In the Byzantine Church the Icons (from the Greek EIKWN - which means to see) bear witness to the reality of God's presence with us in the mystery of faith. The icons are not just human pictures or visual aids to contemplation and prayer. They are the witnesses of the presence of the Kingdom of God to us, and so of our own presence to the Kingdom of God in the Church. In the faith of the Byzantine Church, icons are not only permissible, but rather spiritually necessary "the WORD became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14). Christ is truly man and as man, truly "the icon of the invisible God" (Colossians 1:15; 1Corinthians 11:7; 2 Corinthians 4:4).

The Iconostasis or Icon Screen in the Byzantine Church exists to show our unity with Christ, His All-Holy Mother and all the angels and saints. It exists to show our unity with God. The Holy Altar Table, which stands for the Banquet Table of the Kingdom of God, is placed behind the Royal Doors between the icons of the Theotokos (Mary, the Mother of God) and the Christ child and the Glorified Christ, showing that everything that happens to us in the Church happens in history between those "two comings" of Christ: between His coming as Savior born of Mary and His coming at the end of the age as the King and the Gracious Judge.

The icons on the Royal Doors (which only the Bishop and Priests may enter through) witness to the presence of Christ's good news, the Holy Gospel of salvation. Icons of the four Evangelists (Saints Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) who recorded the Gospels appear on the Royal Doors.

Over and around the Royal Doors are icons of saints. The Deacon's doors (the smaller gates to either side of the Royal Doors for the servants of the altar) usually have icons depicting angels, God's servants. These doors may also contain icons of the holy Patron of the Church, or of the City, or of the Diocese.

The icon-screen is not meant to separate the people from the Priest, but rather to symbolize the great unity between earth and heaven. We become ONE because of the Eucharist, the Divine Work of God on our behalf.

On the right side of the Church (looking in from the entrance doors) we have the icon of Christ's Mystical Supper with His disciples, the icon of the central mystery of the Christian faith and the unity of the Church in the world. It is the visual witness that we too are partakers in the "marriage supper of the lamb" (Revelation 19:9),that we too are blessed by Christ "to eat and drink at my table in my kingdom" (Luke 22:30) blessed to "eat bread in the Kingdom of God" (Luke 14:15).

A large icon of Christ dominates the center of the Church building, it is Christ as Almighty, Ruler, and Lover. An icon of the Mother of God with her Divine Child appears over the altar area. This icon is an "image of the Church" since Mary herself is the prototype of the entire assembly of believers in whom Christ must dwell. Around the walls of the Church we place icons of the Great Eastern Fathers of the Church, who gave us our doctrine, Creed, poetry, liturgical music, Liturgy, and hymns. All this to remind us that we are no longer on earth, but earth has become heaven.

last updated 02 May 2000 Copyright © 1999-2001, St. Thomas the Apostle Church