The White Angel of Serbia

Iconographers from St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Bonita Springs, FL will write this icon of "The White Angel of Serbia" during a week-long Lenten retreat, March 24-28.

The White Angel of Serbia is one of the best-known icons of the Archangel Gabriel, and is based on this 13th century fresco from the Mileševa monastery in Serbia.

The Angel indicates the tomb, empty but for Jesus' left-behind shroud, and addresses the women who have come to care for Jesus' body, saying, "You seek Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said." (Matthew 28:5-6)

This icon has a fascinating 20th century history, being the image in the first satellite broadcast sent from America to Western Europe after the Cuban Missile Crisis, and was sent into outer space as part of a message to extraterrestrials. Seriously.

Icons of angels include abundant symbolism unique to their place in Creation. They appear rather androgynous, with great hair but no beards.  They have two sets of wings: one to transport them in God's realm, the other to transport them between God's realm and ours. And they are constantly in motion, indicated by the ribbons in their hair, flowing behind them as if being blown about in the angel's wake.

Stay tuned as we write this icon.  I'll aim for posting pictures daily, to show how it unfolds, moving from darkness into light, death into life, anticipating resurrection...