Icons of the Mother of God of the Sign

The icon of Our Lady of the Sign - background and overview

The icon of Our Lady of the Sign portrays the Mother of God with her hands raised in prayer to the Lord at Christ's conception. This image comes from Byzantine and is one of the most ancient representations of Mary. Its name alludes to the Prophet Isaiah's prediction of Jesus' immaculate conception: "Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign. The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Emmanuel (Isaiah7:14).

The circle with Christ's image tells us that the Conception has happened, and Christ is in Mary's womb. Yet the iconographer does not portray Him as a fetus, but as a child with an adult face. Christ in the womb is more than an infant waiting to be born, but already the Saviour of all people. He is a rising star on the horizon of our history.

The icon "Our lady of the sign" was painted long before the separation of the Eastern and Western Church, and its message appeals to Christians of different confessions. It is a call to accept and appreciate differences. It promises relief to the poor and anguished, and reassurance to every man and woman struggling with fear and despair. We turn to this icon in our prayers for protection and resolution of disputes.

Our Lady of the Sign Icon - process and delivery

At St Elisabeth Convent, we have been painting icons 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 our icons are created.

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). Afterwards, we complete the outlining - or transferring of the drawing to the board. We start the painting from the background details and finish with the faces. In the final stage, a protective layer of varnish is added to preserve the brightness of the colours and extend the icon's life. We strongly recommend placing your icon in a kiot for maximum durability.

Enrich the icon collection at your home or church with the icon of the Mother of God of the Sign. 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.

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.