Description
This icon is a copy of a famous icon of the Virgin from Mount Athos that changed the position of Christ’s hand and her hand, as she wished to warn the monks at Vatopedi Monastery about impeding danger, and Christ indicated that they did not deserve this warning from her. It is also called the icon of “Comfort” and “Consolation” by the monks of the Holy Mountain.
In Christ’s life on earth, which always has eternal dimensions, we see often the struggle of human beings to enter the Divine understanding of life from His blessed and clear view of Truth, of which He was the embodiment. Yet, we also see that He could experience surprise both positive and negative by the freely given response of men and women of His time here. This often was expressed positively in calling forth mercy and love for us, when those who called out to Him had a pure and loving heart. No one on earth had this pure and loving heart as much as the Virgin Mary. The word Panagia means all-pure, indicating that she was a virgin before, during, and ever after childbirth. Pure in mind, pure in heart, and pure in soul and body, she shows this icon to the world.