This Kontakion proves that iconography is not an invention of painters or artists but is an authentic tradition of the Church. The preaching of Christianity was carried out through word and image. The images portrayed serve as an inspiration to all who view it. An icon does not show the confusion of a sinful world. That is why every religious painting is not necessarily an icon.
Icons are very different from other more commonly seen art forms.
Divine Light permeates all things, which is why there are no shadows in icons. People, landscape, architecture and animals serve as bridges. They connect nature with an existence outside the realm of time. The value of an icon, therefore, is not based on the beauty of the work, but on the spiritual beauty it portrays. Just as every person is unique, so is every icon.