Iconographer’s divine gifts grace Orthodox Christian church in Pinellas Park

PINELLAS PARK — Self-assured and focused atop 30-foot-high scaffolding, Leonidas Diamantopoulos worked on the first phase of iconography that will eventually adorn every interior wall at St. Nicholas Orthodox Christian Church. • The Greek-trained Diamantopoulos, who has a studio in Palm Harbor and plans to open a larger one in Tarpon Springs, has created iconography for cathedrals and churches in Canada, South America and across the United States. • He says his iconography at the Assumption of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Denver has been described as “the biggest and most beautiful project ever made in the Western hemisphere.” • St. Nicholas in Pinellas Park is his 36th installation of sacred art.

Two weeks ago, Diamantopoulos’ work was beginning to emerge on the east wall of St. Nicholas. Sheets of canvas bearing the Byzantine-style images of saints typical in the Eastern Orthodox Church awaited installation in another area. They lay on the floor, faces covered with transparent paper to protect halos of 22-karat gold leaf.

The $200,000 project was expected to take about 10 days, but Diamantopoulos was in no hurry. “I never count the days,” he said. “The most important thing is to install the iconography in the right way.”

Father Michael Massouh, St. Nicholas’ priest, said parishioners knew they were getting a world-class iconographer when they chose Diamantopoulos. Massouh said the iconography has “a dynamism. There is movement in Leo’s figures. They are ready to take you to the spiritual world, to the afterlife,” he said.

Icons, sacred two-dimensional images of Christ, the saints and angels, are an important aspect of Orthodox Christian worship. Orthodox Christians believe they offer a view into the spiritual world. Iconography traditionally adorns walls and ceilings of churches like murals. Because each piece of the liturgical art is meant to tell a story, iconographers are said to write icons rather than paint them.

In Orthodox Christianity, worshipers kiss icons and make the sign of the cross and light candles in front of them. The icons are not being worshiped, Massouh said.

“The icons are venerated; that is, they remind us of Christ and the saints. They help put us in the frame of mind to worship, which is restricted solely to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,” he said.

Diamantopoulos spent six months drawing and painting the icons for Massouh’s church. He created them on about 40 pieces of canvas, which have now been glued to the east wall, above the altar and to the iconostasis — a tall screen, or partition with doors, that separates the restricted altar space from the congregation. Diamantopoulos completed his project by painting backgrounds to make the canvas compositions appear seamless with the surfaces to which they are attached.

Some pieces, like the Resurrection icon — the largest and most prominent — required extra work. The three canvases that make up the image had to be cut to fit the concave space.

Diamantopoulos said he uses a centuries-old technique to paint the icons, employing tempera to achieve the authentic Byzantine look. “I don’t use acrylic because we don’t know how long they will last,” he said. “I don’t want any fading. I mix the powders to create my own colors.”

His iconography remains true to traditional Byzantine form, but he adds his own touch. “I don’t like my icons to be very stern. God is filled with love. I make the face more sweet,” he said.

Born in Greece, Diamantopoulos was in his last year of law school when he decided to study Byzantine iconography in Athens. Because icons are sacred, iconographers like Diamantopoulos, 58, must follow canons, or rules, governing their creation. Guidelines also apply to their placement, and creators of these sacred images are expected to live spiritual lives.

“I believe strongly that you have to be a religious person in order to create the icons,” Diamantopoulos said. “This is not just a job. These icons are going to teach generations and generations of the Orthodox faithful.”

With the first phase of his work complete, as they enter the nave, worshipers and visitors will probably first notice the large Resurrection icon above the altar area. It shows Christ breaking the bonds of Hades. Below are full-sized icons of Christ serving the apostles at what is referred to as the “mystical supper” in heaven.

St. Nicholas raised money for this first phase of the project from donations and hopes to complete the entire church as more money becomes available. The church, at 6447 76th Ave. N, was started in 1976 by residents of Middle Eastern heritage but now serves about 90 families from a variety of Orthodox traditions and backgrounds and converts from other branches of Christianity.

Waveney Ann Moore can be reached at wmoore@sptimes.com or (727) 892-2283.

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