3 Reasons Why Orthodox Icons Are Not Idols
An icon is an
integral part of the faith perception for the Orthodox Christians. Icons go
with the vast majority of believers all their life, from childhood to old age.
The homes of the Orthodox Christians usually have, at least, one image to pray
with. But what is an icon exactly? Can it be an idol? Icons are sacred images
of Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, angels, saints, and different events telling
biblical stories. They give a strong connection between the believers and God,
providing a sense of mystery. They are not idols, but, unfortunately, sometimes,
a false hypothesis about the motivation of Orthodox icons is
considered a true one. Here are the most compelling reasons that will convince
you otherwise.
1. The Incarnation of Christ. The invisible God became visible through the
image of Christ who took all the physical attributes of a man, including flesh
and blood, at His incarnation. Christ gave faith to people, showed them God and
His deeds. For this reason, we can see His images today. Thus, an icon is a
personification of the image of God, to whom the prayer and the words of
gratitude are addressed.
2. People depicted in the icons were real. There is no chance to have the image of the
fantastic figure or creature in the icon; the second commandment keeps this
prohibition. The icons always depict real figures and stories that happened to people
in the past. Their main goal is to bring faith to people.
3. Worship vs. veneration. Worship and veneration have different meanings. The Orthodox Christians
worship God, and they venerate icons and saints depicted in them. An icon, in
such a case, is a tool that helps people focus on the prayer and turn to God in
thoughts.
Hopefully, these 3 reasons will help you
understand why Orthodox icons cannot be called idols, and why there are so many
of them in the homes of the Orthodox Christians.
