You contained the uncontainable God in your womb,
and gave birth to the savior and redeemer of our souls:
Do not despise me, O pure one, for I am in travail;
have mercy on me,
and guard me from all enmity and the snares of the Evil One.

Those who were worthy to behold God in the flesh
proclaimed you, O Maiden, to be a Bride and a Virgin,
worthy of the Father and His divinity.
They proclaimed you to be the Mother of God the Word,
and the dwelling of the Holy Spirit,
for the whole of divinity,
the full and perfect Essence of grace bodily dwelt in you!

The Great Panagia

The icon known as The Great Panagia, or the Virgin Orans (orans being the praying position with the arms outstretched, palms up) is an abstract pictorial representation of the Christ child in Mary’s womb. The Christ child is shown against a medallion, and within the confines of Mary’s body. Note too that Christ is not represented as an embryo — this is a physical representation of a spiritual reality — the person of the Christ is both God and man.