"Types" of Theotokos icons

[Paul Cowan]

I am reading the lives of the saints pretty much every day and many days there is a story of an icon of the Theotokos. I am hoping to understand more the meaning of the different "types" of icons written about her. For example

Icon of the Mother of God of Lubyatov has elements from three other types of icons of the Mother of God. Essentially, it belongs to the Eleousa (Umilenie) type, like the Vladimir Icon (May 21, June 23, August 26). The gesture of the divine Child resembles the "Sweet-Kissing" or "Tenderness" Icon of Smolensk (March 19), and the scroll seems to come from the Hodigitria Icon (July 28).

The Spanish Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, which is one of the Panachranta type, depicts the Mother of God seated upon a throne.

The "Unbreakable (or "Indestructible") Wall" Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos is commemorated on the Sunday of All Saints. It is an icon of the Blachernae type,

Icon of the Mother of God of Akhtyr The icon is rather unusual, and does not seem to have an earlier prototype. It is painted in a Western style, and shows the Theotokos with an uncovered head. (I kinda know what this one means)

ANyway, this is enough to get started. What do these mean and how can I / we identify "types" of icons? I am thinking when reading icons we look for color and other "hints". What are these hints for typing out these Theotokos icons. And; are other saints "typed" in a similar way. I have not read of this anywhere though.

Thanks
Paul

[Father David Moser]

Icon of the Mother of God of Akhtyr The icon is rather unusual, and does not seem to have an earlier prototype. It is painted in a Western style, and shows the Theotokos with an uncovered head. (I kinda know what this one means)


I happen to really like this icon. The original is in Australia at present and I have had the chance to see it and venerate it. We also have a copy in our parish. So please do share what you "kinda know" the meaning of this icon to be.

Fr David Moser

[Paul Cowan]

http://www.monachos.net/forum/picture.php?albumid=196&pictureid=1367&thumb=1 ('http://www.monachos.net/forum/picture.php?albumid=196&pictureid=1367')

See the last paragraph in particular.



Icon of the Mother of God of Akhtyr

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Commemorated on July 2

The Akhtyr Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos appeared on July 2, 1739 in the village of Akhtyr in the area of Kharkov, east of Kiev, Russia.

Father Basil Danilov, a righteous man of strong faith, was the priest of the Dormition Church in Akhtyr. He wanted to try out a new scythe, and so he went out to a field by the church. As he began to cut the tall grass, Father Basil noticed an icon of the Mother of God shining with a radiant light. Dropping the scythe, he fell to his knees and began to pray, then took the icon to his home.

The icon remained in the priest’s home for three years. No one could spend the night in the same room as the icon, because an inexplicable fear would force them to leave.

One night the Theotokos appeared to Father Basil in a dream, reproaching him because he had not cleaned the icon in the three years since he had found it. When he awoke, he dusted the icon off and washed it with water, then went back to sleep. That night he had another dream in which he saw himself going to the river in order to pour out the water he had used to wash the icon. The Mother of God appeared to him again and ordered him to return home with the water, explaining that it would cure people of malaria and fever.

When Father Basil’s daughter became ill with malaria, he gave her some of the water to drink and she was immediately healed. Others also received healing in this way. The priest decided that the icon should not remain in his home, so he took it to the church.

An iconographer named John was commissioned to restore the icon. When his son contracted malaria, John remembered how the water used to wash the icon had cured people of that disease. Therefore, he washed the icon and gave his son some of the water to drink. The young man was healed at once, and there were many other miracles after this one.

The miracles of the Akhtyr Icon were investigated no less than three times. In 1751 the Holy Synod determined that reports of the miracles were true, and declared the icon to be wonderworking.

Empress Elizabeth had a stone church built in Akhtyr for the icon, and she personally donated two thousand rubles. St Joseph of Belgorod blessed the cornerstone. The church was consecrated in 1768.

