I have been attempting, with limited success, to weed through my belongings in order to Reduce Clutter. I am finding all sorts of things in the process: old pictures, journals from Junior High, bizarre trinkets of all kinds. Because Scott is becoming increasingly intolerant of my shoving random items under his nose and entreating him to “LOOK! IT’S A ONE-ARMED JAPANESE STATUE I GOT IN FOURTH GRADE, JUST BEFORE A HUMILIATING BOUT OF LICE! LET ME TELL YOU OF ITS HISTORY!” I have decided to start a new feature here at Flotsam. It seems fitting, in a way, as one of the dictionary definitions of “Flotsam” is “discarded odds and ends.” Of course these odds and ends haven’t been discarded, but only because I have the habit of keeping my odds and ends and growing inappropriately attached to them.
As I decide what stays and what goes, I have also had an opportunity to notice the things that I keep not in one of my several black-hole-like boxes of ephemera, but out in use or on display, items I love, and I may showcase a few of those as well—sort of like Dooce’s “Daily Style” section, only without the style. And not daily, because that would be too much work.
So once a week, I will show you a treasured object or a half-forgotten photograph or a note from my freshman year of highschool. Sometimes there will be a story that goes along with this object, sometimes not.
So! Today I would like to present something I found in one of my boxes:
You know that big bazaar-like pavilion by Grand Central Station, the one filled with little souvenir kiosks? I got this there, at a stand selling all manner of orthodox icons and painted boxes and such. I am not religious, but I liked the colors, and more especially, I was intrigued by this:
Gaze upon the Most Holy Foot! See how it glows! It died for your sins, and was reborn again!
Now, I am sure there is some explanation, some reason that Mary and a midget-y man-child Jesus are rising above a glowing orange foot set upon a grassy plateau. Something about Leprosy? Or WALKING through the valley of the shadow of death? Or washing the FEET of the poor—the aching, red, feet of the poor? But honestly, I have no interest in hearing said explanation, whatever it is, because it might spoil my nice Most Holy Foot Icon for me.
{ 29 comments… read them below or add one }
Uh, is this a milagro for those suffering from athlete’s foot? Perhaps it represents the podiatrical execrescence that holy blood washes clean. Or something.
I’m posting late to your prevoius entry (not that I don’t find the glowing foot fascinating). There is no question too dumb to ask a pediatrician – they’ve heard them all, so go ahead and ask. What I found most important was to jot down the questions as I thought about them and then literally bring the list to the appointment. Otherwise I was sure to forget something. In my experience doctors actually like it when you do that.
Ok now I must go find out what that picture means! Not because you want to know, but because I am super curious, as a Catholic, I am going to guess this is Patron Saint thing, but not one I have seen, so I will have to go check it out! I have been going through some of my junk as of late, when you have kids and your house gets overrun with kid junk, I start feeling claustophobic….so since the kids seem attached to the kid junk, it means mom junk has to go.
hehe now i’m curious about the real story behind the Holy foot
Sweet! I am similarly enamored of my “La Mano Mas Poderosa” (the Most Powerful Hand!) candle. Perhaps this is “El Pie Mas Poderoso”?
The other shoe finally dropped?
In iconography, there are certain things placed in pictures, and they have meanings. Certain saints are always displayed with certain items, and certain items have come to be associated with certain scenes or people. I thought I knew them all, but I must confess, not the feet. I checked my internet lists (can’t get at my book) and I couldn’t find anything, but there are thousands of saints, and this is an orthodox picture, so who knows. Your local orthodox church might well know. . .
Ummm…just a stab in the dark, ‘cos I’m not really up on my iconography…wonder if it’s related to this bit in Isaiah:
How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
who bring good tidings,
who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
“Your God reigns!”
Was this “Orthodox Iconography Vendor” sharing a stall with a toothless fellow selling “Rolex” watches?
This reminds me alot of the Jesus on the half shell statue I got at the shrine of St Francis of Assisi. But why is Jesus on the half shell? Some things just defy explanation.
I think Aili has it right – a beautiful foot on the mountain top. Nice!
