Our Lady of Perpetual Help Icons

The Theotokos of the Passion Icon: Background and Description

The Icon of the Theotokos of the Passion (also known as Our Lady of Perpetual Help) owes its name to the two angels depicted with the instruments of Christ's suffering. They awaken the viewer to the reality of Christ's agony and death on the Cross. The icon follows the Hodegetria pattern. According to tradition, it originates from the works of Saint Luke the Evangelist. It portrays Mary holding the infant Christ and pointing toward Him.

In the Russian church tradition, the icon has wrought many miracles, bringing healing to the insane and the demon-possessed. One of the best-known narratives is about a God-loving woman named Catherine, who endured episodes of madness after she married. During one of the worst attacks, she ran off to a forest and attempted to kill herself. When she came to her senses, she prayed to the Mother of God, vowing to dedicate her life to God if she recovered. The Theotokos appeared to her in a dream, instructing her to obtain her icon from a little-known iconographer and venerate it. Catherine obeyed and eventually brought it to the monastery she joined.

We turn to the Theotokos of the Passion Icon in our prayers for healing for the mentally ill, delivery from suicidal thoughts, and relief in catastrophic events and disasters.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Icon: Creation Process

At St Elisabeth Convent, we have been painting icons of the Theotokos of the Passion since 1998. The religious and artistic value of our work comes from many hours of meticulous labour, loyalty to tradition, the mastery of our painters, and the incessant prayer with which we create our icons.

We adhere to the Byzantine and Russian traditions of icon painting, passed down over centuries from generation to generation.

Order and Delivery

Enrich the icon collection at your home or church with the icon of the Theotokos of the Passion. Choose 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.

The icons of the Theotokos of the Passion are for sale in different sizes. We recommend ordering a kiot (icon case) to protect your icon from dust and damage.

You can place your order by filling in this Custom Icon Inquiry form or by contacting us directly at [email protected].

Ordering your icons from St Elisabeth Convent icon painting studio, you help our monastery serve those in need, as each purchase contributes to our many social ministries.

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.