http://rejoiceicons.blogspot.com/

Rejoice Icons, Corning, NY (2026)

05/02/2021

Christ is risen! Indeed He is risen!
Christos voskrese! Voistinu voskrese!
Christos anesti! Alithos anesti!
These are some of the various greetings that are joyfully exchanged in Orthodox churches throughout the world, not only on Easter Day/Pascha, but through the entire Easter season. The following brief hymn continues this greeting : Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and to those in the tombs, granting life.
In this icon, the Descent into Hades, the story is told of Christ’s descent into the world of the dead to raise the righteous from their tombs. The resurrected Christ, in radiant white garments, a madorla of light showing His Divinity behind Him, stands astride the Gates of Hell, which He has burst open. His outer garment flows upward as He makes is rapid descent.
The abyss yawns beneath His feet, and we see the skeletal figure of Death bound and useless, with the broken locks and keys to the tombs surrounding him. This symbolizes that Christ has entered and conquered both death and Hades. The power of the devil and death have been destroyed through the life-giving death of our Savior.
Christ holds Adam and Eve firmly by their wrists as He pulls them forth from their tombs, because they, like all mankind, are helpless to gain Eternal Life without Christ. This symbolizes that Christ’s victory redeems all mankind, even back to the beginning. It also foreshadows the general resurrection of the body before the Final Judgment.
To the left, we see three characters: David and Solomon, two of his ancestors according to his fleshly nature. We also see, closest to him, John the Baptizer, who was his forerunner in both life and death.
The figures on the right vary from icon to icon, but usually represent Old Testament prophets and saints such as Moses, Abel as a shepherd, and the three youths who were thrown into the fiery furnace.
In the writings of Eastern Orthodox mystics, God is often prayerfully experienced as light. This is not simply a pretty bright light. It is the same light which filled the apostles with wonder when they witnessed His Transfiguration. It is the light which Christ Himself described as the power of the Kingdom of God (Mark 9:1 Matt 16:28 Luke 9:27). It is the light that filled the once perpetual darkness of Hades when Christ descended and brought life into the realm of death. It is also the light that is seen when one purifies his heart and mind (Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.)
This icon is also called The Harrowing of Hell.

04/06/2021

This icon celebrates The Annunciation of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This feast day is celebrated March 25 on the New Calendar, and on April 7 on the Old Calendar. We can see the Archangel Gabriel, just arriving on the scene – his wings are still unfurled, he doesn’t have both feet on the ground yet and he is running towards Mary, the young Jewish virgin! In his left hand is a staff, the symbol of a messenger. His right hand is extended toward Mary as he delivers the message and announces the blessing bestowed upon her by God, that she is to bear Christ in her womb! The Virgin sits on an elevated seat, indicating that as the Mother of God she is “greater in honor than the cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the seraphim, who without corruption gave birth to God the Word.” In her left hand she holds a spindle of scarlet yarn which depicts the task she was assigned of preparing the purple and scarlet material to be used in making the veil for the Temple in Jerusalem. Her right hand is raised in a gesture of acceptance in response to Gabriel’s message. Her posture expresses willing cooperation with God’s plan of salvation. The three stars on her garments tell us that she was a Virgin before, during, and after the birth of Christ. At the top of the icon, the segment of a circle represents the divine realm, from which three rays emerge. This demonstrates the action of the Holy Spirit coming upon her.
Luke 1:26-38
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”
But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found great favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”
Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”
And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.
Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

