Description
In the upper center of this icon is the Lord Almighty, the Ruler of the universe. In His left hand He holds an opened Gospel Book, and with His right hand He blesses with the Orthodox priestly blessing having the fingers of His hand form the Greek letters “IC XC”, the abbreviation for Jesus Christ. This is the King of Kings as spoken of in Revelation, “I am the Alpha and the Omega says the Lord, Which Is, Which Was, and Which Is to Come, the Almighty.” (Rev 1:8)
As during His humiliation and Crucifixion, His Holy Mother stands to His right now in His Glory and Honor. Her arms are outstretched as she supplicates her Son. St. John the Forerunner is on His left. Deisis icons portray the tradition that on the Day of Judgment, the Virgin will appear with St. John to intercede on behalf of us sinners and implore the Lord to forgive and have mercy. In this icon of Great Supplication, two angels and Ss. Peter and Paul are in the top row also supplicating. In the second row are more Apostles, and in the remaining rows are the great Saints and leaders of the Church, all asking mercy from the Lord for us.