Icon

An icon (from the Greek εἰκών eikōn, “image”) is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from the Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodoxy, and certain Eastern Catholic churches. The most common subjects include Christ, Mary, saints and angels. Although especially associated with portrait-style images concentrating on one or two main figures, the term also covers narrative scenes depicted on a single panel or in a series of panels (or miniaturized as book illustrations). Icons can represent various scenes in the life of Jesus Christ (the Nativity of Christ, Crucifixion of Christ), key events from the Old Testament (such as Moses receiving the Ten Commandments), The Passion of Saints and martyrs for their faith.