Iconography Studio

We opened the iconography studio at MEEI in 2022. The family of Sister Bernadette, who painted most of the icons at church, donated most of the equipment. Sister Bernadette, a very close friend of Abouna Elias, wished to leave all her tools to MEEI after her death.

The current part-time course provides practical and theoretical foundations in icon painting. Our unique studio is the only icon studio in Galilee, and so far, 10 participants have produced the works of art I am sharing with you.

We were encouraged in our aspiration by the encouragement of her nephew, Hugh Mercer, who decided to send to Mar Elias most of her remaining studio. It took a lot of work to open such an initiative. In fact, we expected the encouragement and the collaboration of our parish priest, but they were not motivated.

So, we started with ten persons and an outstanding Icon Writer who spent fourteen years in Athens studying the Theology and the Art of Writing Icons.

This is supposed to be our second year if the war doesn't explode and traveling becomes too risky. Thus, we are waiting for better times to restart this significant spiritual and artistic project. It can be a mission project, encouraging contemplation and describing the divine economy for the salvation of Human Beings and the approaching coming of the Kingdom of God.