Icon





In religious art, an icon (also spelled ikon, from the Greek word eikon,
which means "image") is an artistic representation or symbol of anything
considered holy and divine, such as paintings (including relief paintings),
sculpture, or mosaics, sometimes quite small in size, generally regarded by
their users as a physical manifestations of the thing represented. Icons are
used particularly in Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern-rite
Catholic churches and places of worship. In such use, they are typically
paintings on wood. Many religious homes in Russia, for example, have icons
hanging on the wall. There is a rich history and rich patterns of religious
symbolism associated with icons. The Orthodox sometimes call them "windows
into heaven". In Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern-rite
Catholic churches, the nave is typically separated from the sanctuary by a
wall of icons called an iconostasis.

In practice, icons are often illuminated with a candle or jar of oil with a
wick. (Beeswax for candles and olive oil for oil lamps are preferred because
they burn very cleanly.) Besides the practical purpose of making them
visible in an otherwise dark church in the days before electricity, this
symbolically indicates that the saint(s) depicted are illuminated by the
Christ, the Light of the World. Orthodox Christians venerate or show honor
and respect for icons in a variety of ways, in order to show honor and
respect for the people and events depicted. They do not worship icons, for
worship of icons was forbidden by the same council that defended their use,
the Second Council of Nicaea (also known as the Seventh Ecumenical Council).
By venerating icons, Orthodox Christians acknowledge that matter is not
inherently evil, but can be used by God. St. John of Damascus observed that
iconoclasts who attacked the use of icons often found themselves denying the
goodness of matter to such an extent, that they wound up doubting the real
incarnation of Jesus Christ as fully human, or that he was resurrected with
a real physical body.

History

Eusebius of Caesarea, a bishop and early church historian, reports one
popular story of the first icon. In this story, King Abgar of Edessa sent a
letter to Jesus Christ during Jesus' public activities in Gallilee, asking
Jesus to come and heal him of leprosy. Instead, Jesus took a linen cloth and
pressed it against his own face, leaving the imprint of his face on the
cloth, and sent it back to the king. This cloth reportedly remained in
Edessa until the 10th century, when it was taken to Constantinople. In 1204
it was lost when Constantinople was sacked by Crusaders. This is allegedly
the first icon. Eusebius also reports seeing many icons of Jesus, Peter and
Paul that were of some age, as well as seeing a bronze statue of Jesus
outside the house of the woman who was healed of a twelve year hemhorage;
the woman is mentioned in the Gospels, though the statue is not. There are
also simple paintings of Jesus as well as depictions of Old Testament scenes
found in early Christian catacombs, where Christians were not only buried
but also lived in to hide from their Roman persecutors. Luke the Evangelist
is also credited with painting at least three icons of the Virgin Mary, at
least one of which is believed to be still extant.

Iconography flourished during the Byzantine Empire beginning in the fifth or
sixth century. It developed further in Russia following Russia's conversion
to Orthodox Christianity in the late tenth century.

By extension from the primary sense of the word, an icon is also a name,
face, picture or symbol that readily recognized by most people to represent
some well-known entities or attributes. Many icons are based on famous
objects or landmarks. Icons are usually culturally dependent though many are
recognized internationally.

Example of well known icons, symbols and what they represent:

   * Alpenhorn -> Switzerland
   * Balance (scale) -> justice
   * Bat -> vampire (western), luck (Chinese)
   * Bear -> California
   * Boomerang -> Australia
   * Caduceus -> Medical profession
   * Cadillac -> top of the line (in USA only)
   * Cedar tree-> Lebanon
   * Cheetah -> speed
   * Cherry Blossom -> Japan
   * Compass rose -> navigation
   * Cowboys and Indians -> the old Western USA
   * Crucifix -> Christianity
   * Cupid, heart -> love
   * Donkey -> United States Democratic Party
   * Dragon -> China / Wales
   * Eagle -> USA
   * Elephant -> United States Republican Party
   * Flags -> the associated countries
   * Fleur-de-lis -> scouts, Quebec
   * Geneva cross -> ambulance, neutrality, humanitarian
   * Great Wall -> China
   * Grid iron -> American football
   * Hammer and sickle -> U.S.S.R, Communism
   * Hat and wand -> magic
   * Horseshoe -> luck
   * Igloo -> North Pole
   * James Dean -> rebellion
   * Kangaroo -> Australia
   * Kiwi -> New Zealand
   * Liberty Bell -> USA
   * Lightbulb -> idea
   * Lightning bolt -> electricity, speed
   * Lion -> England
   * Llama -> South America
   * Lotus -> Buddhism
   * Marilyn Monroe -> sex
   * Maple leaf -> Canada
   * Mount Fuji -> Japan
   * Mount Rushmore -> USA
   * Owl -> wisdom/education (western worlds), may mean evil in other place.
   * Panda -> China
   * Peace symbol -> hippies
   * Penguin -> South Pole, Linux
   * Pestle and mortar -> Pharmacy
   * Phallus (lingam) -> Shiva
   * Pink triangle -> gay men
   * Pine tree and crane -> longetivity (Chinese)
   * Plum flower -> China
   * Pocket protector -> nerds
   * Poinsettia -> Christmas
   * Polar bear -> North Pole
   * Rainbow -> homosexual people
   * Rams -> Guangzhou
   * Rolls Royce -> luxury, top of the line
   * St. Bernard (dog) -> rescue
   * Shamrock -> Ireland, Trinity
   * Shogun -> Japan
   * Skull and crossbones -> poison, danger
   * Star and crescent -> Islam
   * Star of David -> Judaism
   * Statue of Liberty -> USA
   * Swastika -> Buddhism, Nazi
   * Tulips -> Netherlands
   * Turkey -> Thanksgiving holiday
   * Uncle Sam -> USA
   * Unicorn -> luck
   * Volvo cars -> bad/elderly drivers (Australia), prestige (European
     Union), Sweden
   * Windmills -> Netherlands
   * Yin yang symbol -> Daoism