Draft:Silesian School of Iconography

Silesian School of Iconography (pl. Śląska Szkoła Ikonograficzna, fr. École Iconographique de Silésie, chin. 西里西亞聖像畫學 Xilǐxiyà shèngxiànghuà xué, abbreviation: SSI) is a Public Association of the Christian Faithful in the Roman Catholic Church in Poland, erected by the Bishop of Gliwice. It includes people who write (paint) icons, theologians of icons, and creators of sacred art, both clergy and laity. The Silesian School of Iconography consists of 18 faculties operating within the dioceses of Gliwice, Opole, and Katowice. The school conducts regular classes, holiday workshops, and spiritual and artistic formation. It works closely with the Faculty of Theology at the University of Opole and with similar institutions dedicated to iconography and sacred art in Poland. The structure of the Silesian School of Iconography, as described in its Statute and Constitutions, is based on medieval university models and monastic communities. The primary mission of the Silesian School of Iconography is the multifaceted care of iconographers.

History
The Silesian School of Iconography was founded in 2000 in response to the great interest in icons in Europe, the revival of reflection on sacred art, and the need for the Church to support iconographers. The founders of the School are Fr. Dariusz Klejnowski-Różycki (a student of Fr. Dr. Egon Sendler SJ, theologian, iconographer, pianist, sinologist) and his mother Janina Różycka-Klejnowska (iconographer, journalist). The beginning of the Silesian School of Iconography is connected with Zabrze, from where it extended its influence to other towns in the Katowice metropolis.

The SSI has operated under three different statutes throughout its history, which have radically changed its structure (2001 – Wellington Statute; 2017 – Hong Kong Statute; 2020 – Avarua Statute), expanding its activities. It has educated approximately 3,000 students at various levels.

Activity
The primary activity of the Silesian School of Iconography is conducting icon painting workshops, lectures, retreats, and catechesis, as well as providing broad mystagogical formation for its members. Therefore, the Silesian School of Iconography is not an evangelization movement, as it welcomes individuals who are already evangelized and wish to deepen their relationship with Christ through mystagogy, prayer, and liturgical art.The workshops are primarily addressed to icon enthusiasts, Catholics, and Poles, but also to individuals of other nationalities, including Chinese, French, and Americans. To achieve its objectives, the SSI has its own publishing house, organizes exhibitions, and collaborates with other centers. The deans of all faculties form the Senate and regularly meet to develop the School's strategy and engage in mutual formation.

Publishing House
The Silesian School of Iconography has its own publishing house, where it publishes books dedicated to the theology of icons, the spirituality of iconographers, the theology of art, and other topics related to the formation of church art iconographers. The publishing house of the Silesian School of Iconography also collaborates with other publishers, often releasing joint works. The most renowned work published by the Silesian School of Iconography within iconographic circles is the "Iconographic Ritual," which compiles prayers from various Christian traditions during the creation of icons. It also includes a collection of liturgical prayers for the consecration and blessing of icons by a priest.

Scientific Council
The proper functioning of the Silesian School of Iconography is overseen by the Scientific Council, which includes authorities from the academic and iconographic worlds, comprising professors, priests, bishops, and laypeople. The composition of the SSI Scientific Council is as follows:


 * 1) Fr. Prof. Dr. Hab. Janusz Maria Czerski (University of Opole)
 * 2) Prof. Dr. Hab. Karol Klauza (John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin)
 * 3) Fr. Prof. UO Dr. Hab. Dariusz Klejnowski-Różycki (University of Opole)
 * 4) Fr. Prof. Dr. Hab. Jan Kochel (University of Opole)
 * 5) Mgr. Prof. Dr. Hab. Jan Kopiec (University of Opole, Senior Bishop of the Diocese of Gliwice)
 * 6) Fr. Dr. Trojan Marchwiak (Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań)
 * 7) Fr. Prof. Dr. Hab. Andrzej Perzyński (Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw)
 * 8) Janina Różycka-Klejnowska (Silesian School of Iconography)
 * 9) Fr. Dr. Artur Sepioło (Diocesan Coordinator of Catholic Movements, Communities, and Associations of the Diocese of Gliwice)
 * 10) Fr. Prof. Dr. Hab. Jerzy Szymik (University of Silesia)
 * 11) Fr. Dr. Robert Urbańczyk (Seminary of Opole)
 * 12) Fr. Prof. Dr. Hab. Kazimierz Marek Wolsza (University of Opole)

Faculties
Structurally, the Silesian School of Iconography reproduces the medieval university model and consists of several faculties, each headed by a dean. Individual faculties have their own names and enjoy considerable autonomy, both structurally and financially, making the structure of SSI resemble a federation. The entire school is headed by a rector, who is elected for a five-year term, with the possibility of re-election. Faculties that cease to function form a group of "Historical Faculties" with the possibility of reactivation under certain conditions.

