Each Icon is an object of respect and is inextricably linked to the religious and worship life of each Christian individually and of the Church itself.
Many people treat icons as mere works of art - they admire the style, the colors, the representation. And they stop there. Maybe they are not wrong. They are indeed works of art, but beyond Art - the icons for every Christian are the true revelation of the face of God. It is the expression and the imprint of the TRUTH. (And what do we mean by truth?) That God was incarnate! The infinite and incorruptible God met the finite human nature and revealed himself to us! Through Orthodox icons the face of the Lord becomes visible (in his human form).
The theological and pedagogical value of the icons is indisputable. On the one hand, their honorable worship is a confession of faith and an expression of the truth that God became man so that we can become gods by His Grace. Through them we are led to the heavenly world of God the Father, the Angels and the countless Saints. On the other hand, their existence in Churches and houses is proof that they are an integral part of the daily life of the Christian. Even people with a basic knowledge of grammar and spelling, facing any Holy Icon can capture the message it sends. We could reasonably liken them to a mirror that reflects the spiritual life of the living Church. It is the Theology that is expressed in shapes and colors and eloquently reveals the presence of God in our lives.
The icons are sacred and sometimes miraculous. They are characterized as sacred as they depict figures who take us to the heavenly world and are a means for the believer to come in contact with God. And that's why we honor them. Also, some of them are miraculous. However, it must be understood that they work miracles because of the faith of the person who begs before them and the divine Grace that God allows to flow from it.
It is a common custom - even when our faith is lukewarm - to give icons to loved ones. Why; Why do we want the walls of our house to be decorated with serious or sad forms? Saints of the Greeks. So they refer to many books of literature in the West. Saints who magnetize you with their gaze and at the same time calm the soul. Saints who look them in the eyes and know inwardly that your prayer has been heard. We want these Saints. We are looking for them. We turn to them when we have nowhere else to turn for help. We make vows to them. We take them with us abroad, in exile. We put them in front of any danger. Why; Because deep down we believe that they are with us, that they will help us, protect us, support us.
Saints of the Greeks… Saints of the World