TALKING Desert Fathers Icon (Anthony) Version 1

“TALKING” DESERT FATHERS ICON (Anthony)

This is a 1 prim (LI = 1) icon based upon an icon of St. Anthony the Great of Egypt. It is suitable for use in SL churches, homes, or spiritual sites. The size can be modified by the user to suit the space in which it is to be displayed. It can be copied by the owner but not transferred.

This is one of our “”talking” icons. When touched, it displays sayings from the Desert Fathers (early monks of the Egyptian desert) in local chat. There are 56 quotes. Some sample quotes:

- Abba Anthony said, ‘Our life and our death is with our neighbor.  If we gain our brother, we have gained God, but if we scandalize our brother, we have sinned against Christ.’

- The abbot Mathois said, "The nearer a man approaches to God, the greater sinner he sees himself to be.  For the prophet Isaiah saw God, and said that he was unclean and undone."

- “Sit in your cell and do the little you can untroubled.  The little you can do is of equal value to the great deeds which Abba Anthony accomplished on the mountain, and by remaining sitting in your cell for the name of God, and guarding your conscience, you also will find the place where Abba Anthony is.".

ABOUT ICONS

Icons are stylized representations of Christ, the Saints, episodes in Holy History, and other Biblical themes. They are used in devotion by Eastern Orthodox Christians, Oriental Orthodox Christans, and Christians in the Churches of the East. Unlike much Western religious art, they do not aim at realistic depictions, but images that attempt to bring us in touch with spiritual realities. They are sometimes described as “windows into heaven” (hence the name of our brand). They are neither simply works of art nor things to be worshipped as idols, but vehicles through which God can communicate something of the Divine Mysteries to the human soul. As such, the Orthodox view them as sacred objects to be venerated (but, again, not worshipped).

There are icons that depict Christ, the Saints, episodes in the Bible and in Christian history, and other basic Christian themes. These various themes, or MOTIFS, have been painted (or “written”) by many iconographers. The style of many of the motifs is highly stylized, so that there is a great deal of resemblance between, say, different icons of the Crucifixion or Resurrection.

ABOUT THIS ICON

This “talking” icon displays sayings from the Desert Fathers in local chat when touched. The image is taken from a classic icon of St. Anthony of Egypt, who is regarded as the founder of Christian monasticism.

Anthony was born a peasant farmer in Egypt. After his parents died, one day as he was passing by a church, he hear the words proclaimed “If you would be perfect, sell all you have, and come and follow me.” He took this to be a calling from God and sold his inheritance. Eventually, he went further and further from his home, going into the desert to become a hermit. He found an abandoned fort and made it his home, where for twenty years he became refined as the demons attacked and tested him. After that, he came out, sanctified and in his right mind, and people began to come to him for counsel or join him in his way of life. As a result, Anthony pioneered the way of life that became Christian monasticism. This took many forms in both the Eastern and Western Christian traditions. Anthony also played a significant role in Christian history, as St. Athanasius, who was Bishop of nearby Alexandria, called upon him to lend his voice to the critical discussions of Christian doctrine, particularly the Trinity.

We have not been able to establish the original provenance of this icon. However, it is clearly of an age prior to the 20th century, and likely of Russian origin.

A larger collection of sayings of the Desert Fathers and Mothers can be found here: https://www.patristics.co/sayings/ . This collection also contains longer sayings, as the length of quotes that can be displayed using notecards and LSL is severely restricted.

ABOUT US

Windows Into Heaven produces icons for use in Second Life: both “talking” icons and basic or “mute” icons which are simple prim images. We use only images that are in public domain. Our icons are sold at nominal cost, so that they may be widely used. All icons can be edited by the buyer with respect to size and orientation, but the image (and in the case of “talking” icons, the text and script) cannot be edited. Please note the copy/transfer permissions for the particular icon.

Our icons should not be resold in either their original or modified form, though Transfer-enabled icons may be passed along to another user.

If you have questions about our icons or problems with your purchase, please contact RublevTheIconographer by IM.

TO TRY ONE OF OUR "TALKING" ICONS IN SL, CLICK THE LINK "SEE ITEM IN SECOND LIFE" BELOW...