095-CB St Mary of Egypt Icon

Saint Mary of Egypt, born in the late 5th century in Alexandria, abandoned her family at twelve to lead a life of sin for seventeen years. Her turning point came when she attempted to enter a holy site in Jerusalem, only to be barred by an invisible force, prompting deep remorse and a plea for guidance before an icon of the Theotokos. After being allowed entry, she vowed to change her ways and retreated to the Jordanian desert, where she spent nearly fifty years in solitude and prayer, living off wild herbs and roots. Meeting Elder Zosimas in her later years, her story of repentance and sanctity was shared widely after her peaceful passing.

St. Mary of Egypt icon reflects the artistry of lacquered icons workshop, where we create folding icons, crosses, and various-sized icons. A high-quality printed image is glued to a wooden board and covered with lacquer. Our workshop of St Elisabeth Convent makes this icon in several sizes.

The creation process begins with preparing wooden boards, which are cut into smaller panels and smoothed into refined oval shapes. These panels are transformed into polished lamellas that are then glued together to form a solid base. After selecting and laminating images stored for this purpose, artisans fit these images to the panels, cutting and verifying their symmetry before applying special glue to secure them. A final polish enhances durability and aesthetics.

Once the icons are fully dried, they undergo a blessing ritual, with a stamp of authenticity from the convent placed on the back. Each lacquered icon, crafted through this meticulous process, serves as thoughtful gift, or as part of your prayer corner.