This Page Last Updated August 31st, 2009 (new style reckoning)
19th Century Old Believer Bronze Two Tone Enamel Icon
of the
Blessed Silence
Pictured above is an extremely rare bronze Russian Icon of the Blessed Silence within a border. The Blagoe (Good) Molchanie (Silence) depicts Christ as an Angel with an eight-pointed “glory” imposed on the Halo, the eighth point being hidden by the head. The seven points symbolize the six days of Creation and the day on which God rested. The eighth point is the Day of Eternity. This scarce Icon type represents Christ as the Word in Eternity, and iconographically it is usually associated with Creation and the Plan of Salvation, ordained from Eternity. Isaiah 9:5, considered by Orthodoxy as referring to Christ, calls him (in the Greek Septuagint version) the “Messenger / Angel of Great Counsel”. The Silence of God is surrounded by Saints in roundels, with the Deisis (which from the pure Greek means “prayer” and depicts the Lord flanked by His Most Pure Mother on His Right and His Baptizer immediately at His left) at the top. From the right top corner clockwise around the Icon are: Archangel Gabriel, Apostle Paul, Saint Gregory the Theologian, Saint Nicholas, Saint Demetrius, Saint Savvati, Saint Zossima, Saint George, John Chrysostom, Saint Basil and Archangel Michael (The Vine intertwines all of them, the fruited branches. The Saints are His Grapes.). This most spectacular ikon is about five inches square.
It is true that we are to use words only when we have to, but when the entire world is going to Hell in a hand basket it just might be prudent at such times to say something at least once in a while. Saint Isaac the Syrian. - Silence is the mystery of the future age, while words are mere implements of this world.
David Scheffel in documenting Old Believer practice mentions in his book, In the Shadow of Antichrist, that “with few exceptions all prayers...are audible. This custom has its genesis in the desire to express as forcefully as possible one’s allegiance to God and renunciation of the devil”. David is a Jew who does not always understand the best way to express Old Believer thought. I am not sure how much better I can do at it myself, but I have learned that for Christians in Eternity that they will be largely silent. Then there are times when we should speak up, like when the Faith is threatened, or when we renounce the devil; often times we need to be quiet. To know God it is necessary to be still. We must be careful though, for there are different types of harmful silence and different types of harmful words. It is possible to say prayers in a wrong manner, just as it is a mistake to always remain silent. This particular icon was first written during the 15th century in Russia. Representing the first thirty years wherein Christ remained silent concerning Himself, we too are able to contemplate the purpose of the Incarnation. Understanding the difference requires an awareness that we can only atain by this Good Blessed Silence. In St. Nilus of Sinai’s (+390) 153 texts on prayer we have this at # 11 - Strive to render your mind deaf and dumb during prayer: then you will be able to pray as you ought. This is at # 117 - I shall repeat what I said to beginners: blessed is the mind which keeps perfect silence in prayer.
My short time on Monachos brought on an attack based upon the Quinisext Council, suggesting also that this council was Ecumenical. But that is not exactly the case as the Latin Pope refused to sign. So I am not sure how pertinent it is. The argument went on to say that the Blessed Silence was condemned by this questionable council due to Canon 82 that condemns mere attributes of Christ being depicted in icons. My response is, Canon 82 specifically deals with the icon Christ the Good Shepherd. Christ as Shepherd is indeed an attribute, but times in the actual life of Christ are not merely an attribute any more than His miracles were merely an attribute. Blessed Silence depicts a specific time in the life of Christ when He was indeed silent about his purpose, like an angel. I do not know of Christ actually being a shepherd of sheep as the one icon wrongly represents Him, because He was known as a carpenter. But Christ most certainly was silent about His Divinity, as the Old Believer icon (based upon a 15th century example) correctly represents. The icon pictured above is not incomplete in any sense of the idea and no valid council that I know of has ever condemned it. Return to the
Sign of the Cross web page