St John Climacus (also called St. John of the Ladder) is commemorated on the fourth Sunday of Great Lent

 

Below is the icon explained:

The Icon of the Ladder developed in the wilderness regions of Egypt, from the monasteries that would have, and still do, have readings from the work all through Lent.

The ladder in the icon usually has 30 rungs, the number of Chapters in St John Climacus’ work (in later Russian icons the rungs of the ladder may be named accordingly). Upon the ladder are people at various stages of ascent. The icon show men of differing ages, and usually includes at least one man vested as a bishop. Moreover, none of the figures are depicted with halos, even those shown reaching the top, which suggests that no specific person is being depicted, but instead a general type of person. The implicit suggestion is that all Christians who struggle toward and desire Salvation are represented on the Ladder of Divine Ascent.

The Ladder is shown cutting through the Icon, ascending from the bottom left, to the top right, and separating the Heavenly from the worldly. Around about the Ladder are numerous pitch-black demons which are besetting those on the ladders with arrows, spears, and chains. These are physical manifestations of the sinful thoughts and temptations which beset us as we walk the narrow path, or the narrow ascent, toward Salvation. Some of those beset with passions are shown falling, and those that do are swallowed up by Hades, represented as a dark head; it is also sometimes shown as a monster’s head.

To the left, in the upper portion, ministering angels are shown interceding for those on the Ladder, and ready to receive them (covering their hands) when they reach Heaven. In some icons they are shown swooping in to crown those who reach the summit. In the top-right is Jesus Christ Himself, open-armed, to receive all; those on the Ladder, at every stage, have their eyes fixed upon Christ. The only ones who don’t, are those who are already falling, though it is interesting to note that all – whether ascending or falling – hold their hands in the same pious, prayerful manner.

In later icons, Hades is shown in the bottom right, but in the older, Sinai Icon it is not clear that Hades is being shown in all its lurid detail. It is likely that those in the bottom-right are merely observing the scene, and inviting us to do the same. In some Icons the Church is explicitly shown at the bottom of the Ladder, usually with St John Climacus (shown with a halo) gesturing the way to those who have yet to begin their climb. (Iconreader)