Diptych of The Mother of God Eleousa with a quotation from Proverbes

Description Diptych of The Mother of God Eleousa with a quotation from Proverbes

This icon of the Virgin represented on this diptych is very classic and is classified among the virgins of the type Eleousa, Virgin of tenderness. this type of the Virgin dates back to an original icon made by Saint Luke.
The three stars, one on the forehead, and the other two on each shoulder symbolize the virginity of Mary, before, during and after Childbirth: the Blessed Virgin did not know any men before the conception of Jesus, the day of the Annunciation where the Holy Spirit covered her with her shadow in order to conceive in her the Son of God without the intervention of any man. At the time of the birth of Christ, the Savior of the world came out of his Mother's womb without following the natural path: the Holy Virgin in ecstasy, found herself with the Child Jesus in her arms without undergoing the work and the childbirth pains. And after the birth of Christ she remained a Virgin because from her childhood, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit she had dedicated her virginity to God. If in the Gospels we speak of the brothers of Jesus, this word "brother" is to be understood in the sense of cousins.
The cheeks against each other show us the tenderness and love that unites the Mother and the Son. It would seem as if Christ was looking for the affection of his Mother as support and encouragement for his future Passion and death on the cross the foresaw of what we guess to be present in both minds by the sadness of the faces and looks.
It is interesting to note that the Blessed Virgin and the Child Jesus look towards us: as if they were saying to us: "Learn to discover by the sadness of our looks, the immense pain of the Passion, also recognize how much I am a compassionate Mother, full of Mercy for all men.
The quote from Isaiah "A benevolent look revives the Heart" which accompanies this icon of the Virgin, reminds us that the Holy Virgin always has her benevolent gaze placed on us. Who has a more benevolent look on us than Jesus and Mary? In temptations and trials let us keep in mind this benevolent look in order to remain faithful to our baptismal promises. Indeed, this kind look is not just compassion, it is a look that gives strength, and carries grace.

Quotation :

Un regard bienveillant réjouit le cœur. (Pr 15, 30)