Description
This icon portrays our Lord Jesus Christ enthroned in glory, seated upon His Heavenly throne. He is the source of our salvation and the fulfillment of the greatest love story—offering His life-giving blood for our sake upon the wood of the Cross. Surrounding Christ are two circular inscriptions bearing the Coptic words “Ⲓⲏ̅ⲥ̅ Ⲡⲭ̅ⲥ̅,” meaning “Jesus Christ.” This sacred text is written in the Coptic language—the liturgical language of our beloved Church and the original tongue of the Egyptian people.
Christ is depicted wearing a golden himation and a white tunic. His right hand is raised in blessing, with His fingers forming the Greek letters “IC,” symbolizing His name, Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous). Traditionally, Christ is shown wearing red to represent both His humanity and the blood He shed for our redemption. Yet, His incarnation already declares His humanity and sacrificial love. The white tunic emphasizes His divinity, revealing Him as the pure, unblemished Lamb. In His left hand, He holds an open Gospel, turned to John 14:6, where He proclaims, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”
Interesting Fact
In this icon, Christ blesses with His right hand in a way that forms the letters “I,” “C,” “X,” and “C”, the first and last letters of “Jesus” “Christ” in Greek (Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, pronounced Iesos Khristos), meaning He blesses us with His name—a gesture traditionally used by clergy.
Citations
Coptic Icon. “the iconostasis.” CopticIcon.net, https://www.copticicon.com/iconostasis. Accessed 16 May 2025.Holy Cross Coptic Orthodox Church. “Explaining the Iconostasis and Apse of Holy Cross w/ Fadi Mikhail of UK CopticIcons.” YouTube, 24 Nov. 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgWU5xrgmn0