www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Icon of Holy Virgin, Jesus and football field painted in Ukraine

The words 'tacky' and 'inappropriate' don't even begin to...

My point exactly!

How, specifically does this violates the canons? While it is certainly unconventional I see no outright blasphemy shown to either the Mother of God or Christ, who retain the place of prominence in the center. Asking their protection and depicting that protection over secular or cultural affairs, places, and events is not a new thing. I doubt either the UGCC or the UOC-KP who jointly blessed this would have done so if it was an outright violation of the canons.

There's been lots of eccentricities present in iconography throughout the years - the "Dog Head" is one vivid example.

Diak,

I would say that it cheapens the Mother of God and her son. Having a team blessed is one thing, having an Icon written with a soccer field and a soccer ball is completely different.

I place it on the same level as the statuary of Jesus playing baseball and football that many kitsch catholic stores sell.

http://www.catholicshopper.com/products/inspirational_sport_statues.html

However others may have a different opinion. I just like my Icons to be less sports centered myself.

!!!

Ugh! These horrors remind me of the time that a certain jurisdiction in the USA blessed an "icon" portraying, of all things, a helicopter, and a purveyor of "Orthodox" religious articles who for decades has been peddling salt-and-pepper shakers with "icons" on them.

Fr. Serge

John, I would not place this image on the same level as the kitsch, humanistic three-dimensional thing you have indicated which has nothing to do with iconography and doesn't even qualify for bad sculpture.

While I don't disagree that this image is unconventional, that does not inherently make it "blasphemous" as has been suggested, at least according to the canons. I would prefer a city or other more conventional symbol be portrayed under the protection of Christ and the Mother of God, but I wasn't asked for my opinion. As a previous poster has also pointed out, this sort of thing is not without precedent amongst Catholics and Orthodox.

Who knew that the Most Holy Theotokos loves football?

It makes me sick.

From RISU:

Icon Devoted to Euro-2012 Blessed
15.10.2009, [13:25] // UGCC //
On October 8, 2009, in the city of Kolomyia there was an attempt to bring the Ukrainian Christian spirit and Ukrainian national flavor to the Euro-2012 soccer tournament. The specially painted icon of the Mother of God and the Child Jesus above a soccer field with the national symbols of the host countries of Euro-2012 — Ukraine and Poland — provoked a special interest from clergy, residents of Kolomyia, and representatives of the media.
The mentioned measure also included a symbolic tying of knots which are supposed to join all the cities of Ukraine and reproduce a symbolic soccer stadium. Director Raguli Vasidze and the artist Vasyl Stefurak, who painted the icon, were the initiators of the project.

The special moment of the holiday was the performance of an ensemble from the village Prokurava, Kosiv region, which, dressed hutsul costume, showed those present the zealous Ukrainian character.

The organizers of the project, with the encouragement of the city authority, invited the clergy of the churches of Kolomyia for a joint blessing of the newly painted icon. The bishop of the eparchy of Kolomyia and Chernivtsi of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Mykolay (Simkailo) and a priest of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate came to bless the icon. During an interview with journalists Father Mykolai remarked that this icon carries a special character and shows the vision of the event of Euro-2012 through the prism of the Christian consciousness.

"I notice that in this icon I do not find any heresy and that is why came to bless the project of two initiators. Certainly, for us it is something new which causes attention, but generally the plan of this project is good," said the bishop.

"People who will visit Ukraine during Euro-2012 must remember not only our stadiums but also Ukrainian culture, the spirituality of the nation. This is exactly the purpose of this project," explained Raguli Vasidze.

"Probably, from this moment, we no longer have doubt that the soccer championship will take place in Ukraine. Recently, there was an influx of negative information: Euro-2012 will take off or will not take off in Ukraine, but there is little optimism, thus it is necessary to join together and to do as planned," said Vasyl Stefurak.

Diak,

The mentality is the same I believe. Rather than elevating the game, it lowers the Mother of God.

I believe it would have been best if they simply blessed the team and had been done with it.

However, Like I said others are free to disagree with me. That is the wonderful thing about opinions... they are like (insert your own body part here) everyone has one.

What makes a false icon a false icon?

Is it any wonder that Orthodox Christians are not taken seriously by anyone?

With all due respect, dear Father John, we Orthodox do not have a monopoly on silliness. Infact, I would say that we have done alot less silly things in the name of religion that our brothers and sisters of other faith traditions!

In Christ,
Alice

I remember many years ago in the mid 60's, belonging to a bowling team, most of which was made up of Catholic boys. There was a priest on the team and before each match all of us would bring the bowling balls to Father and he would bless them. The blessing really didn't do much good though; we lost the majority of our games!