What are the forms of the glorious halo in Coptic icons?

The Church identifies its saints and angels with a halo of light around their heads in their icons, referring to their nature as being the “light of the world.” Icons of Christ are often further distinguished by a cross inside the halo together with the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, alpha and omega (Rev. 1:8), included as a sign of the Lord’s Divinity. The following are some points which characterize Coptic halos:

1228 St. John of Damascus, “Apologia Against Those Who Decry Holy Images,” in St. John Damascene: On Holy Images , trans., Mary H. Allie ( London: Thomas Baker, 1898) Part I: pp. 21–24.

• a. Halos are never used around the head of any living person, contrary to Western Church customs.

• b. No other shapes than the circular halo are known in Coptic icons; i.e., no triangular, quatrefoil, or plates above the head are used.

• c. There are icons found in the Monastery of Bawit in Southern Egypt, dating back to the sixth century, that show a halo surrounding the entire body of Christ on the throne or during His ascension as a sign of His Divinity.

• d. In the Coptic Church, the halo does not only refer to power, but it is also a sign of divinity, holiness, and beauty. Consequently, you never see it displayed around the head of Satan, as in some Greek, Saxon, and French pictures.