Faith Features

The Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Stevenage features some fine icons and a major exhibition of Byzantian Iconography takes place later this year at the Royal Academy Of Arts.

Icon writing, as the process is called, is much more than painting pictures of the Virgin Mary or Jesus Christ.

The whole process if done properly is a deep spiritual process. It is not to be rushed as the image is created layer by layer. The colours are sealed and enriched with washes before more layers are added.

I visited the first of two icon writing courses at Holy Trinity Church in the Hertfordshire village of Weston.

Iconographer Constantina Wood opened the session with prayer in front of some completed icons. Then the course members worked on their own labours of love.

Young and old were working in contemplative silence as the images developed. Faces start as unrelieved dark green and then have features delicately added.

It was difficult to talk in little more than a whisper - such was the atmosphere in the beautiful old church. As I left, the participants were preparing to add the first of several colour washes. It's quite a tense moment, but the icon takes on a new depth and aura as the wash is added.

Although not part of the Anglican tradition, icon writing encourages a very special relationship with God as the images grow and develop.

There's a second course for advanced writers. Then at the end of the two weeks Vicar Silke Tetzlaff will feature the icons in the Sunday morning Eucharist.