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Importance of byzantine icons in worship
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Living in the Byzatine Empire worchip was a huge deal and the way of life. Most were catholics, but there were a good amount of Muslims too. Also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire existed around 4th through 6th century with the most influence of that period. The art derived from ancient Greece, but unlike the greeks, was about the glorification of God and his son Jesus, not man. The main language was Greek and Latin became a long term language soon after.
The moral of Christianity derived from Judaism and "replaced the classical preoccupation with the human body". Which Constantine brought with him to the Byzantine Empire as the main religion. Entering the 6th century Byzantine art was at it's most beautiful and glamorous(http://www.huntfor.com/arthistory/medevil/byzantine.html) Using vivid colors and designs, and in most cases a elegant gold background. Christianity's God, Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and the saints and martyrs of christian tradition became Byzantine icons for worship. The icons, or sacred paintings of God, Jesus, the Virgin Mary, saints, and martyrs, existed to have a direct connection with the Lord during worship.(http://www.byzantinesacredart.com/icon-orthodox). Usually in the icons the people in them looked as if they were floating. For their feet rarely looked to be touching the ground. Everything painted into the icon symbolized something. For instance big ears little mouth on Jesus would indicate listens to all but spoke only holly. The characters in the icons and their surroundings were and are very 2D. Not much dimension was diplicted in their art. It seems as though the emotions on their faces weren't happy and some emotionless as they stared off into space. Placed on the walls and the ceilings of churches they were looked and prayed to in times of need. The icons were said to have healed people of their illness' when prayed to, which imagine what the painters thought the pictures did for them. The painters of icons had to be more than just artists they had to connect spiritually through prayer, meditation, and fasting. The creaters of the icons were also known as iconographers and were respected for the work that they did for the churches of worship and the christian religion. Still to this day the Byzantine icons are looked at and respected for their purpose and for their beauty. Still taking peoples breath away as they did centuries ago in the Byzantine Empire.
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