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

Anyone here familiar with the company 'Monastery Icons"? I actually have a couple from them. However, I have come across a couple of posts on another forum that warns against buying them and patronizing the company. Any thoughts on that here? Also, anyone have the Icons from "Sofrino" the religious goods company in Russia? If so are they quality?
Thankyou

The "Monastery Icons" catalog is a mixture of their own works (which I distrust because of what I have read on this forum) and works from other writers, which I trust highly.

The Sofrino Icons are magnificent plus a great value. My congregation has the set of Festal Icons, I personally have extra large sized Sofrino Icons of Christos Pantocrator, the Theotokos (Unfading Bloom and Our Lady of Smoleskia); St. Mary Magadalene, and last but not least the Rublev Icon of the Holy Trinity. Highly, highly recommended.

http://www.alexandraint.net

Quick reply. Orthodox priests will not bless them and advise the faithful not to have them in their homes.

Longer reply? Let me hunt out the statement of another priest.

Purchase from other suppliers... ComeandSee Icons have beautiful icons, but there are lots of suppliers and it is easy to avoid Monastery Icons.

A Word About 'Monastery Icons'
by Fr. Anthony Nelson

http://orthodoxinfo.com/general/monasteryicons.aspx

Ok, this is my Icon corner. I guess I will be looking into replacing these.

If you have them already, work with them. It's something to think about, for the future, more so if they're already blessed.

I buy my icons, primarily, at the local GOA parish bookstore.

Actually they're not blessed. I bought them when I began my journey into Orthodoxy. This kinda came up when I thought about adding John the forerunner and the archangel Gabriel. The style reminds me of the Icons in the Greek church and I like the vivid colors, I guess that's all secondary stuff.

I know that Monastery Icons are sold through Catholic outlets. So maybe take some advice from some Catholic priest about them. He may simply like to come and bless them for you.

Invictus,

This is one of at least 3 extended threads on this forum with regard to Monastery Icons, its history, etc. The thread was, at one time, stickied but, to be honest, any discussion about MI can quickly become the over-riding focus of this particular forum and, as I noted when locking the linked thread, that shouldn't be.

I invite you to peruse it - it wasn't the first thread devoted to the subject and, undoubtedly, won't be the last - as MI never seems to completely disappear from the radar. (As I recollect, it contains links to at least two other forum threads as well. Links to non-forum sites which it contains may or may not still be live, but I am very confident that the points described as covered by those are still valid.)

If you have questions after reading the locked thread or either of the others, please feel free to ask them here, rather than reviving either of the older, dormant threads.

As regards the posts/threads you encountered elsewhere on the subject, there were equally strong discussions about MI at at least 2 other fora in times past. Having been an active participant in them, together with Father Ambrose, I doubt you'd find any remarkably different information in any of them.

I would differ with my dear friend and brother, Father Ambrose, on one point, however, and that is whether or not an Orthodox priest would acquiesce to bless them. Regretably, past experience has suggested that there are still a number of Orthodox temples that display MI's work, although fewer than was once the case. That is also true of Eastern Catholic temples. Awareness and understanding of the issues on the part of Latin Catholics as to the is, however, still woefully inadequate, as Father has suggested.

Many years,

Neil

On a parallel track I see that Lentz continues to be sold through Catholic outlets, even including Lord of the Dance which some consider overtly homoerotic
https://www.trinitystores.com/store/artist/Robert-Lentz?page=5
Also the Seraphic Christ
https://www.trinitystores.com/store/artist/Robert-Lentz?page=7

I purchased one of his Francis of Assisi icons for a Catholic friend and actually it is a very nice icon.

But isn't this the problem with Lentz, Father - some of his work is , by any standards , good but other stuff - well , shall we say it should be ignored ? :P

I read a few years back that his Franciscan authorities had asked him to stop marketing his overly sexual/sensual icons.

I have recently read an article that it is not the early Tradition of the Church to have Icons blessed.

http://www.orthodoxartsjournal.org/...ct-the-tradition-of-the-orthodox-church/

Many iconographers are aware of this but we are content with the centuries old custom of blessing icons. While the author has written a fine academic article the dubious supercilious tone which appears is jarring. I cannot imagine that our bishops will instruct us to cease blessing icons.

I've bought a few icons from them. They aren't too bad. Although I have a mixture of icons from Monastery Icons, and some from the St. Joseph School for Boys Orthodox Bookstore as well. Either way, both are rather good resources. Also, the Byzantine Seminary Press is a rather decent source, and probably the BSP is the best source of all.

Really? I am not fond of their product at all.