 5.25"

This glass icon is based on a 15th century Novgorod icon.

The holy and righteous King David was the second king of all Israel, a prophet, writer of great number of the Psalms, and one of the Forefathers of Christ. He built a new capital, Jerusalem (“the City of Peace”), and a new tabernacle. He was distinguished by his deep faith, and he zealously fulfilled the will of God.

King David prefigures our Lord Jesus Christ in numerous ways. He was the Lord's Anointed One, or Messiah, a now title applied almost exclusively to Christ.

Also, David was a shepherd before he was called to be king; likewise, Christ used herding imagery often in his earthly ministry, as in the Parables of the Good Shepherd, of the Lost Sheep, and of the separation of the sheep and the goats at the Last Judgment.

When David was fleeing from Saul, he was an illustration of the Suffering Servant, most famously described in Isaiah 53; afterwards, though, he became the victorious king, gaining control over all Israel and defeating its enemies with ease. David’s story is mirrored by Christ's persecution by the Jews and Crucifixion, followed by his glorious Resurrection and his eventual Second Coming.

David's humble origins and the fact that he was the least imposing son of Jesse when Samuel anointed him also parallel Christ's humble earthly status. Furthermore, David consistently relied on the Lord and thus served as a model king. The Scripture accounts regarding David go out of their way to show his sense of fairness and justice. For example, David rewards all of his men equally, even those too exhausted to continue the chase, after his great victory over the Amakelites (1 Sam 30:23). This episode may be seen as reminiscent of Christ's Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20). He refused to ever touch his adversary King Saul, was furious about the rape of Tamar, and lamented the death of his rebellious son Absalom, whom he had ordered that no one injure, etc. (1)

Kontakion 10:
The spirit of the prophecy came upon David the king, the anointed of the Most High, and he gave utterance concerning his kingship, saying: "The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and His word was in my tongue. The God of Israel hath said: 'He who ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.' Although my house is not so with God, yet He hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure; for this is all my salvation, and all my desire." And with sweet hymnody he chanted unto the Almighty: Alleluia!

Saint Sophia
Acrylic on Wood Panel
8" x 5.25"

This icon was made for a family who has recently celebrated the baptism of their beautiful baby-girl, Sophie. God grant her, and her parents, many years!

This holy Martyr (died 137 AD) dwelt in Italy. Sophia, whose name means wisdom, was a widow and had three daughters: Faith (age 12), Love (age 10) and Hope (age 9). Living piously, she pleased God by prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. She reared her three daughters in a manner befitting a wise mother so that they, being the namesakes of virtues, might in truth acquire those traits, the names of which they bore. (1)

Word spread throughout Rome of the wisdom and beauty of the three sisters, and it reached the Emperor who sent soldiers to bring them before him. Considering their tender years, he was amazed at how steadfast in the faith Sophia’s daughters were, and thinking it was only by supporting one another that they were able to hold their own against him, he put them to the question separately. The guards took Sophia's daughters one by one, from the eldest to the youngest and beat and tortured them to death. Sophia took the bodies of her daughters and buried them outside of the city. She remained by the graves, where she gave back her soul to God after three days.

This icon depicts St. Sophia, shown in blue maphorion, symbol of another everlasting world. Raised left hand is a symbol of steadfastness of faith and a renunciation of the world. The cross held in her right hand has two meanings. Firstly, martyr comes from the Greek for witness, and so these witnesses hold the preeminent symbol of Christianity: the Cross. Secondly, the Cross symbolizes the most perfect sacrifice of life for others, Christ’s own crucifixion. (2)

Apolytikion of Saint Sophia and her daughters Faith, Hope and Agape:
The Church celebrates and rejoices in the feast of the three daughters: Faith, Hope, and Agape and their Mother Sophia, named for her wisdom: For in them she gave birth to the three godly virtues. Now they eternally behold their bridegroom, God the Word. Let us rejoice spiritually in their memory and cry: O our three Heavenly Protectors, establish, confirm and strengthen us in Faith, Hope and Agape.

Glory to God for all things!

Wishing you and yours a blessed Thanksgiving!

And, of course, in good American spirit I think it is time to put out information in regards to Christmas shopping! You might already know that through Zazzle.com you can purchase some neat and unique items which use icons shown on this website.

