Should True Orthodox reject Latin Orthodox icons?

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Justice
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Should True Orthodox reject Latin Orthodox icons?

Post by Justice »

Since the Latin inspired icons come from the heretic Roman Catholic Church, Should the True Orthodox use them?

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Maria
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Re: Should True Orthodox reject Latin Orthodox icons?

Post by Maria »

Justice wrote:

Since the Latin inspired icons come from the heretic Roman Catholic Church, Should the True Orthodox use them?

This may come as a surprise, but several churches in Los Angeles have most of their iconography done by Roman Catholics (most likely from the Eastern Catholic Churches).

After the icons are written for the church, the bishop will come and chrismate them with oil. When the church is consecrated, you will notice a long pole with a piece of cotton. This is used by the bishop to anoint the icons.

When we buy icons for our homes, it is good to take them to the church to be blessed.

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.

Justice
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Re: Should True Orthodox reject Latin Orthodox icons?

Post by Justice »

Maria wrote:
Justice wrote:

Since the Latin inspired icons come from the heretic Roman Catholic Church, Should the True Orthodox use them?

This may come as a surprise, but several churches in Los Angeles have most of their iconography done by Roman Catholics (most likely from the Eastern Catholic Churches).

After the icons are written for the church, the bishop will come and chrismate them with oil. When the church is consecrated, you will notice a long pole with a piece of cotton. This is used by the bishop to anoint the icons.

When we buy icons for our homes, it is good to take them to the church to be blessed.

Is it because there aren't enough True Orthodox monasteries in the communities?

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Maria
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Re: Should True Orthodox reject Latin Orthodox icons?

Post by Maria »

Within True Orthodoxy, Priests and monastics usually serve as iconographers. It is not a vocation to be taken lightly. Usually a person only does so with permission of their spiritual father.

Within World Orthodoxy, there are a lot of laity who write icons as a profession.

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.

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Barbara
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Re: Should True Orthodox reject Latin Orthodox icons?

Post by Barbara »

I had no idea that the Bishop blesses EACH Icon when he consecrates a Church !

Does this occur when new Icons have been added, or new frescoes have been painted, for example if the Church has already
been consecrated ?

That's quite interesting. I would like to see a picture or video of that ritual. Can you think of any offhand, Maria ?

Neither did I know that Catholics are doing the Icons for Orthodox Churches ! I didn't know any Catholics were even skilled as iconographers.

Yes in the TOC, we have Fr Photios in Oregon as an example of a Priest who is a busy iconographer. Are there others as well ?

Justice
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Re: Should True Orthodox reject Latin Orthodox icons?

Post by Justice »

But isn't it wrong for a heretic to make icons for the True Orthodox?

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Maria
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Re: Should True Orthodox reject Latin Orthodox icons?

Post by Maria »

Justice wrote:

But isn't it wrong for a heretic to make icons for the True Orthodox?

Sometimes parishes will convert to True Orthodoxy bringing their Orthodox Christian icons, which are then blessed by a True Orthodox bishop. As long as the icon is written according to the traditions of our fathers, even if it were to be written by a heretic, then it can be blessed for our use inside the Church or inside our homes, which are called a Domestic Church.

Each icon should be examined carefully to make sure that it follows the appropriate iconographic traditions of our church, for example, the typical Christmas Icon of the Nativity of Christ should not show the presence of a midwife as Christ's birth was miraculous. He was not born vaginally, which would have caused His Mother to lose her virginity. Blessed Mary, the Theotokos, remained a virgin before, during, and after the birth of her Son, our Lord God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thus, those icons which show the presence of a midwife are to be cast out.

In another example, our altar wine and our wheat used to make the Bread and Wine in the Holy Eucharist are probably grown by non-Orthodox or heretical farmers. We strive to buy the best wine and grains, if we cannot grow them ourselves. However, we should not become scrupulous. During persecutions, when grapes were hard to obtain, priests would soak raisins in water to make altar wine.

Read the Acts of the Apostles, written by St. Luke. Peter was shown a vision of all kinds of animals, "clean" and "unclean", then he was told to take and eat. He resisted. Three times he was shown this vision, and each time when he resisted, he was told, "What God has created is not unclean."

What God blesses through the ministry of His Priests and Bishops is made clean.

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.

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