In the history of Russian Orthodoxy, icons occupy a special place. Throughout centuries, the Church applied to icons, trying to re-establish the meaning and significance of its religious symbols. Since the very beginnings of Russian Orthodoxy, icons served the means and the objects of prayer. Icons conveyed religious sanctity and the Divine Word. With time, icons in Russian Orthodoxy became the expression of the utmost religious symbolism and maintained a reliable link between the events of the sacred history and the realities of everyday life. Icons in Russian Orthodoxy exemplified a profoundly symbolical pictorial tradition, transmitted the spirituality of religion and to linked religion to the realities of everyday life.
That icons were predominantly used for prayer is difficult to deny since the earliest years of Russian Orthodoxy, icons were both the means and the way of delivering the Divine Word (Ouspensky Lossky 25). However, the earliest years of Orthodoxy in Russia reflected the continuous conflict between the new religious traditions and paganism. Russian icons followed the pictorial legacy of paganism and, simultaneously, had to teach people the realities of the new Orthodox religion. During the first years of Russian Orthodoxy, many Russian Christians continued to live in the atmosphere of vanishing paganism. Given the significance and continuity of the pagan traditions, it was virtually impossible to destroy the pagan idolatry at once. Christians tried to protect their religion from the risks of idolatry that is why, icons were often considered as an unnecessary form of artistic expression which went against the basic principles of Christianity (Ouspensky Lossky 25). Some of the early religious adherents disapproved icons as a pagan custom (Ouspensky Lossky 25). However, icons were never associated with idolatry. In reality, icons represented and continue to represent the long-standing pictorial tradition of Christianity. The latter expressed the profound religious symbolism of Russian Orthodoxy and was the only possible way for the Church to transmit the spirituality and sanctity of the Divine word to the realities of everyday life.
In the context of Russian orthodoxy, icons represented a unique pictorial tradition and confirmed the significance of religious image in the structure of Christian beliefs about God. The Church and religious adherents had always had a clear understanding of the significance of religious image (Ouspensky Lossky 25). Throughout the history of Russian Orthodoxy, the image was necessarily inherent in the very essence of Christianity, from its inception, since Christianity is the revelation by God-Man not only of the Word of God, but also of the Image of God (Ouspensky Lossky 25). Because many of the religious and Orthodox notions were increasingly vague or too intangible to describe with the help of word, icons turned into the basic unit of religious expression in Russian Orthodoxy. This form of religious expression did not go against Christian traditions but, on the contrary, was inalienably linked to it. Iconography had never been an invention of painters or pagans but was an established religious law (Ouspensky Lossky 26). The law and icons themselves were crucial for the development and evolution of Christianity in Russia they had to reflect the new religious outlook and the reality with which Russian people had been unfamiliar. Icons were the best possible means for Christians to deliver and explain the spiritual ideals of Christianity (Ouspensky Lossky 26).
Symbolism was not exclusively the feature of Russian Orthodoxy and Christianity in general, but it was inseparable from the Christian art because symbols were the only possible way to reflect and transmit spiritual reality (Ouspensky Lossky 27). As noted before, because many of the Christian and Orthodox notions were too intangible and vague to express by means of the Divine Word, there was no way for the Church to express its spirituality and sanctity other than icons. During the earliest years of Christianity in Russia, the Church could not avoid adopting the basic principles of the pagan pictorial art. The adoption of pagan principles was justified by the need to reinforce the sense of religious symbolism and to make the new religious outlook understandable and familiar to the Russian people. As a result, early icons uniquely combined Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Syrian, and Asia Minor artistic traditions (Ouspensky Lossky 27).
The symbolism of the earliest icons was similar to that in pagan pictures, but Russian Orthodoxy had been increasingly selective in its choice of the pagan symbols the Church adopted only what it considered being Christian before Christianity, to create the fullness of religious and symbolic revelation (Ouspensky Lossky 28). The use of multiple symbols from various cultural and religious traditions had to strengthen the religious spirit of Christianity. The use of multiple traditions had to convey a religious message that everything gathered by the Church had been created by God (Ouspensky Lossky 28). Icons reflected and carried the profound symbolism of linkages between the Church and the rest of the world. Through icons, the Church sought to absorb the best from the world and later used it to teach religious adherents the truths of the spiritual life. Icons were a symbol of the two-way spiritual communication between the world and the Church they reflected the knowledge that the Church gathered from the world and, simultaneously, conveyed that knowledge in clear and comprehensible terms.
