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“Behold, the Bridegroom comes at midnight, And blessed is that servant whom He shall find watching, And again, unworthy is the servant whom He shall find heedless. Beware, therefore, O my soul, do not be weighed down with sleep, Lest you be given up to death, and lest you be shut out of the Kingdom. But rouse yourself crying: Holy, Holy, Holy, art Thou, O our God, Through the Theotokos have mercy on us.”
This icon represents Christ after being stripped, beaten with a reed, crowned with a crown of thorns, and dressed in a purple robe of mockery. It is displayed for veneration during the “Bridegroom” services during the first three days of Holy Week.
In this icon of Christ in Glory, the Creator and Redeemer of the universe is seen in the human features of the Incarnate Son of God. He is seated on the heavenly throne, blessing with his right hand and holding the Gospel Book in his left. An oval mandorla surrounds the Throne, and this overlies an octagonal square — symbol of the future age. Cherubim fill the spaces, and the symbols for the four Evangelists fill the corners. It is based on a 20th-century Russian prototype with roots going back to St. Andrei Rublev.
The image of Christ Pantocrator was one of the first images of Christ developed in the Early Christian Church and remains a central icon of the Eastern Orthodox Church. In the half-length image, Christ holds the New Testament in his left hand and makes the gesture of teaching or of blessing with his right.
This image, taken from a drawing in the Rudder (a book listing the canons of the Church), depicts Christ at the rudder of a ship. On the ship are the Apostles, and Hierarchs of the Church, as well as the Mother of God. At the front of the ship sits St. Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain who compiled the Rudder.
(“Not Made With Hands”)
Tradition tells that during the Lord’s earthly lifetime, his fame spread to Edessa, beyond the Euphrates River. Prince Abgar sent the court artist Ananius to Jerusalem, asking that Christ come and heal him of his leprosy; unable to go himself, the Lord promised to send one of his disciples. Ananius tried his best to paint a portrait of Jesus, but was unable to capture his likeness. Christ obliged the frustrated artist by impressing his divine countenance on a towel — which was transported back to Edessa. The “Image not-made-by-hands” healed Abgar immediately. In 944, during the reign of Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitos, the image was moved to Constantinople, and a feast was established in its honor on 16 August. It was said to have been lost at sea during one of Byzantium’s battles with the Huns. The icon on the left is 8″ x 10″ — based on an 18th century Russian prototype.
Thou wast transfigured on the mountain, O Christ, our God, showing to Thy disciples Thy glory as each one could endure. Shine forth Thou on us, who are sinners all, Thy light ever-unending. Through the prayers of the Theotokos, Light-Bestower, glory to Thee.
(Dismissal Hymn Grave Tone)
Feast day August 6
This icon was donated to Holy Transfiguration Antiochian Orthodox mission in Boise, ID as a wedding gift to Matthew’s bride, September 2009.
“Yahweh appeared to him at the Oak of Mamre while he was sitting by the entrance of the tent during the hottest part of the day. He looked up, and there he saw three men standing near him. As soon as he saw them he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them, and bowed to the ground. ‘My Lord,’ he said, ‘if I find favor with you, please do not pass your servant by.’”– Genesis 18:1-3
This icon is based on the famous prototype by Andrei Rublev, and depicts the scene described in Genesis 18, also known as the Hospitality of Abraham.
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