All-seeing Eye of God / Eye of Providence

Old Believers’ icon, ~19th century

This icon first started appearing sometime around the 19th century among the Old Believers exclusively. Russian Orthodox Church’s (ROC) official position is a strict denial of its canonicity, so it cannot be seen on the iconostasis of official churches. Yet for the Old Believers (Russian Orthodox Old Believing Church or ROOBC) such images of God are common, for they do not contradict their understanding of God. The differences between the ROC and ROOBC include their exegesis, ecclesiastical rites, the sign of the cross, etc., but, probably, the main difference is in their iconography: ROOBC permits the depiction of God the Father and the tetramorph, which is forbidden in the ROC. Additionally, the ROOBC icons are much more allegorical than the common Orthodox icons.

ALLEGORIES:

In the centre there is an image of Christ in its Emmanuel The Saviour variant. sometimes He is depicted with his hands in a blessing position, but more often He holds a book, which symbolises Divine Law, and his other hand is showing a chrism sign. His figure radiates light, associated with Divine protection and grace.

He is surrounded by multiple eyes that symbolise the ability of God to watch over all of human’s troubles and His direct attention to each and every one of us.

The main motif of the icon is its circularity - a symbol of eternity. the first circle (from the inner circle to the outer) holds Christ in it, the second - the eyes, nose and mouth, the third - the Mother of God. Her hands are in oranta position - a symbol of Her endless prayer for humankind to God.

The outer, final circle depicts God the Father in the Sabaoth image, as an elderly man.

The four rays or circles on the sides hold the Evangelists in them. one might see a classical tetramorph with:

• Matthew - the Angel or a human

• John - the Eagle

• Mark - the Lion

• Luke - the Ox

However, more often the depictions of John and Mark shuffle between each other: John is shown as the Lion, and Mark - as the Eagle.

translation of the texts inside the circles

1. IC XC (Jesus Christ) My eyes will be upon the faithful of the land, I will seat them with Me.

2. ‘my soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior’ (Luke 1:46-56)

3. MP ΘU - Meter Theou, Mother of God; the Coal of Isaiah manifests the sun from the virgin womb, shining in the dark, to the lost ones prudence and enlightenment giving.

4. holy, holy, holy Lord Sabaoth, heaven and earth are full

5. Matthew imaged as the Angel the exegesis messenger

6. Mark imaged as the Eagle the exegesis exalts to (the sky)

7. Luke imaged as the Ox the exegesis (brings) to the world

8. John imaged as the Lion the exegesis (brings) to the grave

9. st archangel Selaphiel

10. st Spiridon

other images of the same icon (the text almost does not change from icon to icon)

---