Communion of the Apostles

In this blog post we return to the altar area and the iconostasis discussed in previous posts.This beautiful icon is a relatively recent addition to our church. It was done by iconographer Jennifer Taisia, then a member of the parish. It was "written" and constructed in her home workshop in sections, and then the sections were transported to the church in a moving van. In the photo here we see one of the sections being carried into the church. The sections were cleverly constructed for transport, and fit together neatly once installed at the back of the sanctuary.

The icon is a traditional topic for the back wall of an Orthodox sanctuary. It depicts Christ in communion with his Apostles, and by extension with the faithful gathered in the church. It lines up so that as one stands in the sanctuary and looks ahead through the royal doors in the center of the iconostasis one sees the priest, the gifts, and behind them the image of Christ offering the gifts himself.