With the blessing of Bishop Leonidas of Argentina and South America, an exhibition of Orthodox icons opened in Mar del Plata, Argentina.
The exhibition was organized in the Gallegas center through the efforts of the city’s Orthodox parish in honor of the Holy Royal Passion-bearers, according to the website of the Argentine diocese.
Maria Florence Ranelucci, the general director of international relations of communities and religions of Mar del Plata, Yuri Kuznetsov, the honorary consul of Russia, representatives of the maritime prefecture, the air, naval and land forces of Argentina, as well as public figures of the city took part in the opening of the exhibition.
Photo: southamerica.cerkov.ru
Addressing the guests of the exhibition, Vladyka Leonid recalled that “the attitude towards icons in different historical periods was not always unambiguous,” and at one time they were even destroyed in Byzantium.
“The Seventh Ecumenical Council, held in 787, approved of the dogma of the veneration of icons. After that, all those convicted of the veneration of icons were rehabilitated and returned from captivity. But, unfortunately, for several decades, iconoclasm was still strong, gradually fading away,” said the archpastor.
Photo: southamerica.cerkov.ru
Vladyka Leonid expressed his joy in connection with the fact that “now Christians have the opportunity to freely pray in front of holy icons, to venerate them and have them in their homes.”
Photo: southamerica.cerkov.ru
In conclusion, he invited the guests of the exhibition to carefully familiarize themselves with the presented icons, “to look at the divinely inspired faces and to offer a heartfelt prayer to those who are depicted on the icons.”
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