Tsar Nicholas I ordered that on the Saturday before Pentecost the Akhtyr Icon should be taken from the Protection Cathedral and carried in procession to the Akhtyr-Holy Trinity Monastery. The icon was brought back to the cathedral during the week of All Saints. Unfortunately, the icon was stolen from the Protection Cathedral on April 1, 1905. However, many copies of the Akhtyr Icon were made before it was stolen.

On July 2 churches bless water in remembrance of the healings which took place after the Mother of God ordered Fr. Basil Danilov to wash the icon.

The icon is rather unusual, and does not seem to have an earlier prototype. It is painted in a Western style, and shows the Theotokos with an uncovered head. The Crucifixion of Christ is depicted in much smaller proportions, and the Virgin seems to be gazing directly at the Cross. Her hands are held with the palms together, and the fingers pointing upward, which is not a typical gesture of prayer in Orthodox iconography.

By permission of the Orthodox Church in America (www.oca.org)

[Vasiliki D.]

The tradition attributes St. Luke with painting the first icons of the Theotokos. We know of three types he painted: "Umilenie" (Our Lady of Tenderness), "Hodigitria" (She who leads the way), and a third type, of her without a child or praying to the Christ child. (The facts of the third type are confused).


Today, there are five main types of representation of the Theotokos in Orthodox iconography:

The Guide; Hodigitria - In this type, the Ever Virgin Mary is holding Christ and pointing toward Him, as a guide to God and salvation.
Tender Mercy; Eleusa - In this type, the Theotokos holds her Son, who touches his face to hers and wraps at least one arm around her neck or shoulder. The Theotokos represents the Church of Christ, thereby displaying the fullness of love between God and man, a love that can only be achieved within the bosom of church, the Mother.
All Merciful, Panakranta – In this type, Mary is regally enthroned with Baby Jesus on her lap, both facing the viewer. The throne symbolizes her royal glory, she alone is perfect among those born on earth. According to the Fourth Ecumenical Council, she presides with Christ over the destiny of the world.
Intercessor, Agiosortissa – Mary is shown alone, in profile with her hands held out in supplication. She is facing to her left, usually to a separate icon of Christ.
Praying, - Oranta , Panagia , Lady of the Sign - In this type, Mary is shown with arms in ornate position, with Christ enclosed in a circle in her womb. "Of the Sign," is a reference to the words of Isaias 7:14, "The Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel."
The calendar of the Russian Church mentions 260 of her icons noted for miracles and celebrated liturgically and the Menaion of Sergius numbers the designations of Most Holy Theotokos icons at 700 ... in Greece the number of icons can not be counted ... Theotokonymia is a greek term designated to the "names" of Panaghia resulting from each icon that is in existance and these names reach to the thousands.

[Father David Moser]

Paul,

Thanks for the history of the icon, (I have a much more detailed history of the icon - translated by Fr Averky in fact) but I still don't know what you mean by

It is painted in a Western style, and shows the Theotokos with an uncovered head. (I kinda know what this one means) So what is your understanding about what that means?

Fr David Moser

[Paul Cowan]

I hope I have understood Olga correctly these past few years...Western iconography started to take on a Latinized view of EO iconography. More realism in the features though this one has not gone that far. More of am emphasis on the Theotokos than Christ and as the story says, removing her head cover. Latin icons also depict the Theotokos without Christ more than not and again, this icon does not go that far.

My Kinda sorta understanding sees the differences in the (t)radition of iconography and what the west does to "jazz" it up a bit. Even today's iconographers that are laymen deviate somewhat from what we see from a monastery, and of course this does not hold true 100% of the time from either locations.

What I see in this icon is an altering of the traditional way the Theotokos looks and a (belittling is not the right word) of Christ making the Theotokos the primary figure in the icon. In all other EO icons, Christ has a central role if He is in it. Like I said; I kinda know what this one means. Not entirely.

I am really hoping Olga will be a major player in this discussion. I would love to see the full version of the story from Fr. Averky.

