Orthodox View of Icons

I would like to write a little more about icons, since they are one of the first things people notice when they enter an Orthodox Church. Icons are holy images of Christ, His Mother, and the saints. Some Christians from Protestant backgrounds may wonder if this is idolatry, but it is not. Let me explain why.

God commanded images in worship. In the Old Testament, God told Moses to make golden images of cherubim to stand over the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 25:18–22). Later, the Temple built by Solomon was filled with carved images of palm trees, flowers, and angels (1 Kings 6:29–30). These images were not idols; they were reminders of God’s heavenly glory.

Jesus became visible and can be depicted. Before Christ came, God was unseen. But when “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14), He took on a human face that people could see and touch (1 John 1:1). Because Jesus truly became man, it is right to show His image. An icon of Christ proclaims that He is real, not just an idea.

Honoring an icon is not worshipping it. The Bible distinguishes between worship, which belongs to God alone (Matthew 4:10), and honor or respect given to godly people. For example, God commands us to “honor your father and mother” (Exodus 20:12). When we kiss an icon or bow before it, we are not worshipping wood and paint, but showing love to the person it represents—just as someone might kiss a photo of a loved one.

Icons help us remember the cloud of witnesses. The book of Hebrews tells us we are “surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1). Icons are a way of remembering that we are not alone in our faith. The saints who have gone before us surround us, encouraging us to run the race with endurance.

Icons point us to heaven. The book of Revelation describes heavenly worship filled with images—angels, elders, incense, and the Lamb of God (Revelation 5:6–14). When we look at icons, we are reminded that our worship on earth joins the worship already happening in heaven.

Icons are not idols because they are not worshipped. They are windows into heaven, helping us remember Christ and His saints, and drawing our hearts toward the Kingdom of God.

With love in Christ,
Fr. Charles

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