Who is this?

[Xpycoctomos]

I'm back, I' weak... I have a question :)

I got this icon as a gift from a very good hearted well-intentioned protestant (my girlfriend's mom) and I'm still keeping it even though it is officially uncanonical as it doesn't have a name of the saint (is my understanding correct here?). I was wondering if anyone could identifyu the Saint. My gf's mom assumed it was Mary, as did I until I noticed that the colors of her robe don't seem to match up to the traditional colors of red over blue. Anyone know what icon this portion might come from and who the Saint is? Also, if it could be figured out (where it comes from), can it then be used to pray with? As I told another TAWer, I am about as ignorant as it comes to icons and still be able to be considered a real Orthodox lol.

Thanks in advance!

John
http://img231.echo.cx/img231/4676/scan9aq.jpg

[Rilian]

From the angle of her head I would guess it's a Theotokos Deesis. I would have expected her maphorion to be fringed with gold, but it's not always.

[Xpycoctomos]

Deesis?

So she is not always in red over blue? when she is not, is does that mean something special or is that just another style?

[Rilian]

Yes, usually in the Deesis the maphorion is red and the veil is blue.

I googled Deesis and I think your icon is on this page (http://www.podaneruce.cz/eikon/cz/katalog.phtml?katalog=2). (It's in Czech)

[Xpycoctomos]

well, I googled "Deesis" and I got a bunch of different styles of what seems to be the same icon on Mary to the right of Jesus (His right) and John (or someone) to the left. and the angle does seem to be the same. But in all of them (that I glanced over) she wore read over blue, and not black (or dark blue???) over white. What does deesis mean? What is the significance behind this icon? (regardless of style)

John

[Matrona]

The colors are darker than usual, but that looks very much like the Theotokos supplicating, from a Deisis icon. No, the colors are not always red over blue. I think iconography has been more standardized in recent centuries than it was in the early days, and that icon appears to have seen a lot of action.

[Xpycoctomos]

Yes, usually in the Deesis the maphorian is red and the veil is blue.

I googled Deesis and I think your icon is on this page (http://www.podaneruce.cz/eikon/cz/katalog.phtml?katalog=2). (It's in Czech)

WOW! Thanks Rilian!

Anyhow, now my question is, can it be blessed if it is establish from whence it comes and can it be used? (I would think Michael would know the answer, but I think he is busy as of late).

John

[Rilian]

I would think you could have it blessed. It is an image of the Theotokos.

Also, the inner garment isn't called a veil. I forget what it's called, but it's the part that's usually blue in this icon.

[The Prokeimenon!]

I think the reason it doesn't have the name of the Saint is because it's a detail- or close-up- of a bigger icon.

I think it's okay to pray with icons even if they have a "non-canonical" thing or two about them. I've got a beautiful wall cross that's perfect, except that the Theotokos appears to be wearing yellow, and it's got that aweful "Old-man-with-big-white-beard God the Father" at the top. I still pray with it, though- and it's at the top of my icon corner.

The Icon you got is quite beautiful, even if not entirely correct :)

Moses

[Xpycoctomos]

That's great to know. I feel bad if I have icons that are nothing more than religious art. :)

Thanks guys!

John

[Moros]

Czech translates funny into english, Pana Přímluvkyně means roughly 'Lord's Mother of Intercession For Souls" I think.