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Icons by Br. Robert Lentz, ofm.
Influenced by his Russian Orthodox background and a period of study with a master iconographer, Lentz's unique style blends classical Eastern iconography with contemporary elements and "witnesses."
Dimensions: 6" x 4".
Archangel Gabriel
The archangel Gabriel is the messenger of the incarnation. It is he who was sent to Nazareth to announce to Mary that she had been chosen to be the mother of God. In this icon he wears the garb of a messenger from the imperial Byzantine court, including a small crown tied with green ribbons that are still fluttering in the air after his flight from Heaven.
Gabriel is here depicted as a Latin American. The message of the incarnation is that God has become flesh and blood in our midst. The incarnation continues from that day in history when Gabriel first startled Mary until the end of time. Christ has died and risen, but he continues to suffer in his sisters and brothers throughout the world. This dark-skinned archangel reminds us that the crucifixion continues, and challenges us to expand our sense of what is sacred to include every human being, in every place.
© Robert Lentz, 1987
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