Icons are generally paintings on wood using the durable medium of egg tempera, and often overlaid with precious metals to protect them. They were created by workshops of artists and apprentices, who often specialised in particular parts of the icon-making process. The icon artist was expected to be a person of high moral principle and Christian ideals, often a monk, who prepared for his work by fasting and praying.

Although today we appreciate icons as expressions of individual creativity, in the Middle Ages they were esteemed more for their adherence to traditional rules as to subject-matter and treatment.

This was important in an age of high or universal illiteracy. The images depicted events which observers would be familiar with and therefore they would need no verbal explanation as to the icon's contents. However, icons also often contained words as an aid to understanding the subject matter: after all, one portrait of a saint can be very much like another! In addition to the central subject, icons also frequently contain rows of smaller paintings to exemplify or illustrate some aspect of the central subject: e.g., the portrait of Saint Sergius which is surrounded by small pictures illustrating events in his life, from his birth to his death.

How is an Icon Used?

People who worship in a church are closely involved with icons. Small icons are set on portable, cloth-draped lecterns and larger ones are hung on the walls. Beeswax candles are burned nearby and the icons are kissed, touched and incensed as acts of devotion. Icons are blessed with holy water and also are carried in processions both inside and outside the church. An icon of one of the 12 special liturgical feast days is often displayed on a lectern in the centre of the church, according to the day. An icon of a special saint whose memory the church is honouring or an icon of the church's patron saint may also be placed in this central location. The faithful pray, make the sign of the cross and display profound reverences such as bowing, kneeling, kissing and touching the forehead to the icon. Icons are venerated but they are never worshipped. These acts of respect handed down from ancient cultural traditions still survive worldwide in the Orthodox Church.

Icons are given as gifts on occasions of marriages, baptisms or saint's name days (commemorating the saint after whom a Christian is named). They also are donated to churches and monasteries as memorial gifts or acts of thanksgiving. Small icons were sometimes given by a father to a son going into military service and larger ones were often carried into battle on banners. Old manuscripts and recent archeological excavations give evidence of travellers, soldiers and sailors who carried small metal icons (usually on a string around the neck) with them on journeys. Icons were displayed on city gates and walls (such as the gates of the Kremlin) and in special places along the highway. Many old and even recently-made icons have been considered miraculous. Some icons can be as tall as a human. Others are small enough to fit into a palm. Authentic icons are those that are blessed and regarded as holy. The beauty or material worth of an icon is not considered in devotion. In the 17th century, Paul of Aleppo wrote about icons when he traveled to Russia:

As the Muscovites have the very greatest affection and love for icons, they do not consider the beauty of the picture nor the skill of the artist -- for them all icons, beautiful or ugly, are on a level; they reverence even an icon, which is nothing more than a sketch on paper.

In the 20th century, a priest may even bless a photograph of an old icon and distribute it as a gift.

Sometimes icons had metal covers, oklads made for them, either to protect them from human handling in devotions, to enhance their beauty or as memorials. The oklads often were made of silver or gilded silver with the figures of the icon repeated by repoussé and chasing. The metal was cut out to reveal the painted faces, hands and feet of the icon beneath. Some oklads (donated to churches or monasteries by the very wealthy) were studded with precious gemstones, diamonds and pearls.

In Russian Orthodox homes all over the world today, icons are displayed in special places of honour, called the "beautiful corner" (krasnyi ugol) To the Orthodox Christian, an icon is a constant reminder of God's presence in his church, his home and in his life.