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- !-Get rid of "view my pics|videos" KEEP mood-! !-code author:Eileen "Icons, no matter what the depiction, are to create a window into heaven. The icon conveys a spiritual truth." "When an icon is venerated, it is not to the icon itself, but to the living Saint in Heaven. An icon simply helps visualize the saint." -Author: Christopher Omiros ..."Byzantine art begins where ordinary art ends. The divinely inspired art of iconography is simple and profound, as are all things in Orthodoxy, because they spring from the Gospels. An icon conveys theological meanings through mystical colours and forms..." -Iconographer: Photios Kontoglou "Iconographers translate revealed scripture and divine truths into visual images. It is said an Iconographer writes and icon and does not paint one. since each icon tells a story, the viewer gets a chance to read and learn from it.... Ideally the Iconographer should be a pious individual. They should be trained by Holy Fathers, like monks or nuns, but that is not essential to being and iconographer. Most Iconographer live outside monastreies commercialized in a way. Iconographers should, during their work, pray, fast, and avoid worldly excitement. "Lord Jesus Christ our God, uncircumscribed in your divine nature, having become inexpressibly incarnate for the salvation of man ultimately by the Virgin Mother of God, Mary, has become worthy of circumscription. Who, having imprinted the sacred features of thy immaculate face on the holy veil, and through healing the illness of the governor Abgar and bringing about the enlightenment of his soul into the full knowledge of our true God and who, through thy holy spirit brought wisdom to the holy apostle and evangelist Luke to depict the form of thy most innocent mother, who carried thee in her arms as a child and said ''May the grace of Him who was born of me, through me be imparted to them'', the same, o God and master of all things, enlighten and bring wisdom to the soul and heart and mind of thy servant {name;"Konstantine"} and direct these hands for the irreproachable and excellent depiction of the form of thy person and of thy immaculate mother and of all thy saints, to the glory and to the splendour and beautification of thy holy church, and the remission of the sins of those worshiping in regard to the church and devoutly kissing and so referring honour to the prototype, redeem him from all harm inflicted by the devil, as he diligently follows all the commands of the ministers of thy immaculate mother, of the holy and illustrious apostle and evangelist, Luke, and of all the saints. Amen". Early Life: The year of 1987 was the year of my family's arrival in America. They moved from the island of Crete, to Virginia and settled in Williamsburg. Later after the Summer season had ended and fall had come, On the 15th day of November following the same year was the day my Mother gave birth. Taking with-in my first divine spark onto this world on a late Sunday evening. Having this of course making me the first born son of Mihalis, Anna Doulgerakis, since their coming to America. I was baptized in the year 1992. As an Orthodox Christian, which is all by the same means as of an Old Calendarist. At Agios Konstantinos & Eleni from city of Newport News. The name that I was given at my Baptism is the name: Konstantinos. My Patron Saint is Emperor Saint Constantine the Great of the Roman Empire to New Rome & of immortal memory. This is the same name as my Grandfather's. Two years later after the year 1987. I had a brother born who is named Elias Panayotis Doulgerakis. Eight years fleeting after my brother's brith, and my Mother breeds again and we have a sister born. Who is named Popyanna Doulgerakis. Therefore I am the oldest child of three. My Mother is from the City of Heraklion and lived a sorrowful life as an orphan. My father is from a village known as Gegeri, modern day Mt. Rouvas. who all his life learned to show the finest adoration in becoming a great worker. They started their life together and married on Saturday, February 14, 1987 at St. Stelianos. My Mother is from the City of Heraklion in Crete. My father is from a village in island Crete known as Gegeri, modern day Mt. Rouvas (POYBAS). They started their life together and married on February 14 1987 at St. Stelianos. I was taught to speak Greek, and this is my first language. I have the mind, the will, and the spirit as the Old-Cretans. And I am one who has sinked into the romance of Fine Art and Music. I developed an interest in art at a young age, and more for the Medival Byzantine and Post-Byzantium Art. Though, I yet have not received formal instuction in Byzantine iconography, and I am essentially self-taught. At the age of 13 I notice the desire to learn Icon-Painting. The Sacred Art of Byzantium, and the lives of the Saints is something that has continue to inspire me the most for Hagiographa. I know that this is not a dead-Art, thrus a very