icons

Question 1

tablion (2)

Answer 1

• in roman dress this was a large square, usually highly embellished, located on the upper part of an outer garment to indicate the wearer’s rank.
• In icons, it often decorates the clothing of martyrs to show their exalted rank in heaven, but is also found in depictions of royal saints and others

Question 2

What does a cross suggest?

Answer 2

Martyr

Question 3

what does a gospel book suggest

Answer 3

most commonly bishops, but occasionally apostles

Question 4

what does a sword suggest?

Answer 4

saintly prince, or in some cases a solider saint (usually these will also be holding a cross if they died, as they sacrificed themselves for christ in battle)

Question 5

what does a medicine box and spoon suggest?

Answer 5

a doctor saint

Question 6

what does the saints own head suggest?

Answer 6

they were martyred by decapitated

Question 7

schema (4) (greek meanings (3))

Answer 7

• From Greek, ‘form’, ‘shape’, ‘manner’.
• in the clothing of a monk, this is a stole (long loose garment) that hangs down the front of the body, often decorated with crosses.
• In the early stages of a monk’s career s/he wears a smaller version of this garment, but adopts a longer one if s/he takes the final and most severe monastic vows.
• This is the version most often seen in icons.

Question 8

omophorion (3)

Answer 8

• in the clothing of a bishop, this is the broad band ornamented with crosses draped over the shoulders.
• It seems to have evolved from an element of late Roman civil dress.
• In the Christian tradition, it symbolizes lost sheep found and carried on the shoulders of the good shepherd.

Question 9

phelonion (3)

Answer 9

• in the clothing of a bishop, this is a sort of poncho which served as an outer garment
• it also evolved from Roman civilian dress.
• In icons, it is often covered with small crosses.

Question 10

sticharion (3)

Answer 10

• full-body garment with long sleeves which reaches to the ground.
• Deacons wear it as an outer garment
• priests and bishops wear it under other items of clothing.

Question 11

orarion (2)

Answer 11

• in the clothing of a deacon, this is a long, narrow strip of cloth, usually decorated with embroidered crosses, which hangs over the left shoulder.
• The deacon manipulates it in various ways during services.

Question 12

censor (2)

Answer 12

• contains burning incense and is swung during services

- deacons usually depicted holding one

Question 13

Zion or Jerusalem

Answer 13

a small alms box, sometimes in the shape of a church.

Question 14

orans (2) (latin meaning)

Answer 14

• from Latin, ‘pray’.

- In iconography, a depiction of a subject in an ancient pose of prayer, with arms held up and bent at the elbows.

Question 15

blessing

Answer 15

• is done with the saint’s right hand, usually with two or three fingers sticking up and the others folded.

Question 16

deesis (2) (greek meaning)

Answer 16

• Greek, ‘entreaty, supplication’.
• A symmetrical composition with Christ at the centre and a number of figures on each side who hold out their hands toward him in supplication.
• The figures are usually arranged by rank, starting with the Mother of God and John the Baptist.

Question 17

akakia

Answer 17

• A cylindrical silk purse containing dust which the ruler carried on ceremonial occasions, symbolising the instability of temporal power and the humility of its mortal bearer.

Question 18

Imperial Iconography (saints AND non-saints) (6)

Answer 18

• halo
• sword
• ornate and highly embellished clothing, e.g. a tablion
• red shoes
• crown (also seen with martyrs)
• akakia

Question 19

vita icon

Answer 19

an icon with a portrait of a saint in the centre, and scenes from his or her life around the sides

Question 20

square halo

Answer 20

If, however, the icon depicts an important historical figure who is not a saint (e.g. a donor to a church), he or she will often have square halo.

Question 21

What does a scroll suggest?

Answer 21

• holy person known not only for imparting divine knowledge to others - one of the Apostles or the Old Testament prophet.
• it can also be other saints whose theological writings showed divine prophecy

Question 22

Crosier

Answer 22

a T shaped walking stick, often given to saints who were abbots/abesses and bishops, but occasionally those who had significant spiritual authority (xenia of st Petersburg)