The Icon of St. Anthony the Great
Introduction
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As with all endeavors, there is a story behind this booklet. I was recently contacted by Dr. Vincent L. Wimbush, a professor at Union Theological Seminary of New York City, and asked to provide him an appropriate Coptic icon which would be used as a symbol for an international conference to be hosted by his school April 25-29, 1993. As the conference's subject was to be "The Ascetic Dimension in Religious Life and Culture", I mailed him photocopies of icons depicting various Coptic Orthodox ascetic saints. The icon he chose is also the subject of this booklet, that of Saint Anthony the Great, an icon "written" for our parish, Holy Virgin Mary Coptic Orthodox Church of Los Angeles, by Dr. Isaac Fanous Youssef, professor of Coptic Arts at The Institute of Coptic Studies in Cairo. |
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Attending the conference myself, I was troubled to discover that many of the participants, all professors of theology from different universities worldwide, did not know how to "read" the icon and thus could not penetrate the teachings and meaning it contains. Some actually so misread it that they derived interpretations which contradicted the icon's true -message. Upon returning to Los Angeles, I was further shocked to find that many of my own parishioners could not properly read the icon as well. They were reacting merely to its artistic beauty, whereas those who interact with it in a proper way can derive so much more than just aesthetic pleasure.
I finally concluded that iconology, like all languages, is a learned skill which must be mastered so one can understand the message the iconographer "writes". And so this booklet was conceived to use the icon of Saint Anthony the Great as an object lesson for the study of this language. By revealing its spiritual, dogmatic and Biblical messages, I hope, with the help of God's grace, to lead the reader to an understanding of not only this particular icon, but also all icons as more than artistic works. They are, rather, ecclesiastical media of instruction and grace that enable the worshipper to worship God in spirit and in truth.
To this end, we ask God through the blessings and intercessions of the Holy Virgin Mary and Saint Anthony the Great, father of all monks, to make this booklet useful to those who read it.
I would like to thank all those who helped me in producing this booklet, whether by collecting reference materials, translating and typing the manuscript, reviewing the text, preparing it for publication, or in any other way. Our Lord Jesus Christ knows them all. May He bless them and reward them with heavenly recompense.
Father Antonious L. Henein
Priest of Holy Virgin Mary Coptic Orthodox Church
Los Angeles, California
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