Tag: Beauty

Apologetics, Apostolic Fathers, Art, Art Education, Artists, Beauty, Catholic, Catholic Art, Catholic Education, Catholicism, Christianity, Church History, Culture, Education, Evangelization, Faith, History, Iconography, Jesus Christ, New Evangelization of the Catholic Church, Popes, Religion, Religious Art, Religious Education, Roman Catholic, Roman Catholicism, Sacred Art, Sacred Artists, Sacred Images, Saints, St. Athanasius, Uncategorized3 Comments

Bernini’s Bronze Sculpture of Four “Giants” of the Church

Deacon Paul O. Iacono

Today, May 2nd, is the “Memorial” day of St. Athanasius, a Doctor (profound theologian) of the Church. There are four “giants” of the Nicene  and Post Nicene period, all are known as “Doctors” of the Church: St. Athanasius, St. Ambrose, St. John Chrysostom, and St. Augustine. They are immortalized in bronze by  the Renaissance sculptor, Bernini, and are portrayed in his magnificent sculpture of the Throne of St. Peter found in the sanctuary of St. Peter’s Basilica. St. Athanasius and St. John Chrysostom are saints of both the Latin and the Greek Rites of the Church. Both were bishops. Yet, Bernini … Continue reading Bernini’s Bronze Sculpture of Four “Giants” of the Church

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Sacred Icons and Sacred Images – the Nicene Debate Continues!

Deacon Paul O. Iacono

I would like to thank one of my readers who identified the  contemporary icon of St. Spyridon (thanks Carol!). The iconographer is the Catholic priest William Hart McNichols. He is a very talented artist who paints traditional icons and sacred images. At times, he steps out of the bounds of the traditional approach and adds his own personal interpretation of the person he is portraying. His artistic vision is unique. John Daly from Australia emailed me this morning to provide further grist for our mill concerning St. Athanasius, St. Spyridon, and the Council of Nicaea. One of the participants in … Continue reading Sacred Icons and Sacred Images – the Nicene Debate Continues!

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St. Athanasius and St. Spyridon: A Correction and Another Interpretation – Let’s Take A Closer Look!

Deacon Paul O. Iacono

I am always very appreciative of my readers writing to me and providing new information and interpretations of sacred icons and images. Happily, that occurred last evening when a reader, Mr. John Daly from Australia, provided me with information on the second icon that was in yesterday’s post on St. Athanasius. Let me provide you with that image so we will have a reference point: Mr. Daly is correct – it is St. Spyridon (born AD 270, died 340). Let’s take a look at the reasons for this correction: The bishop castigating the heretic Arius is wearing a distinctive hat. … Continue reading St. Athanasius and St. Spyridon: A Correction and Another Interpretation – Let’s Take A Closer Look!

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St. Athanasius – Coptic and Eastern Orthodox Icons

Deacon Paul O. Iacono

St. Athanasius of Alexandria was “the Lion” of the Council of Nicaea. He was instrumental in providing well argued testimony rebuking the heretic Arius during the Council’s debates. His verbal skills, as powerful and commanding as a lion, shredded Arius’ arguments. His eloquence convinced the assembled bishops of the correct dogma that Jesus Christ has two, separate and distinct, natures (divine and human), and that Jesus Christ is fully human and fully divine. The heretic Arius insisted that Jesus was “just a creature” of God. The Council’s main purpose was to address the divine nature of Jesus Christ and the … Continue reading St. Athanasius – Coptic and Eastern Orthodox Icons

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Saint Nicholas Slaps a Heretic! A Reflection Appropriate for Palm Sunday

Deacon Paul O. Iacono

The extensive Gospel reading for Palm Sunday relates the Scriptural and historical truth that Jesus  triumphantly entered Jerusalem, yet, five days later He was arrested, put on trial, tortured, and executed. As you know, the religious and secular leaders of Israel did not accept Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God. They were adamant about the fact that Jesus was just a man and that His claims, teachings, and healings were all fraudulent.  Their disbelief took place during the first century, yet, two hundred years later there were Christians saying the same thing. The questions came down to, “Who … Continue reading Saint Nicholas Slaps a Heretic! A Reflection Appropriate for Palm Sunday

