Theotokos - Mother of GodThere are five main types of representation of the Theotokos in Orthodox iconography:1. Praying;2. The Guide;3. Tender Mercy;4. All Merciful;5. Intercessor. The Theotokos is always represented with her hair, upper forehead and shoulders hidden beneath a veil (maphorion) having a gold fringed border. Three golden stars decorate the maphorion, one above the forehead and one on each shoulder symbol-ic of her virginity before, during and after childbirth.1. “Praying” (“Oranta”, “Panagia”, “Lady of the Sign”)

“Praying” (“Oranta”, “Panagia”, “Lady of the Sign”). This im-age of Theotokos was already evident in the catacombs of the first Christians. The The-otokos is depicted on these icons “en face” and half face, with

her hands lifted up to the level of her head, with elbows bent. From time immemorial this gesture signified a prayerful appeal to God. The Child-Jesus, the Emmanuel, is of-ten depicted on Her bosom, within a spheri-cal circle. The icons of this type are also called “Oranta” (Greek “praying”) and “Panagia” (Greek “all-holy”). When it reached the Russian land, this image acquired the name “Our Lady of the Sign”. It is often por-

trayed with Child Jesus who is represented in a mandorla in from of the bosom of His Mother. Suspended mysteriously he seems to escape the laws of gravity. The face of the child is that of an adult with a large forehead full of wisdom. He holds a scroll containing the Scriptures and blesses with His right hand. In Orthodox churches, this icon is normally placed in the upper part of the alter, the apse, as in our Cathedral.

2. “The Guide” (“Hodigitria”, “She Who Shows Us the Way”)This icon shows the Theotokos with her

right hand pointing at the Child Christ sitting on her left hand. The images have regular features, faces are serious, the heads of Christ and the Most Pure Virgin are not touching. It is as if the Theotokos

is saying to the human race that the right path is the path to Christ. This icon shows the Theotokos as a guide to God and salva-tion. This is also one of the oldest types of the icons portraying the Theotokos and is believed to have originated with the first iconographer, the Evangelist Luke.

3. “Tender Mercy” (“Eleusa”)The icons of the “Tender Mercy” type show Christ Child pressing his left cheek close to the right cheek of his Mother. Here the Theotokos again 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 the Church, the Mother. Love here bridges heaven and earth, the things of God and the things of men; and this unity is expressed in the touching of the faces and the halos.

The Theotokos is pensive, as she presses her Son to herself. She envisions His way of the cross, His life full of sufferings. The almond-shaped eyes, the narrow, elegantly drawn nose, the dark olive green shadows in the face - all these features have a dema-terializing effect, stressing the Divine.

Among the icons of this type, “Our Lady of Vladimir” is the one most widely known and loved by believers. It is not acciden-tal, that this very icon has become one of the greatest of holy Russian objects. a gift brought from Constantinople to Russia in 1131. Prince Andrei Bogoliubskii moved the icon from Kiev to the city of Vladimir in 1155. In 1395 the icon was permanently transferred to Moscow; amazingly, the transfer took place on the same day as the withdrawal of Khan Tokhtamysh’s forces besieging Moscow. From the very begin-ning the icon was considered a work of such an outstanding quality and power that it was constantly copied, producing numer-ous variations on the theme.

4. “All Merciful” (“Panakranta”)All icons of this type have a common fea-ture: the Mother of God is depicted sit-ting on a throne. She holds the Christ Child on her lap who blesses and presents a scroll of scripture. The throne symbolizes the royal

glory of the Theotokos, who alone is per-fect among those born on earth. The best known icons of this type are “The Power-ful” and “The Queen of all”.

5. “Intercessor” (“Agiosortissa”)The icons of this type show the The-otokos in her full height, without the Child, turned to the right, sometimes holding a scroll. In orthodox churches, this icon occupies a place of honor: to the left of the

icon “Our Savior in Powers”, the main icon of the iconostasis. Here we see the Virgin with Saint John the Evangelist - Thessalon-ika, between 1371 and 1393