Paul

[Olga]

A few brief comments for now:

The version of the Akhtyrskaya icon from the OCA site which Paul posted is at least an attempt to render this image in a more correct fashion: the Mother of God's head is covered, the stars of her perpetual virginity are there, and the gesture of supplication is the upright outstretched hand, not the hands brought together as is so common in western religious art.

Here is a version of Akhtyrskaya (likely of late 18th to early 19thC vintage) which is closer in style to the "original":

http://www.cirota.ru/forum/images/30/30981.jpeg

We can see that the Virgin's head is completely uncovered (surely a major departure from iconographic tradition, as well as contrary to the Orthodox view of the Mother of God as an exemplar of modesty, humility and obedience, a kind of "first monastic"), there are no stars of perpetual virginity anywhere on her person, and the presence of the adult crucified Christ instead of Him as a child in her arms gives one reason to pause. It would be interesting to find out if there is a vigil service accepted for use by the Church of Russia written for this icon, which should shed more light on this. To me, it seems this image is showing the contemplation of the Virgin of the crucifixion of her Son, a not uncommon theme in western art.

By the twelfth century, a shift in spiritual life and religious art had emerged in Western Europe. A new emphasis was being placed on emotions in spiritual life. Another result was the central emphasis of the Passion and Crucifixion of Christ supplanted that of the Resurrection. In art, the mystical iconography which had emphasised divine qualities and theologically instructed the people was gradually replaced by passionate art. It depicted events of great joy or pathos in the life of Christ, the Mother of God and the saints in a familiar, worldly and realistic manner.

Yet there are traditional Orthodox icons, which greatly pre-date Akhtyrskaya, which express this sorrow of the Mother of God more than adequately: icons of the Crucifixion, and the icon Of the Passion/Strastnaya/Amolyntos.

While I accept the story of the miraculous nature of the original icon, it, like many images of the Mother of God from the post-17thC period, are somewhat problematic in terms of their ability to transmit the Orthodox faith correctly. Perhaps the two other equally famous icons which fall into this category would be the Seraphim-Diveyevo (where she is shown alone, without Christ's presence), and the Ostrobramskaya, whose origin is, beyond question, in Polish Roman Catholic art.

Diveyevo:

http://saints.oca.org/IconDirectory/LG/May/0521tendernessicon.jpg

Ostrobramskaya:

http://republika.pl/blog_hk_18737/21197/tr/ostrobramska.jpg

I am, of course, quite aware of the geographic and cultural overlap which has led to such images appearing in profusion all over the Orthodox world. It is also true that the grace of God can manifest itself where He wills, over and above our own human desires. This is a dilemma I have grappled with for some years, as to how the Orthodox Church should regard images which fall short of the mark, yet have become "sanctified" for one reason or another. I, too, am eager to read what the ever-memorable (and sorely missed) Fr Averky had to say about the Akhtyrskaya.

[L. Allen]

'By the twelfth century, a shift in spiritual life and religious art had emerged in Western Europe. A new emphasis was being placed on emotions in spiritual life. Another result was the central emphasis of the Passion and Crucifixion of Christ supplanted that of the Resurrection. In art, the mystical iconography which had emphasised divine qualities and theologically instructed the people was gradually replaced by passionate art. It depicted events of great joy or pathos in the life of Christ, the Mother of God and the saints in a familiar, worldly and realistic manner.'

- Further to this, it was around this period in Western Europe that the 'Hours' of the Virgin became the standard prayer routine for ordinary people, adapted from the more complicated monastic routine. These prayers gave Mary such a central role that people often felt the need to illustrate their prayer books with non-Marian images, and typically the scenes from the Passion of Christ accompanied the Marian Hours. This might provide a context for the representation of Mary with the crucified Christ, instead of Mary with the Christ-child?

