Wordless Wednesday: Mary, Intercessor for All Mankind

What a lovely image! It makes me feel peaceful and I need that right now. Thanks!

I love the iconography! I wonder what the inscription she’s holding is, though.

No matter… it leads me to remember a lot of different verses, which is all to the good.

Beth, this icon is part of a deisis, a Greek word which means “intercession” or “prayer.” Normally, a deisis is composed of three icons (a triptych), with Christ in the center, sitting on the throne of judgment, and Mary to the left (at Christ’s right hand), and another saint (often but not always Saint John the Baptist) to the right.

In a deisis, Mary is shown with her hands extended in prayer (as her right hand is here), and often with a scroll in her left hand. The text on the scroll is the beginning of an intercessory prayer to Christ, interceding on behalf of mankind. While I cannot say for certain what the text on this scroll says, it would normally read, “Ruler Most Gracious, Lord Jesus Christ.”

Lovely icon, as always. I’m looking forward to your next theme, too.

I really love the colors used here. In contrast to last weeks very fair Mary, this one is quite dark. I’m reminded of a book I just finished reading, “The Secret Life of Bees,” in which a “Black” Mary figured prominently. I would think it quite comforting for people of every shade to have a Mary they could personally relate to.