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God is a God of Compassion

Deacon Paul O. Iacono

“God of all compassion, Father of all goodness, to heal the wounds our sins and selfishness bring upon us You bid us turn to fasting, prayer, and sharing with our brothers and sisters. We acknowledge our sinfulness, our guilt is ever before us; when our weakness causes discouragement, let your compassion fill us with hope and lead us through a Lent of repentance to the beauty of Easter joy. Grant this through Christ our Lord.”*    Amen.   *Roman Breviary – Vol. 2; Third Sunday of Lent, Evening Prayer I, Closing Prayer, pg. 210. Continue reading God is a God of Compassion

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Luke: 16: 19-31 – Is Lazarus in Your House?

Deacon Paul O. Iacono

This passage from the Gospel of St. Luke is a parable about a destitute man named Lazarus and a rich man, who at times is called by the name Dives (the word dives in the Latin Bible refers to a “rich man”). Jesus places Lazarus sitting day after day by the rich man’s front door. Lazarus is sick. He is at Dives’ home hoping to receive a scrap of food from his table. The food never comes. Jesus continues to tell the story which culminates in the death of both men and their subsequent judgment.  Lazarus is welcomed into Paradise and is … Continue reading Luke: 16: 19-31 – Is Lazarus in Your House?

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Christ in the Wilderness: Lent – the Season of Preparation – Luke 4: 1-2.

Deacon Paul O. Iacono

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days He was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, He was famished. (Gospel of Luke chapter 4: verses 1-2) In the extraordinary painting  below, we see Jesus after He was led into the desert wilderness by the Holy Spirit. He is surrounded by rocks and sand. He sits on a boulder, hands in front of Him. His eyes are filled with the knowledge of reality, of passions, power, … Continue reading Christ in the Wilderness: Lent – the Season of Preparation – Luke 4: 1-2.

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Icons – Important Similarities/Differences

Deacon Paul O. Iacono

Can you pick out the seven similarities between the two sacred icons of Church Apologists that are below? The differences?   Let’s take a look at the two icons above. Both are correct in the way they are represented. From an artistic and symbolic point-of-view there are distinct similarities. They have seven similarities: the beard (signifying experience, authority, and that the saint is an elder); a large, high forehead (signifying Christian wisdom as influenced by the Holy Spirit which is visualized through the saint’s works and knowledge); the Holy Cross upon the priest’s stole (it appears as a garment that circles the … Continue reading Icons – Important Similarities/Differences

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Christian Witness and Sacred Art – The Early Church Fathers – Part 7

Deacon Paul O. Iacono

A Challenge: Are you as a Christian artist willing to internalize the message of the saint, scene, or Scripture passage you are artistically representing, and then, correctly portray it according to Church tradition? Sacred artists must have more than just an awarenesses of Jesus, His Mother, angels and  saints because their witness provides us with the foundation stones of our Faith. Sacred artists must be more than artists who propose “Art for art’s sake”. If we do this what do we become? We become evangelists to the truth, goodness, and beauty of God, through the witness of Jesus Christ and … Continue reading Christian Witness and Sacred Art – The Early Church Fathers – Part 7

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Roman Catholic Sacred Art: A Prayer to Accompany The First Theological Theme

Deacon Paul O. Iacono

“And only where God is seen does life truly begin. Only when we meet the living God in Christ do we know what life is. We are not some casual and meaningless product of evolution. Each of us is the result of a thought of God. Each of us is willed, each of us is loved, each of us is necessary. There is nothing more beautiful than to be surprised by the Gospel, by the encounter with Christ. There is nothing more beautiful than to know Him and to speak to others of our friendship with Him.”           … Continue reading Roman Catholic Sacred Art: A Prayer to Accompany The First Theological Theme