[Olga]

'By the twelfth century, a shift in spiritual life and religious art had emerged in Western Europe. A new emphasis was being placed on emotions in spiritual life. Another result was the central emphasis of the Passion and Crucifixion of Christ supplanted that of the Resurrection. In art, the mystical iconography which had emphasised divine qualities and theologically instructed the people was gradually replaced by passionate art. It depicted events of great joy or pathos in the life of Christ, the Mother of God and the saints in a familiar, worldly and realistic manner.'

- Further to this, it was around this period in Western Europe that the 'Hours' of the Virgin became the standard prayer routine for ordinary people, adapted from the more complicated monastic routine. These prayers gave Mary such a central role that people often felt the need to illustrate their prayer books with non-Marian images, and typically the scenes from the Passion of Christ accompanied the Marian Hours. This might provide a context for the representation of Mary with the crucified Christ, instead of Mary with the Christ-child?

L Allen, this seems to me to be one piece of the puzzle explaining the divergence between East and West of types and degrees of veneration of the Mother of God. There are Roman Catholic prayer rules (rosaries, chaplets) which are meditations on the suffering of Christ, and of His mother's suffering. The latter is expressed in RC art as Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows. This image has found its way into the Orthodox world in an "iconographic" form via the Ukraine:

http://days.pravoslavie.ru/Images/ib2485.jpg

The idea behind such imagery and devotion is based on Luke's 2: 34-35:

Then Symeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

However, with the gradual shifting of emphasis in western religious thought and art from the dispassionate to the passionate, this scripture passage was "expanded" to incorporate, in devotion and in art, not one, but seven swords piercing the Virgin's heart. There is an akathist to the Of the Seven Arrows, which is also known as Softener of Evil Hearts, but it is unclear to me as to whether it arose out of Orthodox tradition. Ukraine and its environs has long been a "melting pot" of influences, so a non-Orthodox influence cannot be ruled out. (I have even seen an akathist, from a Ukrainian Orthodox source, dedicated to the "Theotokos of Fatima".) So, caveat emptor, friends.

I might also point out that, as far back as the eighth century, the Roman church, while accepting the Seventh Ecumenical Council as valid, nevertheless did not incorporate many of its canons (a number of which were to do with iconography, and including the proscribing of fully three-dimensional statues) into its praxis. Therefore, the scene was set for western religious art to gradually lose the liturgical and doctrinal integrity, and the dispassionate and other-worldly nature, which is definitive of Orthodox iconography. With the coming of the Renaissance period in the early 1300s, a gradual shift in approach can be seen, and certainly by the 1500s, western religious painting, in its form and in its use, had lost any real connection with Orthodox iconography.

Here are some posts which some may find useful:

Women wearing pants - Page 2 - Monachos.net Discussion Community (http://www.monachos.net/forum/showthread.php?p=45736#poststop)

Brass and printed icons - Monachos.net Discussion Community (http://www.monachos.net/forum/showthread.php?p=20247#poststop)

Brass and printed icons - Page 2 - Monachos.net Discussion Community (http://www.monachos.net/forum/showthread.php?p=20263#poststop)

Statuary: A statue of Christ breaking bread - Page 3 - Monachos.net Discussion Community (http://www.monachos.net/forum/showthread.php?p=53396#poststop)

[L. Allen]

May I ask, what do you mean exactly when you say Western religious art lost 'liturgical and doctrinal integrity'? Do you think this happens all over Western Europe?

(Thanks for the links to other posts!)

[Father David Moser]

Olga has provided a picture of the icon as I know it. It is in fact more akin to the original

http://www.monachos.net/forum/picture.php?albumid=197&pictureid=1368&thumb=1 ('http://www.monachos.net/forum/picture.php?albumid=197&pictureid=1368')

As is obvious from the picture as well as from Olga's comments, this icon is unique in its depiction of the Mother of God. However, due to its miraculous appearance I would have trouble stating that it is improper or outside the Orthodox iconographic tradition.

