Apophatic Refers to a spirituality which emphasizes the inadequacy of human language to express anything about God
Assiste Features and lines of gold decorating certain elements of iconography, such as the vestments and the wings of angels
Deesis Literally “supplication”; specifically, a representation of the Holy Mother of God and St.John the Baptist standing on either side of Christ and imploring mercy for the world
Hesychasm Retreat of the created into silence, calmness, quiet, and solitude
Hodegitria “She Who Shows the Way”; a representation of the Mother of God holding the Child in her left arm and pointing to him with her right hand
Hypostatic Union The union of the divine and human natures of Christ in one hypostasis, or substance
Iconoclast One who believes religious images are idols and those who venerate them are idolaters
Iconodule One who venerates religious images, but does not worship them
Iconolater One who worships religious images
Iconostasis A partition, made up of icons, that separates the sanctuary from the nave
Kenosis Literally, “emptying”; specifically, the impoverishment of the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity when he willing assumed human nature
203 This is taken from Mahmoud Zibawi, Eastern Christian Worlds. (Collegville: The Liturgical Press, 1995) p. 271-272, and Mahmoud Zibawi. The Icon: Its Meaning and History. (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1993) p. 173-174.
Mandylion A cloak, a small cloth, a napkin
Maphorion A garment covering the head and shoulders and traditionally worn by the Mother of God and holy women in artistic representation
Monophysitism A doctrine that Christ possessed one source of activity or “energy”
Nestorians Those who believe there are two separate Persons in Christ, one divine, the other human
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