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Roman Catholic Sacred Art – Three Major Stages

Deacon Paul O. Iacono

Allow me to wish everyone a belated Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I can do that because, liturgically, we are still in the Christmas Season! That Season ends this Sunday – the Baptism of the Lord. Okay, we left off in the last post with a schematic of the discipline of painting. The previous posts also provided a simple definition of Art and its disciplines. As we now return to our study allow me to provide you with the three “Major Periods” of Catholic Sacred Art. These Periods also impact what I, in my humble opinion, have labelled … Continue reading Roman Catholic Sacred Art – Three Major Stages

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St. Joseph’s Art Workshop: Lesson 4 – Applying Color and Modeling the Face

Deacon Paul O. Iacono

Just wanted to notify the people who are following the art lessons in my St. Joseph Art Workshop tab that I just published Lesson 4: Applying Color and Modeling the Face. You need to go to the Menu tab above and click on Lesson 4 to see it. My next post in the St. Joseph’s Art Workshop tab will be Lesson 5. It will be the last post in my Art Exercise of Painting Sacred Images using Acrylic Paint.  Thanks.   Continue reading St. Joseph’s Art Workshop: Lesson 4 – Applying Color and Modeling the Face

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Fra Angelico and the Armadio degli Argenti – Part 3 of the “Heaven on Earth” Exhibition

Deacon Paul O. Iacono

Today’s post is Part 3 in my series that began on May 16, 2018 concerning the recently concluded exhibition of extraordinary egg tempera paintings by Fra Angelico. The exhibition was held at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, Massachusetts and entitled Fra Angelico – Heaven on Earth. Today’s  painting concerns a major piece of the exhibition – the Armadio degli Argenti.  The four panels of which the Gardner Museum only showed one is also known as the “Silver Chest.” It was commissioned in 1450 and completed in 1452, three years before Fra Angelico’s death. This panel (123 x 160 cm) … Continue reading Fra Angelico and the Armadio degli Argenti – Part 3 of the “Heaven on Earth” Exhibition

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St. Joseph’s Art Workshop – Lesson 3 – Applying Pigment

Deacon Paul O. Iacono

To all those that have expressed interest in the FREE on-line sacred art workshop that I am offering here at fraangelicoinstitute.com please note that yesterday I posted Lesson 3 in Exercise 1: Painting an Image of St. Rose of Lima. Just click on the St. Joseph’s Art Workshop Tab on top of the image of St. Gabriel and the Virgin Mary and you will see the first Workshop page. If you have already visited the Workshop Tab then just continue to scroll down to find the Lessons that I have posted so far. I am putting all the Lessons in … Continue reading St. Joseph’s Art Workshop – Lesson 3 – Applying Pigment

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Fra Angelico – “Heaven on Earth” Exhibition – Part 2 – Ascension, Pentecost, the Last Judgement

Deacon Paul O. Iacono

I hope you had a blessed Feast of Pentecost! Please read Part 1 of “Fra Angelico – Heaven on Earth” (posted here on May 16, 2018) in order to receive a proper introduction to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum’s extraordinary exhibition that, unfortunately, closed this weekend.. As you moved into the gallery that exhibited this once in a lifetime collection of Fra Angelico paintings you first saw the beautiful painting entitled The Ascension of Christ, The Last Judgement, and Pentecost (the Corsini Triptych). It is painted in egg tempera with gold leaf on a wood panel. Fra Angelico painted it … Continue reading Fra Angelico – “Heaven on Earth” Exhibition – Part 2 – Ascension, Pentecost, the Last Judgement

Art, Art Education, Artists, Beauty, Catholic Devotions, Catholic Education, Catholic Spirituality, Catholicism, Christian Spirituality, Christianity, Education, Evangelization, Faith, Iconography, New Evangelization, New Evangelization of the Catholic Church, Religion, Religious Art, Roman Catholic, Roman Catholicism, sacred, Sacred Art, Sacred Artists, Sacred Images, St. Rose of Lima, UncategorizedLeave a comment

