ACHEIROPOIEIC: “Not made with human hands.” Reference to image of Christ miraculously imprinted on cloth for King Abgar of Edessa. Source of “true” image of Christ.

AMBO: Raised platform or lectern in a church (cf. pulpit) from which scriptural and other liturgical readings, and later sermons were pronounced. Often highly decorated.

ANARGYROI: “Not accepting money.” Refers to physician-saints who ‘don’t charge’ for their healing intercessions.

ANASTASIS: “Raising up.” Paschal image of Christ Harrowing Hell to save Adam, Eve and other just Old Testament folk; the just folks are being “raised up” as good Christians will be.

ANCHORITE: A monk who lives strictly alone as a hermit.

ARCHETYPE: Original model or pattern.

ARCOSOLIUM: A burial niche in a catacomb with an attached sarcophagus and a lunette, often frescoed, over the rear portion.

ASSISTE: Gold or white lines on paintings or mosaics that decorate or articulate such features as drapery or angelic wings.

BASILICA: A type of early church structure with a longitudinal nave flanked by side aisles that support a clerestory that terminates in an apse. A natural form for large gatherings of Christians.

CANONS: Rules of Orthodox Church defining proper form and content of religious art, and the proper treatment of art by believers.

CIBORION: Either the covered bowl in which the Eucharistic bread was kept during the service, or the canopy of silver or marble over the altar.

DEESIS: “Intercession.” Image of Christ flanked by Mary (New Testament Church) and John the Forerunner (Old Covenant). This is the central panel of the iconostasis, and indicative of the intercession on our behalf by the saints.

DENTINE: The dense, calcareous material that makes up the inner portion of an ivory tusk, and from which Ivory objects are made.

DIPTYCH: A portable hinged panel with two leaves, made of painted wood or ivory. A TRIPTYCH has three panels or leaves. Generally for private use.

DOMUS ECCLESIASTICA (and variants): “House church” in the early Church, before large churches were built.

ENCAUSTIC: Painting medium using ground pigments mixed with workable wax.

HAPAX: A unique example of an artistic form or type.

HIERATIC: “Pertaining to sacred things; priestly.” Attitudes, postures, artistic forms that draw one’s attention to transcendent things.

HODEGETRIA: “Conductress.” Type of depiction of the Virgin Mary in which she points to her Son, based on a painting supposedly by St. Luke the Evangelist.

HYPOGEUM: “Under the earth.” Underground chamber or gallery; can be used in reference to catacombs.

ICON: “Image.” Generally refers to a panel painting in encaustic or tempera of a religious subject, though it can refer to any such image (in mosaic, fresco, etc.).

ICONOCLAST, -ASM: “Image breaker.” One who, or the movement that destroyed sacred images. Dominant in Byzantium in the eighth and early ninth centuries.

ICONODULE / ICONOPHILE: One who venerates images and supports their use in liturgy and prayer.

ICONOSTASIS: “Stand for images.” A wall separating the sanctuary of a church (BEMA) from the nave (NAOS) on which icons are placed in a strict pattern. This is meant to provide the worshipper a series of images on which to meditate as the liturgy unfolds. Originally this was merely a screen of columns known as a TEMPLON, which was later covered with curtains, then made into a solid wall with doors.

KATHOLIKON: The main church of a monastery.

MANDORLA: “Almond.” An almond-shaped halo that surrounds the figure of Christ in certain subject paintings, including the Transfiguration, Ascension and Last Judgment.

MANDYLION: “Piece of cloth, cloak, napkin.” Used in reference to the acheiropoieis image of Christ. Also called the SOUDARION.

NARTHEX: The western entrance room or vestibule of a church, usually separated from the nave by a wall with doors.

ORANT or ORANS: A figure, usually female, standing and with arms outstretched in prayer. Commonly found in the catacombs.

PANTOKRATOR: “Ruler of all, Almighty.” Image of Christ as ruler and judge of the universe, usually with

PARABEMATA or Pastophoria: The rooms to the right and left of the bema:
DIAKONIKON: The room to the right of the bema that serves as a sacristy. PROTHESIS is the room to the left of the bema in which the gifts are prepared.

PROSKYNETARION: A small stand on which a single icon for the day is displayed in a church.

REVETMENT: Covering of walls or other surfaces with a second material such as shaped palster, marble or silver. Does not apply to frescoes or mosaics.

