Posts Tagged ‘Byzantine’
Churches of North Macedonia – Monastery of Saint Naum
Continuing my photojournalism series highlighting Balkan churches, this post features an especially beloved monastery in North Macedonia – The Monastery of Saint Naum. Saint Naum was a disciple of Saints Cyril and Methodius, and participated in their mission to spread Christianity and literacy in Europe. After completing the Moravian mission, he settled in Bulgaria…
Continue reading »Churches of North Macedonia – Saint George in Staro Nagoričane
Resuming my photojournalism series highlighting Balkan churches, this post features an especially interesting and beautiful church in North Macedonia – The Church of Saint George in the village of Staro Nagoričane. The church bears a unique form and history. It was originally built in the 10th century, almost certainly as a three-aisle basilica. It was…
Continue reading »Teaching Traditional Ecclesial Pictorial Embroidery
I would like to introduce you to my new project, Katrusya Studio, which was established to teach people Medieval ecclesial pictorial embroidery. What is pictorial embroidery? The term “pictorial embroidery” refers to any embroidery depicting faces and figures of people. Ecclesial pictorial embroidery encompasses figures of saints, scenes from their lives, and famous historical events.…
Continue reading »Iconostases in Balkan Churches – Part 2: Dečani Monastery
The iconostases of Dečani Monastery are of such overwhelming interest that they warrant their own post in my photojournalism series. Dečani was built in 1327-1331. Among the hundreds of monasteries built by the medieval kingdom of Serbia, it was the tallest and grandest. Today, it is also, miraculously, the best preserved, with an extraordinary collection…
Continue reading »Apsidal Wall Painting for St. Christopher’s Church, Codsell, UK
Definition of Apse: A large semi-circular or polygonal recess in a church, arched or with a domed roof and typically at the church’s eastern end. Via Latin from Greek hapsis ‘arch, vault’, perhaps from haptein ‘fasten, join’. In astronomy, either of two points on the orbit of a planet or satellite that are nearest to…
Continue reading »Lecture: The Neptic Icon and Orthodox Tradition
I am delighted to announce that Professor Cornelia Tsakiridou, author of several exceptional books on the holy icon, will be giving a special lecture on the evening of Tuesday 14th March 2023 at the Hellenic Centre in London, UK. The lecture is organised by The Prince’s Foundation, School of Traditional Arts and generously made possible…
Continue reading »The Painter’s Manual of Dionysios of Fourna and the Byzantine Church of the Monastery of Saint Gregorios
Over the centuries it had been noticeable that the iconography of Byzantine churches was consistent in content and style. It was most likely that the artists of religious images were following rules on what was to be painted, how images were to be arranged, and how they were to be rendered. In 1839, a painter’s…
Continue reading »Interview with Iconographer Baker Galloway
Editor’s Note: Following upon Aidan Hart’s recent post about applications currently being accepted for the 3-year Icon Painting Programme taught by him, we present an interview with a 2019 graduate of that program, Baker Galloway, conducted by Seraphim O’Keefe on behalf of the OAJ. Introduction Baker Galloway is an American graduate of the 3-year Icon…
Continue reading »A Byzantine Master in the New World – An Interview with Iconographer Dionysios Bouloubassis
Dionysios Boloubassis developed a reputation as a talented iconographer in Greece before he immigrated to the United States in 2013. Over the past ten years he built up a new portfolio of work in America, which together with his churches in Greece, demonstrates his experience and skill in carrying on the iconographic tradition. ORTHODOX ARTS…
Continue reading »Church Architecture in America: A Look at the Sanctuary from a Missionary Perspective
Editor’s Note: This essay is an interesting provocation for church architects and liturgical artists. Fr. John Finley challenges us to rethink some of the normative materials and imagery used in our churches to better conform to the vision of Heaven described in scripture. I think there is much to be said for this approach, controversial…
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