St. Joseph’s Art Workshop, Lesson 2: Obtaining, Drawing, and Applying the Sacred Image to A Panel

Deacon Paul O. Iacono

If you click on the Tab in the Menu titled St. Joseph’s Art Workshop, and scroll down, you will find my recent addition (as of April 26, 2018) on painting a sacred image. That new post – LESSON 2 – describes obtaining, drawing, and applying a sacred image to a wood panel. Enjoy! April 26, 2018         © Deacon Paul O. Iacono 2011-2018 Continue reading St. Joseph’s Art Workshop, Lesson 2: Obtaining, Drawing, and Applying the Sacred Image to A Panel

Art, Art Education, Artists, Beauty, Catholic Art, Catholic Education, Catholic Spirituality, Catholicism, Christian Spirituality, Christianity, Education, Evangelization, Faith, Iconography, New Evangelization of the Catholic Church, Religion, Religious Art, Roman Catholic, Roman Catholicism, Sacred Art, Sacred Artists, Sacred Images, Spirituality, Teaching, UncategorizedLeave a comment

St. Joseph’s Art Workshop – Part 3: Pigments and Mediums

Deacon Paul O. Iacono

Good day,  I just posted, starting at # 8 in the list, Part 3: Pigments and Mediums, required to paint the sacred image. Please note that the pigments in bold face are the ones you need to purchase for the sacred image in Exercise Number 1. Please remember that you will have to scroll down in the St. Joseph’s Art Workshop Tab in the Menu at the top of the site in order to reach the new post. Thanks. April 17, 2018              © Deacon Paul O. Iacono 2011-2018   Continue reading St. Joseph’s Art Workshop – Part 3: Pigments and Mediums

Art, Art Education, Artists, Catholic Art, Catholic Education, Catholicism, Christianity, Education, Iconography, Icons, Religious Art, Roman Catholic, Roman Catholicism, Sacred Art, Sacred Artists, Sacred Images, Teaching, UncategorizedLeave a comment

St. Joseph’s Art Workshop: Part 1 and 2 – Materials

Deacon Paul O. Iacono

I just posted Part 1 and 2, which deals with the materials needed to paint a sacred image. It can be found within the St. Joseph’s Art Workshop tab in the Menu section at the top of the page. The next Workshop posts will deal with the names of the paints you need to purchase, the sacred image I have chosen for this exercise, where you may obtain it on the web, and beginning  the drawing process. I will, hopefully, post them by April 22, 2018. Thanks for reading and participating in this artistic adventure! © Deacon Paul O. Iacono … Continue reading St. Joseph’s Art Workshop: Part 1 and 2 – Materials

Art, Artists, Beauty, Benedict XVI, Catholic Art, Catholic Education, Catholicism, Christian Spirituality, Christianity, Education, Evangelization, Faith, Fra Angelico, Iconography, Icons, New Evangelization, New Evangelization of the Catholic Church, Religion, Religious Art, Roman Catholic, Roman Catholicism, sacred, Sacred Art, Sacred Artists, Sacred Iconography, Sacred Images, Spirituality, Uncategorized6 Comments

The Canon of a Catholic Sacred Artist

Deacon Paul O. Iacono

Allow me to suggest to my fellow Catholic sacred artists a “canon” of ten fundamental propositions. These ideas and proposals are my personal musings. They assist me in organizing my thoughts and behavior. It is my hope that they will act as an organizational tool for the interested reader, too. They may also assist you, as they have for me, in providing clarity to our foundation and purpose as sacred artists. The term “Catholic” in this document refers to the Latin Rite (Rome) and the more than twenty Rites of the Eastern Rite Catholic Churches that are in union with … Continue reading The Canon of a Catholic Sacred Artist

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The Sacred Artist’s Cultivation of Silence

