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Konevitsa
According to tradition, in the 14th century, St. Arsenius brought the original icon of the Konevitsa Mother of God to the site of where the Monastery of the Nativity of the Mother of God in Konevitsa was to be built. It was later removed to the New Valaam Monastery in order to keep it from being captured or destroyed by the Soviets in the 1940s. Miracles are said to have been worked through this image, and it is considered one of the greatest Treasures of the Orthodox Church in Finland. -- 16" x 20"
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Korsun
The original of this icon, celebrated on 9 October, takes its name from the Russian rendering of Cherson, the ancient Greek city on the Black Sea. Reputed to work miracles, in 988 the icon was removed from Cherson and "translated" to Kiev. Later it resided in Novgorod and in Moscow's Dormition Cathedral. -- 8" x 10"
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Kasperov
This icon is a variant of the Korsun Mother of God. The original was owned by a woman named Kasperova. During a long night of praying before the old, darkened icon, she looked up to see that the icon had renewed itself. -- 7.5" x 9"
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Vladimir
The original of this icon, celebrated on 21 May, takes its name from the central Russian city of Vladimir. Tradition holds that the original was painted by the Evangelist Luke and approved by the Virgin Mary, then made its way from Jerusalem to Constantinople in the fifth century, thence to Kiev in the twelfth. In 1155, as Prince Andrei Iur'evich carried the icon into battle, miracles were reported to surround it. In 1160 it was moved to Vladimir, and that name became permanently associated with it -- even though after 1395 its permanent home was Moscow's Dormition Cathedral, where miracles of deliverence from enemies continued to be associated with it. -- 10" x 12"
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Yaroslavl'
The original of this icon, celebrated on 8 June,
was brought to Yaroslavl', a city 160 miles
northeast of Moscow, in the thirteenth century
by princes Basil and Constantine. -- 7.5" x 11.75"
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Vatopedi
The original of this icon, celebrated on 21 January,
takes its name from the ancient Vatopedi Monastery
on Mt. Athos. On the Holy Mountain it is also known
as The Comforter. "Vatopedi" means "Boy's Bush";
the young Byzantine Crown Prince Arkadios fell off a
ship in the Aegean Sea, and miraculously was found
safe ashore, under a bush near the church in which
the icon was housed. His father, Emperor Theodosius
the Great, in gratitude richly endowed the monastery.
On the icon, the Theotokos glances to her left;
tradition says that in 807 she looked leftward to the
Abbot to warn him of an impending robbery, enabling
him to prevent it. -- 8" x 10"
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Protection of the Mother of God
"A strong defense for the downtrodden art Thou, Immaculate Mother of God, a sure help, the redemption and foundation of the world, origin of grace and source of divine wisdom, the protection of the whole world. We faithfully sing Thy praises and have thankful hearts for Thy radiant protective cloak: Filled with joy, rejoice, the Lord is with Thee, the Lord, who through Thee hast bestowed plentiful grace on the whole world." -- Hymn for the Feast of Pokrov The feast of the Protection of the Mother of God (Pokrov), celebrated October 1st, commemorates a vision of Andrew the fool for Christ, in which the Mother of Godstepped through the Royal Doors of the Blachernae Church in Constantinople and began praying. After a long time spent in prayer, She held her mantle and sash over the people in the church, granting them her protection. This icon if very common among the Slavs.
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Dormition of the Mother of God
O Birthgiver of God, in giving birth you retained virginity, and in your falling-asleep you did not forsake the world. You are the Mother of Life and have passed into life, and by your prayers have delivered our souls from death. -- Troparion for the Dormition This is a shroud used for veneration on the feast of the Dormition, or the Falling asleep of the Mother of God.
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Akathist
"Open my mouth and it shall be filled with the Spirit; and I shall declare a saying overflowing towards the Mother Queen. I shall shine forth, celebrating the season with rejoicing, and shall sing her wonders with gladness." -- First Ode of the Canon of the Akathist
The Akathist is a set of hymns praising the Theotokos. The Akathist is celebrated on Fridays during Great Lent.
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Platytera
The Theotokos "More Spacious then the Heavens" is of the type, Our Lady of the Sign. The Theotokos is the "sign" foretold in Isaiah 7:14: "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; behold, a virgin shall conceive in the womb, and shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Emmanuel." The Mother of God is shown in the Orans position, that is a position of prayer or supplication. The Platytera is placed in the apse of Orthodox churches as an intermediary, supplicating God on our behalf. -- 6' in diameter
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Hodegetria
The prototype of this icon, known as "the One Who Shows the Way" is attributed to Saint Luke according to Byzantine Tradition. It is one of the most common types of the Mother of God, being frequently copied especially in the period following the end of iconoclasm. Many other types of the Mother of God are based on this type. The frontal and rigid stance of the figures in the icon shows the protective character of Christ and the Theotokos. -- 16" x 20" based on a prototype by Michael Damaskinos in Corfu. |
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Theotokos Enthroned
This icon was made to match a Christ enthroned, and depicts the Theotokos seated on a throne of cherubim, with the prophets Solomon, David, Isaiah, and Daniel encircling her. Each of the prophets holds a scroll with the words they wrote prophesying the Virgin Birth. -- 9" x 12" based on a Cretan protype of the 18th century. |