The history of the icon that I mentioned earlier is not Fr Averky's commentary, but rather his translation of the history of the icon from the Russian. There are no personal remarks in the article (in fact the only reason that I know he was the translator is that he told me about the article in the first place). The article, "The Akhtyrka Icon of the Mother of God" was printed in Orthodox Life 1989: Vol 39, #4, p.16 The service for the icon has also been translated into English - both the Vigil and an Akathist and should be available from Br. Isaac Lambertson at Synod. The icon itself is the "patronal" icon of the ROCOR youth group in Australia and is present at all their gatherings.

Fr David Moser

[Andreas Moran]

L. Allen May I ask, what do you mean exactly when you say Western religious art lost 'liturgical and doctrinal integrity'? Do you think this happens all over Western Europe?

Olga will answer for herself, but I take the point to refer the fundamental changes which started in western art in the twelfth century and which were completed by 1425. The western Church accepted the Seventh Ecumenical Council but did not bring its canons into liturgical and devotional praxis as the Eastern Church did and continues to do. There was a great deal of Byzantine influence even up to the thirteenth century but Italian artists were already breaking away from the pure Byzantine style. One thinks of the mosaics and paintings of Pietro Cavallini (d. 1308) and the paintings of Cimabue (d. 1302). Certainly with Giotto came what Giorgio Vasari called (in writing of Giotto) a decisive break with Byzantine tradition. Even Giotto's younger contemporary Giovanni Villani praised Giotto's drawing of figures 'according to nature'. The move to a plastic and sculptural rendering of form and the groping towards optical perspective were a clear effort to shift from the spiritual to the physical. Religious art became a part of the desire to understand and depict the material world rather than be reserved as a means of expressing the spiritual world. This process was paralleled by the development of scholastic theology and mathematics. The result was the scientific perspective which Brunelleschi devised in 1425 and mastery of optical perspective. Even when the spiritual element was an important aspect of painting, as it was in the paintings of Caravaggio (d. 1600), this was in the context of the realistic depictions of scenes for the excitement of the religious imagination (and so complemented the spirituality of Ignatius Loyola and Philip Neri). This whole process started in Italy and quickly spread to the whole of western Europe.

[Ryan]

O empty glory of human powers! How short the time its green endures upon the top, if it not be overtaken by rude ages! Cimabue thought to hold the field in painting, and now Giotto hath the cry, so that the fame of the other is obscured. - Dante, Purgatorio Canto XI

[L. Allen]

Olga will answer for herself, but I take the point to refer the fundamental changes which started in western art in the twelfth century and which were completed by 1425. The western Church accepted the Seventh Ecumenical Council but did not bring its canons into liturgical and devotional praxis as the Eastern Church did and continues to do. There was a great deal of Byzantine influence even up to the thirteenth century but Italian artists were already breaking away from the pure Byzantine style. One thinks of the mosaics and paintings of Pietro Cavallini (d. 1308) and the paintings of Cimabue (d. 1302). Certainly with Giotto came what Giorgio Vasari called (in writing of Giotto) a decisive break with Byzantine tradition. Even Giotto's younger contemporary Giovanni Villani praised Giotto's drawing of figures 'according to nature'. The move to a plastic and sculptural rendering of form and the groping towards optical perspective were a clear effort to shift from the spiritual to the physical. Religious art became a part of the desire to understand and depict the material world rather than be reserved as a means of expressing the spiritual world. This process was paralleled by the development of scholastic theology and mathematics. The result was the scientific perspective which Brunelleschi devised in 1425 and mastery of optical perspective. Even when the spiritual element was an important aspect of painting, as it was in the paintings of Caravaggio (d. 1600), this was in the context of the realistic depictions of scenes for the excitement of the religious imagination (and so complemented the spirituality of Ignatius Loyola and Philip Neri). This whole process started in Italy and quickly spread to the whole of western Europe.

I'm not sure I'm convinced by this. I can see that what you say is very true of Italy, and true in certain cases elsewhere. However, it seems to me that, particularly looking at English stained glass, the art is concerned much less with representing physical reality, and much more with the spiritual effect of the image. But perhaps I am not sufficiently conversant with the grammar of Orthodox iconography. Of course, I suppose the fact that the Renaissance comes so late in England may be part of my problem.