01/19/2021

The Feast of the Theophany of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
Tropar of the feast
At your Baptism in the Jordan, O Lord/ worship of the Trinity was revealed/ for the Father's voice bore witness to You/ calling You His beloved Son/ and the Spirit in the form of a dove confirmed the truth of these words/O Christ God Who appeared and enlightened the world/ Glory to You!
Growing up in an Episcopal home, my children were very familiar with our ceramic Manger Scene. They were very careful to keep things in the correct order – at the time it was set up, a week or so before Christmas, the Shepherds and Wisemen were in the distance, Mary and Joseph were in the stable, but the Child was off behind the Shepherds somewhere and never made His appearance before midnight on Christmas Eve, when the Angel also appeared along with the Shepherds! Twelve days later, the Wise Men who came bearing their gifts were placed in the Manger Scene, because it was now Epiphany.
When I became Orthodox in 1978, a few mental changes took place. In the Orthodox icon of the Nativity, all the main characters are there, so really three separate events are recorded, as in the ceramic Manger scene: Christ’s birth, the Adoration of the Shepherds, and the visit of the Magi with gifts. In the Orthodox church, Epiphany becomes Theophany, the Revelation of the Trinity to man; God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
On Theophany, fast forward some thirty years in His Life, Christ is being baptized in the Jordan by His cousin, John the Forerunner. And John himself says, “I myself did not know Him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that He might be revealed to Israel.” John has found his destiny – to be the one to bring the Christ to the attention of the whole earth! This event is the first revelation of the Trinity in the life of Christ, and Jesus Christ – God become man, Messiah – is central to the icon. The semi-circle at the top of the icon symbolizes Heaven, from whence comes the voice of God the Father, saying, “This is my Son, the Beloved, in whom I am well-pleased”. From the Father comes forth the Dove, the representation of the Holy Spirit of God, who descends upon Christ.
Christ, in His humility, stands naked in the Jordan for the washing away of His sins by this water. Yet by His very presence the water is sanctified; even the fish, large and small, the simplest forms of life. We are told that the Jordan flowed backwards in astonishment.
The power of water to sanctify and transform is demonstrated In baptism and we believe that God chooses to bless us through holy icons, oil and water. After this blessed feast of Theophany, the homes are the faithful are blessed. The family is considered, by the Orthodox faith, to be a small church. The family table is the home altar where the members gather each day to receive their daily bread from God with thanksgiving in the name of Christ. The blessing of the home takes place with prayer and the sprinkling of holy water. The priest, at this annual visit, asks God to have mercy on the house, to rid it of every evil and to fill it with every blessing. Every member of the household prays together for the living and the dead of the family. They all sing the hymn of Theophany and process from room to room while the priest blesses the house.
In these sad days of the Covid virus, when most priests have been told by their bishops that they may not make home visits, it is still possible to have a lovely house blessing. Obtain holy water from church and follow the service outlined below.
www.stmaryorthodoxchurch.org/assets/files/services/house-blessi
Christ is baptized! In the Jordan!

01/06/2021

Kontakion of the Feast of the Nativity

Today the virgin gives birth to the incomprehensible One;
and the earth offers a cave to the unapproachable One;
Angels and shepherds glorify Him;
the Wisemen journey with a star;
since for our sakes is born the ETERNAL GOD, as a little Child.

Orthodox Christians who use the Julian calendar celebrate the Nativity of Christ, Christmas, on January 7.

In recent years, the religious icons long associated with Christian Orthodoxy seem to have found a place in other Christian faiths. While most people in the West, even now, are more familiar with Byzantine-era and Russian icons, and the more “modern” icons painted under the influence of the Italian Renaissance of the 1400’s, there is more to be learned – Coptic iconography!
The golden age of Coptic civilization in Egypt is known as the Coptic period, 4th-7th centuries, which was roughly between Constantine’s official recognition of Christianity in AD 311-313, and Egypt’s invasion by Islamic forces in AD 642. There was much Greek influence on Coptic spirituality, art and culture during this period, which saw the advent of Coptic monasticism and the legendary Desert Fathers. There was a renewal of Coptic art in the 9th through the 12th centuries, but by the turn of the 19th century, Coptic iconography fell into decadence and eventually disappeared. The 1950’s saw the revival of Coptic art by Isaac Fanous and the Neo-Coptic movement, and continues to be a strong influence.
Having made this giant leap from ancient Egypt to the 21st century, let’s look at this serene Neo-Coptic image of the Theotokos and the Christ Child. Although not really a Nativity icon because of the age of the Child and the lack of the other familiar characters looking on, it serves very well as an example of the simplicity of this iconographic style that captures one’s heart. First, you are drawn to the enlarged, wide-open eyes that are the “lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.” (Matt. 6:22-24). You will notice that, as in many Neo-Coptic icons, these subjects have a tiny, sweet smile playing about their lips. The Child grasps a Gospel book in His left hand while making what appears to be a priestly blessing with His right. His outer garment seems to be “in motion” – has His Mother just scooped Him up from play for a hug? Their cheeks touch lovingly.
The blue outer garment of the Theotokos is covered with tiny stars, and the Child’s halo does not yet show the letters that say, “I AM”. Perched near them is a very colorful bird that I would like to think may be the Egyptian version of the Holy Spirit – but alas, it’s a peacock! Behind them are stylized mountains, and through the scene runs the cool, blue water.
The icon might be considered stark in its simplicity – someone asked if it were “Paint by Number”! But this is indeed the Simple Truth – God became Man.

10/13/2020

Troparion of the Protection tone 4: Most holy Mother of God, today we Orthodox joyfully celebrate thy coming among us. As we gaze at thy icon we cry with compunction: Shelter us under thy protection, deliver us from evil, and pray thy Son Christ our God to save our souls.
Kontakion of the Protection tone 3: Today the Virgin is standing before us in the Church, praying for us with the choirs of Saints. Angels worship with Hierarchs, Apostles rejoice with Prophets, for the Mother of God intercedes with the Eternal God for us.

Icon of the Protection of the Mother of God, written for the 100th anniversary of
St. Mary's Orthodox Church, Corning, NY

09/27/2020

The Elevation of the Precious and Life-giving Cross.

