Museum of the Bible Opens “Revealing the Unseen” Icon Exhibition

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Museum of the Bible has opened “Revealing the Unseen: Byzantine Icons from Thessaloniki and Patmos,” an exhibition featuring 24 historic icons from two Greek Orthodox monasteries. The collection, which is being displayed in the United States for the first time, will remain at the museum through February 28, 2027.

With the blessing of Patr. Bartholomew, the Monastery of Vlatadon in Thessaloniki and the Monastery of St. John the Theologian on Patmos have loaned the icons for the exhibition. Both monasteries are under the Ecumenical Patriarchate and are recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites for their important collections of Byzantine icons and manuscripts.

Created between 1200 and 1600, the icons demonstrate the craftsmanship of workshops in Thessaloniki, Constantinople, and Patmos. They depict biblical scenes and figures, as well as venerated saints, and illustrate the central role of icons in the worship and spiritual life of the Orthodox Church. The exhibition emphasizes that icons are not simply religious artwork or decoration, but sacred objects with an important place in Orthodox Christian belief and practice.

The exhibition is organized around four questions: What is an icon? What do icons portray? Who made these icons? And where do they come from? Visitors are introduced to the theology and use of icons, the biblical subjects they depict, the spiritual tradition of iconography, and the historical significance of Thessaloniki and Patmos. The former is associated with the Apostle Paul’s preaching, while the latter is where the Apostle John received the visions recorded in Revelation.

The exhibition will remain open to the public through February 28, 2027.

Previously, the UOJ reported that Holy Apostles Church would host a “Wrestling with Angels” icon exhibition.