![]() ![]() Each is unique, but all follow a standard format of what icons are present in the first level and where the icons are placed. Icon screens seen in Byzantine churches vary in complexity, height, and appearance. Physical Characteristics of the Icon Screen In acknowledging the life of Christ in the lives of all who came before us, such as the saints and apostles depicted on the icon screen, we are assisted in turning our attention when in church to God and to “set aside all earthly cares”. Those in the icon screen are present to us visually and present with us spiritually. They were present with Christ and witnesses to all that Jesus taught and did. Looking at the row of the apostles in the icon screen, each holding a Gospel book or scroll and looking out to the people, we see before us holy men who walked with Christ Jesus. Through these, thanksgiving and praise is offered to God in union with the whole of creation – with the entirety of the communion of saints, the Mother of God, the apostles, martyrs, angels, and all those whose souls rest in the Lord. There is a richness seen in the eloquent wording of liturgical prayers, plain chant, and of course, iconography. In Eastern Churches, this mystical nature of worship is present in many forms. ![]() The icon screen serves a role in this way since the physical passage of the priest through the doors of the icon screen at various times in the Liturgy symbolizes events in the life of Christ. Many parts of the Liturgy are symbolically linked to passages and events in Holy Scripture. Every aspect of Liturgy is in its entirety fulfillment of and with God’s plan of salvation. The form of the Liturgy in combination with all other elements of the church, including the church architecture and icons, serve to accentuate what is present, what is sacred and holy. The prayers of the Liturgy, including those during the Anaphora ² touch upon this transcendent unity of time and space, sacrifice and praise, heaven and earth. The Liturgy is all that has been divinely revealed and accomplished in the past, and all that has already been revealed and accomplished in the future, and all that is mystically present in the moment. The focus of Liturgy is the divine eternal and timeless sanctity of praise to God, which is why it is called “Divine Liturgy”. This is the direction cited in Holy Scripture of the Second Coming of Christ. Together, they direct their attention to God, towards the altar which faces east. View of Iconostasis and Sanctuary area with Icon of the Sign above altarĪs the icon screen signifies this uniting of heaven and earth, in Eastern Churches the priest and faithful also unite their prayers and hymns of praise. Together, these symbolically and in reality form the Body of Christ, the Church - the Kingdom of God. Instead, it is a unifying element, bridging the holy sanctuary and the nave. Some may be inclined to think it restricts what can be seen during worship services. The icon screen is never a barrier to worship. Defining sacred space in a sense, defines our approach to God and the special honor we reserve for God alone. Identifying what is sacred apart from what is commonplace is transformative. In these special features found in Eastern churches, anyone entering the church can recognize this is not an ordinary building, but it is God’s Holy Temple. The sanctuary light signifies the eternal presence of God in the church, notably in the Eucharist reserved in the Tabernacle.¹ A sanctuary light (candle) is suspended above and in front of the center of the icon screen. The sanctuary is the place in which the Holy Eucharist is consecrated on the Holy Table (altar). In Eastern Churches, the icon screen serves as a visual reminder of God’s Divine presence in the church, particularly in the sacred space of the sanctuary. Through it beauty and elegance, a manifestation of God’s own magnificence, the icon screen inspires the faithful to elevate their hearts, minds, and souls to God, the Mother of God, and the entire communion of saints. It is a symmetrical arrangement of icons (religious paintings) displayed in rows, typically present in both Byzantine and Orthodox churches. Michael the Archangel Byzantine Catholic church (located in Pittston, Pennsylvania, USA) seen above, is an ornate wood structure that separates the nave of the church (main body of the church) from the sanctuary (altar area). © Photo Image may not be copied, distributed, modified or published without permission. Michael the Archangel Byzantine Catholic Church, Pittston, Pennsylvania. ![]()
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