Chapter 1 - Contents
Introductory Pages

All texts and links on this site is organized into six chapters:
  ==> (1) Introductory Pages
         (2) Medieval Byzantine Icons - by Country of origin
         (3) Contemporary Byzantine Icons - by Iconographer
         (4) Byzantine Icons by Subject
         (5) General References
         (6) Miscellaneous Pages

• Welcome Page
The Welcome page provides a brief summary of what the Website is about, together with some suggestions for getting acquainted.

• SiteMap / TreeMenu / HomePage*
The HomePage-Sitemap*, provides a useful visual overview of the site. A sitemap is a useful tool on a website, any website. If it's well done and well maintained, the sitemap shows every single page of a website in a hiercharchical order (or in an alphabetical order). When displayed in hiercharchical order (or TreeMenu) it not only shows every page, but it shows them where they are, or how they fit in a site's organizational structure. On this site the SiteMap is located on the HomePage*. The HomePage-Sitemap truly is the site's Navigational Center and THE place to go to when you are looking for a subject. If nonetheless you don't find what you are looking for, then the SiteSearch utility can be of further help.
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* The term "HomePage" is not accurate anymore. It was when there was no Welcome page. It remains a key page though, the "visual overview" and the "SiteMap" being its two main feautures.

• What are Byzantine icons?
Treasures of the Eastern Orthodox Church - The Meaning of Icons - The difference between Icon Painter and Iconographer - The difference between Sacred Art and Holy Images - The Dogma of Chalcedon.

       • The Dogma of Chalcedon
         The Icon of Christ : the Graphical Expression of the Dogma of Chalcedon

• Summary
The page touches on all major subjects of Icons Explained. In addition, it explains in further detail what is meant with "Ancient, Medieval and Contemporary Byzantine Icons handpainted in the Traditional Eastern Orthodox style".

• Introduction: The Essential Feature of Icons
Image of the invisible, presence of the Invisible - The first images - The Holy Virgin Mary proclaimed Mother of God - Iconography and Iconoclasm in Byzantium - The triumph of Orthodoxy - Conclusion - Bibliography.

• Veneration of the Holy Virgin Mary
Says Russian Theologian Serge Boulgakov : "He or she who doesn't venerate Mary doesn't know Christ either. And a faith in Christ that doesn't include the devotion to the Mother of God, is a different faith, a christianity that is different of that of the Church."

       • The Akathist Hymn
         The Akathist Hymn is the most beautiful song of praise of all times in honor of the Theotokos (Mother of
         God). The page provides the full text of the Hymn in both English and French. And you can listen to the
         choral execution of (part of) the Hymn by several different choirs.

• Understanding Icons
The more one delves into this subject, the better one comes to see (experience) that an icon can be a truly unique and powerful mediator. A collection of some 15 one-page articles (links) by different authors.

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