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5 Requirements for Painting An Icon of the Mother of God


The main principles of panting the icon of the Mother of God:

1. In icons, the Mother of God is always depicted wearing a dark red omophorion. It is a large four-sided cloth, which covers not only the head but also the whole body. The omophorion symbolizes the Motherhood of the Mother of God. The blue tunic under the omophorion (the color of the heavenly purity) symbolizes Her chastity.

2. Three gold stars on the omophorion (on the head and shoulders) are the symbolic signs of Her purity: “before Nativity, on Nativity and after Nativity”. Secondly, the stars are the symbols of the Holy Trinity.

3. The cuffs (a necessary element of the clerical vestment) refer to Her service in the Church of the Heavenly Hierarch – Jesus Christ.

4. The halo (from lat. nimbus - cloud) is painted without cross inside it.

5. The short inscription is supposed to be the following: on the left – MR (Greek. matir – mother), on the right – ФU (Фeou – God).






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