The Virgin Orans
Oil Paint on Canvas
24" x 30"

In thee rejoiceth, O full of grace, all creation, the angelic hosts and the race of men. O hallowed temple and supersensual paradise, glory of Virgins, of whom God was incarnate and became a little child, even our God who is before all the ages; for he made thy womb a throne, and thy body he made more spacious than the heavens. In thee rejoiceth, O full of grace, all creation, glory to thee. -Megalynarion for St. Basil's Liturgy (Tone 8)

One of the names of this Icon that was written for an orthodox church, is The Virgin Orans, but there are many types of this Icon, in which her hands are raised in the praying position, and there are many titles it can go by: Virgin Orans (Orant)- name comes from the word orare, to pray. Virgin of the Sign - shows Theotokos with arms raised and the Christ Child against her breast and refers to Isaiah's prophecy "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14); Vaster than the Heavens - refers to a Byzantine hymn that states "Your womb is vaster than the heavens, since in it you carried Him whom the heavens cannot contain, O mother of God." Such image is often placed in the apse of the sanctuary of an Orthodox church above the Holy Table; Platytera - depict Theotokos with Jesus on her lap; Great Panagia (or Panhagia) - which is primarily a Greek form, usually full-length, with angels or seraphim; Unshakable Wall - shows full-length Mary without Christ. In this type of Icon Theotokos is represented as the mediator between God and mankind. It is also an image of the Eucharist as Mary's stretched out in prayer arms with mantle draped over them, create the shape of a Chalice, with Christ in it. He is the one who sacrifices and is being sacrificed. He is shown in gold clothe which symbolizes glory.

On two sides are St Archangels Michael and Gabriel, bearing symbols of their power: a slender rod called a merilo (measure) and a heavenly sphere called a zertsalo (mirror). They stand on the green meadow recalling the paradise. Green is also the color of life, and symbolizes the presence of the Holy Spirit that renews the face of the earth. The angels seated in two top corners are holding scrolls, that read "Holy, Holy, Holy Lord of Sabaoth! Heaven and Earth are full of Your Glory!" (Is 6:1-3) It is the hymn that Isaiah heard seraphim sing. The golden background represents the divine light that suffuses the eternal dimension outside of space and time.