Troparion, tone 1:
O Lord, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance. Grant victory over their enemies to Orthodox Christians, and protect Thy people with Thy Cross.

Kontakion, tone 4:
O Christ our God, Who wast voluntarily lifted up on the Cross, grant Thy mercies to Thy new people named after Thee. Gladden with Thy power Orthodox Christians and give them victory over their enemies. May they have as an ally that invincible trophy, Thy weapon of peace.

08/29/2020

The Dormition of the Theotokos

Troparion
In giving birth you preserved your virginity, / in falling asleep you did not forsake the world, O Theotokos. / You were translated to life, O Mother of Life, / and by your prayers, you deliver our souls from death.

Kontakion
Neither the tomb, nor death could hold the Theotokos, / who is constant in prayer and our firm hope in her intercessions. / For being the Mother of Life, / she was translated to life by the One who dwelt in her virginal womb.

08/19/2020

The Transfiguration of our Lord
Jesus Christ.

Troparion, tone 7: When Thou wast transfigured on the mountain, O Christ our God, Thou didst show Thy glory to Thy disciples as far as they could bear it. Let Thy everlasting light illumine also us sinners through the intercessions of the Mother of God. Giver of Light, glory to Thee.

Kontakion, tone 7: Thou wast transfigured on the mountain, O Christ our God, and Thy disciples beheld Thy glory as far as they were capable, that when they should see Thee crucified, they might know that Thy suffering was voluntary and might proclaim to the world that Thou art indeed the reflection of the Father.

05/21/2020

He is in All Places

"O Heavenly King, the Comforter, O Spirit of Truth
Who dwells in all places and fills all things..."

So begins a prayer of the Orthodox church that I say every day. I am an iconographer, a writer or painter of religious icons; iconography is a step in my journey of faith. As an Orthodox Christian, I have been led to re-create these sometimes ancient icons of our Lord, the Saints, and events depicted in the Holy Gospels. Icons have been described as the Gospel in line and color; windows into Heaven.
A few years ago, in saying this prayer, I thought of that phrase "...who dwells in all places." Of course! As a potter shapes the vessel and leaves the imprint of his hand in the clay, so God is in all His creation - in that dog, that person, that sunset, that rock or tree - because He made them all.
Weathered wood has a color, texture and beauty all its own, and choice pieces of wood, and even the inside of bark, are always a surprise to work with: will the colors be the same if the wood is aged pine rather than aged oak?
And I suppose to say it is "weathered wood" is to make it sound like more than it really is - it's just plain old slab wood that has been left outside in the elements to turn that soft grey. But the real Artist is in the wood, and that makes all the difference.
So my journey continues, as long as eye can see and hand can hold brush. But in the end, it is not my eye that sees, or my hand that paints.

04/17/2020

Orthodox Christians throughout the world observe Great and Holy Friday today.
In 1998 I went to the Holy Land on pilgrimage. These were my thoughts as we followed one of our fellow pilgrims who carried a replica of the Cross along the Via Dolorosa, the Way of Sorrows, in an enactment of that holy Friday so long ago.

Via Dolorosa

This is my pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

The times are troubled, with stones hurled at our bus in Bethlehem by small and large boys.

There are wars and rumors of wars, just as foretold

And we wonder if we are safe here.

We follow the path of Christ’s bare feet

From where he was scourged,

And wend our way through the narrow passage of small shops

To reach the place of the skull.

At the corner is an army jeep

With two Israeli soldiers and their weapons at the ready, one a girl,

On the watch for trouble.

The throng of followers behind the one carrying the Cross

Chants hymns on the way

But the sound is lost to those who bring up the rear

And sometimes the little shops offer items that tempt the pilgrims

To linger a while.

The way is long and the day is hot and some drop off to go home,

Or lose interest.

I want to shout, “pay attention! Our God is passing through!”

I wish that I could actually have been with Christ on His last journey,

And not in the Jerusalem of this distant day –

It would have been so different then!

And then I see that it would not.

The soldiers and jeeps of Christ’s last day would have been Romans, their weapons spears.

The most ardent followers would have been close to Christ, singing those hymns,

Following their Lord ‘til his last breath,

And those stragglers would still stop,

perhaps for that last item for their Passover table.

Others would leave because it was not entertaining enough,

Or the way was too long

Or their belief was not strong.

This Day has not changed through the years.

There is still the horror and the shame,

The sorrow and the pain

As we follow His way to Golgotha,

But today we know that there is an end to it;

That on the third day we will shout with joy

“Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!”

Joyce Merletti
1998

Rejoice Icons

05/02/2021

04/06/2021

01/19/2021

01/06/2021

10/13/2020

09/27/2020

08/29/2020

08/19/2020

05/21/2020

04/17/2020

Address

Website

Alerts

Shortcuts

Share