As of 2024, the Silesian School of Iconography consisted of the following faculties (the names of the deans or coordinators of the respective faculties are given in parentheses):


 * 1) Rectorate of the Silesian School of Iconography (Dariusz Klejnowski-Różycki)
 * 2) Historical Faculty of Iconography "Holy Trinity" in Zabrze (Janina Różycka-Klejnowska)
 * 3) Historical Faculty of Iconography and Graphics "Who is like God?" in Bytom (Monika Jerominek)
 * 4) Faculty of Iconography "Symbol" in Gliwice (Jolanta Świątkiewicz)
 * 5) Faculty of Iconography "Light and Salvation" in Gliwice (Zofia Metz)
 * 6) Faculty of Mosaic "Life-Giving Tree of the Holy Cross" in Gliwice (Piotr Sękowski)
 * 7) Faculty of Iconography "Spe salvi" in Pszów (Bogna Adamczyk)
 * 8) Faculty of Iconography "Mandylion" in Tarnowskie Góry Strzybnica (Ewa Stępień)
 * 9) Faculty of Iconography "St. Brother Albert" in Wodzisław Śląski (Adam Kałuża)
 * 10) Faculty of Iconography "Anastasis" in Zabrze (Roman Prowda)
 * 11) Faculty of Iconography "Pantokrator" in Zabrze (Paweł Pilawski)
 * 12) Faculty of Iconography "All Saints" in Gliwice (Piotr Poborski)
 * 13) Faculty of Iconography "Kecharitomene" in Tychy (Natalia Binda-Kiszczak)
 * 14) Faculty of Iconography and Drawing "St. Ephrem the Syrian" in Kluczbork (Sebastian Szjada)
 * 15) Faculty of Iconography "Theotokos" in Prudnik-Kluczbork (Stanisław Zioła)
 * 16) Faculty of Iconography "Ochra" in Woźniki (Lucyna Dyrdzik)
 * 17) Faculty of Iconography "Metamorphosis" in Gliwice (Krystian Kitowski)
 * 18) Faculty of Iconography in Bytom Sucha Góra "Ora et Labora" (Paweł Korlaga)
 * 19) Historical Faculty of Iconography in Racibórz (Marcin Kleszyk)
 * 20) Faculty of Iconography "Creatio continua" in Głuchołazy (Grzegorz Ptak)
 * 21) Faculty of Iconography of St. Teresa of Lisieux in Katowice (Adrian Kiszczak)

Collaboration
The Silesian School of Iconography closely collaborates with other similar iconographic centers in Poland, especially with the St. Joseph School of Icon Painting in Wadowice, the Creative Actions Studio – Way of Icons in Warsaw and Poznań, the Academy of Icon in Warsaw, as well as with the Department of Fundamental, Dogmatic, and Ecumenical Theology of the Faculty of Theology at the University of Opole. These institutions jointly created the Conference of Polish Iconographers and Icon Theologians in 2022, aimed at integrating the Polish iconographers' community.

Exhibitions
The Silesian School of Iconography organizes icon exhibitions, not only in museums but also in libraries, churches, and public spaces, focusing more on creating icons for liturgical spaces rather than museums. Many icons are in private collections, but also in public places, in churches, as well as the School creates peregrination icons.

Media
The Silesian School of Iconography is present in the media not only through its website but also through discussion groups that gather thousands of members. In 2022, the Silesian School of Iconography, together with the St. Joseph School of Icon Painting in Wadowice, formed a discussion group on Facebook as part of the Conference of Polish Iconographers and Icon Theologians, where thousands of Polish and foreign iconographers meet. Additionally, SSI has its own YouTube channel, Patronite, and other platforms (see external links). Furthermore, the publications of SSI members are consistently present in Polish-language media.

Controversies
The controversies involving members of the Silesian School of Iconography pertain to several topics present in media discussions:

Firstly, to what extent is the icon an Orthodox phenomenon, and to what extent does it belong to all Christians? This implies that every Christian denomination can shape the orthodox aesthetics, theology, and technique of the liturgical image in its own way, and the concept of the icon restricted to Orthodoxy is not valid.

Secondly, to what extent can the icon be contemporary, subject to changes according to the sensibilities and aesthetics of our times, and to what extent must it be merely a reproduction of ancient patterns?

Thirdly, to what extent should the Polish icon grant a special place to Orthodox believers, who constitute 0.9% of the faithful in Poland?

Fourthly, does the concept of canon apply only to Rus'-Byzantine patterns?

