THE ICONS

Icons are painted pictures which depict an event from the life of Christ or the portrait of a person who reached sainthood.  We do not worship them but just venerate them and pray on them.  They are also called "windows to heaven".  During the course of the history of the church some icons became miraculous because of the miracles they performed through the command of God.  The veneration of the icons has been in practice from the first day of Christianity; the catacomb walls are filled with frescoes. 

The veneration of icons was also confirmed with the decision of the VIIth Ecumenical Synod in VIIIth century.  We do not worship icons, we only venerate them with faith, great respect and pray on them.