Icon of Adam and Eve in Paradise (Romanian) – F107

Description

This icon is painted on the reverse side of a piece of glass in a folk-style art of iconography native to Roumania.  It was painted in the mid-20th century by Archimandrite Timotei Tonaneaunu.  Often this type of iconography has bright colors seen here in pronounced reds, greens, blues, and yellows.  Adam and Eve are shown in Paradise at the time of their temptation to disobey God’s single commandment to them not to eat of or touch the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

The Adversary of the human race, Satan, appears in the form of a serpent and tempts Eve with a great lie, calling God a liar when the Devil said, “Ye shall not surely die” and that “your eyes will be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil” (Gen. 3:4-5).  Eve was deceived by her desires which distorted her senses and reason, and so this pattern continues until today.  Evil always tempts us to desire something which comes from or results in pride or disobedience to God’s Commandments.  Our senses and reason are distorted to somehow see this as a temporary or short-sighted good.  May God preserve us from falling again today.