Text Analysis 2 - Essay Example

Theodore of Sykeon, 1.2). The Lord Christ accepted the plea put forward by the icons and granted St. Theodore an extension of fifteen years in life. After the icons’ imploration was accepted St. Theodore soon regained his health and was able to live the life which he nearly lost. The icons played the role of an intermediary on behalf of St. Theodore pleading to God to grant him more years of life, which was accepted. This is why the Byzantines attached great importance to icons as religious figures, as evident in their art, because of their piety and role as mediators between God and humans.

This story shows how the icons’ pleading convinced God of granting more life to St. Theodore and hence, this explains the importance of icons in Byzantine. Icons were held in great respect in Byzantium due to its religious symbolism. Icons represented sacred images or symbols of saints, Christ or Virgin Mary and were constructed out of a variety of media. The icons were so pervasive in Byzantium that they were found in different sizes and forms. Icons represented religious figures and were given much admiration.

It can be observed that icons occupy a central place in Byzantine Art due to their connection with religion. Icons had great religious importance because of their association with holiness and divinity. From the story of St. Theodore, it is evident that icons played a central role in bringing back the saint from the edge of death by pleading to God. So, icons portrayed religious figures who were essentially holy and sacred. By the life granted to him by God, St, Theodore continued to do many miracles.

He gained the support and admiration of various people who left their homes and journeyed their way to his monastery to serve him. All those who were healed refused to go home and stayed with St. Theodore. After the workmen let the demons free from the hill, the village fell into