As for Jesus, the Church has determined 3 types of icons of Mary, the Theotokos, as canonical. The Church also teaches that the icons of Mary, as the ARCHEIROPOIETOS, are of miraculous source. Indeed, tradition relates that it was Luke the Evangelist, filled with the Holy Spirit, who painted 3 icons of Mary, during her life, after Pentecost. These portraits became the 3 canonical icon of the Theotokos. And as you will surely notice, all these icons of Mary are also icons of Christ, since Mary is never to be depicted without her Son.

Canonical Icons of Mary : The GLYCOPHILOUSA or ELEOUSA icons Also called “the Virgin of sorrow” or “the Virgin of pity”, these icons portray Mary sweetly holding in her arms the Christ the Child.

In this tender moment, Christ reveals to His mother the mystery of his death and resurrection. On Mary’s face, there is at once suffering and love; in her saddened eyes, one can yet perceive her peaceful acceptance of the divine plan of salvation.

Canonical Icons of Mary : The HODIGHITRIA icons Literally “her who shows the way”, these icons show Mary holding Christ the Child in her arms but pointing to Him as the Way, the Truth and the Life.

These icons don’t bear as much intensity as the Eleousa type but they are as impressive and heavy with theological meaning. In these “solemn” icons, the Christ-Child is depicted as an adult, symbol of His wisdom and of his already accomplished destiny through his passion, death and resurrection; He holds in one hand a scroll, His Law, and the other hand is raised in blessing.

Canonical Icons of Mary : The ORANT VIRGIN icons Or the Virgin praying. The Theotokos appears standing, her arms lifted up to the heavens in prayer. Facing the faithful beholders, she invites them to turn to Christ and to trust in Him, in her Son to whom she intercedes for us all.

A variation of these icons are the icons of the Virgin of the Sign. Here too, we see the Theotokos at prayer, wearing on her chest a medallion picturing Christ Emmanuel, the Savior before the Incarnation. This depiction is based on Isaiah 7:14. CONCLUSION Even though there are stylistic differences within the 3 canonical icons of Mary, these have 3 characteristics in common: 1 – The robe and cloak of the Theotokos are of opposite colors as those of Christ. Mary, descending from Adam, always wears a blue robe, color of the created order, but that blue robe is covered by a purple/crimson cloak, color of divinity and royalty, since God chose her to be the mother of the King of kings and Lord of Lords. 2 - 3 stars are placed on her cloak (one on the forehead and one on each shoulder); these stars are Syriac symbols of virginity (they were shown on the wedding veils of princesses), reminding us of the ever-virginity of the Theotokos, before and after the birth of Christ. 3 – Mary is always depicted with Christ or in a setting/situation suggesting or involving her Son. The icon of Mary reveals the mystery of the Incarnation and thus of Salvation. She is the new Eve, the redeemded Creation, the Church, and she embodies and fulfills the divine image in herself. And back to theosis, in the image of the Theotokos, God became human so that we may become divine. Mother Aline