Church of Christ. A copy of an ancient icon showing Christ in the center with each of his apostles, a scene from their lives and how they died. The Church of Christ Icon   An ICON is a window to the “eternal.”  In the East when you look at an ICON you are believed to be in the actual presence of God, his Mother or Saints portrayed.  Regardless if an icon is a print or hand painted the “presence” of God, His Mother or Saints are still there.   The purpose of an ICON is to “teach.”  When asked “How to explain the faith?  St. John of Damascus said, “Show them an icon.”   The Church of Christ (Tserkov Kristova) is a medieval Russian thematic icon which shows Apostles, their preaching and death.  This icon is also known as The Preaching of the Apostles (Apostolskaya Propovyed).   Christ is presented in a Mandela.  Christ is presented in full figured blessing with his right hand and holding an open Gospel Book in his left hand.  The blessing is the traditional Orthodox manner of blessing with the thumb and the next two fingers pointing up and the last two fingers pointing down.    On either side of Christ’s are an “IC” and “XC” which are the beginning Greek letters for “Jesus Christ Conquers.”  In the nimbus (halo) you find three Greek letters, which look like “W O N” and form the Greek word that translates to “There is only One God.”    The text in the Gospel book varies.  Sometimes the text in the Gospel Book is “Come blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” or “I am the light of the work: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness…”   At the top of the icon is the Crucifixion with the Virgin Mary, St John the Beloved, Joseph of Aramathea and the Centurion who accepted Christ.   On either side of the Crucifixion is “Communion of the Apostles” showing Christ giving the Eucharist to the Apostles.  This symbolizes the institution of the sacraments of the Eucharist and Holy Orders.    The larger circle is divided into 12 parts showing each of the Apostles preaching and how they died.   The lower circle shows Christ in the Seat of Judgment.  Also at the bottom is portrayed the Communion of Saints.   A wonderful icon that teaches the early history of The Church.     Copyright:  Alexandra International  2009, 2011