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Vogdanos worked with his wife, Elisavet Souri, an iconographer who
taught the art to her husband. He also studied on Mount Athos, the celebrated
ancient monastic community. During the four month stay in London, they ran
Saturday classes in the community centre behind the church, where anyone
interested in learning the art, including school pupils could create their own
icons under expert guidance. It proved to be a popular course, and will be run
again next year.
How much freedom does an iconographer have to interpret his own
ideas of God in these paintings? It is an age-old question. Some famous Russian
iconographers had their own distinctive styles. However, since the first icons
were painted in St Catherine’s monastery in Sinai in present-day Egypt some
1500 years ago, the rules have become all-encompassing. There has to be the
figure of Christ Pantocrator (the Creator) looking down from the Dome.
However, there is more latitude in how the angels around him are shown. The
four evangelists also have their set places and each is shown with the symbols
traditionally associated with him. The prophets and saints must also be
depicted with the attributes that identify them. Though stylised they must be
recognisable to the congregations, while balancing tradition and artistic
freedom.

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