I didn’t even see the foot on the first picture, I was too enthralled by the crowns and the pious facial expressions. Need coffee now.
I wonder why it’s there??
Remembering way back to catholic school, in Jesus’ time, washing someone’s feet was an act of nurturing and respect – something you might do for a guest as they enter your home. Not sure how that bit of trivia applies here. Maybe the artist just had a thing for feet?
I think it has something to do with a little someone leaving a muddy footprint on the green carpet. I don’t know…but I’ve heard that Mary gal can be quite particular about these things.
In our little apartment I am perpetually de-cluttering. Which turns out to be quite a lot of re-arranging and less actual throwing things in the trash, where they belong. But progress is progress, and I’ve already committed to tossing ten boxes currently in storage, if by this time next year I haven’t needed or wanted to look in any or all of them. LIVING ON THE EDGE, I know.
It is a copy of a very special Russian Orthodox icon. The foot print is that of Virgin Mary that she left when standing on a stone. http://days.pravoslavie.ru/Life/life1488.htm
haha! great pic! This will be a fun little series you are starting here
Interesting ..and a little creepy.
As for questions one would be too embarassed to ask said pediatrician: How much better is nursing on a drive thru diet than formula? I mean, I am asking for my friend, she wanted to know ;)
LOVE! I adore bizarre religious imagery. Can’t wait to see what else you dig up! :)
What a crack up!
As long as the foot isn’t stinky, I like it!
i agree w aili–it’s the “how beautiful upon the mountains” bit.
That icon is kind of pretty. I grew up Catholic (am not any longer, no offense to Catholics here). I was so used to a church full of those icons, and that’s just what they are…..icons and idols. They bug me, not sure why. But, that one is very pretty and I like the colors too. Not sure what the foot stands for, even having been raised Catholic, I don’t recall that one!
Hi Alexa!
I really enjoy your writing and your updates about Miss Simone. I don’t comment much because I’m at work and uh, not really supposed to be on blogs at work! Anyways, I can’t figure out how to e-mail you (I’m slow sometimes), so I thought I’d try to reach you here. I follow many of the blogs on your Links page also. Just today I note that Lawyerish now requires a password to access….I hope everything is ok! Do you know of a way for me to contact her or get a password? I hope she has exciting adoption news and that it is not because of some horrible troll. Thank you for any help you can give. Sorry to hijack the comments section! Sincerely, can’t tell
This fascinates me too! Mary looks like she is comforting the poor Baby Jesus, who set foot on what looks like nice cool grass – but it was a trick, and burnt his foot…
Maybe the footprint actually shows where he made his mark on the Holy Land?
I tagged you for a meme. It is quite a nice one involving a photo, if you feel like playing please do!
LOL I’m a fanatical “special-trinket-with-an-interesting-story” collector too. I’ve got a few boxes of them myself. In your quest to reduce clutter, don’t get rid of too many, they make up the fabric of your life, believe it or not. LOL Organize them neatly in boxes where they can be stored out of the way. In years to come, it’s fun to break them out just to look, remember, and put them back.
LOL- That’s The Holy Right Footprint of Compassion, don’t you know anything??!!? The matching icon card has The Evil Left Footprint of The AntiChrist on it. I think it’s a 1st century political thing.
I know, I know, you said you didn’t actually want the response, but I looked it up today after I was given this EXACT icon yesterday as a gift. We are Orthodox ourselves, and a Ukrainian lady in our parish gave us the icon. If you grew up Roman Catholic, then, you probably wouldn’t know the icon, since Orthodox and Catholics in the Ukraine are pretty aloof…
It’s just as Nicky said — The Mother of God is said to have appeared above the Pochaev monastery in Ukraine in order to protect it from an advancing army. She alighted on a mountain, and the place where her foot touched the mountain is discernible due to the footprint that was left there. Many Pochaev icons have the footprint without the eerie, orange glow, though…
And, by the way, the “man-child” look of Baby Jesus is intentional — since He’s eternal God made man in order to die (as a man), He’s depicted not as a chubby cherub of a babe, but as a “mini-Man,” as it were.
Beautiful icon, all in all…