General Information: Icons & Iconography

The Functions of Icons, by Dr. Constantine Cavarnos. Ch. 3 from Orthodox Iconography.

The Iconic and Symbolic in Orthodox Iconography: An Introduction, by Bishop Auxentios of Photiki.

The Icon FAQ, by Father Deacon John Whiteford. Frequently asked questions about Icons. Written mainly for Protestant inquirers, but still appropriate for this page.

What Orthodox Iconography Is, by the Blessed Photios Kontoglou.

A Discourse in Iconography, by Saint John of San Francisco. The alarming emergence of certain "Orthodox" Icons from within various convert groups—ones painted with a rather Rockwellian "pastel cuteness" and sensuality that trivializes the Faith, or that introduce theological aberrations—has necessitated the appearance of this fine essay. However, an inquirer into Orthodoxy will also find many helpful insights into how we view Icons.

Orthodox Art and Architecture, by John Yiannias of the University of Virginia.

A Word About "Monastery Icons", by Fr. Anthony Nelson. A warning about some spiritually dangerous icons that appear to be Orthodox but are not.

Is There Really a Patristic Critique of Icons?: an excellent 5-part series addressing the claim by Presbyterian pastor Steven Wedgeworth that there is significant patristic testimony against iconography.

Recommended Books

Theology of the Icon, Leonid Ouspensky. Covers every aspect of  Icons and iconography, including their history and defense. An indispensable two volume set.

The Essence of Orthodox Iconography, by Constantine Kalokyris. Excellent scholarly treatment of the subject.

Orthodox Iconography, by Dr. Constantine Cavarnos. A short book containing a collection of very fine essays.