Description
What a wonderful, kind, loving, joyous, and knowing expression radiates from the Virgin Mary’s face in this icon. She is all-pure and all-holy, the meaning of the Greek title Panagia, for she was a virgin before, during, and after giving birth to the God-man Jesus Christ. This is represented symbolically by the stars on her veil and shoulder. With her right hand she points or indicates her Divine Son as the way to salvation, and thus actively guides our path to God through seeking and finding Our Lord Jesus Christ. This is always her message, as she once said to the bearers of water at the Wedding Feast in Cana, “Do whatever He says.”
Icons are multi-dimensional for they intersect theologically the point where temporal time and Eternity meet. Thus when we gaze reverently at them and look deep into this holy place, we become touched by Eternity, for they show all things as they will appear at the end of time. The Virgin will still be with Him when all of time is over. Here on earth the Mother of God is a perfect helper for us in despair and trials, a merciful intercessor on behalf of her servants, and truly the hope of the faithful.