Icon honors angel

The "writing" of an authentic religious icon, using traditional materials derived from all aspects of creation, always dictates that the artist pour body, mind and spirit into the symbolism-laden image.

But the wooden image that Edmund Rucinski recently made for St. Michael the Archangel Church in Cohoes was given even more: a love rooted in the knowledge that all four of the artist's grandparents were among the founding members of the parish in 1904.

Representing more than a year of fasting, prayer and painstaking labor by the artist, the icon will be formally unveiled, blessed and dedicated during a Eucharistic Day of Adoration at the church, Sept. 28, 7 p.m.

Three-year effort

Officiating at the service will be Rev. Richard Dybas, pastor, who first suggested commissioning the icon to the parish council more than three years ago.

Roughly $6,000 was subsequently raised to cover costs associated with the artwork that includes such unique materials as dried bladder of Caspian Sea sturgeon, Herculaneum-Pompeii soil and ground pearls.

"The creation of an icon is an incredibly complicated, labor-intensive process in which both the Book of Genesis and the progress of one's life in the Church are symbolically enacted," Mr. Rucinski explained. "An icon is considered to be a window on the heavenly kingdom of God and a means of direct access to God through prayer."

Three steps

"Basically, there are three steps in which the rendering process is created," he continued. "The first involves depicting the subject as it would appear in natural light. Then, as the work progresses, the religious object receives what you might call interior -- or spiritual -- light. During the final phase, highlights made from ground pearls are added as divine light, as in the light of the transfiguration on Mount Tabor."

He also explained that the proper term is that an icon is "written," not painted. In writing the icon for St. Michael's, Mr. Rucinski chose to use two pieces of poplar, a hardwood containing very little resin.

Wood, rather than canvas, is chosen for traditional religious icons, he noted, because "it represents the tree of life. All aspects of creation -- animal, vegetable and mineral -- are used in the creation of an icon."

Angel of God

At the request of St. Michael's parish council, Mr. Rucinski depicted the parish's patron in military attire rather than in resplendent robes. Among other things, the icon symbolizes the struggle of good over evil, portraying the archangel as a saint one can turn to "as a personal defender."

After much reflection, Mr. Rucinski decided to depict Michael standing on a twisted piece of cloth that is shaped to resemble the mathematical symbol for infinity. In his right hand, the angel holds the staff of authority while in his left is a transparent disk with a monogram of Christ, indicative of the saint delivering the Savior's message.

The archangel's wings contain various colors, each representing something important. The outer wings have a red earth color while the innermost portions range from a deep violet to a dark blue.

Family ties

An added inspiration for Mr. Rucinski when writing the icon was the knowledge that all four of his Polish grandparents were founding members of the Cohoes parish.

His late father's parents, Maria and Felix Rucinski, as well as his mother's parents, Maria and Ignacy Staniak, were among the first to attend Mass at the church where his icon will be on display "for generations to come" according to the pastor, Father Dybas.

Mr. Rucinski, who now lives in New York City, received his first communion at St. Michael's. "I also knew St. Michael's first pastor, Rev. Valentine Gierlacki, during his later years," he noted. "He was very friendly with my grandparents, so I have a lot of happy memories associated with the parish."

(09-11-97) [[In-content Ad]]