Smiling Virgin Mary images?

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Techno2000

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Hi,
Is there any icons or images of the Virgin Mary that are smiling
someone told there is not any.
 
Techno2000 said:
Hi,
Is there any icons or images of the Virgin Mary that are smiling
someone told there is not any.
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The reason Mary dosen’t smile is threefold: She knows the Cross is coming, her Son must suffer and die; she is saddened by the sins of the world, by the offenses against the Lord; she suffers with her Son, sharing in His pains and sufferings on the Cross. Her frown points back to the past, to the present, and forward to the future, so to speak.
 
maybe, but I have never seen a frowning image of Mary, either. Rather most images, including those taken from descriptions of alleged seers, and of course the tilma, depict her face in a calm, contemplative repose, neither smiling nor frowning, because her inward and outward gaze is always on God, and at the same time, because she is now glorified, she gazes upon her children, especially those who are suffering in this world.
 
Seems to me that the image of Our Lady of Guadaloupe is smiling.
 
I have to say, I haven’t seen any smiling images of Our Lord, or any of the saints, apart from one by one artist entitled ‘Laughing Christ’.

As with images of Our Lady, though, most images that I’ve seen of Our Lord and the saints (even crucifixion scenes) tend to look serene rather than stern.

Perhaps the main reasons are those listed above - salvation and sanctity are a serious business.

Christ knew that His final destiny lay in the Cross, and the saints, following His example, know that theirs is to daily take up their own crosses. This being the case, it seems inappropriate to show them being mirthful.
 
puzzleannie said:
maybe, but I have never seen a frowning image of Mary, either. Rather most images, including those taken from descriptions of alleged seers, and of course the tilma, depict her face in a calm, contemplative repose, neither smiling nor frowning, because her inward and outward gaze is always on God, and at the same time, because she is now glorified, she gazes upon her children, especially those who are suffering in this world.
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That’s what I meant. The repose. Sorry for not knowing the right term 😦
 
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