The Silesian School of Iconography publishes research related to the theology of icons, its technology, Byzantine aesthetics and develops templates ('podlinniki') of icons of contemporary saints. In collaboration with the Faculty of Theology of the University of Opole the Silesian School of Iconography published a “Ritual of Icon Painting” („Rytuał ikonopisarski”), a collection of theologian’s prayers to be said creating icons. The school has established a Scientific Council to oversee the publications and insure correctness of their contents. It consists of the following members (2012):
 * 1) Fr. Prof. Dr Hab. Janusz Maria Czerski (University of Opole)
 * 2) Prof. Dr Hab. Karol Klauza (John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin)
 * 3) Fr. Prof. UO Dr Hab. Dariusz Klejnowski-Różycki (University of Opole)
 * 4) Fr. Prof. Dr Hab. Jan Kochel (University of Opole)
 * 5) Mgr. Prof. Dr Hab. Jan Kopiec (University of Opole)
 * 6) Fr. Dr Trojan Marchwiak (Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań)
 * 7) Fr. Porf. Dr Hab. Andrzej Perzyński (Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw)
 * 8) Prof. SSI Janina Różycka-Klejnowska (Silesian School of Iconography)
 * 9) Fr. Dr. Artur Sepioło
 * 10) Fr. Prof. Dr Hab. Jerzy Szymik (University of Silesia)
 * 11) Fr. Prof. SSI Dr Robert Urbańczyk (Seminary of Opole)
 * 12) Fr. Prof. Dr Hab. Kazimierz Marek Wolsza (University of Opole)

The school educates iconographers and creates a community of iconographers and theologians particullary creators of religious art from Silesia, but not only from there. It has a forum for discussion via the internet for iconographers interested in discussing topics related to the spirituality of iconography, iconographic technique and current affairs.Experts in the field of Iconography take their expertise to museums, studying their collection of icons, date them and describe the technical and theological aspects of the icons. SSI also organises numerous exhibitions and lectures devoted to the icon. The school educates the introducing them to using traditional, natural panel painting techniques such as was used in the Middle Ages, using natural pigments, painting with wine, yolks of eggs, gold, etc. At each stage in creating the icon students recite the appropriate prayers. The school puts great emphasis on the formation of theological and spiritual iconographers, not allowing people to create icons not associated with the Church. A characteristic feature of the School is creating icons together in a community: the icons are created by a few iconographers, not by one. It is an essential element of the formation, so that the faith be expressed through the community of the Church, not only by the expression of personal taste.

The Silesian School of Iconography publishes research related to the theology of icons, its technology, Byzantine aesthetics and develops templates ('podlinniki') of icons of contemporary saints. In collaboration with the Faculty of Theology of the University of Opole the Silesian School of Iconography published a “Ritual of Icon Painting” („Rytuał ikonopisarski”), a collection of theologian’s prayers to be said creating icons. The school has established a Scientific Council to oversee the publications and insure correctness of their contents. It consists of the following members (2012):
 * 1) Fr. Prof. Dr Hab. Janusz Maria Czerski (University of Opole)
 * 2) Prof. Dr Hab. Karol Klauza (John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin)
 * 3) Fr. Prof. UO Dr Hab. Dariusz Klejnowski-Różycki (University of Opole)
 * 4) Fr. Prof. Dr Hab. Jan Kochel (University of Opole)
 * 5) Mgr. Prof. Dr Hab. Jan Kopiec (University of Opole)
 * 6) Fr. Dr Trojan Marchwiak (Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań)
 * 7) Fr. Porf. Dr Hab. Andrzej Perzyński (Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw)
 * 8) Prof. SSI Janina Różycka-Klejnowska (Silesian School of Iconography)
 * 9) Fr. Dr. Artur Sepioło
 * 10) Fr. Prof. Dr Hab. Jerzy Szymik (University of Silesia)
 * 11) Fr. Prof. SSI Dr Robert Urbańczyk (Seminary of Opole)
 * 12) Fr. Prof. Dr Hab. Kazimierz Marek Wolsza (University of Opole)

The school educates iconographers and creates a community of iconographers and theologians particullary creators of religious art from Silesia, but not only from there. It has a forum for discussion via the internet for iconographers interested in discussing topics related to the spirituality of iconography, iconographic technique and current affairs.Experts in the field of Iconography take their expertise to museums, studying their collection of icons, date them and describe the technical and theological aspects of the icons. SSI also organises numerous exhibitions and lectures devoted to the icon. The school educates the introducing them to using traditional, natural panel painting techniques such as was used in the Middle Ages, using natural pigments, painting with wine, yolks of eggs, gold, etc. At each stage in creating the icon students recite the appropriate prayers. The school puts great emphasis on the formation of theological and spiritual iconographers, not allowing people to create icons not associated with the Church. A characteristic feature of the School is creating icons together in a community: the icons are created by a few iconographers, not by one. It is an essential element of the formation, so that the faith be expressed through the community of the Church, not only by the expression of personal taste.