What did the ancients mean when they spoke of “ensouled” works of art? This opening lecture traces the language, functions, and purposes of sacred art in Greek tradition from antiquity through Byzantium. We explore its roles as protection, offering, petition, and act of communion, from telestikē and votive támata to the acheiropoietos icons that defined Orthodox visual culture. Drawing on ancient sources and rare case studies—from Fayyum portraits to steatite amulets—you’ll see how materials, ritual intent, and theology fused to create art that was not passive decoration, but a living participant in divine exchange.