Identify this icon and tell me something about it?

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TimothyH

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Can anyone identify this icon and tell me something about it?

What do the eight tassels represent? Why are the crosses placed on the shoulder and forehead. What does the writing say?

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-Tim-
 
I could tell you that this is an Eleousa icon, that the three stars (the third one not visible) symbolize Mary’s virginity before, during and after childbirth, and that MP ӨY and IC XC stand for “Mother of God” and “Jesus Christ.” Not sure about what the second line of third inscription means, but I think the first line says Владимірскіа Vladimirskia.
 
I have seen this quite a few times - unfortunately, I can’t recall all the details. I can look through my Magnificant issues because they have such wonderful pictures, icons, etc.
I now feel compelled to find out this answer, for me! LOL!
]
 
 
Hi Timothy,

It is called “Vladimir, the Mother of God” icon.

I was able to identify this icon, because I have a similar icon at home that was given to me as a gift by a friend, that is a Russian icon.

Your icon has Russian in it, that I was able to translate a little.

On the lower right-hand side, where the lettering looks a bit longer on the top, is the word “Vladamir-ski-a” written in Russian.

At least, that is my own personal translation for it. My Russian is a “bit rusty” after some passage of time. My apologies. 😊

I was not able to find anything about any explanation for the clothing on the icon, regarding what the tassels mean.

Here is a link to EWTN’s website, that tells about the icon:

ewtn.com/library/ANSWERS/HISTICON.HTM

Editing my post to see that JamalChristopher also posted the same thing regarding the name of the icon. We must have been posting at the same time. 🙂
 
Following up on my last post: this is just my hunch, but I think the third inscription says Владимирскиа Пре(свя)тыа Б(огород)иц(а) ‘Most-Holy Blessed Virgin of Vladimir’?
 
It’s very beautiful. Would this be considered a Black Madonna icon? Looking at a lot of images on Google, the Christ child is usually in Mary’s left arm. Here He is on the right and embracing His mother who looks very sad.
 
tp3192000 said:
It’s very beautiful. Would this be considered a Black Madonna icon? Looking at a lot of images on Google, the Christ child is usually in Mary’s left arm. Here He is on the right and embracing His mother who looks very sad.
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Icons which show the child Jesus sitting in Mary’s left arm (although sometimes in the right arm) and with Mary pointing to Jesus with her other hand are of the Hodegetria type. The Eleousa type (infant Jesus Christ nestled against Mary’s cheek - the Vladimir is one) is technically a variation on the Hodegetria. (The Eleousa also has a sub-variant: the Pelagonitissa, which shows the child Jesus in an abrupt movement.) Another variation on the Hodegetria is the Theotokos of the Passion (child Jesus frightened by the appearance of angels carrying the instruments of the Passion): Our Lady of Perpetual Help is a Virgin of the Passion icon. (There’s also another variant known as Galaktotrophousa: Mary breastfeeding the infant Jesus.)


Virgin of the Passion (left top), Hodegetria (left bottom), Galaktotrophousa (right)


Eleousa


Pelagonitissa
 
I have one like this I got in Prague, but it was an egg with a cross on top of it. You can see a picture of it under home shrine in my gallery.
 
tp3192000 said:
Thank you for a beautiful presentation and edification. 😃
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You’re welcome. 😃

To make things easier: If the Christ child is cheek-to-cheek with Mary and Mary is pointing to Him with her free hand, it’s likely an Eleusa. If Mary is just pointing to Jesus with her free hand (but He is more-or-less sitting erect), it’s likely an Hodegetria. 😉
 
Yes Patrick, I really appreciate you sharing your knowledge on icons, here with us. It’s very impressive! 🙂
 
Thank you all so, so much. Keep posting if anyone knows more.

It was given to my daughter today as a gift by her 8th Grade Catholic School guidance counselor. My daughter described the gift as “Some sort of icon” and I pictured a cardboard thing. I was blown away when when she took it out of her backpack.

I find icons fascinating and am going to pray the Rule of St. Pachomius on my Russian style chotki in front of this icon. Here are a few more pictures, and again, thank you all.

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-Tim-
 
It is really very beautiful, Timothy. I bet that it is even more beautiful in person. What a great gift your daughter received from her counselor. That was a really thoughtful gift!

I treasure the one that I have received as a gift. Mine is called, “Mary, Comforter of Sorrows.” Mine is hanging on our living room wall, underneath a crucifix, where it can easily be seen.

It is a Russian Icon, too, as I mentioned earlier. Mine looks very similar to this one in the link, if anyone wants to take a look at it:

thumbs2.picclick.com/d/l400/pict/361087417041_/ANTIQUE-ORTHODOX-RUSSIAN-VIRGIN-MARY-MADONNA-JESUS-CHILD-ICON.jpg
 
Hi Timothy, I like your icon, especially when it sits in the center of your prayer corner. My prayer corner is crowded with icons, statues, candles, etc. so I like your simplicity.

One icon I’ve become deeply interested in lately is Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn (in Vilnius):

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I have a very small icon of Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn but have yet to find a larger one. One good thing about my Byzantine parish is that we get a lot of icons from suppliers so icons like your’s are easily available to where you don’t need to buy them online.
 
TimothyH said:
Thank you all so, so much. Keep posting if anyone knows more.

It was given to my daughter today as a gift by her 8th Grade Catholic School guidance counselor. My daughter described the gift as “Some sort of icon” and I pictured a cardboard thing. I was blown away when when she took it out of her backpack.

I find icons fascinating and am going to pray the Rule of St. Pachomius on my Russian style chotki in front of this icon. Here are a few more pictures, and again, thank you all.

-Tim-
Click to expand...
It is in Church-Slavonic, it reads “Vladimir’s All-holy Theotokos”
 
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