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Welcome To The
Holy Ghost Orthodox Church

Ambridge, Pennsylvania

Celebrating 100 Years
1907-2007

 

Orthodox Iconography

An icon is a pictorial replication and a spiritual representation of a saint, biblical scene or historical religious event. A held object, a style of dress, a color or scene in the background is duplicated so the identity is instantly recognizable, despite barriers of language, distance and time. The word is derived from the Greek “eikon,” which means to resemble. The icon seeks to reveal the divine through visible and familiar content. In this sense, the icon has been called “a meeting between heaven and earth”. For through them we receive a vision of the spiritual world. The stylized character of the icon shows man and nature restored to their original beauty as reflections of the celestial glory. Icons have played a role in Christianity since the days of the Apostles. St. Luke has traditionally been known as the first iconographer. An art form that has resisted change, modern icons have evolved very little. Today they still bear a strong resemblance to icons of the Byzantine period.

The veneration of the icon should not be misinterpreted as being made to the physical picture itself. These gestures pass over from the icon to the person depicted, thus the honor which is given to the icon passes over to the “prototype”, the person himself. As we venerate the icons, we are reminded of the high spiritual values and virtues of the holy ones depicted, and are encouraged to pursue those same values and virtues ourselves. In Orthodox tradition, icons are not intended to be realistic paintings of people and events, but rather are symbolic interpretations of the great spiritual qualities of the saints - such as sacrifice, humility, devotion, faith and love. Every element and detail in the icon, from color choice to hand position to the placement and size of secondary figures, has symbolic meaning based upon the Scriptures, the writings of the Fathers, and other theological sources. Thus the Holy Icons are one more piece of that which the Church calls Holy Tradition. They are truly the Gospel message in line, form and color.

Icons Of
The Great Feast Days
of the Orthodox Church
Pascha - The
Resurrection Of
Our Lord		 Nativity Of The Holy Virgin
September 8		 Elevation Of The Cross
September 14		 Presentation Of The Holy Virgin Into The Temple
November 21
The Nativity Of Christ
December 25		 Theophany - Baptism Of Our Lord
January 6		 Presentation Of Jesus In The Temple
February 2		 Annunciation
March 25
Entrance Of The Lord Into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday)
7 Days Before Pascha		 Ascension
40 Days After Pasha		 Pentecost
50 Days After Pascha		 Transfiguration Of Our Lord
August 6
Dormition Of The Holy Virgin
August 15		      

 

Icons Of
Major Feast Days
of the Orthodox Church
Circumcision
Of Our Lord,
Jesus Christ
January 1		 St. Basil The Great
January 1		 Synaxis of
Saint John
the Forerunner
January 7		 The Three Holy Hierarchs
January 30
Holy Great
Martyr and
Victory
Bearer
St George
April 30		 St John 
The Theologian
May 8		 Equal To The
Apostles,
Saints Cyril
and Methodius
May 11		 Nativity of
Saint John
the Forerunner
June 24
Holy Apostles
Peter
and Paul
June 29		 Equal To The
Apostles,
Prince Vladimir
July 15		 Glorious Prophet
Elijah
July 20		 Beheading of St John The Forerunner
August 29
Protection of Theotokos (Pokrov)
October 1		 Synaxis of Archangels and Other Bodiless Powers
November 8		 Saint Nicholas the Miracle Worker of Myra
December 6		  

 

Icons of Lent,
Pre-Lent and Holy Week
Zaccheus
Luke 19		 The Publican and The Pharisee
Luke 18:10-14		 The Prodigal Son
Luke 15:11-32		 The Last Judgement
Matthew 25:31-46
Sunday of Orthodoxy First Sunday of Lent St. Gregory Palamas Second Sunday of Lent Sunday Of The Cross Third Sunday of Lent St. John Climacus Fourth Sunday of Lent
St. Mary of Egypt Fifth Sunday of Lent The Saturday of Lazarus - Day before Palm Sunday Entrance Of The Lord Into Jerusalem
(Palm Sunday)
7 Days Before Pascha		 Extreme Humility
Holy Monday
Wise and Foolish Virgins
Holy Tuesday		 Washing of Feet
Holy Wednesday		 Last Supper
Holy Thursday		 Crucifixion
Holy Thursday
Taking Down From The Cross
Holy Friday		 Burial Of The Lord
Holy Friday		 Descent Into Hades
Holy Saturday		  

 

Icons of Pentecostarion
Pascha - The
Resurrection Of
Our Lord		 St. Thomas Sunday Sunday of the
Myrrh-Bearing
Women		 Sunday of
the Paralytic
Mid-Feast of
Pentecost		 Sunday of the
Samaritan Women		 Sunday of the
Blind Man		 Ascension of
Christ
Holy Fathers of the
Ecumenical
Council		 Pentecost
50 Days After Pascha		 Trinity Week Sunday of
All Saints

 

Iconographers

Icons and Supplies

  • Icons Plus
    Largest Selection of Icons; Over icons 300 in 4 sizes
    Orthodox Icons; Religious Items; Crosses; Novelties
    Ted & Mary Khoury
    27 W. Judson Avenue
    Youngstown, Ohio 44507

    Telephone: 330-782-1310
    Email: tedkho@cisnet.com
     

Holy Ghost Orthodox Church
210 Maplewood Avenue
Ambridge, PA 15003

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