Deacon Paul O. Iacono

I recently received a post from the always challenging and informative blog entitled Catholicism Pure and Simple. It features a short film by the Benedictine monk Abbot Christopher Jamison, O.S.B. In this film Fr. Jamison speaks about silence and how critical it is for our well being. He mentions that its cultivation is a necessary prerequisite for certain types of prayer. The good news is that we can begin the process of cultivating silence by setting aside at least five minutes but no more than thirty minutes during the day. During that time we participate in an ancient Christian technique … Continue reading The Sacred Artist’s Cultivation of Silence

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The Way of Beauty On-Line Course and Reimbursement Scholarship Opportunities

Deacon Paul O. Iacono

The mission of the Fra Angelico Institute for the Sacred Arts is to teach the truth, goodness, and beauty of God through the prayerful creation of sacred art. We are happy to announce that we have recently entered into a partnership with Thomas More College of Liberal Arts to present a wonderful on-line course to anyone interested in Catholic Culture and the sacred art of the Church. We also have a special opportunity for teachers of history, art, religion, and the humanities in Catholic high schools of the Diocese of Providence who complete this course. Thomas More College of Liberal … Continue reading The Way of Beauty On-Line Course and Reimbursement Scholarship Opportunities

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Double Halo Around the Sun – Scientific Analysis

Deacon Paul O. Iacono

My last post featured all the remarkable photos by Joan Weist of a double halo around the sun seen in coastal Rhode Island a few weeks ago. One of those images is found below. My sister Susan was kind enough to forward the photos for scientific analysis to my cousin Michael, an atmospheric scientist. Here is what he said: “I remember seeing the same optical effect in the sky in eastern Massachusetts that day.   This is called a halo, which always surrounds the sun, and it occurs when there are very thin, very high clouds in the sky (you can … Continue reading Double Halo Around the Sun – Scientific Analysis

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Sun Rainbow Photos by Joan Weist

Deacon Paul O. Iacono

Joan Weist, a good friend of ours here in South Kingstown, Rhode Island was doing some gardening on Saturday afternoon May 18, 2013 and her neighbor brought to her attention an amazing circular rainbow that appeared around the sun. She grabbed her camera and snapped these extraordinary photos of the rainbow. Joan lives about ten minutes from us and her home is within walking distance to the Atlantic Ocean. The photos were taken on her IPhone 5. The color blotches which appear on her first photo also occur on her IPhone and is not a result of my computer’s coloration. I … Continue reading Sun Rainbow Photos by Joan Weist

Beauty, Roman Catholic, Saints, Spirituality7 Comments

St. Therese of Lisieux and the Christian Way of Beauty

Deacon Paul O. Iacono

On October 1st we celebrate the memorial to Saint Thérèse of The Holy Face, also known as St. Thérèse of Lisieux and St Thérèse  – The Little Flower. She was born Therese Martin in France in 1873 and died from tuberculosis 24 years later in 1897. When she was fifteen she entered the Carmelite monastery at Lisieux and took the name Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face. She lived a life of simplicity, humility, and trust in God. “Therese never went on missions, never founded a religious order, and never performed great public works. Her only book, published after … Continue reading St. Therese of Lisieux and the Christian Way of Beauty

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St. Clare – Our Holy Friend and Lover of God

Deacon Paul O. Iacono

The Church honors today, August 11th, the holy woman, consecrated virgin, founder and Abbess of the religious order known as the Poor Clares, and dear friend of St. Francis of Assisi. We know her by her Anglicized name: Clare. She was, however, born Chiara Offreduccio in Assisi, Italy on July 16, 1194. The Italian language has always been especially tuned to convey, through words and sounds, a delicacy and refinement of spirit. Her Italian name, Chiara, gives witness to this observation, since its English equivalent means – clear. The image above by Simone Martini (1283 – 1344) conveys this quiet asceticism … Continue reading St. Clare – Our Holy Friend and Lover of God

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Fr. Richard Reiser’s Beautiful Icon of the Transfiguration

