Catholic Online Forum

I have just bought an Orthodox Russian icon on an Ebay auction; it was described as Virgin Mary birthgiving help. I do know very little about icons, and I wonder if anyone knows anything about this motif. Is it a common motif , and what does it mean? Is it the blessed Virgin who give aid to labouring women (I kind of bought it with that in mind...), or is it help to the Virgin as she gives birth to the Christ?

You may see a picture of it here.

Thanks in advance for any information you can give me!

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Stine Cecilia
Married w/4 children - please pray for our family!
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Ora pro nobis, beate pater Dominice!
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Preach the word, be urgent in season and out of season
(2 Tim 4:2)

Stine,

Here's a comment on this icon:



You can see the icon and the comment at http://www.comeandseeicons.com/hsw04.htm

(Note: this is a commercial site)

Robert

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Ma mission [est] de faire aimer le bon Dieu comme je l'aime. (Sainte Thérèse de l'Enfant-Jésus) My mission is to have God loved as I love Him.

Stine,

Ihsold have mentioned that the icon I cite is not the same as yours. But I think the comment applies.

Robert

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Ma mission [est] de faire aimer le bon Dieu comme je l'aime. (Sainte Thérèse de l'Enfant-Jésus) My mission is to have God loved as I love Him.

Robert,

I saw that it was different I have seen many of similar style, with their cheeks touching. They are very beautiful!

I also looked at the web site of a Norwegian icon painter that I know from before, she has some Mary with child motifs, there's some Theotokos Hodegetria and many Theotokos of the Sign - the web site you pointed to have many Theotokos of the Sign; they are somewhat similar to my icon and obviously a common motif. However, the symbols used are different in that in Theotokos of the Sign the Christ is encircled in her womb, and the Mother lifts both her hands upwards.

In my icon, the child Christ is unclothed, and there's no circle but rather a pointed ellipse (I do not know the proper name for this shape) and her hands seem rather protective of the baby, she holds them kind of shielding over it. I do not recognize it at all the way Theotokos Hodegetria and Theotokos of the Sign are familiar. I will have to investigate this further.

I do appreciate your comments, though, and I too feel that one could find comfort and courage in this icon

Thanks!

_________________
Stine Cecilia
Married w/4 children - please pray for our family!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ora pro nobis, beate pater Dominice!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Preach the word, be urgent in season and out of season
(2 Tim 4:2)