Blessings of St. Sophia Holy Wisdom

Growing up in St. Sophia Greek Orthodox church, I have always loved the symbols and icons that were all around me.  I've always wanted to learn more about Byzantine Icons and finally, I've been able to take classes in Byzantine Icon painting for a few years now and I love it!  Icons are more than art; they are "windows to heaven" which facilitate an eye-to-eye and heart-to-heart relationship with the holy person depicted.

I am happy to introduce St. Sophia. 

Here is a brief description of a long, beautiful, symbolic art process (at least 40 meditative hours):

This amazing traditional Byzantine icon painting technique and process incorporates meditation, prayer, patience and many layers of paint. The painting begins using dark colors and then coming into the light. The first painted layer is called "Primordial Chaos" and brush strokes are small and made in a spiral. No long strokes are allowed because they are of the ego. All of the materials are natural. The colors consist of crushed pigment mixed with egg yolk and white wine.

The halo images the solar disc, and earthy clay is raised to a likeness of heaven.The 24k gold leaf, creating the halo, is breathed upon invoking the breath of life and to make sure it adheres to its base which is a clay and honey mixture called bole. The clay symbolizes the earth from which Adam (and all humanity) was created.  With the gold leaf, you "breathe life" into the clay, as God breathed life into Adam. Just as raw clay is fired into a handsome and durable pot, applying gold leaf "fires" the clay bole into luminous beauty, reflecting earthly and heavenly light.  The halo image, the solar disc, and earthy clay is raised to a likeness of heaven. Just as raw clay is fired into a handsome and durable pot, applying gold leaf "fires" the clay bole into luminous beauty, reflecting earthly and heavenly light.

As the final step, Olifa, a mix of two kinds of linseed oil, the traditional, all-natural, breathable finish is applied and represents the anointing of the icon, in preparation for its final blessing.  It imparts a soft sheen and a touchable, kissable surface.  The icon then must lay flat for weeks or months until it has cured.

The 9.5" x 12.5" original was painted in the Church of St. Gregory of Nyssa in San Francisco, California by the hand of Maria-Tina Karamanlakis using traditional Byzantine Icon painting techniques and materials. Special thanks to instructor & iconographer Betsy Porter.

Sophia has many interpretations, here are some:

Sophia is the receptive, feminine force of God who created the world and everything in it. She appears in the Bible as Hagia Sophia, the Holy Wisdom of God and is the root word of the Greek word "philosophia" meaning friend of wisdom. 

Sophia is God's Holy Wisdom, the Mother of All things, the feminine force of God in the world. Sophia is celebrated in numerous religions in the Mediterranean and Near East as the co-creator of the world. In Eastern Orthodoxy Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom) refers to Jesus Christ -"Christ the wisdom of God and the power of God," 1 Corinthians 1:24. Sophia is God's Holy Wisdom. The St. Sophia of Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches was a Christian woman martyred in 137 AD who had adopted Sophia's name, and is now known as St. Sophia. The famous church in Constantinople, Hagia Sophia was the seat of the Orthodox Patriarch for hundreds of years.

The 9.5" x 12.5" original was painted in the Church of St. Gregory of Nyssa in San Francisco, California by the hand of Maria-Tina Karamanlakis using traditional Byzantine Icon painting techniques and materials. Special thanks to instructor & iconographer Betsy Porter.

All information & images © 2016 Maria-Tina Karamanlakis

Wishing you much Joy and Wisdom!  Love, Maria-Tina