Holy Virgin Hodegetria
Icons
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The icon depicts the Holy Virgin Hodegetria and the apostles on the borders. -
Holy Virgin Hodegetria with St. Cyrus and St. Basil the Great
The icon of the Holy Virgin with the Child belongs to the classic Hodegetria iconographic type. The Virgin is portrayed almost frontally, her head is slightly inclined to the Child, but her gaze is directed at the viewer. The Virgin’s right hand is devotionally turned to the Child, royally seated upon her left hand. Her right hand is raised in two-fingers blessing and her right hand holds a scroll resting on the lap. In the right ear of the Holy Virgin is an earring. In the upper corner of the mullion, in two small medallions are half-figures of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel, with hands wrapped in the vestment, devotionally look at the Virgin. In the upper parts of the side borders are saint patrons of the icon’s commissioners – the healer Cyrus and Basil the Great. Basil the Great is portrayed wearing a wine-colored phelonion and a red surplice, with Cyrus depicted as an unmercenary healer wearing a hython and a cloak, from under which hangs a healer’s apron resembling epitrachillion. His hands hold a stylo and a healer’s pyx. These iconographic features, rarely encountered in the depictions of St. Cyrus (he is normally portrayed wearing a monk’s clothing) emphasize his veneration as a healer. Above the saints’ figures are clear inscriptions “Кюръ“ and “Васили“ -
Waist-length depiction of the Mother of God keeping the Divine Child close to her with her right hand. -
Double-sided tablet icon from the “Sophia tablet” complex. The front side represents the figure of the Holy Virgin Hodegetria, on the reverse side is the Holy Trinity. Donated by Mrs. Rockefeller. -
In the center of the icon are the figures of the Holy Virgin and the Child looking at each other. The upper part represents the figures of John the Baptist (in the center), on either side of Him are the Archangel Michael and Gabriel, the Apostles Peter and Paul. On border margins are semi-figures of the saints – Nicholas the Wonderworker, Basil the Great, George the Theologian, John Chrysostom, Peter, Metropolitan of Moscow, and Leontius, bishop of Rostov. In the lower part are the figures of martyrs Minas and Necetos. The images of three unknown saints in the center of the lower part are completely destroyed. -
The right hand of the Mother of God is devotionally turned to the Child, majestically seated on Her left hand. The icon is obviously an iconographic variant of an icon from the Monastery of the Ascension in Moscow’s Kremlin. It is painted on a board of about the same size and is kindred to it in terms of the composition and a number of details. The Child is holding a scroll lying on His left ankle, in the upper corners of the centerpiece are the half-figures of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel. To the left of the Theotokos is a large inscription “И Одигитриа”, with individual letters written in stylized Greek letters. The icon is distinguished by the images of the instruments of Christ’s Passion being held by the Archangels – a large eight-pointed cross in the Archangel (Michael’s?) hands and a stick in Gabriel’s. This iconographic motif that first appeared in the 12th century Byzantine iconography is not typical of the Theotokos Hodegetria, being most widespread on the icons of the Mother of God the Tenderness, in which it indicates the redeeming sacrifice of Christ and is assigned with the Eucharist symbols. In the Murom iconographic variant the instruments of Christ’s sufferings, held by the angels, are associated with the redemption of humankind by Logos-Christ that the Mother of God is pointing to. -
A palm-sized icon with an image of the Mother of God in the center. On the borders are the full-length figures of the saints: to the left is John the Baptist and Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, to the right is the Archangel Michael and the Blessed Cyrill of Belozersk. The saints are shown turning to the Mother of God in devotional poses. -
Our Lady holding the Divine Child with Her left arm is depicted waist-length. The right arm of the Divine Child is raised in a gesture of blessing, His left hand is holding a scroll. -
Our Lady holding the Divine Child with Her right hand is depicted waist-length. In His left hand the Divine Child holds the Gospel Book. -
In the 14th century, Archbishop of Suzdal Dionysius commissioned a copy to be made in Constantinople of the wonderworking icon of the Mother of God Hodegetria from the Hodegon Monastery. The copy was later removed to the Ascension Cathedral of the Ascension Monastery founded in Moscow’s Kremlin by the grand princess Eudokia. The icon was damaged by the 1482 fire and Dionysius was ordered to repaint it. Among iconographic features of the icon are the depiction of the Infant and the half-length figures of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel that had obviously remained in the original painting. -
The icon is a true copy of the honored image of Holy Virgin Hodegetria from the Ascension Convent in the Moscow Kremlin. Our Lady is shown in a frontal pose, Her head slightly turned to the Divine Child sitting on Her left hand, the right hand of Maria is extended before her chest to Her Son. The Divine Child is presented in a frontal pose. His right hand is raised in a gesture of blessing and His left hand holds the white folded scroll put on His knee. In the upper corners of the icon are half-figures of archangels Michael (to the right) and Gabriel (to the left), their hands covered with the cloth. -
A double-sided icon. The front side shows the Mother of God with the Divine Child, iconographic version “Hodegetria”. On the back is depicted Nicholas the Wonderworker waist-length. -
Nicholas the Wonderworker, St., Holy Virgin Hodegetria of Petrovsk. Processional icon
The depiction of saint Nicholas dates back to the 14th century and the depiction of Our Lady with the Divine Child – to the 16th century. Nicholas the Wonderworker is shown waist-length in a frontal pose. His right hand is raised in a gesture of blessing, his left hand holds the Gospel book. The face of the saint with a high forehead and the deep set eyes is framed by the light hair and the curly beard. He is dressed in the phelonion, on his shoulders is the white omophorion decorated with the black crosses. The silhouette of the figure is exquisite, the colors are pure but diluted by the light reduced ochres. The face is painted graphically and is covered with the intense highlights. The icon is likely to have been painted by the Russian icongrapher who patterned the byzantine image. The Mother of God is pointing at the Divine Child Who is blessing and holding a scroll in His hand. -
The Mother of God and the Divine Child are represented frontally in the monumental posture. The right hand of Our Lady depicted according to the tradition in the gesture of prayer as if showing the interceding people Christ as Savior of the humankind and future Judge of the world. The right hand of the Divine Child is blessing, the left hand is holding a scroll. -
The Mother of God is depicted almost frontally, with her head slightly turned towards the Child Christ, her look directed towards the viewer. -
The Mother of God is represented practically frontally, Her head slightly inclined to Her Son sitting on Her left hand. The right hand of the Holy Virgin is pointing at the Divine Child in prayer. His right hand is folded in two-fingered blessing and in His left hand He is holding a folded scroll. -
Our Lady with the Divine Child is represented in compliance with the traditional iconography of Hodegetria. She is depicted practically frontally, Her head slightly inclined to Her Son, while she is in the eye contact with the spectator. The right hand of the Holy Virgin is pointing at the Divine Child in prayer, He is sitting on her left hand. His right hand is folded in the two-fingered blessing, His left hand is holding a folded scroll.
