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) 
