Icon of the Sunday of the holy fathers

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

Would anyone know of and be able to attach an icon that goes with the Sunday of the Holy Fathers (Ancestors of Christ)?

The icon for this coming Sunday on the OC- the Forefathers of Christ- is very popular and easy to find online in different versions. But an icon for the Sunday before Nativity is very difficult to find. Even on the days.ru site there is nothing.

Thanks.

In Christ- Fr Raphael

[Olga]

Here you are, Father. Happy to help.

http://www.monachos.net/forum/picture.php?albumid=216&pictureid=1599

[Olga]

...OOOPS! Wrong Sunday! Here's the right one, of Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob:

http://www.monachos.net/forum/picture.php?albumid=216&pictureid=1600

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

Sorry to be a bother... but the icon that our parish has is like the one you have attached. But it is entitled Holy Forefathers. Perhaps an icon of the Prophet Daniel would work?

The icon for the Sunday after Nativity though that you have attached is exactly what we need also. Thanks.

In Christ- Fr Raphael

[Paul Cowan]

Olga,
Help me understand the difference. This past Sunday the gospel was the lineage of Christ. The icon we had on the front stand was ALL the fathers represented in the lineage of Christ, not just the Abraham, Issac and Jacob.

Paul

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

Im not sure if at present Olga will be able to answer you.

Two Sundays before Nativity is devoted to the memory of the Forefathers. My understanding is that this Sunday is devoted to the memory of the OT saints before Christ. The icon that depicts this is the one that Olga has posted above.

My understanding of the Sunday before the Nativity though is that it commemorates the OT ancestors of Christ. I do not know what icon is proper to use.

One note here- a confusion as to the difference in significance of these two Sundays may arise from the fact that in English we often add the words "of Christ" to the basic title found in the original languages. Thus for example in Slavonic/Russian for two Sundays before Nativity it says: Holy Forefathers; for the Sunday before Nativity it says: Holy Fathers. There is no mention of the words: 'of Christ'.

From what I have found it is in the commentaries, in Russian for example, where the original meaning is explained. The Russian homily I have for this Sunday clearly says that we are commemorating the OT saints; not the ancestors of Christ.

In Christ- Fr Raphael

[Christophoros]

Dear Fr. Raphael,

Are these the icons you were looking for?

In Christ,
Chris

[Olga]

Dear Fr. Raphael,

Are these the icons you were looking for?

In Christ,
Chris

No. The icons posted are known as The Tree (or Root) of Jesse, and show the Mother of God surrounded by the various OT prophets whose writings contain prophecies pertaining to her. At the base of the tree is the figure of Righteous Jesse, from whose "barren root" arose the Virgin who bore the Messiah.