Blessed Virgin Mary

Christ sits on the lap of the Virgin, with his right hand He blesses, and with his left hand He holds a scroll, which corresponds to the iconographic type of Christ Pantocrator (Almighty). Usually the Blessed Mother is presented in a half figure composition. The full-length image depicts both mother and her son enthroned. Unlike the rather close type of Eleusa where the mutual relationship of Mother and Son is the main message, in this icon the center of the composition is Christ facing the upcoming viewer and Mary is also depicted frontally points to Jesus as if saying - “do whatever He tells you” John 2:5.

From a dogmatic point of view, the main meaning of this image is the appearance in the world of the “Heavenly King and Judge” and the worship of the royal Infant. This type of icon of the Mother of God is extremely widespread throughout the Christian world, and especially in Byzantium.