[Paul Cowan]

The tradition attributes St. Luke with painting the first icons of the Theotokos. We know of three types he painted: "Umilenie" (Our Lady of Tenderness), "Hodigitria" (She who leads the way), and a third type, of her without a child or praying to the Christ child. (The facts of the third type are confused).


Today, there are five main types of representation of the Theotokos in Orthodox iconography:

The Guide; Hodigitria - In this type, the Ever Virgin Mary is holding Christ and pointing toward Him, as a guide to God and salvation.
Tender Mercy; Eleusa - In this type, the Theotokos holds her Son, who touches his face to hers and wraps at least one arm around her neck or shoulder. The Theotokos represents the Church of Christ, thereby displaying the fullness of love between God and man, a love that can only be achieved within the bosom of church, the Mother.
All Merciful, Panakranta – In this type, Mary is regally enthroned with Baby Jesus on her lap, both facing the viewer. The throne symbolizes her royal glory, she alone is perfect among those born on earth. According to the Fourth Ecumenical Council, she presides with Christ over the destiny of the world.
Intercessor, Agiosortissa – Mary is shown alone, in profile with her hands held out in supplication. She is facing to her left, usually to a separate icon of Christ.
Praying, - Oranta , Panagia , Lady of the Sign - In this type, Mary is shown with arms in ornate position, with Christ enclosed in a circle in her womb. "Of the Sign," is a reference to the words of Isaias 7:14, "The Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel."
The calendar of the Russian Church mentions 260 of her icons noted for miracles and celebrated liturgically and the Menaion of Sergius numbers the designations of Most Holy Theotokos icons at 700 ... in Greece the number of icons can not be counted ... Theotokonymia is a greek term designated to the "names" of Panaghia resulting from each icon that is in existance and these names reach to the thousands.

Thank you Vasiliki for this brief understanding. So if I see any icon of the Theotokos, I can "classify" it under one of these headings just based on the actions between she and the Christ child? What about the Blachernae type? or is this a sub category of one of the main 5? Are there other sub categories of the 260 or 700 or thousands out there?

Are she and the Christ child the only qualifications to classify an icon as such? or are other pieces like the seraphim or surounding saints also considered?

Paul

[Vasiliki D.]

In the Orthodox church, at least in the Greek speaking world, we have a term; this term is "THEOTOKONYMIA". Theotokonymia (Gr. Teοtοκονύµιa) is the defining of various names and titles given to the most holy human person of the Theotokos.

These are numerous in number but the primary title for the Theotokos Maria is Panagia from around the third century as the most holy among Saints. In the Greek Orthodox church, Panagia has been established as the most reliable name for the Virgin Mary and is often combined with other titles to give more honour to her person. Most of these titles have been received into the Orthodox Church through the revelation of a vision, such as the appearance of the Theotokos to a saint or through a variety of other reasons:

a) From the pictorial representation of the Theotokos, such as the Megalomata, the Glykophilousa etc.
b) From the personal properties of the Theotokos, such as the Giatrissa, Faneromeni, Hodegetria, Eleousa etc.
c) From the age or the state of the iconographic image, such as the Machairomeni, Gerontissa, Mafriotissa, etc.
d) From the position or how the image was found, such as the Plataniotissa, Myrtidiotissa, Spilaiotissa, Theoskepasti, Tripiti, Fodeliotissa, etc.
e) From a miracle, such as the Portaitissa, Fidoussa, etc.
f) From the origin of the image, such as Soumela, Politissa, Athiniotissa, Chrysokastriotissa, etc.
g) From the site of the Church the image was found in, such as Sea,
h) From the Special gifts the image offers, such as Ampelakiotissa, Damasta, Palatiani, Olympiotissa, etc.
i) From the owner/founder of the Church the image is found in, such as Lykodimou, Kaligou, Perligou, Edge, etc.
j) From the date of an agricultural festival which coincides on that day, for example Flevariani, Mesporitissa, Polysporitissa, etc.
k) From the date of a local festival, for example in Sifnos there is an icon called the Virgin of Fifteen, which coincides with the fifteen day preparation period before August 15. In Samothraki, they celebrate the middle of Pascha and thus an icon has been awarded the title Virgin Eikospentaroussa.

