The story begins in Jerusalem in 1986. Pastor Mary Jensen, then completing her seminary work at Wartburg Seminary, was on an internship in the city. One day, as Mary walked to a Lutheran church, something unexpected happened – a moment that would profoundly shape her spiritual life.
She passed a small shop and noticed art in the window that stirred something within her. Curious, she stepped inside and spoke with the shop owners, discovering the store focused on icons – sacred religious pieces with deep spiritual meaning. That chance encounter sparked Mary’s lifelong passion for icons, a moment her brother, John Halvorson, fondly remembers. “It was a random stumble,” he said, “but it became a major part of her faith for the rest of her life.”
Mary’s passion for icons went beyond admiration. They became central to her spiritual and ministerial work, culminating in a 200-page doctoral dissertation. She shared her love and knowledge of icons through classes at First Lutheran and other ELCA churches.
Icons as Windows to Heaven
To truly understand the depth of Pastor Mary’s passion, it’s essential to grasp what icons mean in the context of faith. Henri Nouwen once wrote, “Icons are created for the sole purpose of offering access, through the gate of the visible, to the mystery of the invisible.” The Eastern Orthodox Church sees icons not merely as art but as “windows to heaven” – portals that connect the often broken realities of this world to the grace and beauty of the next.
Icons invite reflection, prayer and contemplation. They transcend form, offering a quiet place where the sacred can meet the seeker. The original creator of many cherished icons was Andrei Rublev, a Russian iconographer whose life spanned from 1365 to 1430. Rublev’s work defied the rigidity of Byzantine Christian art, bringing forth a softer, introspective and celestial beauty. His icons radiated calm and compassion – painted during a time of societal unrest but rooted in a profound faith in God’s peace.
The Virgin of Vladimir — Pastor Mary’s Gift to First Lutheran
Before her passing on August 14, 2024, Pastor Mary carefully chose a parting gift for First Lutheran, a gift that reflects her faith and the depth of her connection to the church. The icon, a reproduction of Rublev’s The Virgin of Vladimir – also known as Theotokos of Tenderness – was presented to First Lutheran during a Saturday night worship service in December by Mary’s brother, John Halvorson, and her son, Dan.
The Virgin of Vladimir is one of Rublev’s cherished works, created around 1400. Its composition reveals a tender interaction between Mary and the Christ Child. The Virgin’s head tilts gently, her gaze extending out and away over the child’s head, evoking an emotional depth that reshaped iconography through its connection between parent and child. Unlike traditional Byzantine icons, Rublev’s approach captured moments of deep, divine tenderness – a trait later adopted by the Moscow School of Iconography.
How the Icon Found Its Way to First Lutheran
Mary’s gift was crafted with care and devotion specifically for First Lutheran by the iconographers at Saint Paul the Apostle Orthodox Monastery in rural southwestern Wisconsin. Iconographers see their work as prayer in action, spending weeks in reflection while creating their pieces. It took around four weeks to complete this reproduction, ensuring that every brushstroke held the spiritual weight the piece deserved.
Once the icon was finished, John and his daughter, Mary’s niece, drove to the monastery from Illinois to receive it, before delivering it to First Lutheran. The icon will now be hung in the Chapel, the very space where Pastor Mary worshipped many Saturday evenings. It will serve as a lasting reminder of her faith, her love for her congregation and her desire to share her passion for icons as a vehicle for spiritual contemplation. Spend a moment in stillness in the Chapel and reflect before the icon she carefully chose for us. May her memory live on through this window to heaven.
For more stories like Mary’s and those of other First Lutheran members, read the most recent publication of First Stories!