Deacon Paul O. Iacono

The article that is found below my opening comments, and the image of the Transfiguration, is reblogged, through the courtesy of Fr. Richard Reiser, pastor of St. James Catholic Church Omaha, Nebraska. I really enjoy Fr. Reiser’s iconographic style. He is able to convey the Scriptural truth of the Transfiguration while, at the same time expressing it in artistic language accessible to contemporary Christians. Fr. Reiser studied with noted master iconographer Philip Zimmerman who founded the St. John of Damascus Icon Studio in Pennsylvania. Father Reiser pointed out to me in an email, that St. James is larger than the other saints. … Continue reading Fr. Richard Reiser’s Beautiful Icon of the Transfiguration

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A New Class of Iconographers Begin Their Studies: The Work of The Holy Spirit

Deacon Paul O. Iacono

On Wednesday evening, May 23rd, ten members of the Fra Angelico Institute for the Sacred Arts here in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island USA were commissioned and blessed to begin their study, here at the Institute, and work to become competent painters of sacred icons. As we approach the Solemnity of Pentecost we can certainly see the movement of the Holy Spirit in this work. We are reminded of a commentary by St. Cyril of Alexandria, the bishop and patriarch of Alexandria, Egypt during the years of 412 to his death in 444. He was a man … Continue reading A New Class of Iconographers Begin Their Studies: The Work of The Holy Spirit

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Stones that Sing – The Photography of Dennis Aubrey and PJ McKey

Deacon Paul O. Iacono

A few months ago I discovered the exquisite photography of Dennis Aubrey and PJ McKey. They have a blog here on WordPress called Via Lucis. Their post of May 10th discusses and shows the beauty of a Romanesque church (Our Lady of the Assumption) located in the Burgundy region of France. Dennis entitles the church as “The Great Survivor.” When you read the fascinating history of this church (a priory church was first built on this site in the 9th century) you see that it is, indeed, a great survivor. For it has survived the onslaughts of man’s barbarity in … Continue reading Stones that Sing – The Photography of Dennis Aubrey and PJ McKey

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The Artist As Contemplative – Part 4 – A Meditation on the Scourging of Christ

Deacon Paul O. Iacono

In this series on the Artist As Contemplative it is my hope that you are exposed to some different techniques that may assist you in your prayer relationship with Our Lord. The last post in this series specifically mentioned that we do not need to use many words during prayer. This may be uncomfortable for us at first since we have developed into a species that appears to constantly need some type of noise, talk, music, or in some cases, cacophony going on inside our mind. I am not a social psychologist so I will not venture a reason for … Continue reading The Artist As Contemplative – Part 4 – A Meditation on the Scourging of Christ

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The Triumph of the Cross and Our Lady of Sorrows by Jed Gibbons

Deacon Paul O. Iacono

Today we celebrate the feast of the Exaltation – or Triumph – of the Holy Cross. The early Catholic Church was intensely persecuted during the first 280 years of its life – so the symbol of the Cross – the symbol of public humiliation and excruciating death – was rarely used in our Christian iconography. But this doesn’t mean that the early Christians were reluctant to express their devotion to the Cross. Writing in the year 204, the Christian theologian Tertullian said: “At every going in and out, when we put on our clothes, when we sit at table, in … Continue reading The Triumph of the Cross and Our Lady of Sorrows by Jed Gibbons

Catholic Art, Orthodox Art, Sacred Art Guild, Uncategorized4 Comments

Welcome to the Fra Angelico Institute

Deacon Paul O. Iacono

Our First Post As our first post – on August 1, 2011 – I would like to explain that the mission of the Fra Angelico Institute for the Sacred Arts is to promote the creation of Christian sacred art and unite the creative process to the artist’s personal prayer life. Over the coming months we will be discussing various topics within the sacred arts, the creation of sacred art, important sacred artists from the past and present, and the development of our personal prayer life in union with our personal creative efforts. The Fra Angelico Institute for the Sacred Arts … Continue reading Welcome to the Fra Angelico Institute