An Icon For London

It is our suggestion that an Icon of the Saints of London should be dome-shaped. This would remind Londoners of the Dome of the Cathedral of London, St Paul’s. The Icon should show twelve saints, or groups of saints, in an arrangement of spiritual geography:

Firstly, at the head of the Icon there should be the image of the Head of the Church, Christ, portrayed in Majesty. Then, left and right, there should appear the traditional image of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. The Apostles Peter and Paul are associated from ancient times with London and there are even traditions that they preached there, St Peter at what is now Westminster to the west of London, and St Paul at what is now St Paul’s in the east. Beneath them, slightly above the centre of the Icon, should be portrayed the Protomartyr of Britain, St Alban (+ c305). This reminds us that the place of his martyrdom is to the north of London, but that also martyrdom is central to the Church.

Beneath him, to the right, should appear St Mellitus (+ 624), the first known sainted Bishop of London at his Cathedral of old St Paul’s in the east. To his left of him should stand St Sebbe (+ 694), the founder of the monastery in the west, Westminster. To the far left and far right of them should appear the brother and sister guardians of west and east London. These are the Bishop and Light of London, St Erconwald (+ 693), the founder of the monastery to the west of London at Chertsey, and to the right, St Ethelburgh (+ 675), the first Abbess of the Convent of Barking, to the east of London.

Beneath them from left to right, or west to east, should appear two of the Martyrs of Chertsey (+ 870), Sts Beocca and Hethor, to the right of them St Wulsin (+ 1002), the renewer of that Monastery of St Peter, then to his right St Dunstan (+ 988), who was Bishop of London at the Cathedral of St Paul’s, and on the far right St Alphege, Archbishop of Canterbury, who was martyred to the east of London at Greenwich (+ 1012).

Finally, beneath these, in the centre should stand St John the Wonderworker (+1966), who is the latest holy Bishop in London. Thus: