NEW EDITOR, COMPILER AND DISTRIBUTOR OF PROSOPON JOURNAL
(Article Sample HERE)

Over a year ago, because of the important changes in Nikita's life (commencement from Saint Serge in Paris; Crowning in marriage to Marrit; move to Tallinn, Estonia; birth of their first son Iona, etc) the founder of the Prosopon School of Iconology and its journal PROSOPON Vladislav Andreyev asked the monks of the Skete of Saint Maximos the Confessor to asccept the responsibility of the editorship, compilation, and distribution of PROSOPON. They humbly accepted this responsibility as a monastic obedience. Both Father Kyrill and Father Mefodii have been students of Vladislav and the Prosopon School of Iconology since 1993 an 1991 respectively.

Father Kyrill, Hierodeacon, is now the person in charge of all things PROSOPON. Fr. Kyrill comes to this position highly qualified. He holds several degrees from Catholic University in Washington, DC:BA in Philosophy and Social Services, STB in Theology, Licentiate in Sacred Theology (STL)-equivalent to a Master of Theology (MTh); a third year student towards a STD. Father Kyrill also holds an MA in Eastern Christian Theology from the John XXIII Institute for Eastern Christian Studies at Fordham University in New York (degree granted from Maryknoll College),

Fr. Kyrill is a continuing contributor to PROSOPON since its conception with insightful articles for the Theology section. He is published in the festscrift LIGHT FROM THE EAST on the ocassion of the eightieth birthday for the now late Rev. Archimandrite Bonifex Luyxx. Fr. Kyrill is also the author of the monograph LEAD ME IN THY TRUTH The Question of Baptism and "Re-Baptism" in the Eastern Orthodox Church. He is the compiler of the yet unpublished AN INTRODUCTORY ICONOLOGY GLOSSARY for the Prosopon School of Iconology,a work still in process. Presently he is working on a shorter more concise Glossary for the benefit of the students of the Prosopn School. Liturgically Father Kyrill has published a exhaustive work consisting of seven volumes of all the liturgical services for every day of Holy and Great Week and Pascha. These contain not only the services but also in red print all the appropriate rubics for the Bishop, priest, deacon, reader, servers, chanter and choir. This extensive liturgical work has received the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Kallistos (Ware) of Diokleia as well as the blessings from the humble and loving Hierarch of the Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada and Australia, His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph.

All correspondence for PROSOPON can be addressed to Father Kyrill, Skete of Saint Maximos, P.O. Box 356, Palmyra, VA 22396 email: sketestmaximos@embarqmail.com

Teachers and Coordinators of Worshops are strongly urged to send any articles which may be included in future issues of PROSOPON as well as to offer PROSOPON to their students and the attendees of their worshops. Copies can be obtained by contacting the Skete of Saint Maximos.

PRICE INCREASES FOR PROSOPON

Because of the ever increasing costs for printing and postage, amd exchange bank fees for non US currencies, the prices for Issue No 4-5 and for all future issues of PROSOPON will be as follows:

USA: Journal - $15.00; Postage - $2.00 = Total $17.00.

Canada and other: Check or Money Order in US Dollars

Canada: Journal - $15.00; postage - $5.00 = $20 US Dollars

England and all others: Journal - $15.00; postage - $10.00 = $25 US Dollars

Checks or Money Orders should be made out in US Dollars to
"Prosopon Journal"
Skete of Saint Maximos
P.O. Box 356
Palmyra VA 22963 USA

We sincerely ask for your understanding in this matter with the promise to provide the most scholarly and spiritually beneficial articles which reflect the best of the Prosopon School of Iconology.

NEWS ON THE FORTHCOMING BOOK FROM VLADISLAV

The title, Table of Contents and half the text are now complete. Nikita is already translating the Russian texts into English. Although the work is understandbly going slow we can be sure to have a very first class, informative and traditional product when completed. Your tax deductible contribution towards the publishing cost can be sent to the Skete of Saint Maximos; memo: BOOK FUND.

Please continue to pray for the Prosopon School of Iconology and for the unworthy monks of the Skete of Saint Maximos.

ICONS
in the
Orthodox Church

Perhaps the first thing that a visitor might notice upon entering an Orthodox church is the abundance of artistic painted images called icons. The visitor will see a partition composed of icons and ornament separating the altar from the nave; he will observe individual icons painted on wooden panels resting on stands; he will note that the walls are covered with paintings of various scenes and personages and that even the ceiling and the adjoining vestibule and side-rooms of the church have iconic images. What are these painting-like images, and what is their meaning and function within the Church?

The word icon simply means "image" in the Greek language. Icons are images of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, angels, saints, and important New and Old Testament events in the history of Christianity which involve these holy persons. Oil lamps are lit in front of the icons, and the faithful make the sign of the cross, bow down before, and venerate them with a kiss. Afterwards, they place candles on the candle stands before the icons. The subject of the icon or icons displayed on the stand in the center of the church depends on the specific Feast or Saint celebrated during that time. Icons are carried by the people during church processions.

THE PAINTING OF ICONS

BEYOND ARTISTIC DECORATION

A WINDOW INTO HEAVEN