Icons of the Virgin Theotokos “Eleusa” & Pantocrator – T103 & J88

Description

Sizes shown are for each icon of set.

T103 & J88

Both of these early 19th century Bulgarian icons were painted by the famous iconographer Christo Dimitrov of the Samokov School of iconography.  The Virgin in her icon is of the Hodegetria or Directress type, and is pointing to Christ in her arms as she directs us to live our Christian lives in a lively relationship to Him, just as she did, and to Whom we must turn to solve all of our problems, physically, mentally, and spiritually.  The Lord Jesus Christ is shown here in his icon as the Pantocrator, or Ruler of All, for indeed He is that very Ruler of all except for those who choose consciously or unconsciously to live apart from Him or in sin here and in the world to come.  If we turn to Him humbly, He will begin to truly rule our hearts and thoughts with radiant beauty and love in the healthy freedom in His Love and Truth.  We all have within us this possibility from our own creation, for we too were made in His Image and Likeness.  Without His Love and Truth, we are poor beggars living in the grip of selfishness and fantasies.

These icons are particularly colorful, with radiant bright faces of mercy and love shining forth.  Heaven is more than we can imagine, for His Glory is the illumination that lights up all Heavenly places and illumines all who live there.  When we begin to live with the Lord Jesus Christ in constant remembrance, then He indeed will enlighten us too.  May we turn to Him and to His Mother the Virgin Mary in prayer each day so that we can join His Heavenly family with all the Angels and Saints not only later, but even more deeply now in each moment here on Earth.