For the last five years the Library has hosted an Icon School under the direction of Mr. John Daly, which provides members and non-members alike with the opportunity to discover this important form of Christian art and spirituality.

According to St. John of Damascus, a Doctor and Father of the Church:

"Since some find fault with us for worshipping and honouring the image of our Saviour and that of our Lady, and those, too, of the rest of the saints and servants of Christ, let them remember that in the beginning God created man after his own image. On what grounds, then, do we show reverence to each other unless because we are made after God's image? ... After God in His bowels of pity became in truth man for our salvation, not as He was seen by Abraham in the semblance of man, nor as He was seen by the prophets, but in being truly man, and after He lived upon the earth and dwelt among men, worked miracles, suffered, was crucified, rose again and was taken back to heaven, since all these things actually took place and were seen by men, they were written for the remembrance and instruction of us who were not aliv at the time in order that though we saw not, we may still, hearing and believing, obtain the blessing of the Lord. But seeing that not everyone has a knowledge of letters nor time for reading, the Fathers gave their sanction to depicting these events on images a being acts of great heroism, in order that they should form a concise memorial of them. Often, doubtless, when we have not the Lord's passion in mind and see the image of Christ's crucifixion, His saving passion is brought back to remembrance, and we fall down and worship not the material but that which is imaged: just as we do not worship the material of which the Gospels are made, nor the material of the Cross, but that which these typify. For wherein does the cross, that typifies the Lord, differ from a cross that does not do so? It is just the same also in the case of the Mother of the Lord. For the honour which we give to her is referred to Him Who was made of her incarnate. And similarly also the brave acts of holy men stir us up to be brave and to emulate and imitate their valour and to glorify God. For as we said, the honour that is given to the best of fellow-servants is a proof of good-will towards our common Lady, and the honour rendered to the image passes over to the prototype." (From Book IV of The Exposition of Orthodox Faith)

Again the Catholic Encyclopaedia notes, "almost from its beginning the Church has employed the arts as potent means of instruction and edification."

The Icon School at the Library operates every Thursday on a semesterly basis. Classes commence with communal prayer imploring the guidance of the Holy Ghost, intercession of the Theotokos and saints, and blessing upon the elements which will be used to create the icons. There follows a discussion on iconography in general or a particular icon and creation of the icons themselves in the Byzantine tradition.

The initial cost of the school is $30 for registration and $65 for a set of basic materials, though members can provide their own brushes and pigments. Thereafter members pay for the cost of additional boards and cloths, plus $5 each class for use of the Library premises.

For further information on the Icon School, please contact the Library. Currently the school is on a break but will return in a few weeks.