I've been thinking on how to incorporate the study of icons into our art appreciation. I don't want to reduce them to merely art work to be studied but to take the time to focus on, reflect on, and to understand them more fully. Too often by not taking the time to 'study' our icons they do become merely Christian art we decorate our homes with; an expression of our Orthodox culture not of our faith.

To this end I plan on introducing one of the icons from one of the 12 Great Feasts in each of our terms this year. By doing this for 3 or 4 years, depending whether we have 3 or 4 terms per year, we will have covered them all in depth and managed spread the purchase of these icons out a bit. I don't want to print these out on our computer but to support the important work of Monastics by purchasing them ready mounted.

There are many excellent on line sources for information on the Twelve Great Feasts:

My favourite site, so far, has been the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese's website on the 12 Great Feasts. This website includes explanations for each of the icons focusing on what aspects can be seen in a typical icon for that Feast.

For example, we have the Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord coming up soon on the 6^th of August. The web page from this site on this Feast has the icon itself, an introduction to the Feast, the Biblical story behind the feast, a more in-depth look at the icon itself, how the Feast is usually celebrated, and hymns for the Feast.

Taking time to sit down and cover this material with the children will be beneficial to us all :o)

I am also looking at typical activities that CM used for picture study that we might incorporate. More on this at a later date...