The Face of Christ
Moses didn’t see it. Abraham didn’t see it. Noah didn’t see it. Generations of Israelites didn’t see it. It wasn’t until the eternal Son of God, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, was born and lived as a human among us, that we were able to see the face of God. This is the truth that we celebrate today on the Sunday of Orthodoxy. God has become human and NOW we can see His face in Holy Icons.
The faces of leaders from throughout history have been depicted in paintings and carvings providing evidence they existed beyond the descriptions in books. Imagine if nobody ever painted a picture of Jesus Christ. It is impossible to imagine not having pictures of Jesus Christ when so many other leaders have been painted. Holy Icons are proof to the world that He is real and that He walked the earth some two thousand years ago.
The Church fought hard for the Truth in Holy Icons. Many tried to influence the Church, and many still try to influence the Church, that Holy Icons are idolatry. Holy Icons are not idols. They are paintings to remind us of the Truth. WE HAVE SEEN GOD.
Synodikon
From the proceedings of the Seventh Ecumenical Council read on the Sunday of Orthodoxy
As the prophets beheld, as the Apostles have taught, as the Church has received, as the teachers have dogmatized, as the universe has agreed, as grace has illumined, as truth has revealed, as falsehood has been dispelled, as wisdom has presented, as Christ has triumphed; this we believe, this we declare, this we preach: Christ our true God, and His saints we honor in words, in writings, in thoughts, in sacrifices, in temples, in icons, on the one hand bowing down and worshiping Christ as God and Master, on the other hand honoring the saints as true servants of the Master of all, and offering to them due veneration.
This is the faith of the Apostles!
This is the faith of the Fathers!
This is the faith of the Orthodox!
This is the faith which has established the Universe!
Therefore with fraternal and filial love we praise the heralds of the faith, those who with glory and honor have struggled for the faith, and we say: for the champions of Orthodoxy, faithful emperors, most-holy patriarchs, hierarchs, teachers, martyrs and confessors: may their memory be eternal.
(Sing) Eternal be their memory; • Eternal be their memory; • Eternal be their memory.
Let us beseech God that we may be instructed and strengthened by the trials and struggles of these saints, which they endured for the Faith even unto death, and by their teachings, entreating that we may to the end imitate their godly life. May we be deemed worthy of obtaining our requests through the mercy and grace of the great and First Hierarch, Christ our God, through the intercessions of our glorious Lady, the Theotokos and ever-Virgin Mary, the divine Angels and all the saints. Amen.
+Fr. Athanasios C. Haros