Basilica Icons

Icons from The Basilica’s chapel, displayed in the sanctuary November 2020

All were painted by iconographer Debra Korluka, Stillwater, MN

Our Lady, Untier of Knots: This Icon finds its origins in a meditation of St. Irenaeus. He wrote about how Adam and Eve tied the knot of human disgrace for the human race by disobeying God, while Mary undid it by saying yes to God and becoming Mother of Jesus. We all have knots in our lives; knots of alienation, addiction, discord, hurt, fears, a lack of respect, or the absence of peace or harmony. We hope to invite people to invoke the powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin as we seek her assistance in untying those knots that hold us bound and keep us moving forward in our relationship with God.
Saint Mary of Magdala: Saint Mary was the first to see the Risen Lord, and the first to announce to Caesar the Resurrection of Christ.
Theotokos Supplicating (Deisis): See how Mary stretches forth her arms in petition, connecting to her son through prayer. She tells those who pray with this Icon that she is entrusting not only her own cares and needs to her Son, but embraces those who pray with her for God’s life and true joy.
The Merciful Jesus/Divine Mercy: Christ appears in white representing the Resurrection. His white robes are created with shades of blue and shades of red denoting the nature of His humanity and His Divinity. The rays are rendered in light blue and light red signifying John 19:34: “Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out.” Water represents baptism and blood represent communion.
Saint Joseph: Guardian of the Holy Family, for centuries Saint Joseph has been one of the most beloved saints of the Church. The saint holds a flowering staff which was the miraculous testimony that signaled God's choice of Saint Joseph as the betrothed of the Blessed Virgin.
Saint Dymphna: Patron Saint of those with mental illness.
Saint Josephine Bakhita: Born in Olgossa in the Darfur region of southern Sudan, Josephine was kidnapped at the age of 7, sold into slavery and given the name Bakhita, which means fortunate. After being resold several times she was declared free by a judge in Italy in 1885. Josephine entered the Institute of St. Magdalene of Canossa in 1893 and made her profession. Assisting her religious community in Schio she soon became well loved by the children attending the sisters’ school and the local citizens. She once said, “Be good, love the Lord, pray for those who do not know Him. What a great grace it is to know God!”

Holy Trinity, Jesus Christ, and the Great Feasts

Holy Trinity: The hospitality of Abraham to the Holy Trinity, who revealed themselves in the form of three angels.
Festal Icon: Icon of the major feast days of the Eastern Orthodox. The icon of the Resurrection is found in the center with the other major feasts surrounding the greatest and most central feast celebrated by the Christian Churches.
The Presentation
The Theophany / Baptism of Jesus: Jesus’ Baptism by Saint John was the beginning of His public ministry, and a manifestation of the Holy Trinity, hence the name Theophany, “Manifestation of God.”
Pantocrator: The Lord is shown with his right hand giving the Orthodox priestly blessing, his fingers forming the Greek letters “ICXC”, and his left holding a Book of the Gospels.
The Holy Face: This image of Christ is considered the oldest known representation of Jesus. Also called “not painted by human hand” due to legends identifying it as a physical impression made by the face of Jesus on a cloth.
Christ Orbus Mundi
Entry to Jerusalem
Entry to Jerusalem
Mystical Supper
Processional Cross / Crucifixion: The holy Cross is the primary symbol of the Christian faith and is given central importance in most churches and cathedrals. This Byzantine type—‘systematic and picturesque, symbolic and historical’--visualizes the Christian mystery of victory by defeat, of glory by humiliation, of life by death. On the right stands the Mother of our Lord and on the left stands St. John, His Beloved Disciples; they are flanked by the sun and the moon to signify that Christ’s crucifixion affects and redeems all creation. The events in the icon are crowned by the icon of “The Holy Face” representing the first true icon, made by the image of Christ himself.
The Lamentation
Resurrection

The Theotokos, Mother of God

The image of the Theotokos with the Christ Child is the most common subject matter of iconographers. The Greek title ‘Theotokos’ meaning ‘God bearer’ or ‘Mother of God’ goes back as far as the 4th century.

There are four iconographic prototypes of the Virgin: the Virgin Hodegetria or the Virgin of Guidance; the Virgin Umileniye or the Virgin of Loving Kindness / Tenderness; The Mother of God Enthroned; and The Orans (of the Sign).

