www.byzcath.org Forums Mysteries: The Life of Worship Icons & Iconography Glass Iconostasis

The iconostasis at Presentation of Our Lord (St Anne's sister parish)is allot nicer in my opinion. It's a traditional iconostasis.

This iconostasis has been evolving since the first icon was mounted between the Holy Table and the people, and its only reasonable that it should continue.

The people use what is readily available and reasonably affordable, our people were surrounded by forests, so they used wood. The Middle eastern people didn't have the abundance of wood, so other materials are used.

Desert dwellers, as in the Southwest USA would use other materials; for those with a local glass factory..glass would be reasonable.

For ironworkers, wrought iron is reasonable...ditto for bronzeworkers. This is as it should be.

I don't know if there is a glass plant or glassetchers in Warrington, but you get my drift. Here in the USA there is an enormous range of materials which are readily available with our wealth.

I was holding out for a wood iconostas at my parish, but I lost out to those who favored bronze (as in the Seminary Chapel). I must admit that its style and mosaic icons are beautiful and I don't look back. But for symbolism, we added four oak panels which mount in the bronze frame below the icons. So you see that you can incorporate the traditional into the modern practical at limited cost. With a little innovative thinking you can make everyone feel at home.

Stuart,

I replaced the link. Chaldobyzantine had linked directly to the photo, rather than the page - freeservers doesn't support such linking to images it hosts.


Many years,

Neil

I don't have the time to write in detail just now, but I have to agree with Deacon Paul. There are myriad iconographic media, now accepted and venerated, many of which were never anticipated in the early years of iconography (and some of which were denounced). These include the reverse glass mentioned already, embroidered, bas-relief, mosaic, frescoed, and others - including digitally produced icons.

Now, one can argue that what is acceptable in an icon does not necessarily translate to what is acceptable in an iconostasis and that the latter is more than a mere vehicle for display of the former. But, frankly, that argument doesn't impress me a lot. We all have preferences - floor-to-ceiling solid, heights from waist to head and everywhere in between, filigreed, and every combination in between that one can imagine, icons on easel stands in missions and poorer parishes.

Maybe, instead of criticizing the parish, we might take joy in the fact that it has an iconostasis, versus the many which do not as yet. Is the importance of the tradition - its essence - in the form or the purpose, to effect a separation of heaven from earth in a manner that visually offers us an image by which we are or ought to be spiritually edified or in how that is accomplished?

One can imagine that, at some future date, when the materials of God's created nature are depleted or forbidden for use, lest they be, that an iconostasis might be constituted by a projected holographic image. Thik about that one.

Many years,

Neil

Way back when (around 1952, at a guess) Father Allen Maloof, of blessed memory, was assigned to Saint George's Melkite Greek-Catholic Church in lower Manhattan (close to the Stock Exchange). The church was a horror, so with commendable good sense, Father Allen re-did the interior, including a rather tasteful glass Iconostasis.

Cardinal Spellman then realized that Saint George's was attracting a good-sized congregation with deep pockets on weekdays to the Divine Liturgy (which was done partly in English). Cardinal Spellman promptly confiscated the church from the Greek-Catholics, sent Father Allen back to Brooklyn, and assigned a Latin priest to Saint George's. The Latins kept the glass iconostasis in the church, because it was distinctive.

Several decades later, in the time of Archbishop Joseph (Tawil), the Greek-Catholics finally regained possession of Saint George's.

Father Allen was assigned to succeed Archbishop Joseph (Raya) as pastor in Birmingham. Unfortunately, he died shortly afterwards.

Fr. Serge

Actually they got it for free. It was donated from another parish in Frackville. At Presentation of Our Lord. The sister parish they have a traditional iconostasis. There must be something in the water in Upper Bucks County PA that effects the way things are done in the Catholic Church as a whole. Check my post out on Presentation of Our Lord.

https://www.byzcath.org/forums/ubbt...%20Antiochian%20Orthodox%20Ch#Post350348

Sadly, St George's is, today, an upper-end restaurant, but the exterior facade has been preserved due to the City of NY Landmarks Commission. It's detailed discussion of the early history and construction can be read here [nyc.gov]

Many years,

Neil