Our Icons
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Created especially for St. Austin Catholic Parish by Nicholas Markell, this icon of St. Augustine of Canterbury contains many symbols of St. Austin which reveal the truth and power of his holy life. Chosen by Pope St. Gregory the Great to be Apostle to the English, Augustine converted King Ethelbert of Kent to Christianity. Tradition holds that they met under an oak tree, the tree associated with the virtue of hospitality in icon painting. Augustine holds in his right hand an oak tree branch with an acorn symbolizing both his own hospitality to others and his openness to graciously receiving God's life within him. The acorn represents new life. Just as the acorn grows into the oak, Augustine's efforts in service of the gospel helped establish the English church which has since grown great in stature, influencing the entire world.
Augustine was named Archbishop of England, the see of which became Canterbury. Augustine is shown with his bishop's mitre, staff, and pallium. The pallium is intimately associated with Augustine. It is decorated with five Fitchée crosses which display a pointed base. These crosses were often used by missionaries to thrust into the ground for daily devotions. St. Augustine's pallium also appears on his shield, located in the upper left corner of this icon. The shield also contains a black cross, associated with his Benedictine roots, and a lily, symbolic of Augustine's death in May, the month of Mary. In the upper right corner of the icon is the cross of Canterbury.
Augustine displays the look of a saintly man, wearing dark vestments onfire with the life of the spirit. His face bears the weight of shepherding the English church, though his glance is paradoxically peaceful and light. His gaze is not only temporal but also eternal, looking towards the Kingdom which was his life's mission and joy.
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This second icon of our patron, St. Augustine of Canterbury, was written in the eastern, Byzantine style. After prayer, fasting, and reflection on the spiritual world and the subject's life, this depiction was written by Sr. Mary Stella McNamee.
Here's an excerpt from an article in the St.Austin Bulletin of November 6, 2016 written by Fr. Dick Sparks ~
Patrick McNamee, an active parishioner here at St. Austin’s, recently asked his aunt, [Sr. Mary Stella] a religious sister and iconographer, to attempt to create an icon of St. Augustine of Canterbury for us. Sr. Mary Stella resides at Hyning Monastery, a convent community in Lancashire, England. Who better to prayerfully craft an icon of one of England’s own saints?
Patrick says that Sr. Stella has created numerous icons for various churches in the British Isles. Because of the sacred nature of each icon, she is reluctant to ever ‘mail’ or ‘ship’ the images to their new homes. Fortunately for us, Patrick served not only as our benefactor, but also as the messenger who carried this new icon in his lap on the plane from England to Austin. We are honored to receive it. It is exquisite. Colorfully painted and with gold foil crowns or halos, it is truly “fine art.” Just as it was blessed in Lancashire by Fr. Michael McKenna before it was entrusted to Patrick, so too we will bless and anoint the icon once more as we settle it into its new home [in the Newman Hall lobby].
Sr. Stella has noted several specific bits of information for us: (1) Halo is the presence of God who has sanctified Augustine of Canterbury; (2) Hand is held in blessing with three fingers; (3) He has the tonsure of a monk sent by Pope Gregory to England. [St. Austin holds an icon of Christ, symbolic of his mission to bring the Gospel to England.]
We invite you to learn more about Sr. Mary Stella, and her community, the Bernardine Cistercians of Esquermes at ~
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A Reflection on St. AustinHe Persevered!
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Augustine of Canterbury comes across today as a very human saint, one who could suffer like many of us from a failure of nerve. For example, his first venture to England ended in a big U-turn back to Rome. He made mistakes and met failure in his peacemaking attempts with the Briton Christians. He often wrote to Rome for decisions on matters he could have decided on his own had he been more self-assured. He even received mild warnings against pride from Pope Gregory, who cautioned him to “fear lest, amidst the wonders that are done, the weak mind be puffed up by self-esteem.” Augustine’s perseverance amidst obstacles and only partial success teaches today’s apostles and pioneers to struggle on despite frustrations and be satisfied with gradual advances.
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About Icons
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The word icon comes from the Greek word eikon, meaning image. Often referred to as "theology in color" and "doorways to heaven," icons are a form of sacred art, the content of which is spiritual. Iconographers paint, or "write," icons as a visual way of expressing faith. Iconographers incorporate symbols within icons, creating images of restored or renewed creation—transfigured existence made possible through life in Jesus Christ. The images are not meant to be only naturalistic representations, but also "spiritual" portraits where the symbols lead you through the subject's faith story. Thus an iconographer is more a minister than an artisan and an icon more a sacramental than a work of art.
Byzantine-style icons are usually painted on icon boards, made of hardwood or plywood which is covered with a thin layer of fine linen cloth. Up to 15 layers of gesso primer is applied to the linen board, each coat sanded smooth before the next is laid down. This creates a very smooth and absorbent surface on which thin coats of paint are painted in numerous layers.
After the icon's image is sketched or engraved onto the gesso, the iconographer begins by painting base coats of all the dark areas of the icon. Then slowly lighter and lighter areas are added until the icon is complete. This process reflects the spiritual life—a movement from darkness into the light of Christ. Details and highlights that complete the icon are added last.
Gilding with gold leaf is frequently used in iconography as a symbol of divine light radiating from transfigured humanity. Indeed, there is no exterior light source within an icon, the light comes from within the figure, depicting the Christian truth that the light of Christ is an interior light within believers.
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