Holy-Icons

Glykophilousa Mother of God

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.

In 1654, there was a plague that struck the region around the city of Kazan. The original of this icon was brought from the Seven Lakes Monastery and carried in procession with the Kazan icon of the Mother of God. Soon afterward the plague began to subside, and the icon was brought into people’s homes until the plague had gone away completely.

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″

“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 God stepped 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.

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 icon was painted for the Sts. Cyril and Methodius Chapel at Camp Nazareth.

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.

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.

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″

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″