TESSERA (-rae): The small cubes of glass or stone that make up a mosaic

TRANSEPT: Extension of the nave that is perpendicular to its axis, which thus “crosses” it, adding more room for worshippers.

TYPE or TYPOLOGY: Old Testament persons and events are often treated as foreshadowings or “types” of New Testament or Christian persons or events: Noah’s ark foreshadows, or is a type of, the Church; Jonah’s stay in the whale’s belly is a “type” of Christ’s stay in the tomb; manna is a “type” of the Eucharist.

Glossary of Terms: Religion, Theology
AKATHISTOS (“non-seated”)  HYMN: An anonymous, probably 6th-century  KONTAKION (chanted sermon) dedicated to the Virgin Mary and sung while the congregation stands. Much iconography of Mary is explicable in light of the hymn.

ANAMNESIS: Remembrance or commemoration, as in the Eucharist as a commemoration of Christ’s Passion and Death.

APOCRYPHA: Literary works accepted as canonical by some but not all branches of Christianity; OR works contemporary with the Holy Scripture, but not accepted by any.

APOPHATISM: A way of trying to understand or depict God by concentrating on what He is NOT, a type of “negative theology”.

ARIANISM: Fourth-century Christian heresy condemned at Council of Nicea (325). Arius, an Egyptian priest taught that Christ was not co-equal with God, was inferior.

ASCESIS: Movement toward God through disciplining of the body and its desires (ascetic). Practiced by monks and hermits, called for from all believers.

AZYME: “Without yeast.” The unleavened communion bread used by the Roman Catholic and Armenian churches.

BISHOP: From “overseer” (episcopus) the teacher and administrative and liturgical leader of a local Christian community. Their authority and power is considered to be directly descended form the Apostles. The bishop of a major city is a PATRIARCH, of which there were traditionally four (Rome, Constantinople, Antioch, Alexandria) with Jerusalem added in the fourth century. These men had broader juridical and administrative power over great regions.

CATHOLIC: “Universal.” A general reference to Christ’s Church, east and west, especially prior to the Schism of 1054. Eastern use of the term is why the western church is specifically called the Roman Catholic Church.

ECUMENICAL COUNCILS: Seven church councils between 325 and 787 whose membership was representative of the full church, east and west. The rules and decisions of these councils are considered definitive and authoritative for the Orthodox Church.

ESCHATOLOGY: References to the End Times of the final judgment and transformation of the world. For Orthodox, those who live in Christ are already raised to citizenship in the Kingdom of God, and can await the Eschaton with confidence.

EUCHARIST: “Thanksgiving.” The liturgy of communion based on Christ’s actions at the Last Supper, in which one receives the Body and Blood of Christ under the appearance of bread and wine. One of the seven sacraments; sometimes referred to, as in the West, as the Mass.

EX-VOTO: A thanks offering made to God or a saint as a result of a miracle or other intervention; these might be artistic in nature.

FILIOQUE: “And the Son.” Latin term interjected in the Nicene Creed by the Western church, refers to the procession of the Holy Spirit from Christ as well as the Father. Considered heretical by Orthodox Christians.

HAGIA/HAGIOS OR AGIA/AGIOS: “Holy.” Saint.

HAGIOGRAPHY: “Holy writing.” Writings on the lives of saints. Often a major source for the content of icons of saints.

HESYCHASM: “Rest, tranquility, silence.” Hermits who lived in total silence, prayer and meditation. From the thirteenth century the influence of this approach to piety had large impact on artistic expression.

HETERODOX: “Follower of a different teaching.” Anyone not an Orthodox Christian.

HYPOSTASIS: A person, implying one in full communion with God and fellow man; used both in relation to people, and to Christ in His relation to The Father and humans.

KENOSIS: “To empty oneself.” Christ’s (or our) debasement or humbling in preparation for acceptance by God and ultimate theosis. Basis of belief in importance of ascesis. See Phil. 2:7-8.

KOIMESIS: The “falling asleep” or “dormition” of the Virgin Mary

KONTAKION: Liturgical hymn sung at most daily religious offices.

LITURGY: “Service.” The praise and worship of the community that is due to God, especially focused in the Eucharist. Texts for these services include Scripture and prayers and hymns of great antiquity. The liturgical year is a cycle of celebrations of events in Christ’s life and the life of the Church centered on the Pasch (Easter) and twelve Great Feasts (DODEKAORTON), from Mary’s birth to her Dormition.

