Icons and religious paintings

It is sad seeing people who confuse an icon with a religious painting only for the scene painted in. This phenomen of substituting the icon with a painting or with a simple image grew in the last period, under the effect of image civilisation. Firstly, an icon is sanctified by the priest and it has the effects of the Holy Saint: the grace. It is the image of the saint whom we pray to help us and to implore Jesus Christ to save us. Another reason supporting my opinion is that the icon is something alive, which calls us to communion with the God. The saint painted on the wood is really present and watch us, listen to our prays. A religious painting seems to be an icon only because it shows the same image of the saints or of the saint scene; but it isn`t sanctified. Both have only pedagogical value. In conclusion, an icon is totally different from a religious painting for its meanings and for its aims regarding our saving.