The Icon of the Virgin of the Sign (Virgo Orans)

INTRODUCTION

The term Virgin of the Sign is a reference to the prophecy of Isaiah (7:14) "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel”.

The Icon of the Virgin of the Sign depicts the Virgin Mary during the Annunciation at the moment of saying, "May it be done to me according to your word." (Luke 1:38). This type of image not only reveals to us Mary at Prayer, but the Mystery of the Incarnation.

Images showing the Virgin Mary at prayer or “ Orans ”, with the child over her womb, go back to the 4 th century fresco in the Catacombs in Rome, and are frequent in mosaics, frescoes and icons of Catholic and Orthodox sacred art traditions.

The Child is represented blessing and holding a scroll, within a medallion, with the Greek letters IC XC (Jesus Christ). Below the medallion, an angel: a red seraphim.

As in Greek icons of Mary, the letters MP OV (short for " Mother of God ” or Theotokos , as proclaimed in the Council of Ephesus in 431) are usually painted over the gold, on the upper left and right of the head of the Virgin Mary. The three stars on her gown represent her Virginity before, during and after the birth of Christ, and her attributes of Virgin, Mother and Queen.

In the Orthodox Church icons of the Virgin of the Sign are often placed in the apse of the sanctuary upon the altar. It is also seen in the centre of the "Prophets Tier" of an "iconostasis" (the screen of icons between the sanctuary and the nave) as the representation of the fulfilment of the Old Testament prophesies, emphasising her role as Mother of God and intercessor for mankind. Mary is venerated both as woman and prototype of the Church. Mary is a "Model of the Church in Divine Worship" as "the attentive Virgin", the "Virgin in prayer", "the Virgin-Mother" and the "Virgin presenting offerings" (Part 1, Section 2, Apostolic exhortation Marialis Cultus by His Holiness Paul VI, 1974).

For this icon I have designed a special frame, inspired by an Ethiopian Processional Cross. These sort of geometric designs are quite sophisticated and have sacred geometry at their core. Being symmetrical, their inner rhythm provides, I feel, a good setting for meditation, a sort of introduction leading to the image.

Guillem Ramos-Poquí London May 2010