Virgin Mary

  Outside the city of Constantinople, there was a sacred spring dedicated to the Virgin Mary. A monastery grew up there in the 5th century, and over time the spring was overgrown by a grove of trees. The Byzantine Emperor encountered a blind man who...

The Church has received the  tradition of the Dormition (death) and Assumption into heaven of the Mother of God from the ancient Fathers of the Church. This 15th century icon of the feast features a unique style, with bold colors and...

This beautiful Russian icon depicts the Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church Calendar, featuring the 12 Great Feasts around its perimeter with Pascha (Easter) in the center. Reproduced from the 18th century original, it faithfully conveys the power,...

Inspired by one of the hymns of the Great Compline service, this icon depicts the Mother of God making intercession before her Son on behalf of those who need help, in particular: the cold and naked, the elderly and crippled, those who are traveling,...

This beautiful icon was painted in Constantinople in the mid-to-late 13th century. The Theotokos looks to her Son, Jesus, who gives a blessing with His right hand, and whose stance evokes the idea of a philosopher. This is a sign of His teachings, and...

This 16th century Russian icon is known as the Unsleeping Eye (Nedremannoe Oko). It depicts Christ Emmanuel, as a youth, reclining on a bed in Paradise, represented in iconography as a white background filled with whimsical trees, plants, and birds. He...

The hodigitria (guide) genre of icons features Christ sitting on the Virgin's lap. The mother’s hands point to her Son in a gesture of humility, guiding the viewer to look to Him. This icon is located from the renowned Vatopedi Monastery on the...

This historic Russian icon features the Theotokos holding Christ, as two Angels hold the instruments of the Passion. Christ leans toward his mother, grasping her hand with both hands, as if in fear in his human nature. This icon is a testament to the...

Inspired by one of the hymns of the Great Compline service, this historic Russian icon depicts the Mother of God making intercession before her Son on behalf of those who need help. In particular, it includes the cold and naked, the elderly and...

This Hodigitria (Guide or Directress) icon is a symbol of Georgian Orthodoxy. It is traditionally dated to the times of Saint Nina in the 4th century. It is found in the Tsilkani monastery church in Cartalina, Georgia, where it has...

The hodigitria (guide or directress) genre of icons features Christ sitting on the Virgin's lap. Her hands point to her Son in a gesture of humility, guiding the viewer to look to Him. This icon, also known as Smolenskaya or Our...

The first Great Feast of the ecclesiastical year, the Nativity of the Theotokos (September 8) is also the first Great Feast of our salvation. The Mother of God is born to Saint Anna, after a miraculous conception following a lifetime of barrenness.

This beautiful historic icon depicts the Theotokos and Christ Child enthroned in glory. As is typical in Byzantine iconography, the Theotokos is pictured with her Son, both of them dressed in regal clothing and colors. Kings and prophets stand on towers...

Outside the city of Constantinople, there was a sacred spring dedicated to the Virgin Mary. A monastery grew up there in the 5th century, and over time the spring was overgrown by a grove of trees. The Byzantine Emperor encountered a blind man who was...

In this icon, a variant of the Akthyra type, the Mother of God holds her heart as she looks upon Christ being crucified. In this 18th century Russian icon, she is modeled after the famous Theotokos of Kazan. At the bottom of the icon are...