Icons of the Mother of God

Icon of Theotokos in the Orthodox tradition

At the beginning of iconography were the images of Christ. The art of icon painting has revolved around Jesus. However, the second most common image among iconographers was that of the Virgin Mary. No human being is more Christ-like than the Theotokos. No one is more revered than the Mother of God for her holiness. No one is more beloved among saints than Mary, praying for all God's children. Throughout the history of mankind, iconographers have used their best talent to show us how to grow in Christ's likeness. They have portrayed Her as the beacon of Christ's love for the world and the people.

According to the tradition of the Orthodox Church, the first artist to paint the icons of the Mother of God was the Apostle Luke. He is credited with one of the oldest icons, in which St. Mary is portrayed with the Christ child in her arms. The early Marian icons already had symbols of the Theotokos that magnified Her virtues. The red veil covering her hair represents her divinity, obedience and love of God. The blue and green colours underneath are symbols of humanity. The three stars on the veil glorify her eternal purity before, during and after the birth of Jesus.

In most icons of Mary, she looks directly at the spectator and points toward Jesus. She is glorified as the One Who brought her son, the incarnate God, into the world. The iconographic images of Mary present us with the message of God's infinite love for all people.

Your icon of the Mother of God: process and delivery

At St Elisabeth Convent, we have been painting icons of Theotokos since 1998. We have delivered thousands of sacred images to churches and homes worldwide. The religious and artistic value of our works comes from many hours of meticulous labour, loyalty to tradition, the skill of our painters and the incessant prayer with which we paint our icons.

We adhere to the Byzantine and Russian traditions of icon painting passed on over centuries from generation to generation. The process starts with the preparation of the wood to receive the colours. Our paints are made from ground minerals with egg yolk as an adhesive. We polish the base, affix a canvas and apply several layers of stucco (or Levkas). Then we proceed with outlining - or transferring the icon sketches to the board. The painting begins from the background details and completes with the faces. In the final stage, a protective layer of varnish is added to preserve the brightness of the colours and extend the icons' life. We strongly recommend placing your icon in a kiot for maximum durability.

Enrich the icon collection at your home or church with an Orthodox icon of Mary. Select from a variety of sizes and multiple variants available, or place a custom order. We encourage you to browse our catalogue and explore the wide selection of our wedding, family and church icons.

Please note that the final price depends on your location and delivery option. We will contact you to confirm the details after receiving your order.