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This post comes from an email in the "Walk Through the Church Year" series which goes out to folks who sign up to receive two emails per month about major feasts and selected commemorations in the liturgical calendar. To receive these emails in your inbox, sign up here.  The original email was sent out in September of 2024. by Reader John Elevation of the Cross by the hand of Georgi Chimev At my home parish of Holy Cross Antiochian Orthodox Church, September 14 is always extra …

The Creation account is read four times each year in the Orthodox Church: on the eves of the greatest feasts of the Lord Jesus—the Nativity, Theophany, and Pascha—and during the first week of Great Lent. It seems like a fitting visual meditation for the start of the new liturgical year, as well. Read more about this icon by Georgi Chimev. Dear Reader, Do the feasts and commemorations of the church sometimes sneak up on you? The Church in her wisdom gives us cycles of repe …

The burning of incense is a divine command. God gave Moses and Aaron detailed instructions for the times, places, and methods of burning incense. It was to be burned perpetually before the Lord, and it was a holy act of worship (Exodus 30). When the Tabernacle was replaced by the Temple, incense was offered there (1/3 Kings 9:25). When the people fell away into sin and idolatry, their offering of incense was hated by God (Isaiah 1:13), for it was merely an act, and not a true expression of lovi …

Ezekiel 44: 1-3 “Then he brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, which faces east; and it was shut. And he said to me, "This gate shall remain shut; it shall not be opened, and no one shall enter by it; for the LORD, the God of Israel, has entered by it; therefore it shall remain shut. Only the prince may sit in it to eat bread before the LORD; he shall enter by way of the vestibule of the gate, and shall go out by the same way." Ezekiel 46:3 “ Likewise the people of the …

We have often heard from customers, "How do I set up a prayer corner?" We are going to explain the idea of the home prayer corner, the meaning behind each element, and how to get started if you don't have one yet. Location The Prayer Corner can be located in any convenient place in your home. The best place is a prominent wall or corner of your main living room, where the family can gather each day to pray. As Christians throughout history have traditionally prayed facing towards the East, an e …

The Didache, orThe Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, is an early Christian text that most scholars date to the first or early second century. The Didache was highly regarded by many early Christian authors and theologians. Athanasius of Alexandria (†373) recommended it to converts, and it had a great influence on theApostolic Constitutions(375). Before the New Testament canon was formally settled in 692, a number of Biblical canons included theDidache; John of Damascus (†749) was a …

We recently received a message from a customer asking about our new icon of the Visitation of the Theotokos and Elizabeth, which includes Christ and John the Baptist in the wombs of their mothers, and the reasoning behind depicting something that in reality took place secretly. Others may have similar questions, so we wanted to provide a public response to say more about its meaning. When we speak of events that took place secretly, I call to mind the hymn from Vespers on Christmas Eve: "O Ch …

Last February, Legacy Icons visited the Orthodox Church in America’s primatial cathedral. There we discovered the church’s incredible iconography, covering every surface from floor to ceiling. This left us with the feeling of wonder and awe, as if we had seen the “great cloud of witnesses” with our own eyes—the feeling one ought to have inside a temple of God. With the church’s blessing, our team has photographed many of the icons, which we have begun to off …

In browsing our new site, we hope that you will find it better organized, better designed, with improved features.New & Updated FeaturesVisual Improvements The site will be reorganized, with updated images and graphics throughout the site. It will be easier to navigate and find the products you are looking for. And with over half our customers using mobile devices, we have worked to significantly improve the mobile user experience.Filter and Search A prominent search bar will be on …

The real reason for the season… For the last few years, we have seen for sale figurines and artwork depicting Santa Claus kneeling to the Christ Child. Evidently, these are a popular item. But it strikes us as odd. Recently, Legacy Icons sent a newsletter with a photo of one such figurine, contrasted with an icon of St. Nicholas of Myra, with the headline: “Ho Ho Ho, or Holy Holy Holy?” We believe the creators of these figures and artwork have good intentions. If we are unde …