Mary's Many Ways with God

Mary's Many Ways With God

A survey of the Marian Library/International Research Institute
We Welcome Your Response

[Marian Image] Mary's biography is short, her psychological profile sketchy, and there is no photograph of her available. Nonetheless, she is one of the most fascinating figures of Christianity, and for many people a woman for all seasons. The amazing discrepancy between Mary's little known lifestory and her considerable impact on religion and culture allows for only one explanation. It is her closeness to the one we call the God-Man, and her mysterious intimacy with him during his lifetime and for all eternity.

How can this relationship be expressed artistically? Painters have attempted to render the unique relationship between Mother and Son with a variety of gestures, postures and situations. Each one of them highlights a particular moment, expression or facet of Mary's many ways of dealing with God. Some of them may help us to direct our own attitude toward God.

Great Panhagia (above image)
Spaski Monastery, Yaroslavl
Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
12th century.

We would like to point out some classical artistic renderings of the privileged bond that links Mary to Jesus Christ. The images presented are icons, and are thus part of the iconography customary to and typical of the eastern traditions of the church. Most of them were painted in the period from the 12th to the 17th century, and are of either Greek or Russian origin.

We would like you to tell us which one of these icons appeal most to your religious and artistic sensitivity. Please keep in mind that these images attempt to capture through bodily postures Mary's spiritual attitude toward Jesus Christ, God-made-man.

Below are eight images of Mary and her Son. We invite you to fill out our survey form below and indicate whether and how much you like each image.

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[Virgin Paraclesis] Virgin Paraclesis

Dionysius
Church of the Nativity of the Virgin
Ferapontov Monastery
Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
c. 1502.

Mary expresses humble trust in addressing God's mercy on our behalf.