What are the general characteristics for something to be called a Catholic liturgical icon? … to be called an icon?

For purposes of the St. Croix Catholic Iconographers Guild, when we say "icon" we are speaking of icons in the Byzantine form and we try to include a descriptive title in front of the word icon if it is a different form such as Maronite, Greek, Ethiopian, Coptic ….

We hope to flesh out additional qualities, beyond what is defined in the Catechism as Holy Images*, that we can propose to the Church as we advocate the understanding and use of Icons in the Roman Catholic Church.

We shall first define the characteristics of a Byzantine icon and then go broader and try to define a religious icon (liturgical or devotional) in general.

Byzantine Icon

Theologically Correct

• it must be dogmatic

• it must be of the mind of the Church

Artistically Sufficient

• it must bear the weight of the mystery

Symbolic Language

• it has a visual language

A Byzantine icon will have these characteristics:

• Radiance – Heavenly light

• Perspective – Bigger than life, viewer as focal point

• Dimension – Flat image, no illusion of depth

• Anatomy – Transfigured, resurrected body

• Symbolism

• Garments – Sacred geometry

• Anachronistic -disproportional sizing of elements and people and reverse perspective

Other features to note for Byzantine icons:

• In general no one is shown in profile unless they are depicted as evil

• the icons are not signed by the iconographer

• They do not contain a horizon line unless the icon is a scene in which it is necessary.

• The person in Christ is represented with a nimbus (halo) – cloud of light.

• They most often use gold

• They contain lettering for who/what is depicted

• Paints tend to be transparent rather than opaque like the Greek icons

Catholic Icons (a working definition in progress)

In the broadest sense, the icon must bear a physical resemblance to the prototype and be titled. Consider, if titled is a requirement for Catholic Icons. Titling doesn't seem to be a tradition in Catholic art at the time of the Second Council of Nicea. 

CC 1160 Christian iconography expresses in images the same Gospel message that Scripture communicates by words. Image and word illuminate each other.

An icon depicts who the person is in Christ rather than who they were historically.

Draw attention to heaven instead of itself or earthly matters?

Has to conform to objective revelation of God

Other images are a commentary on Scriptures. They stray from focus of Scripture by adding details, commentary or opinions.

An iconographer needs to be rooted in the Scriptures and present an image that is objective true.

Oral tradition -right understanding of scripture

Icons muct be faithful to revealed truth from (are there more?) 

• ​Scriptural
• Holy tradition – includes saints but does it include apparitions
• Creeds
• Councils

In general, Renaissance art doesn't depict logos incarnate.

*Holy images (Catechism of the Catholic Church)

1159 The sacred image, the liturgical icon, principally represents Christ. It cannot represent the invisible and incomprehensible God, but the incarnation of the Son of God has ushered in a new "economy" of images:

Previously God, who has neither a body nor a face, absolutely could not be represented by an image. But now that he has made himself visible in the flesh and has lived with men, I can make an image of what I have seen of God . . . and contemplate the glory of the Lord, his face unveiled. ²⁷

1160 Christian iconography expresses in images the same Gospel message that Scripture communicates by words. Image and word illuminate each other:

We declare that we preserve intact all the written and unwritten traditions of the Church which have been entrusted to us. One of these traditions consists in the production of representational artwork, which accords with the history of the preaching of the Gospel. For it confirms that the incarnation of the Word of God was real and not imaginary, and to our benefit as well, for realities that illustrate each other undoubtedly reflect each other's meaning. ²⁸

1161 All the signs in the liturgical celebrations are related to Christ: as are sacred images of the holy Mother of God and of the saints as well. They truly signify Christ, who is glorified in them. They make manifest the "cloud of witnesses" ²⁹ who continue to participate in the salvation of the world and to whom we are united, above all in sacramental celebrations. Through their icons, it is man "in the image of God," finally transfigured "into his likeness," ³⁰ who is revealed to our faith. So too are the angels, who also are recapitulated in Christ:

Following the divinely inspired teaching of our holy Fathers and the tradition of the Catholic Church (for we know that this tradition comes from the Holy Spirit who dwells in her) we rightly define with full certainty and correctness that, like the figure of the precious and life-giving cross, venerable and holy images of our Lord and God and Savior, Jesus Christ, our inviolate Lady, the holy Mother of God, and the venerated angels, all the saints and the just, whether painted or made of mosaic or another suitable material, are to be exhibited in the holy churches of God, on sacred vessels and vestments, walls and panels, in houses and on streets. ³¹

1162 "The beauty of the images moves me to contemplation, as a meadow delights the eyes and subtly infuses the soul with the glory of God." ³² Similarly, the contemplation of sacred icons, united with meditation on the Word of God and the singing of liturgical hymns, enters into the harmony of the signs of celebration so that the mystery celebrated is imprinted in the heart's memory and is then expressed in the new life of the faithful.