Description
Our Lady, the Virgin Mary, was born to the righteous Saints Joachim and Anna. While praying on a mountain, Joachim received a divine revelation from an angel, promising that he would have a child through whom “salvation comes to the world.” When he shared this joyful news with his wife Anna, she rejoiced and, in her gratitude, vowed to dedicate the child to serve in the house of the Lord for all the days of their life.
The Virgin Mary was raised in the temple and, in time, received a revelation of her own from the Archangel Gabriel—an event described in the next section—announcing that she would give birth to the Savior of the world, our Lord Jesus Christ.
This is why the icon of the Virgin Mary is also known by the title Θεοτόκος (Theotokos), meaning “Mother of God” or more literally, “Bearer of God.” The letters surrounding her in the icon, “ΜΡ ΘΥ,” are an abbreviation of “Μήτηρ Θεού,” the Greek for “Mother of God.”
Among all icons, the icon of the Theotokos holds a central place of honor. It has been called the “icon of everything” because it encompasses all the major themes of the Christian mystery: the Incarnation, divine love, humility, sacrifice, death and resurrection, new creation, intercession, and the Church itself. These themes are echoed across the entire iconostasis, culminating in this image of the Mother and Child.
As St. John of Damascus profoundly states, “The only name of the Theotokos is the Mother of God; this name contains the entire mystery of the economy of salvation.” In this icon, as the Divine Child sits enthroned on His mother’s lap, we are invited to contemplate the unfathomable Mystery: how the infinite God makes Himself known as a small child—innocent, joyful, radiant with love and divine beauty.
Interesting Fact
St. Mary is shown on the right hand side of the iconostasis according to David’s prophetic psalm: “Upon Your right hand [O King] did stand the Queen.” (Psalm 45:9)
Citations
Coptic Icon. “the iconostasis.” CopticIcon.net, https://www.copticicon.com/iconostasis.
Holy Cross Coptic Orthodox Church. “Explaining the Iconostasis and Apse of Holy Cross w/ Fadi Mikhail of UK CopticIcons.” YouTube, 24 Nov. 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgWU5xrgmn0