Christian Orthodox Icons -- How reknowned are they in Japan?

[marjan37]

Hi my friends wherever you may be!

My name is Marjan and I come from a country in former Yugoslavia. Various nations lived together in that country, until they felt it was the proper time for everyone to go their own separate ways as new countries; some Republics within Yugoslavia were not democratic at all, motivating the democratic ones to secede.
We as nations of that fallen apart country have a lot in common, yet there are most huge differences.
One of the things we had in common was our being Christian or Muslim. The Muslims are Sunni, and the Christians are either Roman Catholic or Orthodox.
The main/official seat of the Orthodox Church is situated in Constantinople. But, there are as many other Orthodox Churches as there are Orthodox countries, not only in Balkans, but throughout the world as well.
Each country has its own 'minor' Orthodox Church seat in its capital city.
Myself being an Orthodox Christian, I can say it is a very deep and fulfilling religion. It concentrates of course on the Holy Trinity, Christ and the Redemption. Its main 'offers' or virtues are Faith, Hope and Love; Love being 'the greatest', 'leading the way'.
So much about the main characteristics of this religion.

---Please be aware that I do not intend to make you interested in Christianity (i.e. 'to spread the Word'), because I mostly appreciate the Japanese Buddhism and the Animism which are the centers of the Japanese faithful Heart's blossoming! ---

So, let's go on with the presentation of the Orthodox religion...
What I would like to stress about the Christianity, i.e. about the Orthodox one in particular, is its deepest connection with 'the icons' or the Holy Pictures of the early Christianity, of its saints, etc. which are placed within a church building or in the homes of the worshippers. Those pictures (most of them drawn in the 13th and 14th centuries) inspire, bring back the light of the Love, one finds oneself trapped in the velvet Mercy of God (that's how would I describe the effect that they cause.
I have given a lot of time in studying, meditating about those pictures; and have decided to begin drawing them myself...
I hope that I am successful, some say I am a talented drawer...so I have decided to make those pictures the center of my creative life: yes, I have started to draw icons.
I am far away of being compared to the icons' masters od the 13th and 14th centuries, but I give my best upon my best upon my best.
I have made a living from it. Is it not great for a someone to make a living by doing what they love the most?
So, I invite all of the Japanese people to contact me and see if possibly they would hold dear such a picture of mine; I give my greatest respect to you, the Japanese people, as I know your passion about loving to know as much as possible about the unnown countries and customs. I am like that too; my interests also include passion for geography and ethnology.

So, if someone has a question on what I have 'put on paper' there above, please do ask, or comment, or whatever...

Marjan