One of the peculiar elements of Orthodox Christianity is the veneration of icons as well as relics of the saints. The practice, which may seem strange to some outside the Church, has been present in Christianity since its early times. The oldest place of worship that survives to this day, Dura Europos, has iconography on its walls depicting apostles and various miracles that Christ performed during his life. The early Christians respected and venerated the bodies of their martyrs to the point that they served the eucharist at the tombs of those who died for the faith.
Having said this, why do we venerate icons and relics? What is the meaning behind it?
To begin with the icons, it is essential to note that what enables us to paint an icon is the fact that the second person of the Holy Trinity, the Logos, became man, known to us as Jesus of Nazareth.
Through Him, God became incarnate, or, in other words, depictable. Before the incarnation of the Word of God, no iconography of God was allowed, given that the true God was not incarnate and was not shown to His people, and His image was foreign to the chosen people. Through the incarnation, that all changed. One of the earliest images of the Lord that is preserved today is the veil of Veronica. She gave Jesus a cloth to wipe His face on His way to crucifixion, and His face was reflected on the veil. Given that God lives in His saints and that their lives reflect Him, we also depict saints on the icons. Through this, ultimately, it is Christ who is glorified, given that
“God is glorious in His saints.” – PS 67:36.
The relics of the saints are earthly remains of individuals who led lives so holy that they glorified the Lord, and God glorified them through various miracles. When the soul of a saint departs from the body, the connection between the Saint and his body is not destroyed. The bodies of the saints emanate the radiance of the kingdom of heaven, making God present in our lives —God, who sanctified the bodies of those whom He has indwelled. Similarly to icons, when one venerates a relic, that is, a bone, of a saint, one venerates ultimately the one who made that saint into a saint. We also have secondary relics of the Mother of God and the Lord, that is, not their bodies but something that their bodies touched. The most notable second-class relic of the Mother of God is her belt, preserved at Vatopedi Monastery on the Holy Mountain in Greece. The most notable second-class relic of the Lord is the true cross upon which the Lord was crucified, which is present in pieces throughout the Orthodox world.
For us, in the Eastern Orthodox Church, veneration means that we kiss icons and relics. The act of kissing is culturally ingrained, as it was how people in the Eastern part of the Roman Empire expressed affection for each other. This practice continues to this day in the lands of the Balkans, where Eastern Orthodoxy is the dominant religion.
At St. Nicholas Serbian Church, we have a remarkable iconostasis that will be consecrated on November 15th, marking a tremendous historical milestone and a moment for our parish. We also have a collection of relics that will be on display. Anyone wishing to participate in this magnificent event for our parish will be welcome to see the beauty of the Lord’s temple and His Glory.