Talking to Theotokos in icon

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Hello , is it a sin to mentally engage in a conversation with the holy theotokos in an icon ? I have been praying the rosary looking at the icon as if im speaking to her.

It has been quite a different experience with an icon . It keeps me engaged but i hope im not sinning .
 
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Talking to Mary in a respectful way, as in you’re not hurling insults at her, is never a sin. She’s always happy to listen to her children.
 
Im concerned because even though my intension is on mary , i realised im praying to an object - paint and wood. I just want to be sure it is not idolatry , not because of the prayer to the saint but something else.
 
anon91549587 said:
Im concerned because even though my intension is on mary , i realised im praying to an object - paint and wood. I just want to be sure it is not idolatry ,
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That’s ridiculous. If you looked at a picture of your deceased grandma and started conversing with her, would you be conversing with a photo print? We don’t pray to holy objects, nor do we ever practice idolatry. The Church dealt with that centuries ago and decided icons and statues were okay. It’s only Protestants who misunderstand.
 
Upon typing my previous reply , i am amazed that im praying to the saint in my mind that matches the essence of the saint depicted. Its quite mysterious. Different from a statue.

The layer of gold and the paint upon it no longer just makes the object wood that im praying to . Ok sry …was a stream of consciousness.
 
Short answer: No! Certainly not if you stop short of granting some sort of worship or your devotion goes beyond the knowledge that an icon is, after all, just an icon. They are a visual reminder (sacramental) and beautiful representation of beauty.

Icons are meant to assist us in our spiritual lives. You are speaking with the actual Saint in your prayer. How they receive our prayers is not fully understood, but we are certain that the Saints are aware of them.
 
Excerpts from the Second Council of Nicea:

We, therefore, following the royal pathway and the divinely inspired authority of our Holy Fathers and the traditions of the Catholic Church (for, as we all know, the Holy Spirit indwells her), define with all certitude and accuracy that just as the figure of the precious and life-giving Cross, so also the venerable and holy images, as well in painting and mosaic as of other fit materials, should be set forth in the holy churches of God, and on the sacred vessels and on the vestments and on hangings and in pictures both in houses and by the wayside, to wit, the figure of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ, of our spotless Lady, the Mother of God, of the honourable Angels, of all Saints and of all pious people. For by so much more frequently as they are seen in artistic representation, by so much more readily are men lifted up to the memory of their prototypes, and to a longing after them; and to these should be given due salutation and honourable reverence (Greek term follows), not indeed that true worship of faith ( latreian >) which pertains alone to the divine nature; but to these, as to the figure of the precious and life-giving Cross and to the Book of the Gospels and to the other holy objects, incense and lights may be offered according to ancient pious custom. For the honour which is paid to the image passes on to that which the image represents, and he who reveres the image reveres in it the subject represented. For thus the teaching of our holy Fathers, that is the tradition of the Catholic Church, which from one end of the earth to the other hath received the Gospel, is strengthened. Thus we follow Paul, who spake in Christ, and the whole divine Apostolic company and the holy Fathers, holding fast the traditions which we have received…

Cont’d in next post
 
Cont’d from previous post

Those, therefore who dare to think or teach otherwise, or as wicked heretics to spurn the traditions of the Church and to invent some novelty, or else to reject some of those things which the Church hath received (e.g., the Book of the Gospels, or the image of the cross, or the pictorial icons, or the holy reliques of a martyr), or evilly and sharply to devise anything subversive of the lawful traditions of the Catholic Church or to turn to common uses the sacred vessels or the venerable monasteries,[1] if they be Bishops or Clerics, we command that they be deposed; if religious or laics, that they be cut off from communion.

The holy Synod cried out: So we all believe, we all are so minded, we all give our consent and have signed. This is the faith of the Apostles, this is the faith of the orthodox, this is the faith which hath made firm the whole world. Believing in one God, to be celebrated in Trinity, we salute the honourable images! Those who do not so hold, let them be anathema. Those who do not thus think, let them be driven far away from the Church. For we follow the most ancient legislation of the Catholic Church. We keep the laws of the Fathers. We anathematize those who add anything to or take anything away from the Catholic Church. We anathematize the introduced novelty of the revilers of Christians. We salute the venerable images. We place under anathema those who do not do this. Anathema to them who presume to apply to the venerable images the things said in Holy Scripture about idols. Anathema to those who do not salute the holy and venerable images. Anathema to those who call the sacred images idols. Anathema to those who say that Christians resort to the sacred images as to gods. Anathema to those who say that any other delivered us from idols except Christ our God. Anathema to those who dare to say that at any time the Catholic Church received idols.

Many years to the Emperors, etc., etc.

from The Seven Ecumenical Councils of the Undivided Church, trans H. R. Percival, in Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, 2nd Series, ed. P. Schaff and H. Wace, (repr. Grand Rapids MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1955), XIV, pp 549-551
This text is part of the Internet Medieval Source Book. The Sourcebook is a collection of public domain and copy-permitted texts related to medieval and Byzantine history.
Unless otherwise indicated the specific electronic form of the document is copyright. Permission is granted for electronic copying, distribution in print form for educational purposes and personal use. If you do reduplicate the document, indicate the source. No permission is granted for commercial use.
(c)Paul Halsall Feb 1996 halsall@murray.fordham.edu
 
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Icons are windows. They aren’t the person themselves but are meant as an aid to bring us closer to them. If it helps to look at the icon while you pray to the Theotokos (or any other saint), then its writer has succeeded in their goal.
 
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And in 4 weeks is the Sunday of the Holy Images:


N.B. Compare this Sticheron and Apostichon with the infallible decree of the Second Council of Nicea, the 7th Ecumenical Council:

Sticheron

The grace of truth has shone upon us;* the mysteries darkly prefigured in the times of old have now been openly fulfilled.* For behold, the Church is clothed in a beauty that surpasses all things earthly,* through the icon of the incarnate Christ* that was foreshadowed by the ark of testimony.* This is the safeguard of the orthodox faith;* for is we hold fast to the icon of the Saviour whom we worship,* we shall not go astray.* Let all who do not share this faith be covered with shame;* but we shall glory in the icon of the Word made flesh,* which we venerate but worship not as an idol.* So let us kiss it, and with all the faithful cry aloud:* O God, save Your people** and bless Your inheritance.

Apostichon

Advancing from ungodliness to the true faith,* and illumined with the light of knowledge,* let us clasp our hands and sing aloud,* offering praise and thanksgiving to God;* and with due honour let us venerate the holy icons of Christ; of the all-pure Virgin and the saints, whether depicted on walls, on wooden panels or on holy vessels,* rejecting the impious teachings of the heretics.* For, as Basil says, the honour shown the icon passes to the prototype it represents.* At the prayers of Your undefiled Mother and of all the Saints,* we beseech You, Christ our God,** to bestow upon us Your great mercy.
 
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