Though the term Theotokonymia is derived from the Virgin Mary's Greek name Theotokos, her surname's are derived from the various icons that exist - all are a representation of one of the five prototype representations, as discussed.

Another Example:
Panagia Blachernae, this icon is an "Hodegetria" type but the Surname of the Virgin "Blachernae" is due to the fact that this version of the Hodegetria was either painted/revealed or resides in the area of "Blachernae" of Constantinople.

This is why Olga keeps reiterating the importance of "Canonical" icons, the five basic "types" are all canonical in their depiction of Orthodox dogma but depending on the geographical area that type was painted or a miracle is attributed affords a "surname" to the type of icon ... hence, why we have 600 or more different types ...

I cant elaborate further at this point ... I hope I have been of some help.

[Olga]

Hello Paul

You wrote:



Are she and the Christ child the only qualifications to classify an icon as such? or are other pieces like the seraphim or surrounding saints also considered?


On the presence of other saints in an icon of the Mother of God, there are these possibilities:

1. Sundry saints in the vertical border of the icon of the Mother of God with Child (of whatever type). Such icons are usually commissioned for a specific patron or family. A child's icon very often has the child's patron saint in one border, and a guardian angel in another. Family icons may have four or even six or more icons in the borders, corresponding to the patrons of each family member.

There is at least one icon with specific saints in the border, known as Abalatskaya. This icon of the Mother of God of the Sign (Znamennaya) has in its borders St Nicholas of Myra, and St Mary of Egypt. However, this icon would still be regarded as of the "of the Sign" type.

http://www.xxc.ru/orthodox/pastor/znamenie/znamenie3_ab.jpg

2. There are a few icons of the Mother of God, which depict a vision seen by a saint or other historic figure. The ones which immediately come to mind are:

- Holy Protection/Protecting Veil (of course!)

- the visitation of the Virgin, and Apostles Peter and John to St Sergius of Radonezh and his cell-attendant Micah:

http://www.trueicons.com/ico/icon017/med.jpg (http://www.trueicons.com/ico/icon017/big.jpg)
- The appearance of the Mother of God to St Dimitry Donskoy (this icon is known as Bogolyubskaya).

http://days.pravoslavie.ru/Images/ib2306.jpg

Hope this helps.

[Andreas Moran]

Olga will correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the Mother of God of Kazan is a separate type of Theotokos icon. It is certainly the most popular type of Theotokos icon in Russia. It may have derived from the Hodigitria type but, as Lossky says, it became 'completely transformed' into its own form. It is always small in scale and shows the Mother of God only as to head and shoulders, her hands not being shown. Christ is shown frontally and His left hand (which normally hols a scroll) is not shown but only His right hand in blessing. The Mother of God is shown with her head inclined to her son and her face has an expression of sad tenderness as if contemplating her Son's mission. I'm not sure which is more correct stylistically: the Mother of God looking at the spectator or gazing to one side.

[Andreas Moran]

This is a typical example of the Kazanskaya icon:

278

[Paul Cowan]

Thank you all for your responses. Especially Vasiliki, I have been greatly edified to now understand more of what I try to venerate. So much to learn and my life is more than half over. As St. Ephraim the Syrian says. Why O soul do you tarry?

Paul

[Andreas Moran]

my life is more than half over

Who told you?

[Paul Cowan]

The US government. They keep sending me my Internal Revenue Service life expectancy charts with how much I will (Might) receive after I retire. Besides, I have no interest of staying here any longer than I am forced to. God willing I go up rather than down, then I don't mind hanging out a few more years to repent.

Paul