The Liturgy and the Icons as Tradition

Tradition is borne not only in texts and definitions but in worship and image. This section treats two of the great non-verbal bearers of Tradition: the Divine Liturgy, in which the Church believes as she prays (lex orandi, lex credendi), and the holy icon, which is Tradition made visible — the faith confessed in color, image and word bound together by the Seventh Ecumenical Council.

Tradition: Pan-Orthodox

Overview

An account of Tradition that reckoned only with written and defined deposits — Scripture, canons, conciliar horoi — would miss much of how the faith is actually handed on. For most of the faithful across the centuries, Tradition has been received far more through the Liturgy chanted, the sacraments received, and the icons venerated than through any book. The Liturgy is a primary bearer of the faith: the Church’s lex credendi (rule of belief) is drawn from and expressed in her lex orandi (rule of prayer). And the icon is Tradition made visible — so much so that the Seventh Council defended the image as the equal of the written word in confessing the Incarnation.

Files in This Section

File Description
lex-orandi-lex-credendi.md The Liturgy as a primary bearer of Tradition — the Church believes as she prays; the origin and meaning of lex orandi lex credendi; the Liturgy as theology
the-icon-as-tradition-in-color.md The holy icon as Tradition made visible; the Seventh Council’s linkage of image and word; the icon as confession of the Incarnation

See Also