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the_hibernian
Guest
It is appropriate to use icons from the Orthodox Churches in our worship or homes?
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maryprayforme
Guest
the hibernian:
Well there is a difference. There is the Eastern Rite Churches that are in full communion with Rome (Byzantine, Chaldean, etc.) and there is the Eastern Orthodox Church that is not in communion with Rome. I attend a Byzantine parish. Icons were used in the early Church as a means of catechesis. The faithful were not able to read and the icon were used to teach them. We have icons in our home that have been blessed by a preist.
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Pious
Guest
the hibernian:
Yours in the Spirit
Pious
There is nothing wrong in displaying icons in the home; I have several that were hand made by a local hermitess.
Yours in the Spirit
Pious
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the_hibernian
Guest
Right, I understand the distinction and obviously, those from a Catholic Rite wouldn’t be in question. Specifically, I was sent a popular Russian Orthodox icon (Madonna and Child) by a firend who is living near Moscow. Thanks for your help.
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Irish_Melkite
Guest
the hibernian:
Any Russian icon of the Theotokos and Child that you were sent is unquestionably also venerated in the Eastern Churches of the Byzantine-Slav Tradition. There is no such thing as “Orthodox” or “Catholic” icons in the sense of the subject portrayed, except in the instance of icons written of a post-Schism Saint who is venerated in one Church, but not the other.
If you are uncertain whether the icon has been blessed or not, you could ask a blessing of it by a priest - if there is an Eastern Catholic parish near you, there. If not, you could certainly obtain a blessing of it by a Latin priest, or by an Orthodox priest for that matter.
Enjoy your light into Heaven. May it bring you spiritual joy in prayer.
Many years,
Neil
Hibernian,
Any Russian icon of the Theotokos and Child that you were sent is unquestionably also venerated in the Eastern Churches of the Byzantine-Slav Tradition. There is no such thing as “Orthodox” or “Catholic” icons in the sense of the subject portrayed, except in the instance of icons written of a post-Schism Saint who is venerated in one Church, but not the other.
If you are uncertain whether the icon has been blessed or not, you could ask a blessing of it by a priest - if there is an Eastern Catholic parish near you, there. If not, you could certainly obtain a blessing of it by a Latin priest, or by an Orthodox priest for that matter.
Enjoy your light into Heaven. May it bring you spiritual joy in prayer.
Many years,
Neil
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maryprayforme
Guest
the hibernian:
No problem. I just cringe sometimes because there are people who really believe I am going against Rome by attending a Byzantine Rite. My mother was worried when I told her. And many of our friends who atill attend a Latin Rite think we can never come back to the Latin Rite. As long as the icon doesn’t depict anything in error it should be fine. Ask your priest to bless it. I love Eastern European art.
+JMJ+
No problem. I just cringe sometimes because there are people who really believe I am going against Rome by attending a Byzantine Rite. My mother was worried when I told her. And many of our friends who atill attend a Latin Rite think we can never come back to the Latin Rite. As long as the icon doesn’t depict anything in error it should be fine. Ask your priest to bless it. I love Eastern European art.
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the_hibernian
Guest
Irish Melkite:
Theotokos…thanks, I couldn’t think of that for the life of me. I am quite certain it wasn’t blessed so I am going take care of that. I am just not very familiar w/ iconography, but I know that there are quite subtle symbolisms that I wanted to make sure were not controversial. Something like the “fililoque” debate came to mind. Anyway, thanks for the clarification.
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Nota_Bene
Guest
maryprayforme said:
Ask your priest to bless it during the celebration of the Divine Liturgy. He will take your icon into the sanctuary during the liturgy and impart a special blessing…
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Edwin1961
Guest
Irish Melkite:
So I guess that means that any icon before 1054 is Ok in an Eastern Catholic Church, but none AFTER 1054, except for the time since the reunionification…such as Rutherian rite coming back around the mid 17th. cen.?
I know my pastor liked to quote some Orthodox saints in his homilies.
(I.E. my lenten quote below is from such a Saint).
How does this measure up?
God IS with Us!
Edwin
Neil,
So I guess that means that any icon before 1054 is Ok in an Eastern Catholic Church, but none AFTER 1054, except for the time since the reunionification…such as Rutherian rite coming back around the mid 17th. cen.?
I know my pastor liked to quote some Orthodox saints in his homilies.
(I.E. my lenten quote below is from such a Saint).
How does this measure up?
God IS with Us!
Edwin
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Irish_Melkite
Guest
Edwin,
Sorry to be so late answering this. I lost track of this thread. Actually, I was just commenting that icons of post-Schism Saints tend to be considered “Catholic” or “Orthodox” depending on the Church which canonized the Saint. Usually such Saints are only venerated in the Church, Catholic or Orthodox, by which the Saint was canonized.
However, that isn’t an absolute rule. For example, I know, for a fact, that icons of Saint John (Maximovitch) the Wonderworker (a/k/a Saint John of Shanghai, a/ka/ Saint John of San Francisco) are present in at least two of the four Russian Catholic Churches in the US. Also, many icons of the Theotokos written in one or the other Church are venerated in both and there is a considerable Orthodox devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, the image being considered as one “not written by human hands”.
As to quoting, reading, and studying the writings of the learned Orthodox fathers and Saints, it is done all the time.
Many years,
Neil
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