The Virgin of Eleousa icon

Abstract

The Virgin of the Eleousa icon (or Eleousa), Tenderness or Showing Mercy, is a variant of the older type of the same icon - Hodegetrea (literally: "She who shows the Way"), and expresses the special intensity of the loving relationship between the God - Mother and the Christ child. The most famous example of The Eleousa icon type is the Vladimir icon of the Mother of God, one of Russia's most venerated icons, originally painted in Constantinople in 12th century. On this icon the Virgin Mary hugs Jesus close to her while God – child is warmly nestled against her cheek. As was rightly mentioned the intimate poses of the heads and hands display the warm emotional attachment of the Virgin and Child. Important difference of this new type of icon is that the faces of Mother and the Child are not shown in frontal way but they are turned toward one another, cheeks touching each other