Daily Devotion for Saturday 3rd May 2025
Icon of The Resurrection
Isaac Fanous (1919 – 2007)
Information
The Coptic Orthodox Church is an Oriental Orthodox church based in Egypt. Copts believe their church to have been established by Mark during the middle of the first century. Due to disputes concerning the nature of Christ, the Oriental Orthodox and the Eastern Orthodox were in schism after the Council of Chalcedon in AD 451. After AD 639, Egypt was ruled by its Islamic conquerors from Arabia. The 12th century saw the Copts become a religious minority in Egypt. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the larger body of ethnic Egyptian Christians began to call themselves Coptic Orthodox, to distinguish themselves from the Catholic Copts and from the Eastern Orthodox, who are mostly Greek. In 1959, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church was granted self-governing status. This was extended to the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church in 1998 following the successful Eritrean War of Independence from Ethiopia. Since the 2011 Egyptian revolution, Coptic Christians have suffered increased religious discrimination and violence. The Coptic language used in worship is a form of ancient Egyptian. The Coptic Archbishop Angaelos of London has attended our General Assembly in the past.
A Coptic Icon is a painting, window, or a 2-dimensional image, which follows the Coptic style and traditions. It aims to aid a worshipper in prayer and give a deep understanding of biblical truths, as taught by the Orthodox Church. In the 1960 – 1980’s a new style named the ‘Neo-Coptic’ style was developed and this is the style used in the Coptic Church today. Neo-Coptic is the term given to the new Coptic style that was developed in the 1960 -1980’s by the late Professor Isaac Fanous. Until this period, a formal knowledge of the Coptic arts (e.g. Art, Music, Language) was barely existent among the Copts. It had been lost over the centuries for various reasons. It was therefore the late Pope Kyrillos VI’s instruction – to several qualified members of the church – to seek out what had been lost in these arts and to re-educate the people. Isaac Fanous spent several years in France studying iconography with the Russian Iconographer Leonid Ouspensky, before returning to Egypt and redeveloping the lost Coptic style. The Neo-Coptic school of iconography was then born with his appointment as head of the Coptic Arts department at The Institute of Coptic Studies, Egypt.
John 1: 5
“The divine light shines in the shadows, and the shadows have not overcome it”
Reflection
I have always found icons helpful in my own personal devotions. In fact I have recently discovered I am an audio and visual learner so to be able to gaze at an image of Jesus really helps me to connect personally with him. Being able to engage with an image of Jesus lifts his two dimensional character from the page and breathes life into him for me.
This icon is interesting because as you look at it you notice that all the light comes from the centre; from Jesus himself. Everything is in shadow and your attention is drawn inexorably to the light, a bit like a moth to a candle flame. This is what resurrection to me is like. You cannot help but be drawn to its light and mystery, and you cannot help but be transformed by the hope and the promise it offers you.
When we think about the world as it is right now, much is shrouded in shadow and feels impenetrable as the middle of the night just before the stars come out. But this icon to me offers hope and reassurance that even in the midst of all that chaos, the light of Jesus’ resurrection shines through and offers transformation, new life and fresh starts. This icon reminds me that “the divine light shines in the shadows, and the shadows have not overcome it”.
Prayer
Thank you Jesus,
that you draw us into the light of your presence.
Thank that your light can penetrate even the most challenging and chaotic moments of life.
And thank you that your resurrection,
brings hope, new beginnings and fresh starts.
As we begin this new day,
may the warmth of your love touch our lives,
and strengthen us for whatever lies ahead.
And may we celebrate the joy and mystery of your resurrection,
that we can live the hope and promise it brings to us,
this day and always.
In the powerful and precious name of Jesus we ask this. Amen.