On the back of the card:

CHRIST THE TEACHER

The original we have reproduced for you is a large, dramatic icon that hangs just above the Blessed Sacrament altar in the church at Mount Angel Abbey in Oregon. The image follows an ancient pattern known variously as Christ the Teacher or as Christ Pantocrator. (The word Pantocrator is Greek, meaning “Ruler of All”.) The image expresses the central reality of the Christian faith; the Divine Majesty of the creator and ruler of all the world, made flesh and therefore visible to us in the person of Christ Jesus our redeemer.

In this icon of Christ the Teacher, Jesus is presented in a ¾ length pose, looking directly at the viewer, with his left hand holding the Sacred Word of God and his right hand raised in blessing. The fingers of His blessing hand form the letters ICXC, the Greek shortened form of Christ’s name, Iesous Khristos. His cloak is dark blue signifying the mystery of His divine life. His tunic is a bright crimson red to signify His human blood shed for us all. Christ’s halo, the iconographic symbol for sanctity, is inscribed with a cross and the Greek letters omicron, omega, nu, spelling “HO ON”. In English, this becomes “Who Am”, the name used for God in Exodus 3:14.

The face of Jesus follows ancient traditions. The eyes are large and open, looking directly into the viewer’s soul. The forehead, identified as the seat of wisdom, is high and convex. The nose is long and slender, contributing a look of nobility. The mouth is small and closed in the silence of contemplation. The hair is curled and flowing, recalling the endless flow of time. The neck and body are powerful reminders of His strength and majesty.

. . . “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Mark 10:17