The Amber Icons of Alexander Krylov
Alexander Krylov is a Russian master of amber. For several years he worked with a few others to recreate the famous “amber room”, the gift of the Prussian king to Peter the Great in the 18th century. It was known as “the eight wonder of the world”, but was looted by the Nazis during the…
Continue reading »The Ancient Churches of Spain
I would like to call attention to some of the ancient churches of Western Europe which predate the Great Schism. These churches offer a glimpse of Western Orthodoxy as it once was, and as such, offer us some suggestions for Orthodoxy in the West as it could be today. European churches of the 7th to…
Continue reading »Learning Icon Carving with Hexaemeron
Icon carving is an art which has been experiencing a great renewal in Orthodoxy all across the world. In the last 15 years we have seen several amazing icon carvers appear, with Aidan Hart in England, the Azbuhanov couple in Russia. The art of miniature carving has also been finding a quality it had lost…
Continue reading »Archetype and Symbol III: On Noetic Vision, Continued…
Lets now look at the nous as an organ of perception. In speaking of the soul, according to its different faculties, we tend to create a fragmented notion of it as consisting of mutually exclusive layers, rather than as an interrelated whole. Therefore, we tend to forget that the nous permeates all of man. Even…
Continue reading »Degraded Iconicity IV: Symbolic and Priestly Craftsmanship
This is post 4 of 6 in the series “Degraded Iconicity” Fr. Silouan Justiniano thinks through the effect of contemporary image culture and mechanical reproduction on iconography and our sense of the sacred. The Degraded Iconicity of the Icon: The Icon’s Materiality and Mechanical Reproduction Degraded Iconicity II: Uplifting Materiality and Symbol. Degraded Iconicity III:…
Continue reading »Archetype and Symbol II: On Noetic Vision
This is post 2 of 2 in the series “Archetype and Symbol” Fr. Silouan explores the possibility of creativity and the creative act within an Orthodox theological frame. Archetype and Symbol : Thoughts on the Creative Act Archetype and Symbol II: On Noetic Vision Archetype and Symbol II: On Noetic Vision Upon reading the…
Continue reading »The Saint John of Damascus Society needs your help
The Saint John of Damascus Society has announced a new collaborative effort that we’re really excited about, and we need your support and participation! The background: Hal Sabbagh, the president of our executive board, was inspired by the apparent discovery last summer of the Higgs boson to develop with me and the rest of the…
Continue reading »The Serpents of Orthodoxy
One of the most surprising images one is faced with considering Orthodox liturgical symbolism is the bishop’s staff sporting two snakes flanking a small cross atop it. Especially in a Protestant North American context, this image seems to hark back to ancient chthonian cults, more a wizard’s magic staff than anything Christian. As I have…
Continue reading »Designing Icons (pt.9): Perspective Systems in Icons
This is post 9 of 9 in the series “Designing Icons” Aidan Hart gives us a full chapter on designing icons from his book “Techniques of Icon and Wall Painting.” Designing Icons (pt.1) Designing Icons (pt.2): Icon Prototypes Designing Icons (pt.3): New Icons Designing Icons (pt.4): Researching Festal Icons Designing Icons (pt.5): Conventions of Traditional…
Continue reading »An Icon of the Kingdom of God: The Integrated Expression of all the Liturgical Arts – Part 8: Vestments
This is post 8 of 12 in the series “An Icon of the Kingdom of God” Andrew Gould gives a unifying vision of how all the liturgical arts complement each other to create a living icon of the Kingdom of God. An Icon of the Kingdom of God: The Integrated Expression of all the Liturgical…
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