The Annunciation. Oldest surviving icon of the Annunciation, Rome, Via Salaria, Catacomb of Priscilla, mid-2nd century.
Oldest surviving image of the Annunciation
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Category Archives: Iconography
The Black Madonna
Black Madonna of Częstochowa (Our Lady of Czestochowa)
This is Black Madonna of Częstochowa, also known as Our Lady of Czestochowa. This icon is of a type called the Hodegetria, or She Who Shows the Way. While the Virgin Mary is looking directly at the viewer, her right hand is directing your attention to her son, Jesus.
Church tradition is that this very icon was originally painted by St. Luke the Evangelist. Supposedly he painted it on a tabletop while interviewing her for what became the Gospel of Luke. The icon cannot be properly dated because it was poorly and incorrectly restored in the 1400’s after being damaged by the Hussites. If we disregard Church tradition (and why exactly would we do that), the icon is first known to western history upon its arrival in Częstochowa in 1382.
Our Lady of Sitka
Located at the Cathedral of St Michael the Archangel in Sitka, Alaska is one of the most revered Icons in North America: the Sitka Mother of God.
Troparion & Kontakion for July 8th:
Troparion — Tone 4
Today, like the morning sun rising over us, / Your all-honored icon enlightens the world with rays of mercy / And our land reverently receives it / as a divine gift from on high, / Glorifying you, O Birthgiver of God, Our Lady of Sitka, / With joy magnifying Christ our God Who was born of you. / Pray to Him O Lady Mary, Queen and Theotokos / That all cities and lands be protected from our enemies, / And that they will be saved who in faith venerate your most pure icon / That has come to dwell with us, O Virgin Mother, / who shows us the way to Christ.
Kontakion — Tone 8
O Mother of God, chosen from all generations to be the protectress of the Christian people; / We offer you songs of thanksgiving for your wonderworking Icon that has come to Alaska. / You are a fountain of mercy and help all who seek refuge in you. / Defend us in all afflictions, necessities and tribulations that we may cry to you: / Rejoice, zealous defender of the Orthodox faithful in America.
Our Lady of Sitka
Theotokians for July 4th
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.