www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News Icon of Fr. Mychal Judge

Dear Mother Sharon,

Remember what Bl. Pope John XXIII said when he met someone: "Are you a theologian?" To which the answer was, "No, Holy Father."

"Well, Deo Gratias! Neither am I . . ." the Pope replied . . .

Alex

Hi Sharon:


Well, yes. Actually, this is a much better presentation of my original point.

We don't need to present Jesus or Mary using typical Semitic racial stereotypes.

If the Church accepts icons of the Mother of God depicting her as a French lady, for instance, then Why not Korean? Why not Sioux? Why not Zulu?

Shalom,
Memo.

This past weekend I was in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I went out with a physician friend of mine who is doing a lot of spiritual 'searching'. Though raised a good Iowa Methodist, he has visited a lot of churches and been a 'member' of a number of congregations, including Brethren, etc. (He now attends Episcopal). He wanted to show me "his spiritual place', where he is most at peace. Off the main plaza in "Old Town", there is a tiny 'chapel', a left over from a former religious community. It is stucco, built in kiva style and it is festooned with statues and religious lithographs from the southwest. I was struck by a lot of the old prints because the saints and 'holy people', were all portrayed as either Spanish nobility or as native nations people. I felt a bit 'confused' at these images because they do not correspond to anything that I had experienced as an East Coast Cathodox. But when I went outside, I glanced at the people on the street, and they were mostly native nations people -- long black hair, distinctive facial features, etc. And I realized: I'm among them as an outsider. It is their religiosity that these images were meant to address. And if this is what their ancestors did to 'image' their faith, then obviously it was important enough for them to do so, and to carry on the faith message to the later generations. So, I learned a lesson. Echoing St. Ambrose's advice to St. Augustine: "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."; when in Albuquerque, be prepared for Navajo saints. (Interestingly enough, there was an icon of the Theotokos and the Christ Child hanging on the wall behind what must have been the altar. Someone had made a small equal-bar cross out of palm and had scotch-taped it to the upper right on the icon. I am still trying to figure out what that is supposed to signify.)

As for the Lentz icons, I must admit that I don't particularly care for them or for any other icons that have been produced in the last 200 years or so. I like the old stuff. (Did anyone see the most recent Orthodox Observer? It shows the Ecumenical Patriarch celebrating liturgy in the Basilica of St. Apollinarius in Ravenna, and the most wonderful ceiling and apse mosaics. Absolutely stunning images. Now, THAT I really like!!)

Blessings!

Alex, David, et al.:

Glory to Jesus Christ!

I'm not a huge fan of Mr Lentz's style overall - its a little too modern for my taste - and defnitely disagree with many of his choices for iconic subjects, but I personally see no harm in an icon of Father Mychal Judge.

I think a lot of us have heard allegations about Father's past - I read something to that effect in the Washington Post. (I don't believe everything the Post says, of course, but that's another topic.)

I think it remains that, by all accounts, Father died faithfully performing his priestly duties under the most extreme and dangerous conditions and without much regard for his own safety. His last acts on earth were examples of Christian kindness and mercy.

Fortunately for us all, Our Lord shows great mercy and his capacity for forgiveness is far greater than we can comprehend.

Regards,
Annie

Dear Annie,

Amen to that!

To Lentz's credit, his icons have appealed to a wide range of people whose particular heritages he has helped celebrate through his icons and those of his colleagues who also post their work on his site.

The icons of St Padre Pio, the Fatima children and others are truly "bridge-building" with respect to Eastern Catholics as they are to Roman Catholics who appreciate Eastern iconography.

I've given some of his more controversial icons to some of my more controversial friends . . .

In all cases, they've displayed them openly and feel inspired by them - or so they say and I hope I can believe them .

I once worked for an environmental advocacy group, known for its rather radical views (they've since become part of the corporate structure here!).

I put up Lentz's icon of St Francis and underneath it I included "Nature Mystic."

No one complained about it and it has stayed there.

Now if he would only write one of Jan Hus and Savonarola, and stay away from those controversial topics . . .

Alex

Hello:


In Mexico, we usually make crosses and other figures using the palm blessed for Palm Sunday. Some have the custom to tape or hang those objects near doors and windows.

My guess is that an Hispanic person was just trying to tell the Theotokos and Her Divine Son "Remember me, and keep me close to you, as I place this cross I made near you", or something like that.

Shalom,
Memo.

Dear Memo,

Yes, there is a tradition among people in the Carpathians, Ukrainian and otherwise , to make three-bar Crosses from willow branches for Palm Sunday.

We don't use palm fronds on purpose and not because they weren't available in that part of Europe.

The buds on the willow branches and burst forward in the spring reminded our ancestors of the Resurrection of Christ. Willows were used religiously in pre-Christian times as well.

I remember seeing a site that indicated how one was to make these with blessed willow branches which are then placed among one's icons at home all year round.

When the missus and I were looking for a new home, we visited a home put up for sale by a Protestant church minister.

He had a collection of about a hundred such Palm crosses as you describe.

I understand other peoples include olive branches with their palm fronds as well.

That was surely a votive offering as you said. What other kinds of votice offerings are made in Mexico and by Latin Americans?

When I went to the place where His Holiness was staying during WYD, it was like instinctive for me to want to bring a votive to where the people were praying and keeping vigil outside the monastery gates.

I brought a large white plastic rosary I had and hung it on the bars of the gates.

As I walked away, I turned around and saw that people had gathered before it and were praying.

By morning, the rosary was gone. I pray the person who has it will be blessed by God and His Most Holy Mother!

Alex

Since this thread has wandered from its original topic I�d like to close it with an invitation to start new discussions under more appropriate titles.