The meaning

[Darryl_B]

I do not know if this is the right place to post this.

I have noticed in older images of Mary with her baby Lord Jesus Christ that there is writing common on many of them that has MP (Greek Mu and Rho) in the upper left hand side and what looks like Theta and Upsilon in the upper right.

There is also other writing on the right hand side lower down.

Could someone please tell me what this writing means as well as what the two smaller characters (persons not alphabet) who appear to have wings, one on the left and one on the right mean?

 

[Trishie]

This particular link carries explanation for the most well known icon of Mary in the Roman Catholic Church : monkrock.com/index.cfm?load=page&page=671"]monkrock.com/index.cfm?load=page&page=671
The link provides additional information.
However, specific to your question:

"The archangels Gabriel and Michael wear tunics of purple since they carry the instruments of the passion and death of Christ. The angels holding the instruments of the Passion have their hands covered with a protecting veil as a sign of reverence in handling sacred objects…

In the usual Byzantine style, the figures of the icon are identified with abbreviations of their names. In this icon Mary is designated by her chief title to glory: Mother of God. The Greek letters are thus, using approximations because most browsers do not have Greek fonts installed: MP - OY [O is really the letter theta] = Mother of God, on the two sides of the upper part of the icon; IC - XC = Jesus Christ, to the right of His head; OAM = Archangel Michael, above the Angel on the left as you look at the icon; OAT [the Greek letter tau] = Archangel Gabriel, above the Angel on the right, as you look at the icon. - "

Kind wishes,
Trishie

 

[Darryl_B]

This particular link carries explanation for the most well known icon of Mary in the Roman Catholic Church : monkrock.com/index.cfm?load=page&page=671"]monkrock.com/index.cfm?load=page&page=671

The link provides additional information.
However, specific to your question:

"The archangels Gabriel and Michael wear tunics of purple since they carry the instruments of the passion and death of Christ. The angels holding the instruments of the Passion have their hands covered with a protecting veil as a sign of reverence in handling sacred objects…

In the usual Byzantine style, the figures of the icon are identified with abbreviations of their names. In this icon Mary is designated by her chief title to glory: Mother of God. The Greek letters are thus, using approximations because most browsers do not have Greek fonts installed: MP - OY [O is really the letter theta] = Mother of God, on the two sides of the upper part of the icon; IC - XC = Jesus Christ, to the right of His head; OAM = Archangel Michael, above the Angel on the left as you look at the icon; OAT [the Greek letter tau] = Archangel Gabriel, above the Angel on the right, as you look at the icon. - "

Kind wishes,
Trishie

Thank you very much for that information. I appreciate it.

I felt I was looking at the Ark of the Covenant.

Is this a correct understanding?