Icons served an effective pictorial expression of the religious teachings of the Christian church. Icons created conditions necessary to convey the symbolism of Russian Orthodoxy and to explain the notions that had been inexplicable before. The pictorial expression of religious teachings became one of the fundamental principles of iconography and revealed a profound symbolic role of icons in Russian Orthodoxy (Ouspensky Lossky 26). With the help of icons, the Church would convey the meanings and teachings of Christianity in ways that did not separate people from their realities but, on the contrary, provided the answers to the most problematic questions of life (Ouspensky Lossky 27). In the context of symbolism and religious evolution, the Church could not use the instrument of expression better than icons. Icons allowed the Church to reduce details to minimum and to provide maximum of expressiveness the expressiveness that had to transform into a passionate prayer (Ouspensky Lossky 27). The faces on the first icons were turned toward the congregation, emphasizing the importance of both the interaction with the word of religion and the state of prayer (Ouspensky Lossky 27). The images were simple to the extent, which would make the teachings of Christianity understandable and comprehensible to the public. Icons were never personal, and the author was anonymous (Ouspensky Lossky 27). An icon was never an instrument of personal expression but only an effective means of transmitting religious traditions (Ouspensky Lossky 27). The expression had to be clear enough to avoid ambiguity, to present the Churchs vision of reality, and to convey symbolic religious meanings.
It should be noted, that icons in Russian Orthodoxy never separated religious adherents from their reality. Icons in Russian Orthodoxy not only described various religious events but depicted different kinds of activities, works, and professions, to show that any work consecrated to God was sanctified (Ouspensky Lossky 27). Orthodox icons did not depict human sufferings per se but, on the contrary, offered the ways of carrying out the mission of religious suffering (Ouspensky Lossky 27). To fulfill such a mission, an icon utilized a complex combination of symbols. Religious symbolism was the basic role icons played in Russian Orthodoxy. Icons reflected and conveyed profoundly symbolic religious meanings. They were the only possible way for the Church to transmit the realities of the religious life.
Icons played a prominent role in the codification and consolidation of the Christian religious tradition. The development of iconography in Russia followed the Churchs pathway of development vague and unsystematic from the very beginning, the Church and icons gradually affirmed in response to the emerging needs for institutionalization and systematization of the religious rule. The 82nd rule of the Trullan Council was an excellent response to heresies and errors (Ouspensky Lossky 29). Since that time, the range of symbols the Church could use to convey the spirit of the Divine Word had been limited the symbols had to link icons to the dogma of the Divine Incarnation, and the use of non-human subjects in the place of Christ was no longer acceptable (Ouspensky Lossky 29). Like everything in Russian Orthodoxy, icons had to follow a number of strict rules which, nevertheless, did not change their essence of the basic functions. Icons continued to exemplify the profound symbolism of the Russian Orthodox traditions, transmitting the spirituality of Orthodox religion and linking religion to the realities of everyday life.
In the history of Russian Orthodoxy, icons occupy a special place. Icons in Russian orthodoxy exemplified and reflected profoundly symbolical religious traditions, transmitted the spirituality of religion and linked religion to the realities of everyday life. For years and centuries, icons were the only means for the Church to convey religions meanings, many of which were too intangible and vague to express through the Divine Word. Not only did icons depict religious events but they had to provide the answers to the most problematic questions of life. Icons served a pictorial expression of the basic teachings of the Church and followed the consolidation of the Christian religious tradition. Icons were used for prayer and helped people to maintain a reliable link between the sacred history and the realities of everyday life.
That icons were predominantly used for prayer is difficult to deny since the earliest years of Russian Orthodoxy, icons were both the means and the way of delivering the Divine Word (Ouspensky Lossky 25). However, the earliest years of Orthodoxy in Russia reflected the continuous conflict between the new religious traditions and paganism. Russian icons followed the pictorial legacy of paganism and, simultaneously, had to teach people the realities of the new Orthodox religion. During the first years of Russian Orthodoxy, many Russian Christians continued to live in the atmosphere of vanishing paganism. Given the significance and continuity of the pagan traditions, it was virtually impossible to destroy the pagan idolatry at once. Christians tried to protect their religion from the risks of idolatry that is why, icons were often considered as an unnecessary form of artistic expression which went against the basic principles of Christianity (Ouspensky Lossky 25). Some of the early religious adherents disapproved icons as a pagan custom (Ouspensky Lossky 25). However, icons were never associated with idolatry. In reality, icons represented and continue to represent the long-standing pictorial tradition of Christianity. The latter expressed the profound religious symbolism of Russian Orthodoxy and was the only possible way for the Church to transmit the spirituality and sanctity of the Divine word to the realities of everyday life.
In the context of Russian orthodoxy, icons represented a unique pictorial tradition and confirmed the significance of religious image in the structure of Christian beliefs about God. The Church and religious adherents had always had a clear understanding of the significance of religious image (Ouspensky Lossky 25). Throughout the history of Russian Orthodoxy, the image was necessarily inherent in the very essence of Christianity, from its inception, since Christianity is the revelation by God-Man not only of the Word of God, but also of the Image of God (Ouspensky Lossky 25). Because many of the religious and Orthodox notions were increasingly vague or too intangible to describe with the help of word, icons turned into the basic unit of religious expression in Russian Orthodoxy. This form of religious expression did not go against Christian traditions but, on the contrary, was inalienably linked to it. Iconography had never been an invention of painters or pagans but was an established religious law (Ouspensky Lossky 26). The law and icons themselves were crucial for the development and evolution of Christianity in Russia they had to reflect the new religious outlook and the reality with which Russian people had been unfamiliar. Icons were the best possible means for Christians to deliver and explain the spiritual ideals of Christianity (Ouspensky Lossky 26).
