Icon of The Mother of God of the Gate of Dawn

The Ostrobramska, or Vilnius, Icon of the Mother of God stands as the chief holy treasure of the city of Vilnius. Several legends surround its appearance. One tells of Grand Duke Algirdas, who is said to have brought it from Korsun and gifted it to his first wife, Maria. Algirdas's second wife, Juliana, gave the icon to the Trinity Church. From there, it eventually found its place in the chapel at the Sharp Gate (Ostra Brama).

Another account claims that the Byzantine Emperor John Palaiologos sent the icon of the Mother of God to Algirdas when he heard that Algirdas had converted to Christianity.

A third version recounts the icon's miraculous appearance at the Sharp Gate on 14 April 1431. What is certain, however, is that by 1431, the icon already resided in the chapel near Trinity Church in the Russian (or Ostra) district of Vilnius, known then as the Korsun Icon.

In 1498, when the threat of a Tatar invasion loomed, new city walls were built in Vilnius, along with a gate, a tower, and a chapel above it. The icon was placed in this chapel. Because of its location in the "sharp" end of the city, above the chapel gate, the icon's name gradually changed. It became known as the Ostrovorotnaya or Ostrobramska Icon (“brama” meaning "gate").

Its feast days are 8 January and 27 April.

Handmade icon of the Mother of God of the Gate of Dawn is made of finely ground semiprecious stones. The icon of the Theotokos is decorated with pearls.

Available in the following sizes: 130×180 mm, 150x200 mm, 180×240 mm, 200×300 mm, 300×400 mm.

An opening icon case is included in the price.