Christ Pantocrator (The Lord of All)

This is a classic icon in the Eastern Orthodox Church and is nearly synonymous with her. When all the faithful gather to worship Christ, it is typical for this icon to be featured in the dome of the Church above them. Jesus is revealed in this icon as the mother hen that gathers her children beneath her wings (Matthew 23:37). Jesus is not ashamed to call those in the assembly His brothers and sisters, as they are the children God have to Him (Heb. 2:14-17). 

However, the Orthodox Church understands that Christ is the Lord and Ruler of all. That is, Jesus is the ruler of every person regardless of whether they gather in the assembly of the faithful at the Divine Liturgy. This icon reveals that Christ is the King of the universe and rules everything. The Greek lettering in the halo means, "He Who Is". The Greek lettering on the right and left sides are the initials for "Jesus Christ". 

The story concerning how Jesus received such a throne is written in the gospel narratives according to St Matthew, St Mark, St Luke, and St John. These books are bound as a single volume that is read liturgically in the Orthodox Church, and it is this book which is held in Christ's left hand in the icon. This symbolically communicates to us that the Kingdom of God is ruled according to the life and the works and the teachings of Jesus Christ which are contained therein. 

The curious creatures on the four corners are also related to their respective gospel writers and are in fact one creature: The Tetramorph. The Tetramorph is an image that was revealed in the Prophet Ezekiel's vision of the four living creatures. The four heads were united in one body, and the Church has long understood this to be an image of the Gospel of Jesus Christ revealed in the four writings.