Said to be the
oldest known prayer to Our Lady........
We turn to You for
protection Holy Mother of God, listen to our prayers and help us
in our needs. Save us from every danger, O Glorious and Blessed
Virgin.
The name "THEOTOKOS" means
God-Bearer, and is derived from the Greek words "Theos," meaning
God, and "Tokos," bearer. The Council of Ephesus in 431 settled a
dispute where the Patriarch of Constantinople, Nestorius, held
that the Blessed Virgin Mary was the Mother of Christ but not the
Mother of God. The Council bishops held that Tradition had always
referred to Our Lady as "Theotokos", and thus defined Mary as the
Mother of God.
Apparitions of the Blessed
Virgin Mary have been occurring for 2000 years. It is said they
began even before She died when She appeared to Saint James in
Spain. Miraculous signs are usually associated with these
appearances.
Icons of the Mother of God
are extensions of Mary's association with us too, and many
miracles have occurred by praying to Our Lady through Her many
names and titles.
In the West we use holy
pictures and statues to remind us of God and His Saints. Eastern
Christians see these as powerful aids to prayerful contact with
God. By praying with the gaze fixed on the eyes of the icon, these
windows of the soul allow essential contact with the holy person
being revered.
In Mary we have a perfect
example of how God should be glorified. God made-man loved Her and
wants us to love Her too. In our prayers we not only show our love
for Her, but glorify Her Son. She refines our thoughts and
messages and gives them to Jesus on our behalf.
Many different icons of the
Mother of God are scattered throughout the world, and devotion to
Her through these portraits has continued for centuries. These Web
pages present just a few of the beloved images, which occupy a
special place in the hearts of Catholics.
Icons of the Mother of God
are not pictures, but images of revealed truths and are painted
under the Divine inspiration after much fasting and prayer. They
are held in reverence with almost the same honour given to the
Scriptures because of the truths they show. People who reverence
them spend much time in deep prayer.
Icons originated when few
people could read and books were scarce. They can be likened to
the stained glass windows in the West. After preparation through
prayer and fasting, the iconographer is given an interior image
which is then expressed outwardly. Rules govern the transcription
so that the truths of the faith will be represented in a language
which will be understood by all.
Note that the information on
this site has been collected from various sources, presumably in
the public domain. If I have infringed copyright inadvertently,
please advise me by email.