Now I would like to share with you that WindowIntoHeaven Zazzle Shop has a few new items prepared especially for the Nativity season. So please check out some of the ornaments and greeting cards among other Christmas gift ideas.

Kazan Mother of God 
This icon is available under the "Icons of Wood" tab
Oil Paint on Wood Panel
6.5" x 4.75" x .75"


I would like to share one of the latest icons. It is essentially the same as an icon from this previous post. I will only add some information about the history of this icon.

According to tradition, after a great fire in Kazan, when a major part of the city was destroyed, on July 8 (21), 1579 an icon was discovered by a ten-year-old girl, Matrona, to whom the location of the image was revealed by the Theotokos. To commemorate the spot where the icon had been discovered Theotokos Monastery of Kazan was built, of which Matrona became the first nun, who then took the name Mavra, and  later became  the Mother Superior. (The cathedral was later destroyed by the communist authorities.)

By 19th century there was uncertainty to the location of this icon, though most believe that it remained in the monastery until June 29, 1904 when the icon was stolen. Thieves apparently coveted the icon's gold frame, which was ornamented with many valuable jewels. Russian police apprehended the thieves and recovered the frame, but the icon was not found. There was a version that the icon was burnt or sold to the Old Believers, but it found no confirmation. And yet according to another story that spread in Kazan, the stolen icon was not the original, but a copy and the icon itself was saved and preserved by the old Mother Superior. Many people say that today this ancient Kazan icon of Mother of God is in the church of Yaroslavl Miracle-Workers.

Yet, According to some data, in the last century the Kazan icon of the Mother of God was sold abroad, where it changed several owners, as they didn’t value spiritual essence of the sacred image and viewed the icon as an eligible investment. As both the icon and its copies are extremely valuable, the experts can’t agree on trace of what exactly image they found.

The Kazan icon has always been very highly regarded and even today it is hard to find a Russian orthodox home without it. Generals would take this icon into battles for invoking the protection of the Mother of God against the enemies. This icon can even be found in the cosmos: April 7, 2011, spacecraft Soyuz TMA-21 ("Gagarin") brought Kazan Mother of God icon to the International Space Station, where it is kept within the Russian section of the station. The icon was given to the crew by Patriarch Kirill I of Moscow.

Triptych with Christ, Theotokos and Symeon the Stylite
Oil on Wood Panel
9.5" x 12.5"

Welcome back everyone! It appears I got swept away into an extended summer vocation away from blogging. Few personal obligations kept me preoccupied, but now I am back and planning to resume regular posting. And first thing on my agenda is to share a recent icon commission. It is a triptych, with Christ shown on the middle panel, on His right is the figure of Theotokos as taken from the icon "Joy of All That Sorrow", and on the left - St. Symeone Stylite.

Joy of all That Sorrow:
"Joy to all the sorrow art thou, and of the oppressed protectress, and nurture of all the poor, comfort unto the estranged, a staff thou art of the blind, visitation of all the sick, a shelter and succor unto those brought down by pain, helper of orphaned ones." (Troparion to the Virgin)

Theotokos is depicted as the most beautiful blossom of heaven, standing among the flowers of paradise. She stands as our mother in unceasing intercession for us before Christ, the King of Heaven and Earth. We can call her the Joy of All Who Sorrow because she brings hope and salvation into the world.

St. Symeon Stylite:
"Thou soughtest the heights, though parted not from things below; thy pillar became a chariot of fire for thee. Thou becamest thereby a true companion of the angelic host;band together with them, O Saint, thou ceaselessly prayest Christ God for us all." (Kontakion, Tone 2)

Stylitism is one of the most extreme and original forms of Eastern Christian asceticism. The pillars usually were ten to twenty meters high, and were equipped with a balcony, parapet, and roofing. St. Symeon's pillar stood at Qal'at Sim'an, near Antioch, in Syria.

Symeon was born to a shepherd's family in the Cappadocian village of Sisan in Syria. When he was a youth, he was deeply moved after hearing the Beatitudes, and decided to join a monastery. He, however, did not remain for long at the monastery. After a short while he settled into a stony cave, situated not far from the village of Galanissa, and he dwelt there for three years, all the while perfecting himself in monastic feats. Crowds came to him to receive healing and to learn more about the Christian faith, but to avoid them, Symeon went up to a pillar and began to live there in a little cell. Still devoted to prayer and fasting, he sat or stood in prayer for many weeks at a time. Simeon devoted himself to prayer, but also gave exhortations twice daily to those who gathered around the pillar to hear him. From atop he performed many miracles and his words won the conversion of many people, especially among Arabs. Simeon would urge his listeners to pray for the salvation of souls. St. Symeon is commemorated by the Orthodox Church on September 1st.

