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When Saint John the Forerunner (also known as John the Baptist) was beheaded by Herod, his head was placed on a platter and given to his daughter at the request of her mother. The masterfully-composed liturgical hymns for this commemoration are unsettling in their descriptions of the scene: As shameless Herod’s birthday was being celebrated, the terms of the oath to the wanton dancing girl were fulfilled; for the head of the Forerunner was struck off and brought in on a di …

There is still time to shop for Pascha!For best results: Order Classic Icons by Tuesday, April 23, with Express Shipping. (Masterpiece Icons not guaranteed on time at this point)Order Devotional Items, Incense and Accessories, Gifts, and all Ready-to-Ship items by Wednesday, April 24, with Standard Shipping; or by Palm Sunday, April 28, with Express Shipping.

In addition to bringing you the highest quality icons, Legacy Icons is committed to fostering a culture that has its saints in flesh and blood, not just wood and paint. To help make this a reality, our new blog will post articles covering spirituality, the liturgical calendar, art history, patristic wisdom, and other food for thought. In this article, Sam Granger analyzes the icon of the Dormition and how its fast can help us appreciate the season as we begin the end of summer. Depending on …

This past weekend, we celebrated the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. In this post Sam Granger looks at how the Transfiguration "sheds some light" on the Orthodox, on iconography, and on our understanding of Christ. The Feast of the Transfiugration is a big deal for Orthodox Christians, because it's the feast dedicated to Christ's glory. The name "orthodox" comes from two Greek roots: orthos (ὀρθός) meaning "right" or "correct" and doxa (δόξα) meaning "g …

The Dormition or falling-asleep of the Virgin Mary and her translation to heaven are not recorded in the pages of the New Testament. This is a stumbling block to some while they overlook the fact that the New Testament likewise does not record the circumstances of the deaths of any of the apostles except James the brother of John. However, the Dormition of the Virgin Mary is revealed by the Holy Spirit in the types and shadows of the Old Testament. Mary's role as Theotokos, or God-bearer, was f …

"But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." Hebrews 5:14. God has given us physical senses whereby we may perceive the things of the physical world-- sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. It should not seem strange, then, that for each of these physical senses there is also a corresponding spiritual sense whereby we may discern the things of the spirit. This can be demonstrated by the Scr …

According to Orthodox tradition, the Lord's Cross was made from three kinds of wood: Cypress, Pine and Cedar. This is believed to be a fulfillment of Isaiah 60:13: The glory of Lebanon will come to you, with cypress and pine and cedar together, to glorify my holy place; and I will make my footstool glorious. Legacy Icons is pleased to offer a new Wall Cross hand-crafted in our own woodshop from these three kinds of wood. Place this unique symbol at the heart of your home prayer corner and remem …

Sometimes we receive the question: What are the Feasts, anyway? Those coming from a tradition that does not celebrate Church Feasts may even think we go to church and eat a big meal together. Do be sure—sometimes we do! But that's not what it means. Oxford Dictionary's first definition of feast is "a large meal." But the second definition is "an annual religious celebration." This comes from the Latin festus, "joyous." It is a joyous day of celebration for the Church. In the Orthodox Chur …

Saint Gregory Palamas lived in the 14th century. Born in Asia Minor, he was raised in the imperial court of Constantinople and later left to enter the monastic life on Mount Athos. He subjected himself to extreme asceticism so severe that he was forced to travel to Thessalonica for medical treatment. In 1341, Saint Gregory was present at a council that was convened against Barlaam of Calabria. Saint Gregory had previously held discussions with Barlaam about the Orthodox theology of Hesychasm &m …

Introduction: Today, December 5, we celebrate St. John of Damascus, who was a key figure in the restoration of Holy Icons as a confirmation of the centrality of Christ's Incarnation in Orthodox theology and a necessary aspect of worship. St. John lists 7 Functions of Iconography as useful to our worship. This post is the last in a series on these functions we hope will be educational and inspirational, and lead you further towards our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Function 7 according to St …