The above icon of the visitation of Mary to Elizabeth is currently displayed in the storm door of the former abortion clinic. The glare on the glass makes viewing in this venue difficult, but the icon depicts Mary, with Jesus inutero, visiting Elizabeth, with John inutero. This moving piece of art was given to the ArchAngel Institute by Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church on May 19, 2007.

May 19 was a quite unique day, as that 827 Webster Street was the subject of an Orthodox exorcism, followed by a traditional Roman Catholic blessing, followed by a tribute to pro-life activists (especially Phyllis Avila) from decades past by Frank Avila, followed by a reading from Martin Luther, followed by an Evangelical invocation by Pastor Wendell Brane (Trinity Evangelical Church). This unique service opened and closed with bagpipes playing sacred music. One of the bagpipers was one of Fort Wayne’s finest, a man in blue. Details of this event are posted on this site and available in the archives of the News-Sentinel.

Father David Meinzen and Deacon Michael Myers performed the exorcism on May 19, and included with the service an explanation of why the Orthodox Church believed an exorcism appropriate under the circumstances. That informative and uplifting explanation will be posted on this website at a later date.

The above pictured icon was presented to the Institute on May 19. No icon could have been any more appropriate given the horrible acts that had taken place at 827 Webster Street over the 28 years prior to 2007.

The Gospel of Luke, at chapter one, describes the visitation that this icon depicts.

Note two items in particular …

First, here was John the Baptizer, many years before he immersed anyone, demonstrating both his mission and his personality. That is, he announced the presence of the Holy One of Israel (Jesus) and did so with great panache. Yes, it really is John, despite his diminutive size and very young age. It was John being John, while he was somewhere between conception and birth. John was closer to the latter than the former, based upon the accounting of months found in the Luke 1:24-26.

Second, John was responding to the presence of the entity then residing in the womb of Mary. That entity, the Holy One of Israel, was also somewhere between conception and birth. Many commentators believe Jesus was closer to the former than the latter when Mary visited Elizabeth. The Scriptures indicate that John was in the sixth month of gestation and Jesus in the initial days of gestation when this visit took place. See Luke 1:36-41.

In other words, this icon of the visitation celebrates a likely third trimester “fetus” responding to the presence of a likely first trimester “embryo.”

The scriptures and this icon could not be more pro-life. It is in this very passage that Catholics find the root of much of their Marian devotion. Elizabeth cried out, when little John bounced in her womb, “blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.”

Mary responded, “My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.”

Such is the text that the Scriptures tie to the historic meeting depicted in the icon of the Visitation.

Many pro-lifers, Orthodox or not, may want to obtain such an icon for their home. I have found it difficult to locate the icon on the Institute’s door online. Similar icons can be found online and are pictured below. Those wanting an icon like the one now gracing the former clinic’s porch should contact Eikons Studio at (216) 575-1416.

Today’s postscript presents more about icons.

Postscript

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Orthodox_Church

The Orthodox & Icons (edited)

The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian communion in the world. It is considered by its adherents to be the least changed from its ancient theological roots which stretch back to the beginnings of Christianity itself. It is comprised of numerous theologically unified autocephalous congregations each shepherded by a synodbishops whose duty is to preserve the traditions of the Church, and who can trace their lineage back to one of the twelve Apostles through the process of apostolic succession. Orthodox Christians regard their church as: of independent

• The original Christian Church established by Jesus Christ and his Apostles.

• The preservers of the teachings and traditions given to the original members of the Church by the Apostles nearly 2000 years ago; and the developers of later traditions which expand and illuminate the original teachings.
• The preservers of Truth having never fallen into error, comparing all newer theological ideas to the already established beliefs and practices of the Church; accepting ideas that clarify and correctly teach, while rejecting ideas that are theologically incompatible with the original teachings.
• The compilers of the New Testament whose texts were written to members of the Church in ancient times and ultimately express already established Church doctrine (i.e. The Church was the basis for the New Testament, not the other way around)
• The Church which established and preserves the original Christian Calendar (based on the Julian calendar) setting the dates for the celebration of the significant events in Christ’s life in Chronological order.

Icons

The term Icon comes from the Greek word eikona, which simply means image. The Orthodox believe that the first icons of Christ and the Virgin Mary were painted by Luke the Evangelist. Icons are filled with symbolism designed to convey information about the person or event depicted.

Icons are not considered by the Orthodox to be idols or objects of worship. The parameters of their usage was clearly spelled out by the 7th ecumenical council. Justification for their usage utilizes the following logic: Before Christ God took human form no material depiction was possible and therefore blasphemous even to contemplate. Once Christ became human, he was able to be depicted. And because he is God, it is justified to hold in one’s mind the image of God Incarnate. Likewise, when one venerates an icon, it is not the wood or paint that are venerated but rather the individual shown, just as it is not the paper one loves when one might kiss the photograph of a loved one. As Saint Basil famously proclaimed, honor or veneration of the icon always passes to its archetype. Following this reasoning through, the veneration of the glorified human saint made in God’s image, is always a veneration of the divine image, and hence God as foundational archetype.

Icons can be found adorning the walls of churches and often cover the inside structure completely. Most Orthodox homes have an area set aside for family prayer, usually an eastern facing wall, where are hung many icons.

In the final analysis it can be said that this is

the greatest icon known to planet Earth:

Man, created in the Image of the Living God

Live to your highest potential

Be an icon today and everyday

This entry was posted on Saturday, December 22nd, 2007 at 12:00 pm and is filed under Celebrating our first Advent, Gabriel, Great Christian Art at the Institute, This old clinic. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.