Icons are an important testament to Christian faith. At the same time, however, they are also extraordinary works of art that have been, and will continue to be, venerated for centuries. Icons play a particularly prominent role in the Eastern Orthodox Church. Cult images and depictions of saints are typically painted on wood and sanctified by the church; they have tremendous significance for Eastern Orthodox theology and spirituality. The word icon is derived from the Greek eikon, which means image. The oldest Christian icons originate from the 1st century AD.