Travels to Europe reveal the wondrous secrets behind this religious art and the roles they played in history
It was the birthday of my neighbour and good friend Dido, but we could not meet up for dinner due to the pandemic protocols. Thus, I decided to part with an icon from my travels abroad and immediately sent it as a gift. You see, this leading psychologist in the country is an avid collector and a painter of icons. Allow me to correct myself: not an icon painter but an icon writer. And the explanation will be revealed later, so read on.
It is certainly strange yet fascinating how certain items can bring back specific, vivid memories. And when these cherished moments come rushing back into consciousness, we are left utterly helpless to stop them.
I recall a trip to Poland which involved icons. Here, I was awed by the national symbol of the country, the Black Madonna of Czestochowa, set apart due to its two slash marks. Droves of believers lined up just to catch a glimpse of her.
Another was a holiday in Syria, where my group made a quick detour to the Our Lady of Saidnaya Monastery in the hilltop village of Saidnaya, just 30 kilometres away from the capital city of Damascus. Built under the orders of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I, the monastery is a popular pilgrimage site because of this priceless portrait of the Virgin Mary which, legend claims, was personally crafted by St Luke the Evangelist.