Symbolism was not exclusively the feature of Russian Orthodoxy and Christianity in general, but it was inseparable from the Christian art because symbols were the only possible way to reflect and transmit spiritual reality (Ouspensky Lossky 27). As noted before, because many of the Christian and Orthodox notions were too intangible and vague to express by means of the Divine Word, there was no way for the Church to express its spirituality and sanctity other than icons. During the earliest years of Christianity in Russia, the Church could not avoid adopting the basic principles of the pagan pictorial art. The adoption of pagan principles was justified by the need to reinforce the sense of religious symbolism and to make the new religious outlook understandable and familiar to the Russian people. As a result, early icons uniquely combined Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Syrian, and Asia Minor artistic traditions (Ouspensky Lossky 27).
The symbolism of the earliest icons was similar to that in pagan pictures, but Russian Orthodoxy had been increasingly selective in its choice of the pagan symbols the Church adopted only what it considered being Christian before Christianity, to create the fullness of religious and symbolic revelation (Ouspensky Lossky 28). The use of multiple symbols from various cultural and religious traditions had to strengthen the religious spirit of Christianity. The use of multiple traditions had to convey a religious message that everything gathered by the Church had been created by God (Ouspensky Lossky 28). Icons reflected and carried the profound symbolism of linkages between the Church and the rest of the world. Through icons, the Church sought to absorb the best from the world and later used it to teach religious adherents the truths of the spiritual life. Icons were a symbol of the two-way spiritual communication between the world and the Church they reflected the knowledge that the Church gathered from the world and, simultaneously, conveyed that knowledge in clear and comprehensible terms.
Icons served an effective pictorial expression of the religious teachings of the Christian church. Icons created conditions necessary to convey the symbolism of Russian Orthodoxy and to explain the notions that had been inexplicable before. The pictorial expression of religious teachings became one of the fundamental principles of iconography and revealed a profound symbolic role of icons in Russian Orthodoxy (Ouspensky Lossky 26). With the help of icons, the Church would convey the meanings and teachings of Christianity in ways that did not separate people from their realities but, on the contrary, provided the answers to the most problematic questions of life (Ouspensky Lossky 27). In the context of symbolism and religious evolution, the Church could not use the instrument of expression better than icons. Icons allowed the Church to reduce details to minimum and to provide maximum of expressiveness the expressiveness that had to transform into a passionate prayer (Ouspensky Lossky 27). The faces on the first icons were turned toward the congregation, emphasizing the importance of both the interaction with the word of religion and the state of prayer (Ouspensky Lossky 27). The images were simple to the extent, which would make the teachings of Christianity understandable and comprehensible to the public. Icons were never personal, and the author was anonymous (Ouspensky Lossky 27). An icon was never an instrument of personal expression but only an effective means of transmitting religious traditions (Ouspensky Lossky 27). The expression had to be clear enough to avoid ambiguity, to present the Churchs vision of reality, and to convey symbolic religious meanings.
It should be noted, that icons in Russian Orthodoxy never separated religious adherents from their reality. Icons in Russian Orthodoxy not only described various religious events but depicted different kinds of activities, works, and professions, to show that any work consecrated to God was sanctified (Ouspensky Lossky 27). Orthodox icons did not depict human sufferings per se but, on the contrary, offered the ways of carrying out the mission of religious suffering (Ouspensky Lossky 27). To fulfill such a mission, an icon utilized a complex combination of symbols. Religious symbolism was the basic role icons played in Russian Orthodoxy. Icons reflected and conveyed profoundly symbolic religious meanings. They were the only possible way for the Church to transmit the realities of the religious life.
Icons played a prominent role in the codification and consolidation of the Christian religious tradition. The development of iconography in Russia followed the Churchs pathway of development vague and unsystematic from the very beginning, the Church and icons gradually affirmed in response to the emerging needs for institutionalization and systematization of the religious rule. The 82nd rule of the Trullan Council was an excellent response to heresies and errors (Ouspensky Lossky 29). Since that time, the range of symbols the Church could use to convey the spirit of the Divine Word had been limited the symbols had to link icons to the dogma of the Divine Incarnation, and the use of non-human subjects in the place of Christ was no longer acceptable (Ouspensky Lossky 29). Like everything in Russian Orthodoxy, icons had to follow a number of strict rules which, nevertheless, did not change their essence of the basic functions. Icons continued to exemplify the profound symbolism of the Russian Orthodox traditions, transmitting the spirituality of Orthodox religion and linking religion to the realities of everyday life.
In the history of Russian Orthodoxy, icons occupy a special place. Icons in Russian orthodoxy exemplified and reflected profoundly symbolical religious traditions, transmitted the spirituality of religion and linked religion to the realities of everyday life. For years and centuries, icons were the only means for the Church to convey religions meanings, many of which were too intangible and vague to express through the Divine Word. Not only did icons depict religious events but they had to provide the answers to the most problematic questions of life. Icons served a pictorial expression of the basic teachings of the Church and followed the consolidation of the Christian religious tradition. Icons were used for prayer and helped people to maintain a reliable link between the sacred history and the realities of everyday life.
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