www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Pre-divinized Saints in Icons

Brothers and Sisters,

Regarding the divinized state of the saints portrayed in icons....don't the icons often depict these saints with halos in scenes which happened before their theosis?
Is this to emphasize the "all at once" view of history from heaven, in the same way scripture refers to "the lamb which was slain from the foundation of the world"?

Also, is the inverse perspective used in iconography a way of emphasizing that the heavenly perspective is contrary to the earthly perspective, which is consonant with St. Paul's, "From now on, we regard no one from a worldly point of view..."?

Please be gentle with me if these conjectures have nothing to do with the real reasons for employing these techniques! I am just trying come to a better understanding of what it is about iconographic methods that produce a more spiritual result than naturalistic portrayals.

Robert

Dear Robert,

Well, Theosis is a life-long process - there is no real time when Theosis is achieved FINALLY in the life of a saint, unless, of course, we are talking about a saint who was a sinner, before his conversion.

Icons of Saints will often portray aspects of his or her life in the frame and the Saint will have a halo.

In St Nicholas's icons, sometimes he will be portrayed with a halo at his birth.

Both his parents are saints and there is a tradition that Nicholas was sanctified at his conception in the womb of his mother by the Holy Spirit.

It is there in the liturgical services, but it was never the subject of a doctrine etc.

Alex

Thank you, Alex. It is amazing to me that the image of possibly the most universally and intensely revered saint in all the east, St. Nicholas, (excepting of course the Mother of God) would devolve to such a silly caricature in western culture.

Would anyone care to comment on why the "inverse perspective" of icons creates a more spiritual effect than a normal natural perpective?

Dear Robert,
I have a book which chapters some of the most noted technical and theological theories of inverse perspective (much too lengthy and involved to type out here). I'll bring it to Divine Liturgy on Sunday ... see you then!

Loretta