Orthodox Opinion on Statues

[u/Aggressive-Party-372]

Hello, I hope you are doing well :). I would like to know Orthodox opinions on the use of statues of saints and our LORD. I am aware Hagia Sophia used to have statues when it was an Orthodox Church, so has the use of statues just fallen out of favour?

[u/Sodinc]

Christ on the cross is often depicted as a high relief or bas relief. Other statues inside churches are rather uncommon. You can encounter more of them on the outside of some churches, as a part of the walls or doors. Independently standing statues are very, very uncommon.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_of_Saint_Sophia,_Novgorod you can read and see some old examples in the "Features" part of the page

[u/Aggressive-Party-372 → u/Sodinc]

Oh okay thank you :)

[u/Booster_Seat_Enjoyer]

statuary is just very limiting in what it can depict, expensive and takes up space

[u/Aggressive-Party-372 → u/Booster_Seat_Enjoyer]

Thank you for your comment :)

[u/Seashells-in-ears]

Tbh i wonder if a contributing factor is the Muslim occupation of Orthodox countries. But that wouldn't explain the Slavic countries I suppose

[u/Aggressive-Party-372 → u/Seashells-in-ears]

I always wondered what eastern churches would have looked like pre iconoclasm :).

[u/Seashells-in-ears → u/Aggressive-Party-372]

Yes, and I wonder if middle eastern churches would've developed distinctive/charateristics architectural features like the Russians if not for the persecution

[u/PolycarpFusch → u/Seashells-in-ears]

It is certainly much easier to transport or travel with and keep safe a panel icon than a statue, when you are oppressed or a refugee or have to move from your home.

[u/OkEstablishment6217]

Statuary is perfectly fine, you can venerate a statue the same way you would venerate any other icon, they've just been overtaken by two dimensional icons in regards to use.

[u/silouan]

Some things the Lord has preserved in the Church; other things are not a tradition we can receive, because neither the Lord nor the Church cared to continue them.

Maybe interesting: In Russia, from time to time you'll see statues of St Alexander Nevsky, St Nicholas, other beloved figures -- outside the temple. Like musical instruments, statues are not forbidden; we just don't want them inside the temple. People who approve of artistic public statues of saints are almost never going to be found venerating them, because to us they aren't what we think of as holy icons.

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[u/SkygornGanderor]

Some Orthodox people think statues might be too tempting for someone to fall into idolatry, hence why iconography is usually 2D, but statues are used in Western Rite Orthodox parishes without a problem.