Angels
Guardian Angel of Birth
Φύλακας Άγγελος
- Technique
- Egg tempera and gold leaf on wood
- Dimensions
- 18 × 24 cm
- Status
- Completed · private collection
Why this icon
At my parents’ request, I wrote this guardian angel icon for my little niece, who had just been born. I wanted a gentle, colourful image to accompany her from the very beginning of her life. I chose a modern Greek icon inspired by a 14th-century Byzantine model, whose colours and gentleness seemed particularly suited to this gift celebrating her birth.
About this icon
In the Orthodox Christian tradition, the angel is a servant of God and a protector of the individual. The icon serves as a reminder of the invisible presence of God and His angels alongside human beings.
The angel is therefore not merely depicted as a “decorative” winged figure. Its wings signify its heavenly nature, while its calm demeanour and forward movement evoke protection, guidance, and guardianship.
The gold background also holds special significance in the icon: the gold does not simply represent a landscape or a physical sky, but rather evokes divine light and the heavenly realm.
The guardian angel holds a transparent globe, the sign that the world and each person in it are held in God's care. Like every guardian angel, he watches over the one entrusted to him, silently and faithfully.