C.A. Tsakiridou’s scientific contributions

... In that respect, they oppose the aniconicity of Islam (the religion of the country's Ottoman occupiers before its emancipation) and the secular, naturalistic art of western Christianity (favored by Greece's post-Independence Bavarian rulers). 17 As the protagonists of litanies in which state officials play a prominent role, icons function to sacralize secular space and assert the authority of the Orthodox Church in social, political, and military life. The Archangel Michael, for example, is the patron saint of the Greek Airforce. ...

Reference:

The Orthodox Icon and Postmodern Art: Critical Reflections on the Christian Image and its Theology