The mysterious ways of God's love are on display in the Museum of Russian Icons in Clinton, MA. This museum has a truly remarkable story behind it, no matter how short it is. It was founded in 2006 as a non-profit education institution by a local entrepreneur, Gordon B. Lankton. The doors were opened decades after many factories were shut down and the town was in need of an economic turnaround.

Today, the collection includes more than 500 Russian icons and artifacts, the largest collection of its kind in North America. It attracts 16,000 visitors annually, bringing hundreds of thousands of dollars into Clinton's economy.

This museum is involved in community partnership programs, giving their members discounts in a number of local businesses. They host spotlight talks, tours and special exhibitions ( now open: 1000 Years of Veneration; Exploring sanctity:Path to Sainthood Unveiled; Windows to Heaven: Treasures from the Museum of Russian Icons, A Traveling Exhibition).

Economic growth can take unusual forms and development in Clinton through the Museum of Russian Icons is an example of that.

An icon of ingenuity, Museum of Russian Icon

Holy Angel
Acrylic Paint on Ceramic Tile
9" x 18" x .75"

As previously promised, I am sharing one more icon that was done on a tile. This image was based on the fresco in the Lower Basilica of Assisi by Cimabue, a Florentine painter who lived in the 13th century.

Angels are the Bodiless Powers who were made by God before the creation of the physical world and without physical form or substance ("incorporeal"). St. John of Damascus explains, "When it is the will of God that angels should appear to those [men] who are worthy, they do not appear as they are in their essence, but, transformed, take on such an appearance as to be visible to physical eyes."

By God's grace and mercy, the Bodiless Powers are also conditionally immortal, but (unlike God Himself) are restricted by location and time: they cannot be in heaven and on earth at the same time, though they travel at lightning speed.

They are superior in nature and intelligence to man; and, like man, they have understanding and free will. Some of them are appointed to guard the faithful (guardian angels). They are "the most perfect spirits, superior to man in their spiritual powers" and "so far above us [men] as to be incomprehensible." The angels in heaven are perfect beauty in their love for and service to God. Continually before His face, the Bodiless Powers "are so filled with the grace of God, that they do not desire in any way to sin," according to Fr. Seraphim Slobodskoy.

All the Bodiless Powers share the common name of 'angel' - which means "messenger" in Greek - by virtue of their service: they "stand before the face of the Creator and serve Him." The Lord reveals His divine will to the Bodiless Powers closest to Him, and they in turn inform the others - a Hierarchy in service to Him! This simple name also describes quite well how man most often encounters the Bodiless Powers: as the heralds or messengers of God.

The Orthodox Church teaches that there are nine "choirs" or groups of angels: Angels, Archangels, Powers, Authorities, Principalities, Dominions, Thrones, Cherubim, and Seraphim (see Gen. 3:24; Is. 6:2; Eph. 1:21; Col. 1:16; 1 Thess. 4:16; 1 Pet. 3:22).

Angels in Orthodoxy, Theologic.com

Just learned about one more icon exhibition: Imprinting the Divine: Byzantine and Russian Icons from the Menil Collection (Houston, TX) will be on display from October 21, 2011 until March 18, 2012. The 60 works in this show span six centuries and several countries. All icon-admirers in Houston area, please visit this collection and then share with me which of the icons was the most memorable for you. Happy museum going to you all!

Very interesting: the Houston Museum of Natural Science is hosting en exhibition titled Ancient Ukraine: Golden Treasures & Lost Civilizations. It covers 6,000 years of history and prehistory of various cultures that once inhabited the territory of modern Ukraine. On display is a collection of 77 icons and religious regalia drawn from the collections of the Kyiv-Pechersk National Historical and Cultural Preserve and the Lviv National Museum. If it sounds like something you would be interested in seeing you still have time, it will last until September 6, 2011.

