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Saint Athanasius the Great Byzantine Catholic Church
joins the Byzantine Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh
in a
Prayer For Vocations
During the Labor Day weekend, Metropolitan Judson and the Bishops of
the Byzantine Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh initiated a special year
of prayer for vocations. Saint Athanasius the Great is participating in
this year of prayer. This is a program of prayer in which each of the
Byzantine Catholic parishes and missions in the diocese received an icon
of Jesus calling us to be His followers. This icon travels from home to
home throughout the parish with each family engaging, with the icon, in
a week of prayer for vocations.
Each week the Vocation Icon is passed to another parish family/household.
This takes place at the parish's Sunday Divine Liturgy. In this way, praying
for vocations is kept before all parishioners. The parish family must
encourage those individuals in whom certain talents and gifts (called
charisms) are recognized to prayerfully think about (to discern) a life
committed to service of Christ through public ministry. The process of
recognizing, supporting, and discerning vocations and potential vocations
is not just the responsibility of the individual or the pastor, but it
is the responsibility of all the faithful.
VOCATIONS ICON
ABOUT THE ICON
"I am the vine, you are the branches." This striking metaphor from Saint
John's Gospel (15:5) is used by Jesus to explain the relationship between
humanity and Himself. This icon uses the vine and branches motif to bring
together many of the Gospel themes and scenes in which Jesus called people
to be His followers. Christ is the focal point of the icon with hands
stretched forth in welcome.
Surrounding the central figure of Christ are six smaller images from
the Gospels recalling instance of Jesus' call to follow Him. Beginning
in the upper right hand corner and moving clockwise we find:
- "I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes
in Me should not remain in darkness." (John 12:46) And, recalling the
words of Isaiah: "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great
light." (Isaiah 9:2)
- Next, the scene of the Crucifixion, reminds us of the admonition found
in all the synoptic Gospels, "If any want to become My followers, let
them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me." (Matthew
16:24)
- The sheaf of wheat in the lower right corner recalls the words, "The
harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few." (Matthew 9:37 or Luke
10:2)
- The water scene in the lower left shows James and John leaving their
father Zebedee, "Immediately they left the boat and their father, and
followed Him." (Matthew 4:22) The young beardless youth in red is John,
traditionally portrayed as a young man because he was the last disciple
to die.
- The two men in the center are a little more difficult to identify.
One of the few easily recognized faces in Byzantine iconography is that
of Simon Peter, the one dressed in yellow. The scene is therefore most
likely that found in John 1:40-42 in which Peter's brother Andrew, identified
as a disciple of John the Baptist (hence the shaggy hair), introduces
him to the Messiah.
- And, finally, in the top left, we see the disciples struggling to
comprehend Christ's teachings about Bread from Heaven that have caused
many of His followers to turn away, "So Jesus asked the twelve, 'Do
you also wish to go away?' Simon Peter answered him 'Lord, to whom can
we go? You have the words of eternal life.'" (John 6:67-68)
THE ICONOGRAPHER
Near the summit of the Mount of Olives, over looking Temple Mount in
the heart of ancient Jerusalem, is a small convent of French-speaking
Benedictine nuns. Their master iconographer is Sister Marie-Paul, born
in Egypt of Palestinian and Italian descent. She paints in the Byzantine
style, following faithfully the ancient patterns and colors. Sister Marie-Paul's
icons may be found in churches and individual collections all over the
world.
The original of this icon hangs in the Beit Jala Latin seminary in Jerusalem.
Everyone has the responsibility to foster future leaders of the Church
- priests, sisters, deacons and laity alike, dedicated to serve God's
people. One way everyone can be involved in vocation ministry is through
prayer before the Pilgrim Vocation Icon. Adapted from Eastern Catholic
Life, Sept. 10, 2000; and St.
Michael Byzantine Catholic Church , Mont Clare, Pa.
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