From Baskinta to Hammana, Marcelle Karam watches over the soul of icons

The iconographer revives the gold and colors of ancient works, blending meticulous gestures, collective memory, and spiritual devotion.

With a careful and focused gaze, Marcelle Karam gently places the brush she uses to restore an icon. "I am responsible for several icons at the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint George in Baskinta. This one represents Saint John the Baptist, called Saint John the Forerunner in the Orthodox tradition, as you can read in Arabic at the top," she says, pointing to the alterations in the golden section, the localized abrasions, and the irregularities in the surface layer. "These icons were in poor condition, eaten away by insects and damaged by moisture. It's a great joy to see the details and colors of an original icon reappear, and to restore the gold leaf," she continues enthusiastically. Most recently, it was the icon of the Pantocrator that moved her the most. "This is Christ Almighty, or Christ the Teacher, one...

Start your mornings with The Morning Brief, our flagship newsletter that brings you the latest from Lebanon and the region.

Enjoy 7 days of free access when you create your account.

Email Address
Password

I would like to receive special offers from L'Orient Today as well as selections of the best articles.

Register

By creating an account, you agree to the terms and conditions of use and our privacy policy.

Register

Or register with:

Facebook Google

Already have an account? Login here

Log in to your account to see the results of the polls
E-mail Password
Log in I forgot my password

Log in with Facebook Log in with Google