Iconography Campaign

Update – May 2023

The latest phase of iconography has been installed. We look forward to starting our next phase very soon!

Update – January 2023

Most recent color drawings for next phase of iconography.

Update – August 2022

We are thankful to God and to our generous supporters for helping us raise the funds to begin the next phase of our iconography program. We intend to complete the Nativity, Resurrection, and Ascension icons over the next few months. Glory to God!

Update – January 2022

We have completed the second phase of the iconography with the apse and pendentives with the four evangelists. Our next phase will be the installation of the Festal icons. We then hope to complete the space above the iconostasis with the Ascension icon. More to come!

Festal Icons

Consider sponsoring one of the Twelve Festal Icons that will be installed above the iconostasis. Each icon is $750 and will be used for generations to come at St. John's:

 Nativity of the Theotokos – SPONSORED!
 Elevation of the Cross – SPONSORED!
 Presentation in the Temple of the Theotokos – SPONSORED!
 Nativity of Christ – SPONSORED!
 Theophany  – SPONSORED!
 Meeting of the Lord in the Temple – SPONSORED!
 Annunciation - SPONSORED!
 Palm Sunday – SPONSORED!
 PASCHA – SPONSORED!
 Ascension – SPONSORED!
 Pentecost - SPONSORED!
 Transfiguration - SPONSORED!
 Dormition of the Theotokos – SPONSORED!

Church Program

One of the pillars of maintaining the faith “once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3) is the iconography of the Orthodox Church. From the earliest times, icons have preserved our theology and kept us from error as Christians worshiping the one true God. And so in each Orthodox Church, the faithful make every effort to beautify the Temple with sacred icons. Here at St. John of Damascus Orthodox Church, we have just begun our iconography program with the completion of our iconostasis, the wall of icons joining the nave and the altar. It is the first step toward what will one day be the full compliment of iconography, covering the entire Temple.

Our next phase of iconography will be the apse, the domed space above the altar. Traditionally, this space is adorned with an image of the “Platytera” icon. This icon is an image of Christ enthroned within his mother Mary, the Theotokos. Her body becomes “more spacious than the heavens.” This image is surrounded by heavenly angels as well as the Holy Hierarchs of the Church who have given us “right belief” and the language of our divine services. Below is a rendering.

Once the apse is complete we will work toward completing the iconography on the wall immediately above the iconostasis before we move upward into the dome of the church with the icon of Christ, the ruler of all (Pantocrator). We will eventually have a schedule of the entire church as we prepare for each phase. Below is a rendering of the arched wall above the iconostasis with two options (Ascension or Pentecost).

Our iconographer is Ivan Rumiantsev. Born in Russia in 1972, Ivan came to St. Tikhon Monastery in Pennsylvania to teach after completing the program at the Moscow School of Fine Arts and an internship with a major in tempera art restoration in 1991. Ivan has become a widely sought-after iconographer not only by St. Tikhon’s Monastery but by churches across the country. https://sttikhonsmonastery.org/news_140913_1

Some future plans include icons of the Nativity and of the Resurrection on the north and south walls in the transept. The life of Christ will adorn the “barrel-vault” ceiling, and the Protection of the Theotokos is proposed for the west wall.

In order to move into the next phase of the iconography program we will need to raise the necessary funds. Here is a breakdown of the cost for the next phase:

Platytera Icon with angels in apse $10,000
Hierarchs in apse $6000
Towels along bottom $1000
Materials $1500
Gold Leaf in apse $3500
St. John of Damascus icon $2500
St. John the Forerunner icon $2500
Ascension or Pentecost Icon above Iconostasis $7000
Annunciation Icon above Iconostasis $1500

As of August 2020, the balance of our iconography fund is $13,000 to begin the next phase. We are hoping to raise enough money to complete the apse which is a total cost of $22,000. Anything above that will be kept in the iconography fund for the next phase.

WAYS TO GIVE TOWARD THE ICONOGRAPHY PROGRAM

DIRECT: Cash gifts and checks may simply be brought to our church with the designation that they are to be used for the “Iconography Fund”
MAIL: If you wish to send your gifts, our mailing address is: St John of Damascus Orthodox Church, 12989 CR 1113, Tyler, TX 75709 (please indicate that they are intended for the Iconography Fund).
ALTERNATIVE FORMS: Some donors have found creative ways to donate, such as in the form of stocks or bonds, which we are happy to accept.
ONLINE GIVING: we use a service called “Tithe.ly” for web-based giving. Please note that while this is a handy and simple way to give, it does incur a fee which can affect the total amount that finds its way to our church. Click the button below to access our online giving service, and choose the “GIVE TO” pull-down menu option called “Iconography Fund”