One of the most striking features of a Byzantine-style church is the extensive use of iconography, with images often covering most, if not all, of the walls at the interior of the sanctuary. As we enter this sacred space, we see the scriptures come to life through the images, colors and events depicted. Icons speak to us in a theologically correct way and convey deep meaning about spiritual realities that are often beyond our understanding. And while the cumulative effect of so many images is quite powerful, each individual icon gives us the same experience. A good example can be seen in the icon of the Annunciation. Imagine being one of the first iconographers. With the Scriptures as their guide and inspired by the Holy Spirit, they had to figure out how to describe such a great mystery in a way that made its meaning accessible to all. As we read in the Gospel of Luke, this is the moment when the archangel Gabriel appears to the Virgin Mary to announce to her that with her consent, she would conceive a child without seed. And not just any child, but rather the uncreated and eternal God. The action takes place indoors, as indicated by the red fabric draped over the structures in the background. In the foreground, the archangel Gabriel appears before Mary: “Rejoice, most favored, the Lord is with you; You are blessed among women! » The archangel is represented with one wing raised and his feet apart as if he were running. The posture of his body gives a sense of movement and captures the urgency and great joy of his message. With his right arm he blesses while with his left he holds a staff which is the symbol of his authority as a messenger of God. “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found grace... middle of paper ...... flesh and the blue underneath symbolizing the divinity she carried within her. Through bright colors, we see the joyful message of the angel delivered to the virgin. We also learn about this great event through the hymns sung throughout the year. In them, Mary is known as the living ark, the burning bush as yet unconsumed, the golden jar of manna which contained in its womb the pre-eternal God, who by a word created the entire universe. It is proclaimed to be the one that contained the Uncontrollable One, thus proving that it was more spacious than the heavens. During the Orthros service on the Feast of the Annunciation, we hear singing of what is represented through the icon and, with our senses engaged by the sights, sounds and smell of the incense, our mind rises higher so that we too may be able to better understand such a great mystery.