INTRODUCTION First Draft of Mission Statement
October 3, 2001, The Transitus of St. Francis
St. Andrei Rublev wrote and proclaimed the Gospel with paints rather than with words; he was an iconographer. His icons have been regarded for almost 600 years as so perfectly shining forth the divine splendor and radiance, joy and love, that other iconographers have been directed to use his icons as models. He worked with the best iconographers of his day, painting some of the most important churches in northern Russia. Through his most famous icon, the Holy Trinity, he has eloquently preached a beautiful sermon about the nature of the Holy Trinity. The Orthodox Church teaches that the divine Word and Light can be proclaimed just as powerfully in written-in-paint icons, as in written-in-ink words. "We proclaim our salvation in words and images..." we sing in the Kontakion for the Sunday dedicated to the Triumph of Orthodoxy.
St. Andrei Rublev (1360-1430) Feast Day 4, July
From a book of the Lives of the Orthodox Saints
The Byzantine Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Churches have always made claims about the nature of true icons which were, and are, stumbling blocks for many in the west and the east. Yet the tradition and prayer of icons has endured for over 1500 years. Violence toward the holy images was considered to be aimed at the very Incarnation of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the Word Made Flesh. This is the summation of the writing of the church Doctor St. John of Damascus when he was called upon to defend the veneration of icons. Iconoclasm and violence against the Body of Christ will exist then, until the return of Christ the King.
The great tragedies which touch every part of our radiantly beautiful globe, have forced us to ask new questions about the way we look at our own personal existence and that of our brothers and sisters in the world. Can we bring the light of Christ Emmanuel into the darkness and hopelessness of these situations?
We are living in the Second Advent now, and have been since the Ascension of the Lord. Following Vatican Council II, prophets, martyrs, theologians and saints pointed to this New Advent as a time of repentance and preparation for the ongoing revelation of the presence of the Kingdom of God. This has been done in the spirit of the preaching and ministry of the prophet of the First Advent... the call of John the Baptist.
THE MISSION OF ST. ANDREI RUBLEV ICONS
In our present time a great flow of appearances of the Mother of God have affirmed this call of the Baptist. These messages have echoed Blessed John the XXIII's prayer for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in a New Pentecost. The Mother of God tells us that human powers or human forces cannot bring about peace. Only the Holy Spirit can touch human hearts with this compassionate gift of God.
The mission of St. Andrei Rublev Icons is to hear the Word of God, to hear the messages of the Mother of God, to hear the holy prophets and theologians when they call us to this prayer of Blessed John XXIII. We too ask for a downpour of the graces of the Holy Spirit to transform the world and the hearts of all its inhabitants regardless of race or religion. We wish to offer these images as a source of seeing listening and conversing.
We seek to touch the great cry and hunger in the world for peace, justice, and contemplative communion with the Blessed Trinity, the Mother of God, the heavenly companions or friends of God... our brothers and sisters the saints.
"Divine Spirit renew your wonders in this our age as in a new Pentecost, and grant that your Church praying perseveringly and insistently with one heart and mind together with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and guided by Blessed Peter, may increase the reign of the Divine Savior, the reign of truth and justice, the reign of love and peace. Amen." Prayer to convoke Vatican Council Il by Blessed John XXIII
Fr. William Hart McNichols
and the St. Andrei Rublev Publication Ministry
"There will be a new springtime for the Church
If people will welcome the promptings of the Holy Spirit,
The 21st Century will usher in a new evangelization;
and, a tidal wave of coversions will sweep the earth."
Pope John Paul II
- Other Icons by Fr. William McNichols
- Information about Fr. William McNichols and his Icons
This page is managed by
Fr. Raymond A. Bucko, S.J.
of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology
at Creighton University.E-Mail: bucko@creighton.edu
Page Last Updated: October 20, 2002