Christ Pantocrator
Acrylic Paint on Ceramic Tile
9" x 18" x .75"

Little over a year ago I shared a couple of similar icons (see them here and here) that were done while visiting my family-in-law who happened to have these antique roof tiles. Now that we are back with a visit again I was happy to "borrow" another tile, or two, for artistic purposes. Subject matter for this tile was Christ Pantocrator, image based on an icon from St. Catherine monastery in Sinai.

An interesting note can be made about this well-known icon of Christ Pantocrator from St. Catherine monastery in Sinai. The icon is manifestation of prominent changes that took place in early iconography.

Before the middle of the sixth century, Jesus was often portrayed in settings in which he was shown as a young shepherd or a version of a Greek god. But this icon from about A.D.550 shows the new movement in illustrating Jesus in full-frontal portrait style with many facial features that we still see in iconography today.

A single event that brought all these changes was A.D. 544 discovery in the city of Edessa of a cloth with an image believed to be of Jesus. At about this time a significant change began to take place in the way Jesus was portrayed on coins, icons, frescos and mosaics. Many features seen on the Shroud can also be seen in this Sinai icon with similarities that are too astounding to be coincidental.

The Holy Angels Cherubim and Seraphim
Oil paint on wood panel
4 | 12" diameter

This set of four discs was written under commission for St. Gregory Orthodox Church in Columbus, OH. These disks will compose two fans and each of them will have Seraphim on one side and Cherubim on the other.

The six-winged Seraphim stand closer than all before their Creator, as it is written, "and the Seraphim stood around Him, each having six wings" (Isaiah 6:2). Also as describes, Seraphim are fire-like because they stand before His Glory and the God "Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire" (Ps 103:4). They are aflame with love for God and kindle others to such love.

After the Seraphim it is many-eyed Cherubim that stands before the Maker. They are always radiant with the light of the knowledge of God, with the knowledge of the mysteries of God and the depths of His Wisdom; being themselves enlightened, they enlighten others. Their name "cherubim" in translation from the Hebrew language, means: "great understanding" or "effusion of wisdom".

Representing the mysteries above, in the Old Testament figures of Cherubim decorated the sanctuary. A pair of Cherubim made by gold was ordered to be placed on the mercy seat and between them the Lord spoke to His people (Exodus 25:17-22). Also, figures of Cherubim were woven on the veils of the tabernacle.

Information taken from Orthodox Advice and OrthodoxWiki

St. Gregory of Nyssa
Acrylic paint and gold leaf on glass
7" x 14"

This icon was made for St. Gregory of Nyssa Orthodox Church in Columbus, Ohio. My husband and I were lucky to be a part of this wonderful parish and to have had Fr. Daniel Rentel as our parish priest. We will miss them deeply now that we have moved to NY. This August Fr Dan is leaving for a greatly deserved retirement, and let's pray God to grant him many years of blessed life with his family!

Our father among the saints Gregory of Nyssa (ca. A.D. 335 – after 384) was bishop of Nyssa and a prominent theologian of the fourth century. He was the younger brother of Basil the Great and friend of Gregory the Theologian. Gregory's influence on Church doctrine has remained important, although some have accused this theology of containing an Origenist influence. He is commemorated on January 10.

Gregory was raised in a very pious (and large) Christian family of ten children; his grandmother Macrina the Elder, his mother Emily, his father Basil the Elder, his sisters Macrina the Younger and Theosebia, and his brothers Basil the Great and Peter of Sebaste have all been recognized as saints. He received a good education and taught rhetoric at one point. In 372, his brother Basil ordained him the bishop of Nyssa in Cappadocia (in present-day Turkey). Gregory and Basil both spent much effort defending the Faith against the attacks of the Arians. He was twice deposed as leader of his See because of false accusations made by the heretics. His position as bishop was finally restored in 378. Gregory also attended the Council of Antioch, a local synod, in which he zealously defended Orthodoxy. The council was called to rebut a heresy which denied the perpetual virginity of the Theotokos, on one hand, and other the other hand forbid worship of her as God or part of the Godhead, while he continuing to fight Arianism. Then, he attended the Second Ecumenical Council in Constantinople, which added the final section concerning the Holy Spirit to the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed. For the rest of his life, Gregory continued to attend church councils, discuss doctrinal matters, and combat various heresies. He reached old age and finally reposed in the Lord near the end of the fourth century.
Saint's life was taken from the OrthodoxWiki

St. Thomas the Righteous of Malea
Oil and gold leaf on wood panel
7.25" x 10" x .75"

Next I will share with you one of the latest commissions - the icon of St. Thomas of Malea. The following information about the life of the saint was taken from the website of St. John of the Mountain Monastery.