MARTYR: “Witness.” One who witnessed to his or her religious faith by refusing to abjure or deny that faith in public. If punished, that  person became a “red martyr”; later, after the end of persecutions, the idea of “white martyrdom” emerged: one could witness by living an exemplary life, especially as a monk or nun.

MARTYRIUM: A centrally planned building (usually round of Greek cross shaped) centered on the tomb of a martyr. Often these were expanded to accommodate large numbers of worshippers, and the term might only apply to part of the building.

METANOIA: “Turning about.” The change of heart or conversion due to grace that a Christian undergoes.

MONOPHYSITE: “One nature.” A position regarding Christ’s essence that is regarded as unorthodox. They hold that Christ is a single person (hypostasis) with a singe nature (physis), whereas the Fourth Ecumenical Council (Chalcedon, 541) declared Christ to be a single person with two distinct natures, human and divine (THEANDRISM).

NESTORIANS: Followers of Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople, who taught that Christ had two hypostases (persons), and was thus not a single person. These ideas were condemned at the Third Ecumenical Council in Ephesus in 431.

OMOPHORION: A long piece of wool (then silk or velvet) bordered with crosses that a bishop wears over his shoulders and down the front during the Eucharistic liturgy. Corresponds to the pallium in the Roman Church, and is a symbol of office.

PANAGIA: “All-holy” – used in reference to Mary.

PAROUSIA: The Second Coming of Christ, and the final judgment it implies.

PASCH: The celebration of the Resurrection.

PHELONION: Sleeveless overgarment worn by priests and bishops, with only a neck hole.

PROSKYNESIS: Physical gesture of prostration or bowing before a sacred object as a sign of reverence; originally done before the emperor.

RHIPIDION: A fan used during the Liturgy to keep flies away from the sacred elements.

STARETZ: “Elder.” In Russian Orthodox tradition a monk or hermit who serves as a spiritual father or leader to a person or community. Often declared saints.

STYLITE: An anchorite, like Symeon, who sat for years atop a column in the open air as a form of ascesis and witness.

SYNAXIS: An assembly. Often used in reference to bishops, priests or angels.

THEOPHANY: A specific manifestation of God to man. Important and celebrated examples include the Nativity, Baptism of Christ, Transfiguration and Last Supper.

THEOSIS: “Deification.” The union with God, or “becoming god” that is the goal of the Christian life, according to Eastern Orthodoxy. It occurs through the participation in the divine energies, though one can never know the essence of  God. It is made possible through the Passion and Death of Christ, and is depicted in icons of saints by the “inner light” they exhibit.

THEOTOKOS: “Bearer of God” (implied : “Mother of God).” Designation of Mary declared at Ephesus Council in 431. This title states that Mary did not merely bear the human nature of Christ, but His divine as well. This designation accounts for the importance of Mary in Orthodox (and Catholic) iconography: she was the door through which God took on flesh, entered the world, and saved mankind.

Glossary of Terms: General culture
ALLEGORY: A deeper -- perhaps symbolic -- meaning than the surface literal or historical, is ascribed to certain events or writings or paintings. These deeper meanings are often didactic or moral.

CHITON: Eastern Mediterranean lower tunic: short for men, long for women. With or without sleeves.

CHLAMYS: In later antiquity a short cloak fastened at the shoulder with a brooch; generally worn by young men, soldiers and courtiers.

CODEX: Collection of FOLII (“leaves” = pages) into a book form. Folii are each numbered and designated front (recto (r)) or back (verso (v)). So, the two sides of the first page of a codex would be numbered 1r and 1v.

COMNENIAN: Reference to the reign of the imperial Comneni family (1081-1185).

HIMATION: Upper garment or cloak.

MAPHORION: Hooded woman’s cloak, usually associated with depictions of Mary.

NOUMISMA: Greek term for the Roman gold solidus, the standard coin in circulation on which Christ’s and the emperor’s image generally appeared.

PALAEOLOGAN: Reference to the dynasty of the imperial Palaeologus family from 1259 to the fall of Constantinople in 1453.

PEACE OF THE CHURCH: The legalization of the Christian Church and return of its property under Constantine, beginning in 312/3.