Be a Living Icon! Our Chaos Layer
Today is Clean Monday!
Our theme for this year's Great Fast is Be a Living Icon! We invite you to explore the characteristics that make up an icon, what they represent, and how you can think about incorporating the representations into your daily life.
One important call-out for this series. There are many schools of thought and traditions for iconography. You'll notice different themes and characteristics depending on the time the icon was written and the area of the world. Additionally, much of what we're exploring here was passed on via oral tradition. So if you notice a different style in an icon or you've heard a slightly different explanation - totally okay!
Finally, many thanks to Olivia and Mother Iliana for their help with this!
This week we're looking at the chaos layer. The chaos layer is the base set of paint that is applied to the icon, anywhere that isn't gold. The chaos layer is a mix of blue and brown, and is applied kind of haphazardly. The iconographer builds upon the chaos layer as they write the rest of the icon. They make order out of the chaos. The iconographer may also write a prayer intention in the chaos layer that's known only to them and will be completely hidden by the time the icon is complete.
Where is God reaching into your life to make order out of chaos? Where has He applied something haphazardly where you'd prefer it to be a bit more neat and organized? Where is He calling you to ask for help in the midst of the chaos, even if no one else is aware?
One important call-out for this series. There are many schools of thought and traditions for iconography. You'll notice different themes and characteristics depending on the time the icon was written and the area of the world. Additionally, much of what we're exploring here was passed on via oral tradition. So if you notice a different style in an icon or you've heard a slightly different explanation - totally okay!
Finally, many thanks to Olivia and Mother Iliana for their help with this!
This week we're looking at the chaos layer. The chaos layer is the base set of paint that is applied to the icon, anywhere that isn't gold. The chaos layer is a mix of blue and brown, and is applied kind of haphazardly. The iconographer builds upon the chaos layer as they write the rest of the icon. They make order out of the chaos. The iconographer may also write a prayer intention in the chaos layer that's known only to them and will be completely hidden by the time the icon is complete.
Where is God reaching into your life to make order out of chaos? Where has He applied something haphazardly where you'd prefer it to be a bit more neat and organized? Where is He calling you to ask for help in the midst of the chaos, even if no one else is aware?
Programming note - our platform does not allow for direct response to comments. We do read them and are praying for our listeners. God bless!