St Thomas of Mt. Malea (or Maleon) (commemorated July 7th) was a military commander before accepting monasticism. Strong and brave, he had participated in many battles, and brought victory to his countrymen, for which he gained glory and esteem. But, striving with all his heart towards God, Thomas abandoned the world and its honours, and he took monastic vows.

With great humility he visited monastic Elders, asking for guidance in the spiritual life. After several years Thomas received the blessing for solitary wilderness life and, led by a pillar of fire at night by the holy Prophet Elias, he settled on Mount Maleon (on the eastern part of Athos). Dwelling in complete seclusion, St Thomas fought with invisible enemies with as much courage as he had displayed against the visible enemies of his country.

The life and deeds of St Thomas could not be concealed from the surrounding area. People began to flock to him seeking spiritual guidance, and even those suffering from sickness, since he received from God the blessing to heal infirmities.

Many believers received help through the prayers of the holy monk. Even after his death, he does not cease to heal those who seek his aid, from every passion and sickness.

I came across this quote that I wanted to share with all of you.

"St. John of Damascus says that the Holy Spirit surrounds the Icons of the Saints with a certain halo of grace. Wherever the Cross is erected the malicious designs of the evil one are defeated. How often a soul sunk in sin has been touched and converted by the sight of an Icon; how often have sacred pictures comforted and encouraged devout persons, especially at the moment of death! While gazing upon an Icon we pray with greater recollection; Holy Icons are steps whereby we ascent more easily in spirit to Heaven. Icons are also a constant admonition to us; either by placing vividly before us one of the truths of the Faith, or exhorting us to imitate the example of the Saints. Icons breathe forth an atmosphere of devotion. In the presence of Holy Icons we develop a feeling of reverence and pious fear of God. How much more likely are we to pray with greater fervor before a scene from Our Lord's life, or His Live-giving Cross, or before an icon of the Saint whose name was given to us at Holy Baptism, than before a bare wall of a bed-post."

Taken from "The Orthodox Companion" by Rev. David F. Abramtsov

For all interested in the art of iconography: This summer St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary will hold a workshop titled Iconography and Architecture. Protodeacon Nazari Polataiko will instruct aspiring and experienced iconographers in the egg tempera Russo-Byzantine style of iconography. The workshop will take place on June 19 through June 25, 2011. Registration is now open, and please note that $50 registration fee will be waived if you register before May 1, 2011. To learn more about Protodeacon Nazari you can visit the website of his studio, Saints Alypij and Andrew Rublew.

If you are still planning-out your summer, this might be a great event to add to your agenda!

Christ Pantokrator Russian Icon
Oil on wood panel
6.5" x 6.5" x .75"


Let me share one of the more recent icons with you. The style in which it is done is not very common, at least not in the Orthodoxy of the United States. Naturalism that characterized Russian style of iconography of the 19th century still has its place in that country within the churches that are being built and restored today. While this style is often argued against, it is non the less a part of our traditions I wanted to share with you. And in the near future we will have to discuss changes in iconography over the past century as well as recent moves towards the sacred ancient traditions.


Christ Pantokrator (The All-Ruler) icon shows Christ as the Creator, the Savior and the Judge. This is the icon that is often seen in the cupola of a byzantine church, done in monumental style presenting Christ as the One who will come to judge the living and the dead. However on icons made for veneration of the faithful, while still majestic, Christ lacks any fearfulness. He is shown facing us, half-figure length. The right hand is raised in a blessing, in the left is an open Gospel (Mt 11:28-29, "Come to me all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest...). The face is gentle, with eyes looking at the viewer with kindness. The clothes are typical for an icon of Christ, red tunic and a blue cape symbolizing His two natures: he is fully human, and fully God. The letters "IC" and "XC" are first letters of "Jesus Christ." The three letters within the halo is Greek inscription that presents the name of God as given to Moses in Ex 3:14, "I am who I am". As a rule, these letters within the Christ's halo can be a good indicator whether the icon is Russian or Greek: in a Russian icon the top letter is O while in Greek it is W.

