It is difficult to historically trace the process of creation of the
different types of icons of the Theotokos.
We can, nevertheless, distinguish
in chronological order :
- the Vigin
Kyriotissa (She who reigns in majesty)
- the
Virgin
Hodegetria (She who shows the Way)
- the Virgin
Eleousa (Virgin of LovingKindness)
- the Virgin
Orans, with or without the Child (probably much earlier as the image already showed in the
Catacombs)
Through the ages
iconographers have painted ("written" is the better word to use) icons with many different themes.
Whether or not these ' fit ' in-, or are a variant of-, some arbitrary class is not so important
(to me). Yet, some understanding of the above 4 base types may enhance your enjoyment of viewing
icon images, and may even lead some of you into meditation or prayer which, ultimately, is what is
of much greater importance. In my own experience, viewing icons and reading what holy men and women
wrote or said when they lauded the Holy Virgin has a profound effect on me.
The image of the
Hodegetria holds a privileged place in the
iconography of the Mother of God. It has been and remains one of the preferred images of the
Western world, even though its origin is specifically Eastern. "Hodegetria" means "She who shows
the Way". The name Hodegetria comes from a miracle by the Holy Virgin (see
Virgin Hodegetria).
Shown to the right
is another image usually considered of the type Hodegetria. It is a detail of a full length image
(icon) of the Mother of God and rarely seen. The "
Virgin Salus Populi Romani"
dates back to the 8th century, and is considered "the" major Italian shrine. It is kept in the
Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.
Icons of the Holy Virgin of
before the
Iconoclasm are rare because
many were destroyed during that period, particularly in Russia. Since Italy was not affected and
the "Salus Populi Romani" icon is considered to be post Iconoclasm, it is not clear why it is
difficult to see an image of the "
Virgin Salus Populi" or of other
ancient icons in the possession of the Church in Rome, like the "Virgin Nikopeia" ("She who gives
Victory"), also of the 8th c., or of the very old (3rd or 4th c.) icon of the Virgin and Child in
the Saint Francesca Church in Rome.
"Salus Populi
Romani" can be translated as "Protectress of the Roman People" (French "Protectrice du peuple
romain") or as "Salvation of the Roman People" (French "Salut du peuple romain"). The
Basilica
Santa Maria Maggiore (St. Mary Major) is the most important basilica in Rome, and consecrated
to the Holy Virgin by all Christians.
Another example of the
'Hodegetria' type is the famous icon of
Our Lady of
Czestochowa also known as the "Black Madonna".
Before continuing on to the
next type, here are a few of the characteristics of the "Hodegetria" type :
- The Mother always
carries the Child on her left arm
- She points her right hand to the Child as if to say "He(re)
is the Way"
- The faces of Mother and Child don't touch as in the icon of the Virgin Eleousa
- The Child is holding a parchment in his left hand.
The Mother of God
Eleousa (Virgin Eleousa)
In the West, the icon of the Mother of God Eleousa (Virgin Eleousa),
is almost always equated with the icon of the Mother of God of Vladimir (Virgin of Vladimir), the
treasure of Russia and one of Russia's most venerated icons.
We could say that the
Eleousa-type can be thought of as to comprise 3 sub-types: the Merciful (Greek: Eleousa),
affectionate Tenderness (Russian: Oumilenie), and Sweet Kissing (Greek: Glykophilousa).
See
the page
Mother of God
Eleousa for a more detailed explanation.
The Virgin Orans
Also called the Virgin of the Incarnation, or the Great Panaghia of Yaroslavl, the image of
the Virgin Orans as we know it today started to appear in the XIth Century. The image of a praying
man or woman (
the Orant
Figure) discovered in the
Giordani Catacombs in Rome may be at its origin. Click
here to see a large image of the
Virgin Orans, and more information.
Other icons considered to be of the 'Orans' type
include the following :
-
Virgin
Blachernitissa : She who mediates, mosaic
-
Mother of God
of the Sign -
"Virgin Platytera"
("Greater than Heavens")
-
Virgin
'Inexhaustible Cup' The above mentioned icon of the Mother of God of the Sign is one of
the most venerated icons of Russia. Its history is linked with the history of Novgorod.
Particularly noteworthy is the wonderful (contemporary) icon of the Mother of God of the Sign of
Olga Kirichenko, Lithuania
http://www.iconsexplained.com/iec/04004.htm
Other Mother of God
Icons
There are many more Marian icons. Several of them can be viewed in the icon
Galleries. Here are some that are really different from what we have seen sofar :
- The
Virgin Galaktotrophusa or the Nursing
Mother of God (image to the left)
- The
Virgin Pokrov (She who protects)
; click link to see image, then press 'back' for description and miracle
- The
Virgin Kardiotissa
"close to the Motherly heart"
- The Virgin Strastnaïa (
Virgin
of the Passion or
Our Lady of Perpetual
Help)
Miraculous Mother of God icons
- images
& descriptions
============================================
(1) Religious Antique Shop
Sancta, Lithuania
http://www.icon.lt/index.html (2) List of the Most Popular
Types of Miraculous Icons
http://www.icon.lt/list/0list.htm
Includes 86 images WITH descriptions ; part of
(1) above.
(3)
Orthodox World, Russia
http://www.orthodoxworld.ru/english/miracleicon/index.htm
Mother of God icon descriptions =========================
Descriptions
of Mother of God icons, with and without images, can be found on the following sites:
-
Orthodox Church in America. The Orthodox Church has a new site with many
images and descriptions of Mother of God icons
http://www.oca.org/ : click Site Map, scroll down to Feasts and Saints, then
click Icons of the Mother of God. Here is a direct link
Icons of the Mother of God
-
Saint John The Baptist Russian Orthodox Cathedral, Washington DC
-
http://www.stjohndc.org/ ==>
click 'English version', then Icons of the Mother of God
-
http://www.stjohndc.org/russian/english.htm ==> some icons, many
descriptions.
-
Eight icons very precious in Russian history
compiled and edited by A. Monk of St. Tikhon's Monastery in South Canaan, Pennsylvania
http://www.stots.edu/article.php?id=34 >> very detailed
descriptions
-
Come and See Icons, Books & Art has compiled a number of excellent
descriptions.
-
Marian Icon Types by Sr. Marcia
Vinje Descriptions and 20 images
-
Images of the Theotokos in
Byzantine Iconography by Joyce Rabbat - Off-line: A number of books are
available, off-line, that include many images and descriptions. The book titled "Icons of the
Mother of God" by Fr. Egon Sendler, S.J. is very complete with respect to many aspects concerning
iconography, icon history, and theology and includes an extensive catalog-like section with icon
decsriptions (see
Bibliography).
Orthodox
Images of Christ 
22 byzantine images (out of
25) 