living way of life in the spiritual world. Byzantine Icon Art is not done alone by the hand of the moral, thus only by the holy work of the divine spirit through the hand of the moral. And for this is not made alone by the mortal hands means that it must need prayer to prepare for. I have become further aggressive in a different relationship with; His truth. I want to learn the secrets of Icon Painting and the traditional methods of its application, both in portable icons and murals, in the same way of the "Cretan School" Style. I will spent at least 4 years in training under a Monk, or nun. In my Mid-years, I would like to establish a Byzantine Art Studio. And in it will attribute the Greatest Icon-Painters and Master Iconographers that the world has ever known. Also for a place to dwell in my own works. My Virtues & Fruits: I am a follower of Christ. Therefore I am confident that death is not the end: "I will rise again into a new heaven of peace and light."This belief motivates myself in the pratice of avoiding sin and encourage faith, hope and charity. So I will be ready for God to judge me worthy of eternal life in the next world.My life in this world as a human being is very complex, and at the same time is very simple. And I must make peace with the past. My beloved father, Mixalis K. Doulgerakis who all his life had learned to show adoration in becoming a great worker. He has told to me many times before as a child and still today; "Pote sou min auisiV tin doulia na se fobisi,...H doulia prepi na fobiqh esena." "Never let yourself become afraid of work, let work have fear in you." For that reason I was taught by my father to not become decrepit and slothful. Many who rush do not know that there is a perfect moment for all we do. And the Holy men say, "Work not of thy self, nor of thy self glory, thus only of the glory of the Father's and his divine will." Knowledge Of Wisdom and Moral Self-Discipline to the Reader: I have been told that we as Christianity, end up to be week, and grow to have strenth, That we go from death, to become born again from the flesh of the body of Christ(IC XC), who spilled his blood upond Us all, and be brought into internal life, and take are sins to be forgiven." Therefore We do not belong of this world, For We must fight for a purpose in life struggling against the passions means stuggling for life's purpose. And the purpose of this life is the next life! If you do not earn the next life, a future joyous life, if you die forever, then life has no purpose. You cannot reach the joyous future life if you do not fight against the passions, and if you do not fight for the love of others, sacrificing yourself out of love for the others. Therein lays the purpose of the cross: to carry the cross, to live your life as a cross bearer, so that you're capable of sacrificing yourself for others. We are always miffed, poisoned, nervous, very sensitive! Someone offends us with an inappropiate word, that's it! We are ready to respond with violence! Because it is within us that this turbulence exists. My Passion of the Suffering: I have done horrible and I am an accustomed sinner, I confess that I have sinned greatly. And yes I believe heedlessness brought many troubles to me. Its was of me not thinking, not asking for a guidance, which caused me to waste good advice and be driven to evil acts. Still Holy We all be. For We are of the Father whom is in the Highest, and He is all Holy. And We are Alive living Holy within Him, but We all have choice in the path to be humble. Let Him give us the courage not to do evil. Have We prepare thy self for the hour we be in the hands of the Father? At the hour of death, I will call upon St. Michael the Archangel to lead my soul to Him. And with Him I will be beside to fight the greattest battle in Heaven. (Verily we all do not have to fight. For this fight has been already done, all the work has been done; the day the Only Begotten Son sheed His Blood, so that we may not tirst of Him, and give his body so we may not hunger of Him.) If you may look for me at this hour, you will find me facing the East. Searching all through the Sunrise towards the East, for Him who is King the Master of Life."I have understand that I now have a mission. Which is to do the will of God our Father. That is to know to love and to serve Him and to serve our neighbor. I serve God most when I glorify Him through the gifts He has blessed me with. my gift is the writing of Iconography." - Konstantinos Mihalis Doulgerakis II | the Cretan"I Pray to You Our Lord God the Father and Savior Jesus Christ, of Our Spores Lady the Theotokos, of the Honorable Angels, and of All Blessed Saints and Holy Men, So that You May Be With Our Souls Through Greatness And Darkness Hours. Fill Our Heart With the True Word! Give as the Knowledge to Shine Brightly, like the Sun, so that With Your Love we Do Not Burn Out, but Learn to Give Warmth to All Around!" -Konstantine the CretanAll Rights Reserved. Copyright© 2009