This is a pieces of information that is worth sharing. It appears that one of the Chazen Museum of Art (Madison, WI) current exhibitions is "Holy Image, Sacred Presence: Russian Icons, 1500–1900". It will go on until June 5, 2011 so all of you who are interested in iconography and live close enough might want to visit it! I never been to the museum myself, (after all I live approximately eight hours away from it) but I hear it is quite nice. And if any of you already went or will go to see this exhibition I would love it if you told me what you thought about it!

Russian Wall Crucifix Icon
Oil and gold leaf on wood panel
14.25" x 9" x .75"

The man ordering the Icon wished for his and his wife's patron Saints to be placed on both sides of the Crucifix. The Icon shows crucified Christ after His side is pierced as blood and water flows out. To His right is Aleksandr Nevsky and to His left Ludmila Cheshskaya. Overhead are two angels looking down in wonder, hands covered as a sign of respect. Image of the Holy Face, Mandylion, appears in the upper portion of the icon. The cross stands on a rock of Golgotha, with the skull of Adam showing out of a dark cave. Life-giving blood of the Savior anoints the perished and brings forth life, represented through the seedlings sprouting out of the rock. On each side of the cross is a sponge with vinegar and a lance.The sun and the moon look down from both sides of the cross bar, and the city walls of Jerusalem can be seen in the background behind the bottom crossbar. The shape of the cross is that of a 19th-century Russian crucifix.

These icons are a result of two commissions of two Saint Empresses, I truly enjoyed writing them. The owner of the Icon of St. Aelia Pulcheria provided me with a number of images of Icons and we were able to discuss what she liked in them making it clear what details she wanted to see in her Icon. Having such understanding helped the writing process as I clearly knew what was the desired final product. In writing St. Helen I was not given many desired details, in fact the size of the icons was the only "detail" I received. This gave me freedom to write in style I felt was the most appropriate for this commission. The lady that approached me about writing this icon shared with me that her Mother, Helen, had recently fell asleep in the Lord and so she wanted to commission an Icon of St. Helen. Appropriately in the Icons the Saint appears gentle and peaceful, colors full of depth but muted. The Icon is filled with serenity that comes from unity with the Holy Spirit fulfilled in the Heavenly Kingdom. With the saints give rest, 0 Christ, to the soul of Thy servant where sickness and sorrow are no more, neither sighing, but life everlasting!

Icon of St. Empress Aelia Pulcheria

Oil paint and gold leaf over wood panel

11" x 7"

Empress St. Aelia Pulcheria (January 19, 399 – 453)
Pulcheria was a devout christian and earlier in life took a vow of virginity. She was a great influence to her younger brother Emperor Theodosius II, and at his passing away married general Marcian, declaring him a chosen successor of Theodosius. The marriage was arranged with the understanding that Marcian will respect Pulcheria's vow of chastity and together they organized the council of Chalcedon (451), and commissioned many new churches in Constantinople, one of which is the Church of St. Mary of Blachernae.

Icon of St. Empress Helen

Oil paint and gold leaf over wood panel

10" x 8"

St. Helen was the mother of Emperor Saint Constantine the Great. She is credited with the finding of the relics of the cross of Christ and the remains of the Three Wise Men, which currently reside in the Shrine of the Three Kings at Cologne Cathedral.



Symbolism:
In Iconography all visual details are fixed traditional symbols and represent important information about the person depicted. These icons are examples of the established ways of depicting Saint Empresses. The dress worn by the Saints are those of Byzantine empresses and can either be of a simplified design, symbolizing the Christian modesty of the God's Saint (such as Helen's dress), or it can be more ornate, symbolizing all the splendor and glory of the Heavenly Kingdom (St. Pulcheria). The crowns worn by the empresses are not only symbols of their earthly status, but also of eternal glory received by the Saints from God. Both Saints are depicted holding a cross in their right hand, but while St. Alelia Pulcheria's is a symbol of faith for which she lived, in the Icon of St. Helen this cross represents the "True Cross," the Cross upon which Christ was crucified. Pulcheria's left palm of the hand is open facing the viewer and symbolizes Saint's virginity. In the Icon of St. Helen her left arm is directing the viewer's eye towards the Holy Cross which she is presenting to us. The stole hanging over the arm is called loros and it is a jeweled scarf that emperors and empresses would wear as a part of their garment. Loros would drape down over the left arm or be tacked in the back.