Annunciation
Nativity of Our Lord
Nativity of Our Lord, Greece
Nativity of Our Lord, Bulgaria
The Presentation: Forty days after Jesus Christ’s birth the Theotokos and her betrothed Joseph brought her Son to the Temple to make the customary offering for purification: a pair of turtle doves or young pigeons. Christ is met by Simeon and Anna.
Theotokos Vladimirskaya: This prototype is attributed to the hand of Saint Luke the Evangelist who painted the Virgin from life.
Theotokos of Tenderness
Theotokos Vladimirskaya
Theotokos Vladimirskaya
Theotokos and Christ Child (Umileniye): The sweetness of expression of Mother and Child in their faces and their movements reminds us that God is personal and real
Theotokos Hodegitria
Theotokos of the Sign
Theotokos Smolenska: The Smolensk Mother of God derives from a Hodegetria icon placed in Smolensk Cathedral in 1101. Enthroned Mother of God, Poland
Enthroned Mother of God, Poland
Enthroned or Reigning Icon of the Mother of God
Tree of Jesse: The lineage of Christ as explained in the Gospel of Saint Matthew.
Dormition of the Mother of God
Theotokos Pochaev

Saints

Archangel Michael: From the earliest times Christians have turned to St. Michael for help in struggles of all kinds, especially for help in the passing from this earthly life to the Eternal Life.
Archangel Raphael
Angel
The Revelation, Apocalypse of Saint John the Evangelist: On the island of Patmos. John had been in the Cave twenty days, praying without ceasing. It was Sunday. The sacred silence which prevailed in the domain of the Cave was broken by the voice of the Lord. The rock of the Cave was split into three parts and the Lord appeared, in the midst of seven golden candlesticks, in all his awesome majesty. The evangelist fell to the ground in fear at the feet of the Lord, as one dead. The Lord touched John with His right hand and said: Fear not: I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth…Write the things which thou hast seen, and all the things which are, and the thing which shall be hereafter.
Saint Benedict the Black
Holy Martyrs Blaise and Andrew Stratelates are standing in prayer before the ”Vladimir” Icon of the Mother of God
Saint Cecilia and Saint Romanos, patrons of music
Saint John the Baptist: Saint John is the Forerunner of Jesus, baptizing him in the Jordan River which began Jesus' formal ministry.
Saint John the Baptist with scenes from his life
Saint George
Saint Nicholas: Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, in Asia Minor. Known for his charity and love, St. Nicholas was a staunch defender of the Faith. He is the patron of sailors and children.
Saint Perpetua and Saint Felicity: North African friends martyred for their Christian faith in the amphitheater at Carthage.
Saint Peter and Saint Paul
The Return of the Prodigal Son
Saint Martin de Porres: Martin de Porres was born in Lima, Peru, scarcely forty years after the bloody destruction of the Inca empire. He raised himself for the most part, and became an apprentice to a barber-surgeon so that he would have a trade. At fifteen he began his long relationship with the Dominican Order, first as a tertiary and then a brother with vows.
Saint Photini, Samaritan Woman: Saint Photini was the Samaritan Woman who encountered Christ at Jacob's Well (John 4:1-42). Jesus speaks to Photini saying, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” Photini asks for this living water, and in doing so, Jesus reveals his divinity to her. Afterwards she labored in the spread of the Gospel in various places.
Saint Francis renounced worldly wealth, preaching the importance of simplicity and poverty based on the ideals of the Gospel. He is known for his love of nature and animals, especially birds.

Icons from Ethiopia

Holy Trinity, hand cross
Resurrection and Annunciation, traveling Icon, stone and wood
Flight into Egypt and Nativity
Flight into Egypt and Assumption
Christ Calming the Sea
Resurrection, Crucifixion
Saint George, Enthroned Theotokos, Crucifixion, Resurrection
Enthroned Theotokos with Angels
Nativity / Angel and Three Youths Dancing in Fire
Old and New Adam
Archangel Michael, Theotokos Hodegitria, Saints Peter & Phillip, hand cross
Saint George, The Annunciation, Theotokos Enthroned, Baptism of Christ and other scenes
Enthroned Theotokos with Angel and Apostle